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Paedophile

fireman used loophole to keep changing his identity

Calls to change law as Daily Mail exposes shocking case of pervert with 20 aliases

MINISTERS were under pressure last night to close a legal loophole that allows paedophiles and perverts to change their identity.

The Daily Mail can today reveal that a convicted sex offender adopted as many as 20 aliases to hide his convictions.

Jason Brown was dubbed a 'danger to women and children' after repeat- edly - yet, shockingly, legally - chang-

EXCLUSIVE

By Rebecca Camber

Crime and Security Editor

ing his name to shield his criminal past as he formed relationships with unsuspecting partners.

In an extraordinary case which has reignited calls for a crackdown, the 50-year-old former firefighter moved around the country, preying on women and children and adopting a new persona as soon as he was caught.

Campaigners are calling for urgent

new safeguards as scores of sex offenders are due to be released from jail in October, while many others will no longer face prison under Labour's soft-justice reforms.

When Brown was first convicted 12 years ago, he was labelled a 'mon- ster' with a warning that he could 'disappear and start this all over again' if the law was not tightened.

But since then, despite numerous promises by politicians across the spectrum, little has changed. Brown reinvented himself after every

Turn to Page 6

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Page 2

Daily Mail, Monday, August 17, 2026

Weather

Go to: dailymail.co.uk/weather for UK and world 5 day forecast

Summary: Cloudy, mild

UK TODAY: Cloudy skies dominate with a mild start, temperatures rising to warm by midday. Light showers in the afternoon clear to mostly cloudy later. A gentle breeze persists throughout the day. Max 26c.

Today's weather

	9am	12noon	3pm	6pm	9pm
London	19°C	24°C	26°C	26°C	22°C
Plymouth	20°C	23°C	24°C	23°C	19°C
Cardiff	20°C	22°C	21°C	20°C	18°C
B'ham	18°C	21°C	23°C	23°C	19°C
McChester	17°C	19°C	20°C	19°C	18°C
Newcastle	15°C	18°C	18°C	17°C	15°C
Glasgow	15°C	17°C	17°C	16°C	16°C
Aberdeen	14°C	16°C	16°C	15°C	14°C
Belfast	16°C	17°C	18°C	17°C	16°C

5 day forecast

	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
London	25°C	24°C	22°C	22°C	21°C
Plymouth	24°C	22°C	21°C	21°C	20°C
Cardiff	24°C	23°C	21°C	20°C	20°C
B'ham	22°C	21°C	19°C	19°C	19°C
McChester	19°C	19°C	18°C	18°C	18°C
Newcastle	20°C	19°C	17°C	17°C	17°C
Glasgow	17°C	17°C	17°C	16°C	17°C
Aberdeen	20°C	17°C	16°C	16°C	16°C
Belfast	18°C	17°C	17°C	16°C	17°C

Europe forecast

	today	1	tomorrow	2	15	Geneva	thunder	29	7	tom	30	18
Amsterdam	cloudy	2	10	mon	30	Lisbon	sun	31	8	sun	30	18
Brussels	cloudy	23	13	shovels	31	Madrid	sun	36	10	sun	39	12
Frankfurt	sun	24	15	main	32	Paris	star	39	14	star	35	18
						Rome	star	31	8	sun	31	18

Around the world yesterday

	weather	1	weather	2	weather	3	weather	4
Algiers	Sunny	26.07	Florence	Sunny	34.10	New Delhi	fair	32.50
Amsterdam	cloudy	23.71	Geneva	fair	31.10	New York	Sunny	26.79
Alhams	Sunny	30.89	Gibraltar	cloudy	26.79	Niue	Sunny	30.59
Auckland	Thunder	15.34	Stamford	fair	24.75	Osaka	sunny	30.69
Belgrade	Sunny	40.02	Welsh	fair	25.69	Malaya	sunny	32.18
Barcelona	Sunny	31.90	Hong Kong	Thunder	32.00	Paris	fair	28.82
Barra	Sunny	40.02	Newark	cloudy	26.79	Perth	Sunny	23.73
Beijing	Thunder	26.79	Island	fair	28.82	Prague	rain	20.68
Bolivia	Sunny	29.84	Jersey	fair	24.75	Windsor	sunny	28.84
Bolivia	Thunder	8.10	Larnaca	sunny	33.30	Biguan	fair	27.77
Belgrade	Sunny	32.90	Las Palmas	sunny	29.84	Rome	sunny	32.50
Berlin	cloudy	30.89	Lisbon	sunny	29.84	Singapore	Thunder	30.88
Brunei	cloudy	24.75	London	cloudy	24.75	Stookholm	cloudy	27.63
Brussels	sunny	31.90	Los Angeles	fair	24.75	Strasbourg	sunny	30.88
Brussels	sunny	26.79	Lisbon	sunny	40.00	Sydney	fair	28.84
Buckland	sunny	27.10	Madrid	sunny	29.84	Tarayac	sunny	27.30
Budapest	sunny	32.10	Malaya	fair	30.89	Tel Aviv	sunny	32.50
Cairo	sunny	31.10	Malaya	sunny	32.50	Toronto	sunny	30.86
Cape Town	fair	8.10	Melbourne	fair	12.10	Valpar	cloudy	26.79
Casablanca	fair	26.79	Mexico City	sunny	25.70	Toronto	fair	23.73
Copenhagen	fair	8.00	Miami	sunny	24.50	Yakut	sunny	25.95
Corfu	sunny	30.89	Milan	sunny	33.30	Vancouver	sunny	29.68
Dubai	fair	30.89	Montreal	fair	31.70	Venice	sunny	30.88
Dublin	cloudy	8.84	Moscow	fair	31.70	Vienna	sunny	30.18
Dubravnik	sunny	28.82	Montreal	Thunder	30.86	Warsaw	fair	28.82
Faro	fair	24.75	Nairobi	cloudy	8.84	Wellington	rain	9.48

Moon and Sun

M(5)N(1)sec; S(3)pm, sets 9.35pm Sunrise London 5.48am, sets 3.18pm Manchester Hse; S(3)pm, sets 3.15pm HIGH 7DE London Bridge 5.53pm Liverpool 3.85pm

Extremes (24 hrs to 7pm Sat)

Warmest: 30gpm/m/d, 3tc.

Cold: Top 5/8g, 9c.

Wetted: Resolution 3.20mm.

Sunrise: Cambrone, 0.8hrs.

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Trump accuses BBC of harassing his children in defamation battle

DONALD Trump has accused the BBC of harassing his family after it tried to force his children to testify in his $10 billion defamation lawsuit.

Lawyers for the broadcaster asked a Florida court to subpoena Donald Trump Jr, Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner after attempts to deliver the legal documents were reportedly blocked by the US Secret Service.

The US President is in a £7.4 billion legal battle with the BBC over a 2024 Panorama documentary which examined the events leading up to the Capitol riots on January 6, 2021.

Portions of a speech given by Mr Trump before the riots were spliced together in

By Olivia Day

the programme, giving the impression he had encouraged his supporters to storm the US Congress in Washington after he lost the 2020 presidential election. He actually called for peaceful protests.

A spokesman for Mr Trump's legal team accused the Corporation of abusing the legal process.

They said: "The BBC intentionally defamed President Donald J. Trump, and now the BBC is seeking to harass him, his family and supporters by abusing the deposition process. The BBC is simply trying to distract away from their own obvious liability." The BBC denied

it had defamed the President. Its lawyers argue that his family 'without question have personal knowledge' of events surrounding the January 6 riots and could shed light on his intentions. The case will go to trial in February 2027. Meanwhile, Mr Kushner was in Egypt yesterday to meet Hamas leaders, alongside Bir Tony Blair.

The pair, along with the director of Mr Trump's Board of Peace, Nickolay Mladenov, are also set to meet Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem today.

The visit is understood to be part of a concerted effort to salvage the peace deal struck in October to end the war in the Middle East.

By Martin Beckford

Policy Editor

ANDY Burnham's looming decision on new North Sea drilling could spell 'life or death' for the industry, he was warned last night.

The Prime Minister must soon choose whether or not to approve production from a large untapped oil field west of Shetland, as a public consultation on Rosebank closes today.

He also has to decide whether or not to grant a licence for the Jackdaw gas field, 150 miles east of Aberdeen, after a similar exercise ended last week.

Mr Burnham suggested last week that speeding up the extraction of the remaining fossil fuels from the

'Government must be honest'

North Sea could bridge the transition to clean energy.

He told the BBC: 'We won't be able to stop using oil and gas for some time, that's just a fact.

'The question is whether we can accelerate use of it so that we pay for the transition, and use thing helps the other... whether that extraction can be the bridge to the clean energy future we need, and bring it forward.'

Last night Mr Burnham was warned by the Tories that failing to approve the two projects – which could support more than 3,500 jobs and generate more than £200illion for the UK economy – would push the oil and gas sector in the UK closer to extinction.

It comes after BP put its North Sea business up for

Burnham set to make a 'life or death' decision on North Sea oil

Vital: Oil and gas provides 75 per cent of the UK's energy

sale, raising fresh fears for jobs. Shadow Scottish secretary Andrew Bowie said: 'Labour's decision on both Jackdaw and Rosebank could be the difference between life and death for an industry that has supported the UK for generations.

The absurd North Sea energy policy of both Westminster and Holyrood governments risks bringing a premature end to our oil and gas sector as we know it.

'I am absolutely positive

that the results of both consultations will send a clear message to Andy Burnham to stop the small talk and get Britain drilling again.

'Anything other than approving these fields will threaten our energy security, cost thousands of jobs, and move our world-leading oil and gas industry one step closer to extinction.'

The Prime Minister was also urged by the industry to acknowledge the fact that oil and gas still provides

about 75 per cent of the country's energy.

David Whitehouse, chief executive of trade body Offshore Energies UK, said: 'If we do not produce this oil and gas here with lower emissions under one of the most tightly regulated regimes in the world, we do not end demand.

'It just means more imported oil and gas – often with a higher carbon footprint, while more jobs, taxes and industrial value are shifted overseas. The Government must be honest about this.

However, campaign group Stop Climate Chaos Scotland told Mr Burnham and new Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbullen that approving the new drilling is 'not compatible with climate goals'.

Ms Fahnbullen's predecessor, Ed Miliband, previously said that allowing further exploration of the Rosebank oil and gas field would be an act of 'climate vandalism'.

A spokesman for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said: 'The North Sea remains a vital national asset, supporting jobs, growth and the UK's energy security.

'We are clear that oil and gas will continue to play an important role in our energy system for decades to come, alongside transitioning to clean power to protect jobs and tackle the climate crisis.'

Clarifications & corrections

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INSIDE: Kurosu 22, Puzzles 31-34, TV 38-41, Cainer 42, Letters 45, City & Finance 53

IF YOU CAN'T GET YOUR DAILY MAIL...

If the Mail was unavailable at your retail outlet please let us know by emailing available@ dailymail.co.uk or call 0330 100 0601 and we will endeavour to ensure it doesn't happen again.

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Page 3

Wow Pixie, you really do look a Lott like Marilyn!

PORTRAYING Marilyn Monroe on stage might intimidate more experienced actors, but for multi-talented Pixie Lott it almost seems a logical step.

The pop star, model, Strictly quarter-finalist and former child actress, who appeared in a West End production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at 14, clearly likes a challenge.

With her platinum blonde hair, scarlet lips and retro pedal-pushers, the British singer, 35, wowed a West End crowd on Saturday in Who Killed Marilyn? at the Emerald Theatre.

She also lit up the stage in an off-the-shoulder gown inspired by the one Ms Monroe wore in the 1955 film The Seven Year Itch, pictured right.

The show looks at the woman behind the legend, revisiting her death at 36 in 1962 from an overdose, which was ruled a probable suicide.

It examines the conspiracy theories that have surrounded her death for 64

By Dominique Hines Showbusiness Reporter

years, from claims that she was murdered over alleged affairs with former US president John F Kennedy and his brother Robert to theories of a mob cover-up.

Ms Lott has said she was 'absolutely thrilled to be stepping into the iconic shoes of Marilyn Monroe'. She added: 'I have always loved Marilyn, and bringing her complex story to life... and being

'Being her every night is a dream'

her every night is an absolute dream.' The mother of two, who had a No1 hit at 18 with her debut single Mama Do in 2009, previously starred as Holly Golightly in a West End production of Breakfast At Tiffany's in 2016 to positive reviews.

Some like it Lott: The singer on stage, and with Mars Sums as IT'S, in 2017

Help, we've already reached our 'quarter-life' crisis, moan Gen Z

THEY are known for their love of avocado on toast, wellness and matcha lattes.

But it seems the comfort ends there for Gen Z - with almost half those aged 18 to 29 going through a so-called quarter-life crisis, a study suggests.

Events such as studying, moving into the next stage of education, and housing problems have left young Britons in dire straits, according to the research led by the University of Greenwich.

Each of these issues affects more than one in five young

By Victoria Allen

adults, and the subject has become popular on TikTok.

Some 14 per cent said they were struggling with adult independence, 18 per cent said they were in crisis due to uncertainty about their future opportunities, and 15 per cent said identity issues were a predicament.

The researchers studied 2,247 young adults across eight countries - the UK, Greece, Turkey, Brazil, Indonesia, India, Pakistan and the Czech Republic - to

discover whether the phenomenon was universal. They found that more than 30 per cent of Gen Z in each nation were affected.

Researchers told the volunteers that a quarter-life crisis was a

'Fearful, anxious or sad'

'turning point' lasting several years in which life was 'noticeably more difficult, stressful and unstable than normal', and then asked if they were experiencing

it. The study, published in the journal Emerging Adulthood, found the level of Gen Z quarter-life crises ranged from 40 per cent in Greece to 77 per cent in India.

In the UK, where 280 took part, the rate was 44 per cent. They most commonly reported feeling negative about themselves, fearful, anxious, sad or down.

Study leader Professor Oliver Robinson said: 'We talk about a midlife crisis, when people start questioning their lives... and can make big decisions like changing career or getting a divorce. There is also a later-life crisis, which

older people feel around retirement and children leaving home.

'But the quarter-life crisis comes at a similar time of transition, when young people are also feeling "locked out" of opportunities like jobs, and worried about the future, or "locked in" to choices they've already made which might be the wrong ones.

'They are trying to figure out who they are and often navigating relationship problems and break-ups.'

He added that they 'appear to happen consistently across different cultures and may just be a part of the human journey'.

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Page 4

vi

What a blow... Scots lose world bagpipe contest

Victory: Canada's Simon Fraser University pipe band win the title

AFTER its football team's lacklustre World Cup campaign, Scotland has suffered more misery - losing out in the world bagpipe championships.

Thousands of the world's best pipers and drummers descended on Glasgow Green from as far afield as Australia, New Zealand, Oman, Malaysia and Germany.

The home of the bagpipes was represented by 125 groups, while Northern Ireland had 26 bands and the US had 19.

But it was a Canadian band that was ultimately crowned the winners at the World Pipe Band Championships, as the contest is officially known.

It marks the first time a group outside the UK has lifted the trophy in 16 years, with Scottish

By Kristina Wemyss

bands having won the past two contests. The Simon Fraser University pipe band (SFU) from Vancouver triumphed over 211 groups from 14 countries.

SFU players cried and embraced as they were declared the champions. It is their seventh victory in the contest's history but their first since 2009, with Scottish and Northern Irish bands dominating in recent years.

Around 35,000 people came to watch the event, known as the Worlds, on Friday and Saturday.

Colin Mulhern, chief executive of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association, said this year's competition had been 'truly thrilling and fiercely contested'. He

added: 'Every band that took part can be immensely proud of their performances.'

Mr Mulhern said their skill and talent 'make the world of pipe band competition so special'.

Glasgow first hosted the event in 1948 and has done so permanently since 1986.

Every year, the championship comes at the end of the week-long bagpipe festival Piping Live! - the largest celebration of piping in the world.

Baile Annette Christie - chairman of Glasgow Life, which organises the contest - said the city is 'proud' of its musical history.

She said the event brings 'the very best pipers and drummers together for a spectacular celebration of music and tradition'.

By Martin Beckford

Policy Editor

THE Tories have vowed to crack down on illegal traveller sites if they return to power.

By withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights and scrapping the Human Rights Act, the Conservatives said they would have the power to stop groups returning to encampments indefinitely.

The party also promised to stop abuse of the planning process if it wins the next election, ending a 'two-tier' system under which travellers are allowed to get away with breaking the law while homeowners are punished for minor breaches.

It accused Labour of weakening protection for the countryside and undermining enforcement, with figures showing the number of caravans on unauthorised sites has risen by 35 per cent since the election. Kent has become a particular hotspot for illegal sites, with five new ones springing up in the hamlet of Sandway in just nine months, to the fury of locals.

In many cases travellers move onto fields as soon as councils close for bank holiday weekends, putting down hardstanding for static caravans, then ignoring demands to leave.

Last night, the Tories' communities spokesman Sir James Cleverly, who has fought a site in his own Essex constituency, said: 'Communities across our country

'End soft-touch approach'

are forced to put up with law-breaking by a small minority of travellers. In some areas, illegal sites and unauthorised development of legal sites are having a major negative impact on the local population, and residents feel abandoned.

'Police and councils need our backing to intervene and take robust action.

'With new freedoms gained by leaving the ECHR, we will end the soft-touch approach favoured by Labour and ensure everyone is treated equally under the law.'

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philip added: 'Those who break the rules must be punished. That is a basic principle that must apply equally to all communities.'

Tough laws introduced by the last Tory government, giving police extra powers to evict people from unauthorised encampments, were struck down by judges just before the 2024 election. The High Court declared

We'll crack down on illegal traveller sites once we quit ECHR, Tories vow

Fast-moving: Travellers moved onto this field in Essex over the first bank holiday weekend in May

that the rules amounted to unlawful race discrimination against gypsies and travellers under human rights law.

In response, Labour said travellers would be banned from returning to unauthorised sites for just three months rather than a year. But the Tories said this is 'effectively useless', as travellers can simply keep going round a handful of sites.

As well as imposing indefinite return bans, the Tories said they would also give police a new power to remove travellers from

a site if requested by the landowner, rather than only if significant damage or distress has been caused.

And the party said it would end the practice of 'build first, apply for permission later' by prohibiting retrospective planning applications for caravan sites.

Meanwhile, travellers told the BBC they had no option to break the law. Cliff Codona, who runs the National Travellers' Action Group, claimed that 'as soon as they know you're a gypsy' a planning application is 'stopped

dead in its tracks'. A Labour spokesman said: 'The Tories left our planning system in a mess.

'Not only has this Labour Government put in place incredibly strong safeguards for developments in the green belt, we are also ensuring that there is clearer and more consistent approach to planning.

'Leaving the ECHR would destroy the partnerships we rely on to remove those who arrive here illegally.'

Comment - Page 16

VOTE

'When I mentioned I quite enjoyed the Barbie film...'

Grey interiors get brush-off as pink hues create a stir

Daily Mail Reporter

THERE'S no glossing over it - grey appears to be losing its allure as the trendiest interior paint colour.

For a few years it was all the rage as homeowners sought a refined, minimalist look.

But its days seem to be numbered, sales figures suggest, with many householders switching to brighter tones.

One paint firm has seen strong demand for green and pink paint during the past year.

The specialist business Lick said green was the most popular, representing 17.4 per cent of sales in the past 12 months.

Demand has also grown for pink, which has gone up to 13.9 per cent of sales - from 12.5 per cent a year earlier.

However, the market for grey interiors, which had been boosted by online influencers such as Mrs Hinch, has lost momentum, with grey paint sales halving to 2.3 per cent.

White paint has remained perennially popular, and sales of neutral tones such as beige and taupe are gaining ground.

Lick said the shift to warmer colours could partly be explained by shoppers being put off moving home by high mortgage rates.

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Page 5

EXCLUSIVE

By Miles Dilworth

Deputy Investigations Editor

UNLICENSED 'Godzilla' fat jabs from Chinese laboratories are being illegally sold through social media by middle-class dealers, the Daily Mail can reveal.

Vast quantities of retatrutide, potentially the most powerful weight-loss drug ever developed, are being bought despite concerns over its safety.

Unlike Mounjaro or Ozempic, the medication is not licensed in the UK and is illegal to sell for human use. Yet our undercover reporter was able to buy five weeks' supply from a high-flying businesswoman with links to Cambridge University.

The drugs are likely bootleg versions made by an industrial-scale Chinese laboratory, so come with serious health risks. But medical experts fear their warnings are being drowned out by social media hype, turning otherwise respectable middle-class professionals into dodgy drug dealers.

Today, a Daily Mail investigation into the illegal sale of retatrutide can reveal:

■ Chinese laboratories are cashing in on rising demand by selling hundreds of thousands of pounds of it to the UK every month;

■ UK distributors are buying the drug in bulk before selling it on at up to seven times the wholesale price, pocketing vast profits;

■ Official data shows that more than 100 people have reported

'One death has been reported'

side effects after taking it, including one death – though the true number could be much higher.

Retatrutide – nicknamed the 'Godzilla jab' – is becoming the new must-have 'miracle' drug.

Developed by Eli Lilly, the same firm behind Mounjaro, its popularity soared after trial results showed it could help users lose up to a third of their body weight.

This has led to reports of personal trainers dealing it to clients at gyms to boost workout gains, as well as middle-class mothers outside the school gates.

Sheryl Cuisia, who sold retatrutide to our reporter, is typical of the middle-class circles in which it is being used. She is an 'entrepreneur-in-residence' at King's College, Cambridge, where she assists students with business ideas, has a Soho House membership and lives in a riverside penthouse in east London.

The 48-year-old runs a website selling a range of weight loss and beauty drugs for 'research use only' – a common disclaimer used to exploit a legal loophole that allows retatrutide and other drugs undergoing clinical trials to be sold for research purposes.

When contacted by our reporter, Cuisia was quick to recommend retatrutide for weight loss, saying it is 'one of the most promising next-generation obesity medicines in clinical development'.

'That's why so many people are leaning on it, including "gym bros", bio hackers and of course those seeking sustainable weight loss,' she said. In person, she also told our reporter how to inject it.

Cuisia, who is originally from Toronto, Canada, said she had four to five 'vetted vendors' and used a dozen different drugs

Sting: The powerful retatrutide jab bought by our undercover reporter

Revealed, middle-class dealers illegally selling unlicensed 'Godzilla' fat jabs made in China

CAMBRIDGE BUSINESS GURU ...AND MOMENT SHE SOLD REPORTER 5-WEEK SUPPLY

herself. 'I sound crazy,' she said. 'I want to live for like 150 years.'

Buying or possessing it is not an offence, but the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said disclaimers don't protect sellers from enforcement action if they are promoting the drugs for human use.

It said: 'We disregard claims that products are for "research purposes" if it is clear such claims are being used as an attempt to avoid medicines regulations.'

Cuisia's website states that her supplier is 'Archangel Labs', but the Mail could not find evidence

of its existence. When our reporter asked where the drugs came from, she replied: 'Mostly China.'

The Mail contacted one Chinese lab posing as a potential wholesale distributor in the UK.

It said it sold hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of weight-loss drugs to the UK each month, including retatrutide.

The Mail obtained footage from inside its laboratory that showed workers clad head-to-toe in blue overalls processing chemicals through high-tech machinery.

The 15,000sq(m) facility includes research buildings, eight work-

shops, four warehouses and a 600sq(m) lab with two production lines for weight loss drugs.

It has an annual production capacity of up to 350 tons. A price list showed we could buy 70 10mg vials of retatrutide for $700 (£525), with free shipping. Our reporter bought a single 10mg vial from Cuisia for £45, plus £10 to premix it with bacteriostatic water.

If Cuisia had bulk bought from a lab offering a similar deal, she could have sold 70 10mg vials at £55 each, making a profit of more than £3,000 on a £525 purchase.

Many Chinese labs display test

Huge profits: Businesswoman Sheryl Cuisia, 48, works with King's College, Cambridge

certificates claiming their drugs are safe. But forums are littered with posts citing elevated heart rates, as well as changes to menstrual cycles in young women.

Even the legitimate version of the drug is still undergoing testing. Early trials suggest it may be more likely to trigger side effects – such as nausea, diarrhoea and constipation – than Mounjaro.

The MHRA has recorded 105 reports of suspected retatrutide side effects and one death. They do not prove the drug caused the adverse reaction, only that the patient was taking it at the time.

Adam Taylor, professor of anatomy at Lancaster University, said risky drug-taking is being normalised among the middle

'Put your health at serious risk'

classes as influencers are promoting the products on social media. 'These are being promoted as safe by people with similar lifestyles, so they think it's worth giving a go,' he said.

He warned users risked turning themselves into 'lab rats', adding: 'The drugs haven't gone through stringent safety checks so are not up to a standard where people should be injecting them. The risks are significant.'

The MHRA has warned people not to be 'tempted by the online hype around retatrutide'. Andy Morling, of its criminal enforcement unit, said: 'Rogue sellers are driven by profit, not your safety.'

'Fake medicines they sell could put your health at serious risk.'

The unit has carried out several raids on illegal UK factories since last October, when 2,000 unlicensed retatrutide and Mounjaro pens worth £250,000 were seized from a Northampton warehouse.

Cuisia declined to comment when presented with the findings of our investigation.

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Page 6

EXCLUSIVE

By Rebecca Camber

CRIME AND SECURITY EDITOR

IT WAS just 14 days after they met that Jason Brown uttered the three magic words.

Julie Purvin thought she had found the man of her dreams when her new boyfriend, a former firefighter, looked into her eyes and whispered: 'I love you.'

But it was to be the beginning of a nightmare for the divorced mother-of-two.

For the man she let into her heart, family and home was a convicted sex offender living under a false name who had repeatedly changed his identity, adopting as many as 20 aliases to hide his convictions.

As he faced a court again last week – for breaching a sexual harm prevention order for the 12th time – it emerged that Brown had even changed his name in the middle of the prosecution, exploiting a loophole in the law which allows sex offenders to assume a new persona, as long as they notify police.

The 50-year-old has managed to reinvent himself after every conviction, hiding his horrifying past even while he was being investigated for rape and sexual assault.

It wasn't until a friend uncovered his multiple aliases that Julie discovered her boyfriend was being prosecuted for rape under a name she had never heard in a court 100 miles from the home they shared.

Now the 54-year-old is bravely telling her story in a bid to change the law. She is determined to warn others about the 'monster' who has duped so many women.

The relationship which would change her life followed a chance meeting in a Stratford-upon-Avon bar in February 2025.

While showering her with compliments, Brown told her that he was a father-of-three who had moved about working in different places as a firefighter, landscape gardener, karate instructor, and he currently had a sales role in a construction company.

A week later, he turned up on Valentine's Day with flowers at the beauty salon Julie owns.

Within ten days, Julie had introduced Brown to her friends and family and just a fortnight after their first meeting, he professed his love. 'He told me he loved me. I thought "oh my God, I feel the same", she recalls. 'I thought he was perfect. I got swayed along. I was so happy.'

But soon after moving in, he started to find ways to distance Julie from her family, including her adult sons, and friends.

And every Tuesday he would disappear on the pretext of seeing his ailing mother.

In reality, Brown was secretly checking in with the probation service as part of his sex offender notification requirements. Julie

I discovered the man who love bombad me was on trial for rape under a name I'd never heard

continued to be blissfully happy until her illusion was shattered by her friend's investigations.

Brown told her he was fighting a false accusation of sexual assault made by 'a druggie' he knew after he refused to give her money. As she struggled to come to terms with the news, 6ft 2in Brown shockingly simulated on Julie the attack he was being accused of.

HEN she discovered a mobile phone she didn't know he had and a SIM card in his pocket wrapped in clingfilm, at which point 'the penny dropped'. Frightened, she asked a friend for help and they agreed to do some research into Brown, who was by that time on trial in Essex – or so Julie thought.

She discovered that Brown was actually at Lincoln Crown Court, facing charges of rape, sexual assault and breach of a sexual harm prevention order – under the name of Seb Coe.

When Julie searched that name on the internet, her world fell apart as she learnt he had been

convicted of multiple sex offences under different names. Born Barry Coe, Brown was sacked by West Midlands Fire Service for downloading pornography on a work computer.

He then started calling himself Seb Coe, establishing a karate club for local schools in the West Midlands and targeting underage girls by seducing their mothers.

In 2014, he was jailed under that name for five and a half years for sending more than 1,600 texts to seduce underage girls.

Described at Birmingham Crown Court as a 'sex pest' and exhibitionist, Brown romanced the victim's mothers before he started bombarding their teenage daughters with messages, including an explicit picture of himself.

He told one 14-year-old victim that he wanted a threesome with her and had fantasised about having sex with her and boy star Rihanna. When she reported him to police, it emerged that Brown had sent similar texts to two other young girls.

He was convicted of three sex acts against young girls, three charges of inciting a child to

engage in sexual activity and three counts of indecent exposure after flashing neighbours through the bedroom window of his home.

One source close to a victim warned at the time: 'We are just hoping the system is robust enough deal with him when he is released from prison, so that he does not disappear and start this all over again.'

'He is very charismatic and he does not look like a monster, but he is a monster. He has moved all around the country in the past and he has changed his name.'

'That cannot be allowed to happen again. We have a duty to protect young children from vile sexual predators like him.'

I personally believe that there are many more young women out there who are also victims of his.'

Her words proved prescient. In March 2022, Brown was jailed at Lincoln Crown Court for 18 months for breaching a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) four times and failing to comply with notification requirements.

A year later he was jailed for 20 months at Cambridge Crown Court for seven counts of

breaching an SHPO by repeatedly attending children's birthday parties in Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire even though he was banned from having any contact with young girls.

COURT records show he used at least five names and even changed his first name halfway through his rape trial last year from Seb to Jason Coe. The jury in that case heard he was accused, in November 2021, of grabbing a woman when she refused his request for a kiss, sexually assaulting and then raping her while pinning her against a wall.

Discovering the truth left Julie in a state of shock.

'I was hysterical. I texted him and he was waiting for the jury to come back in the rape case.'

'He phoned me. His voice was inconceivable. He was so cold, he demanded to know "how did you get this information?"'

'He seemed angry. I was very frightened by that point. I was heartbroken, devastated. I felt my world had fallen out. I felt

Continued from Page One

conviction, hiding his horrifying past even while he was being investigated for rape and sexual assault.

The pervert, who has convictions for sexual acts against children, was finally exposed after a woman bravely fought to put him behind bars when she discovered that her live-in lover was a convicted paedophile being prosecuted for rape – an allegation of which he was eventually cleared – under a different name.

When Brown last week pleaded guilty to the 12th breach of a sexual harm prevention order after being caught holding hands

with a nine-month-old baby girl, it emerged that he had even changed his name in the middle of his prosecution.

The shocking case comes just days after leaders of every police force in the UK wrote to the Prime Minister raising concerns about 'public protection, victim confidence and community safety' after the Government announced plans to release offenders early and jail fewer criminals by ditching shorter prison sentences.

This means thousands of sex offenders who would have been given custodial sentences will instead be managed in the community through remote measures such as wearing electronic tags.

Labour promised to tighten restrictions

on sex offenders in the Crime and Policing Act, but the new law merely changed the obligation on criminals to alert police seven days beforehand rather than three days after their name change. Emily Konstantas,

'Changing his name has given him a free pass'

founder of The Safeguarding Alliance, said the case illustrated the ease with which offenders were able to change their identities to fool the public.

'He (Brown) has targeted women and children – the ability to keep changing his

name has given him a free pass,' she said. 'This man represents a risk to every woman and child. This case is shocking on so many levels. It just makes my blood boil.'

'We have been campaigning for eight years for a ban and it is so upsetting that had our reforms been implemented, he would never have the ability to do this.'

'Sex offenders are exploiting this loophole and the Government is well aware of the issue. The safety of children, women and vulnerable adults should never be a secondary concern.'

Ms Konstantas said the recent changes to the law were ineffective because the onus was still on sex offenders to alert police to their new names. She added: 'It's lip

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Daily Mail, Monday, August 17, 2025

Page 7

Devastated: Julie Purvin, left, learned that her lover Jason Brown – pictured outside Lincoln Crown Court – was a convicted sex offender who used up to 20 aliases to prey on women and girls

violated. I kept thinking how did I get it so wrong, how could I be so naive?" Terrified, she went to the police fearing he would return from court and force his way into her home.

She was informed that Brown had been acquitted of all charges later that day, but the officer in the case described him as a 'dangerous man who was very clever, very charming' and had used scores of aliases.

Last week, Brown was back at Lincoln Crown Court to go on trial for the 12th breach of his SHPO, after he was caught holding hands with a nine-month-old baby girl.

Judge Simon Hirst questioned why having been charged as Seb Coe, the defendant was now 'styling himself as Jason Brown'.

No explanation was given to the Recorder of Lincoln, but one lawyer in the case said: 'He has been Seb Coe, Jason Brown, next he'll be calling himself Jason Bourne.'

Despite pleading guilty, Brown is likely receive a community

punishment when he is sentenced next month. For Julie, who sat in the public gallery blinking back tears, it felt like the final betrayal.

'The whole thing has been a disgrace. I feel so let down by the whole criminal justice system,' she said.

WHEN she first discovered Brown's real identity, Julie alerted her local police force only to be told by one male officer: 'Don't worry about it.' She recalled: 'A male officer said effectively, "Oh dear, you should never have got into a relationship with someone like that".'

'They said, "Love is blind. Don't worry about it". I felt sick. I was scared to go home because he might be there. It was passed off as if it was nothing.'

Julie was merely advised to change her locks and install security cameras. But she was determined to protect other women and complained that she was not being taken seriously.

Just 24 hours after she contacted the police watchdog, officers came to her home to take

a proper statement, with one PC revealing they believe Brown has as many as 20 aliases.

Warwickshire Police later arrested Brown for breaching his sex offender notification requirements by failing to declare that he was in a relationship with Julie and living with her. Brown received a 12-month sentence last June but was released after serving just six months. Police failed to tell Julie that he was at large for another four months.

NOW she wants to warn other women about the pervert and is campaigning for a ban on sex offenders changing their name. Currently offenders can change their name by deed poll, which costs roughly £50 and takes only 15 minutes online.

Almost 1,500 sex offenders notified police that they had changed their name between 2019 and 2021, but another 700 failed to do so, using their new identity to vanish.

Under a different name, offenders can even obtain clean DBS checks, allowing them to work with children. Julie said: 'It makes my blood boil. It is disgraceful how he can be allowed to change his name to something different time and time again.

'No one warned me about him because police didn't know he had changed his name. It is an absolute joke.

'How can women be protected when sex offenders are doing this? The law needs to change to prevent sex offenders changing their name so easily – we need to protect future victims

'I feel it's important to warn women out there who may let this man into their lives, into their homes where they may have daughters or young children.

'I want him to be exposed so he can't hide any more, and he can't ruin anyone else's life. It's about protecting other women from him, because I don't think the police are going to do it.'

service... there is no more protection for people because this loophole will continue to be exploited.

'They get to start a new life because it is like erasing their past. How many children have to be sexually abused, how many women have to be duped into marrying sex offenders, for the Government to take action to protect the public?'

'There is an argument about human rights but if you are a registered sex offender, you are on that register because you are deemed a risk to society.

'How can you protect victims when you put the rights of offenders first?'

When Brown was first convicted of child sex offences in 2014, one source close to a

victim warned: 'We are just hoping the system is robust enough to deal with him when he is released from prison, so that he does not disappear and start this all over again.

'He is very charismatic and he does not look like a monster, but he is a monster.

'He has moved all around the country in the past and he has changed his name. That cannot be allowed to happen again.'

More than 11,500 registered sex offenders were prosecuted for failing to notify changes of information between 2019 and 2022.

Records suggest another 700 sex offenders have gone missing, many due to an identity change, between 2019 and 2021.

In one force alone, more than 500 criminals changed their name in 23 months. Currently offenders can change their name by deed poll, which costs roughly £50 and

'This gaping loophole needs to be closed'

takes only 15 minutes online. Rotherham's Labour MP Sarah Champion, who has campaigned to close the loophole, said of the Brown case: 'I'm disgusted at how easy it is for sex offenders to change their name to escape justice.

'This gaping loophole needs to be closed.'

I've shared my horror about this safeguarding risk with countless ministers, all of whom promise to act – but still offenders are exploiting the system.'

Ms Champion added: 'Unless this loophole is closed, the schemes that allow us to check if someone has a past record of offences are pointless.'

A Home Office spokesman said: 'Registered sex offenders are required to notify the police of any change of name, and failure to do so is a criminal offence.

'Protecting the public from dangerous sexual offenders remains a top priority, and we are strengthening the powers available to police through the Crime and Policing Act 2026.'

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Page 8

SOFT JUSTICE 1

By Rebecca Camber

Crime and Security Editor

ONE of PC Andrew Harper's killers remains 'violent' and is considered a potential danger to jail staff despite being set for early release, it has emerged.

Jessie Cole, 24, who is scheduled to be freed with fellow killer Albert Bowers after they were jailed for 13 years in 2020, is marked on prison files as posing a continuing risk of violence.

There are 'violence markers' on his file due to his manslaughter conviction and the fact he is a trained boxer, making him a potential risk to staff, says White-moor prison in Cambridgeshire.

Cole, whose possible release sparked a million-signature protest petition, is still at a high-security prison due to the notoriety of his crime, the Mail has learned.

Ahead of release, prisoners are usually moved to a lower security jail but bosses have decided to keep him at a Category A prison.

He and Bowers, also 24, were in a gang of teenagers who killed newlywed PC Harper, 28, as he tried to stop them stealing a quad bike in Berkshire.

PC Harper was dragged behind their getaway car for a mile, causing catastrophic injuries. Cole, a

PC Harper's killer 'remains violent and a danger to staff'

passenger in the car with Bowers, has never expressed any remorse. They were pictured grinning as they were taken to court hearings. Under the Government's early release scheme they could go free

'Inmates are terrified of him'

in January. But Whitehall insiders say Andy Burnham is 'increasingly confident' they can be excluded from the early release programme. Yet he has not set out how this will be achieved.

Cole has not carried out any attacks behind bars but prison staff remain nervous about him.

A source told The Sun: 'He is a difficult and dangerous prisoner and a lot of inmates and staff are terrified of him. He is intimidating and a trained boxer.

The fact he is still in a high-security jail shows that the Prison Service do not see him as someone who will be out soon.

'Cole was also a pain when he was at Peltham young offender institution before he moved to an adult jail. Peltham was full of killers and gang members but he was the worst.' A government

Callous grins: Jessie Cole, right, and Albert Bowers

spokesman said: 'The Prime Minister has asked the Justice Secretary to urgently fast-track a plan to keep a greater number of the most serious offenders, including these individuals, locked up.'

Now this 'professional' pickpocket is spared jail as prisons are too full

SOFT JUSTICE 2

By Claire Faragher and Dominic Connolly

A PICKPOCKET who targeted elderly people on buses has been spared jail under the same legal changes that may see PC Andrew Harper's killers let out early.

In one offence, Stefka Gishanova took £1,900 cash a pensioner had withdrawn to spend on family Christmas presents.

The 55-year-old Bulgarian, who was arrested at Stansted Airport as she was about to board a Ryanair flight to Cologne, also stole mobile phones and a pensioner's bus pass.

Sentencing her at Harrow Crown Court, Judge John Lodge told her: 'You are a professional thief. Your occupation is as a pickpocket. You target the vulnerable.'

However, he said that, because of changes that came into force on March 22 with Labour's Sentencing Act, her 12-month custodial sentence would be suspended, as all prison terms of such length now are.

He added that, under the current Sentencing Guidelines, he had also been obliged to reduce a potential two-year-sentence for six thefts and attempted thefts to 12 months.

Six months was taken off because of her ill-health and no previous convictions, and another six for her guilty plea. Gishanova has been in custody since her arrest on July 22. When she shuffled into the dock with a walking stick, the judge told her that if she had pleaded

Ruthless: Stefka Gishanova preyed on the vulnerable

not guilty and forced a trial and cross-examination of her elderly victims, her sentence, if she had been found guilty, 'would have been considerably higher'.

Gishanova, from Edmonton in north London, who had the court proceedings translated for her by an interpreter, was told by the judge that she was 'deliberately targeting vulnerable people'. The victim who lost £1,900 in cash - which had just been withdrawn from her pension savings

account and was taken in November 2023 - said in an impact statement that the theft had 'changed my life'.

The pensioner said that she now goes out only once a week and will never get on a busy bus.

Prosecuting barrister Dominic Bell told the court that in August 2025, Gishanova had also stolen a £1,400 mobile phone from a disabled Muslim pensioner on a bus going to evening prayers.

'The impact on the elderly of

losing these sums of money or of losing a mobile phone is huge,' the judge said.

He told Gishanova: 'I understand you plan to return to Bulgaria. I very much hope you do. If you do not, and appear before this court in the next two years, you will go straight into custody for 12 months.'

All the offences for which she was convicted took place on London buses. In December 2022 she stole £50 in cash and a Freedom Pass, which enables those 60 and over to travel for no charge on public transport.

She walked free from court under the new Sentencing Act rules that are set to allow two men convicted of the manslaughter of PC Andrew Harper to be released after serving only half their 13-year sentences.

The law changes are meant to free up space in densely crowded jails, but last night it was reported Britain's newest prison, HMP Millsike, near York, still has hundreds of empty cells 18 months after it opened.

The £400million Category C resettlement jail has a near 1,500 capacity but is currently restricted to around 1,100 due to a lack of prison officers, which is common across the system.

A source said: 'Millsike has been struggling to staff the prison. They have reached the point where they have got all the staff they can recruit to safely operate at a reduced number of spaces but they are struggling to get above that.'

Bus lane fines soar as Khan rakes in £6.6m from drivers

EXCLUSIVE

By David Churchill

LONDON Mayor Sadiq Khan is raking in more than £750 an hour from drivers caught in bus lanes as the fines total soars.

Transport for London (TRL), which he leads, collected £6.6million from 54,761 motorists straying into bus lanes across the capital last year.

This was up from £4.3million and 29,423 drivers the year before - a 53 per cent jump in cash terms - and a five-fold surge from £1.2million involving 8,900 drivers three years ago. It means the Labour peer

1961

'When I crossed the road I strayed into a bus lane'

is raking in £87,177 in fines per mile of bus lane across London. Drivers who stray into bus lanes - often just for seconds - are hit with a £160 fine, reduced to £80 if paid quickly.

Lord Khan has also hiked the daily congestion charge to £21 and expanded the £12.50-a-day emission zone fee for older cars.

Tory transport spokesman Greg Smith said: 'London has become a miserable place to try and get about.'

A TRL spokesman said: 'Compliance with bus lane rules is vital in ensuring that we keep London moving and any income generated from enforcement is reinvested in transport.'

E-bike seizure rate rises 83%

POLICE, politicians and charities have called for new laws to clamp down on e-bikes.

Some 7,049 e-bikes were confiscated in the UK in the 12 months to May 19, up 83 per cent on the previous year when 3,858 were seized.

Sergeant Stuart Ford, head of the cycle team at City of London Police, said illegal e-bikes - which can cause deaths and serious injuries - were 'a menace'.

Labour MP Julie Minna, who wants a ban on sales of illegal e-bikes and conversion kits that can give them speeds of over 70mph, said they were the 'perfect accessory to phone theft, mugging and drug dealing'.

The Royal National Institute of Blind People said e-bikes were a danger when 'ridden carelessly'.

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11

Page 9

JAN

MOIR

FROM THE O2

ARIANA Grande's Eternal Sunshine world tour came to London on Saturday night, the first of ten shows at the O2 in which more than 200,000 people will watch their heroine perform.

She came onstage to a chorus of rapturous roars; from my seat in the nosebleeds I saw a tiny pop star marching down the runway in front of the stage, motoring along in Tin Louboutin platform boots, her confidence and sense of purpose palpable, even from all the way up here.

She opens the show with Yes, And? - an empowering anthem that encourages her fans to be their authentic selves. Everyone here knows it is also a riposte to the speculation and gossip about her appearance and personal life that she has endured over the years. It features the lines: 'Don't comment on my body, do not reply. Your business is yours and mine is mine.'

Fair enough, one supposes. And, naturally, the crowd go absolutely nuts because this is a special moment.

The song was a No1 hit two years ago and marked Grande's return to pop music after a three-year hiatus. Now she sings it again on the eve of another self-imposed break. The 33-year-old has just announced she is stepping back from the spotlight following yet more intense public scrutiny, specifically over her health and perceived weight issues.

Concern grew when the video for Grande's new single Petal was released on July 31, showing the singer to be noticeably frailer and thinner, with painfully visible collar bones and sternum. Reactions varied from shrugging toleration to quiet horror. And then louder horror.

Clumsy and invasive comparisons with Karen Carpenter and Lena Zavaroni were

She is a role model to millions of young women

made, two stars of yesteryear who both suffered from acute anorexia.

'This poor woman is possibly dying right in front of us,' posted TV star, activist and former anorexic Jameela Jamil on X.

This breathless, dramatic observation about Miss Grande provoked a backlash of its own, and while it may have been crass, it was certainly what many were thinking. For the Petal images really are shocking.

It is hard not to gasp at the sight of Ariana dancing in an off-the-shoulder top, her collar bones jutting through her skin like knotty walnuts and everyone involved obviously thinking her appearance is absolutely fine, no cause for alarm here.

Following the backlash, things moved quickly. Over the first weekend in August, Grande's representatives announced that she would be stepping back from 'public-facing work' once the London dates end on September 1.

On stage the following Monday, Ariana reassured fans attending her Eternal Sunshine gig in Chicago that her decision to retreat from the public eye came from a 'thoughtful, empowered place', and had been planned 'a long time ago' - but is that really true?

The Petal video was shot early in July, but it has been less than two weeks since she cancelled her much anticipated role in Sunday

Rapturous reception: Ariana Grande delivers a soaring performance. Inset, in the Petal video

PHOTO THAT

SPARKED CONCERN

video to tell the world and specifically those social media commentators with few boundaries that 'there are many different ways to look healthy and beautiful.'

Watching her incredible performance on Saturday I thought - could she be right?

For on this hot August night, the 5ft-nothing star ripped through a set that lasted for about 105 minutes, packing in 26 songs and several quickfire costume changes.

At all times her vocals were soaring and powerful, her four-octave range pure and undimmed. She performed complex choreography, scampering up and down the stage in high heels and frills. She delivered the huge beats and choruses of her banger hits like

With great fame comes responsibility

Ariana's as powerful and vibrant as ever, but I can't help thinking there's a tiny elephant in the room after THOSE pictures

In The Park With George, a revival of the Stephen Sondheim musical, which was due to open in London next summer.

Grande and her team would argue that it is morally wrong to comment upon her appearance, but I delicately disagree. In a clamorous world where she is a role model to millions of young women, surely there is a danger in saying nothing - because it can look like acceptance or even approval.

Consider that Grande has her own make-up range, plus a lucrative global ambassadorship deal with Swarovski alongside a perfume collection whose signature scent is Sweet Like Candy, a fruity gourmand sold in a girly pink bottle with a matching

pom-pom, yours for a little over £42 at Superdrug. And here at the O2 - as on all her tour gigs - a massive and massively overpriced merchandising operation selling £100 sweatshirts and £40 T-shirts along with cat hats (£40) and her trademark red mesh gloves (£20).

She is a successful actress too; the former Nickelodeon child star was nominated for an Oscar last year for her role as Glinda the Good Witch in Wicked.

As a highly marketable entity, Ariana has not baulked at using her image to sell her products, subtly encouraging her fans - variously known as the Arianators, the Ariana Army and the Tiny Elephants - to look and be like her in myriad, cutesy ways. There

were thousands and thousands of them at the O2 on Saturday, their hair tied up with ribbons in swishy Ariana ponytails, their little black dresses worn in homage to hers, complete with Ariana rabbit ears and Ariana boots on their feet.

Given all this, I would argue that with great fame (and fortune) comes great responsibility. For Ariana and her team, releasing such disturbing images in the Petal video without acknowledgement or explanation is negligent and possibly damaging, especially when one considers the potential vulnerability of her tween fanbase.

Yet we have been here before. In 2023, following similar comments about her fragile appearance, Grande made a pleading TikTok

Rain On Me and Into You with the same urgent plangency that she sang affecting ballads such as Positions and Rampstead.

On the endurance scale she is perhaps way behind Taylor Swift (who isn't?), whose live shows on the Eras tour lasted for 3.5 hours and featured 46 songs.

But still ahead of Adele, whose shows in 2024 in Germany lasted for 2.5 hours, included 22 songs and zero dancing while she spent most of the evening complaining that she hated performing live.

I saw all these shows and perhaps, despite everything, Ariana has a point: healthy can look different.

For a performer needs strength, stamina and fitness to be able execute a show like hers for ten nights. Your heart must be strong, your lung capacity must be peak. A weakling couldn't do it. In addition, you need the mental focus, grit and calf muscles to be able to do it backwards and in high heels.

Someone did get stretchered out at 8.40pm on Saturday night, but it was a member of the audience not the vibrant Ariana. She repeatedly told the crowd how much she loved them and was going to 'savour every moment' of her last shows for a while.

The evening ended with the star in a white floaty dress, being hoisted up into the ceiling. An angelic ascent after a heavenly evening. However, that tiny elephant remains in the room. And despite Ariana Grande's protestations, in song and in person, I think it needs to be addressed.

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Page 10

By Eleanor Harding Education Editor

GIRLS are set to beat boys at GCSE for the 38th year – and an expert has suggested differences between the sexes could be 'inherent'.

Alan Smithers, professor of education at the University of Buckingham, said boys are likely to be ahead only in maths-based subjects when hundreds of thousands of pupils receive their GCSE grades on Thursday.

He said he had begun to 'think the unthinkable' due to the gaps in achievement being so persistent. 'Could it be that both girls' overall lead and boys' affinity for quantitative subjects are inherent?' he said.

The veteran professor suggested another explanation for boys being

'Not developing talents fully'

behind could be that we are 'not developing the talents of half the population as fully as we could'.

And he said his repeated calls for a Government investigation into this matter have been met with complacency – perhaps due to the 'fashionable narrative' that 'since men usually came out on top anyway, what's to worry about?'

Professor Smithers, who is director of the Centre for Education and Employment Research at Buckingham, said girls have been ahead at GCSE since 1989.

In 2025, the gap between girls and boys at the top grades was at the narrowest this century. Nearly a quarter – 24.5 per cent – of girls' GCSE entries were

Girls set to outdo boys at GCSE for 38th year running

Fears the exam gap is now 'inherent'

Results day: Thousands will receive their grades on Thursday

awarded at least a grade 7 (equivalent to an old A), compared with almost a fifth of boys' entries – 19.4 per cent, a 5.1 percentage point gap. Broken down by subject, girls were ahead in 40 of 47 subjects, with boys ahead only in maths, statistics,

physics, economics, 'other sciences', 'other technology' and maths numeracy.

Professor Smithers said that boys therefore appear to be superior in the 'quantitative' subjects. 'Apart from this exception, girls outperform boys

by some distance,' he continued. 'Is this because schools are less well adapted to boys' needs and are not developing their talents to the full? This should be investigated and lessons learned.'

Professor Smithers also pointed out that girls are ahead of boys in terms of getting straight 9s in seven or more subjects.

And more female students now go to university than male, he noted. He said that some of the differences might be explained by assessment processes, and the fact that 'girls are more aware of the value of education and apply themselves more diligently'.

However, he warned that failing to make the most of boys' potential could lead to 'a decline in the nation's economic competitiveness and ultimately loss of its standing in the world'.

The Department for Education has been asked to comment.

Murder probe after woman in 90s dies in house blaze

By James Tozer

A MURDER investigation has been launched after a woman in her 90s was found dead in a house fire yesterday.

A woman in her 60s was arrested on suspicion of murder and arson with intent to endanger life and remained in police custody last night.

Emergency services were called to the home in Hardwicke, Gloucestershire, at 4am after reports of a fire.

The older woman was found unconscious inside and pronounced dead at the scene despite paramedics' efforts to revive her with CPR.

She and the arrested woman, from Gloucester, knew each other, a police spokesman said.

He added: 'Emergency services performed CPR but despite their best efforts, the woman was sadly pronounced dead. Her next of kin has been informed.

'Police would like to reassure the public that those involved in the incident are known to each other and this appears to have been an isolated incident.'

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Page 11

Iconic image: The cover of The Beatles' Abbey Road album

Come together . . .

Beatles stars get back to Abbey Road

FOR decades tourists in London have flocked to Abbey Road's zebra crossing to recreate the Beatles' album cover - much to the annoyance of local drivers.

Yesterday's visitors, however, were given the green light to stop traffic as they shot scenes for the upcoming band biopic films.

Paul Mescal, 30, strolled across the road in his role as Paul McCartney, alongside Barry Keoghan, 33, as Ringo Starr. They were joined by Joseph Quinn, 32, who is play- ing George Harrison, and Harris Dickinson, 30, as John Lennon.

The St John's Wood street was transformed for filming, with vintage cars and around 80

extras being used as director Sam Mendes recreated the long-lost era.

Mendes' ambitious four-film project will tell the story of the band from each member's per- spective. All four films are to be released in April 2028.

The original Abbey Road album cover picture was taken on August 8, 1969, with Iain Macmillan snapping the band as they crossed the street out- side what was then EMI Studios. The image became one of the most recognisable album cov- ers of all time. The crossing is now Grade II listed.

Why horses

say neigh to more hay if you're aloof

By Sophie Freeman

ANY owner will tell you the way to their pet's heart is through their stomach.

But it seems horses may buck this trend, a study suggests, as they often choose human interaction over more food.

The animals were more likely to choose a small portion of apple offered by a friendly person over a bigger portion from another with a detached attitude.

The importance of an emotional connection 'was such that it overrode the food motivation itself', the Italian researchers said in the study published in the journal Animal Behaviour.

In trials, horses were made to choose between a plate with half

'Value of human

interaction'

an apple and a plate with a quar- ter of an apple. The horses which consistently chose the larger option were then taken through to the next stage.

There they were repeatedly shown two unfamiliar women; one behaving in a friendly man- ner - smiling and making eye con- tact - and offering a quarter of an apple, and another behaving in an unfriendly manner - avoiding eye contact and appearing bored - and offering half an apple.

Next, both women were pre- sented at the same time and the horse could choose which one to approach. 'Overall, horses chose the friendly person, suggesting they valued a socially rewarding interaction with a human more than a primary resource such as food,' the researchers from the University of Padova concluded.

By Nick Fagge and John Siddle

A SOCIAL media influencer has been accused of helping to run a ruthless 'sextortion' racket targeting wealthy married businessmen, the Daily Mail can reveal.

Kane Samms, 35, is named in two High Court cases brought by men who claim they were lured into online relationships then threatened with exposure unless they paid huge sums. He denies any involvement.

The alleged victims believed

'Threatened

with exposure'

they were chatting to young women they had met through huxury dating site Seeking.

But after private messages and photographs were exchanged, the businessmen claim they were threatened with having intimate material sent to their wives, families and business associates.

One wealthy New York entre- preneur paid around $50,000 (£39,000) after being promised the material would be deleted.

However, he claimed the threats

Influencer accused over

'sextortion' gang preying on wealthy businessmen

began again just a week later, with the alleged blackmailers demanding another £100,000.

A second businessman says he handed over more than £90,000 over four months as demands continued to escalate.

Samms was one of four men named in emergency injunction proceedings aimed at stopping the release of private material.

The father-of-two, who also presents himself online as a bull- dog breeder and amateur boxer, denies involvement in blackmail or financially benefiting.

The Daily Mail can reveal he is a convicted criminal who will be sentenced next month for assault and intentional strangulation.

Until last month, Samms had been in a relationship with Tik- Tok star Natalia Armstrong, 25. The pair regularly shared snippets of their lives together - including the birth of a daughter.

But friends say Ms Armstrong ended the relationship last week after learning of the allegations and has now moved back to her family home near Doncaster.

She is said to be 'horrified' and to have had 'no idea' about his alleged activity.

A friend said: 'Natalia wants nothing to do with him. She wants to get on with her life and raise her daughter.'

Samms and the three other men named in the papers have

not been found guilty of any crime. However, the High Court was shown evidence which a judge said suggested the activities of a blackmailing gang.

When approached by the Daily Mail at an apartment in Manchester, Samms denied any involvement.

He said: 'I did not authorise, facilitate or knowingly participate in any blackmail, nor did I receive any payment arising from blackmail. My bank details were used without my knowledge or consent for purposes of which I was unaware.

'I therefore strongly dispute any suggestion that I was involved in carrying out blackmail.'

Split: Influencer Kane Samms with ex Natalia Armstrong

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TINDERBOX BRITAIN

Page 13

Criticism: Burnham deputy Louise Haigh

Haigh pushed button on alerts

ANDY Burnham's deputy signed off on the nationwide emergency alert that startled millions.

First Secretary of State Louise Haigh approved the alert, which led to panicked Britons jamming 999 lines and startled drivers swerving across motorways on Friday evening.

Sirens blared on millions of mobile phones, warning against lighting anything that could cause a wildfire, such as barbecues, firepits and fireworks.

It was the most extensive use of the UK's emergency alert system to date. The Conservatives, who devised the system more than a

By Tom Lawrence

decade ago, said the alert was only intended to be used in cases where there was an imminent, direct and mainly localised threat to life.

A previous Cabinet Office report warned against its use for 'lower level' incidents for fear of creating a 'cry wolf' effect, where phone users either disabled or ignored the alert in cases of genuine emergency.

Explaining Friday's event, Ms Haigh said: 'In response to the continued risk posed by wildfires, the Government has taken the decision to issue an emergency alert to England and Wales. This is the most

extensive use of the UK's emergency alert system in response to an active incident, and reflects the seriousness with which the Government is acting to safeguard people and property.'

Some got the alert four times over several hours. Domestic abuse charities expressed concerns about the alerts, as it could have risked exposing secret phones used by victims.

Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said when the alert system was put in place, 'it was made clear that there will be a very high threshold for its use'. Friday's event 'clearly doesn't hit that threshold and opens the door to future misuse of the system,' he added.

200 soldiers deployed as 20 wildfires rage across Wales

By James Tozer and Robert Folker

AT LEAST 20 wildfires were raging across Wales yesterday as exhausted firefighters were joined by 200 soldiers to tackle 'carriage' across parched countryside.

Days after Andy Burnham described Britain as a 'tinderbox' and imposed a temporary ban on disposable barbecues, fire chiefs said the situation was now 'exceptional'.

And they warned that while temperatures may ease in the coming days, a continued lack of rain means the wildfire risk remains high.

It came as pictures showed an 'appalling' wildfire near people's homes on Saturday night, with emergency services rushing to the area to battle the blaze.

Flames could be seen burning across the mountainside behind Ynyswen and Treherbert in the Rhondda Valley.

Yesterday South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said its crews - reinforced by brigades from as far afield as London and Cumbria, as well as the military - were still tackling 14 wildfires.

In a major incident update on Saturday, the service also said it had received 736 calls, compared to an average of 300.

Meanwhile, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service confirmed its crews

'Very grateful to the Army'

have been battling a further six wildfires.

A temporary ban on drones was imposed in south Wales yesterday as the battle to extinguish the fires took to the skies, with a helicopter dousing hillsides above Ynyswen.

About 200 military personnel - from the Queen's Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment, supported by the 22 Engineer Regiment - were deployed to provide support.

South Wales Chief Fire Officer Fin Monahan said the soldiers had been doing an 'utterly phenomenal job digging trenches and helping us build fire breaks'.

He added: 'That has liberated lots of our firefighters to go and do their more specialist skills of firefighting.'

The military personnel have also been providing logistical support, including water distribution.

But Mr Monahan said even after Friday's controversial emergency alert sent to millions of mobile phones across England and Wales, people weren't heeding the warnings.

'Even after that transmission, I stopped and found someone who was burning tyres underneath a

Devastation: Smoke fills the sky at Cwm, a village in south Wales, as the wildfire spreads

tree,' he added. 'This is irresponsible behaviour.'

His deputy, Adam Openshaw, said: 'We know this is a challenging and worrying time for many people. Please be assured that we

remain committed to protecting our communities and keeping the people of south Wales safe.'

Sir Chris Bryant, MP for Rhondda and Ogmore, said the fire which broke out above

Treherbert was 'appalling'. Thankfully, there are fire engines from all over the UK and two helicopters have been in place all afternoon,' he posted on Saturday.

'One crew has come all the way

Ablaze: A wildfire in Rhondda

from London. I'm immensely impressed by the fire workers. But this can't be our new normal.'

The Fire Brigades Union executive council member for Wales, Gareth Tovey, said members were reporting 'carriage' as they battled multiple incidents.

'What our members out there, firefighters on the ground, are saying, is that the conditions in which they're fighting these fires are materially different from what we've experienced before - it's so much drier,' he said.

Firefighters are working ten or 11-hour shifts on mountainsides, without breaks or access to toilets, and eating meals 'covered in soot,' he added.

On Friday, South Wales Police said four 14-year-old boys had been arrested in connection with a fire on a mountain in Porth.

They were held on suspicion of arson and have since been bailed under investigation.

Elin Jones, the Welsh finance minister, said they are 'extremely grateful to the Army' for the 'additional support' amid this pressure on the fire services.

This comes after West Midlands Fire Service declared a major incident on Thursday as a wildfire destroyed 19 homes in the market town of Stourbridge.

It was one of several blazes as temperatures soared and the hottest day of the year was recorded, at 38.1C in west London.

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Page 14

Fund for Jason Arday's family raises £115,000

Tragedy: Jason Arday

MORE than £115,000 has been raised for the family of former Cambridge professor Jason Arday, who was found dead at his home last week.

The fund, started by Windrush campaigner Sir Patrick Vernon, will go towards the cost of his funeral, and has received more than 2,500 donations.

Writing on GoFundMe, Sir Patrick said he had set up the page to help Mr Arday's family through 'an unimaginably difficult time'. It came as a flag flew at half-mast last night outside Jesus

By Kristina Wemyss

College, where Mr Arday worked. In 2023, he became Cambridge's youngest black professor, aged 37, but resigned earlier this month following accusations of plagiarism.

He was found dead on Friday in Battersea, south-west London, hours after he told a colleague, Sir Simon Baron-Cohen, he 'could not go on'.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham described Mr Arday's death as a 'tragedy on so many levels'.

Stephen Glover - Page 16

We'll ban from any

Party vows to cut welfare bill by £50bn, with disability cash axed for millions

By Martin Beckford

Policy Editor

FOREIGN nationals would be banned from claiming almost all benefits by a Reform government, Nigel Farage's party will announce today.

It has pledged to save £21billion a year – part of £50billion in cuts to the welfare bill – by ending the 'immoral' system where British workers' taxes support citizens from overseas.

It goes far further than its existing plan to cut Universal Credit for migrants, with only military veterans such as Gurkhas spared the crackdown.

Even EU citizens who have settled in the UK would be stripped of their ability

'Can't afford to subsidise everyone on the planet'

to claim welfare payments such as job-seeker's allowance and housing benefit, the party said, which would mean ripping up the Brexit deal.

Reform said it would set aside £500million for expats who may have to return to the UK and start claiming benefits in the likely event of Brussels retaliating and ordering out the swathes who live on the continent.

Robert Jenrick, the party's pick for chancellor, warned last night that, without urgent action, the benefits bill – forecast to hit £407billion by 2030 – will 'bankrupt Britain'.

'Forcing British workers to pay for the benefits of foreigners is not just economically illiterate but plain immoral,' he said. 'People are more than happy to support their neighbours in hard times, but the British taxpayer cannot afford to subsidise everyone on the planet.'

He added: 'The public have been crying out for this change for decades. Unlike the two old parties, Reform will deliver a system that's fair for the British people.'

In a speech today Mr Jenrick will give details of the ban as part of a wider plan to 'end benefits Britain'. The proposals, to be set out in a 50-page paper, also include saving £22billion by removing or cutting disability benefits for almost 3mil-

Cracking down: Robert Jenrick

lion people. A Reform government would abolish Personal Independence Payments (PIP), as well as the health element of Universal Credit for working-age adults, replacing it with a health security allowance.

Only those with severe disabilities would get cash, with others getting support through councils instead.

Employers would have to pay an insurance called Return to Work Cover for staff signed off for longer than statutory sick pay allows.

The total savings proposed are more than double the £23billion the Tories say they would cut from the welfare bill, which include restricting sickness benefits to British citizens but which would not affect Europeans who have settled here.

Mr Jenrick, announcing the party's first new policy since Mr Farage was re-elected in the Clacton by-election, will likely face claims he is scrambling to be more hardline than his former party in order to revive Reform's standing in the polls amid

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Page 15

all foreign nationals benefits, say Reform

There has been a huge mood shift in Westminster on slashing welfare

WHAT a benign revolution. Suddenly, all the main parties are talking of constraining the welfare budget.

First the Conservatives came up with a plan for £23billion in savings, with a further root-and-branch review to follow.

Now Reform says it can save £56billion. I strongly suspect Labour will be next, if not quite so radical.

Why? Because politicians respond to public opinion, and there has been a gargantuan 'vibe shift' on benefits. The narrative has turned, almost overnight, from 'protecting the vulnerable' to cracking down on abuse. And you can see why.

The pandemic made voters hypersensitive to health issues, including mental health.

We were willing, in the immediate aftermath of lockdown, to give people the benefit of the doubt, to allow that there might have been a spike in anxiety, depression and other disorders.

But does anyone believe, six years on, that these conditions are still surging? Does anyone think that 4million adults are too sick to work? Does anyone find it plausible that 25 per cent of the country now claims to be disabled?

Plausible or not, the cost of long-term sickness benefits is going to rise to £110billion by the end of the decade, making an overhaul of the system urgent. Hence the scramble among the parties to look tough.

SOME Reform proposals match those unveiled earlier by the Tories. Both want to shift from cash handouts to other forms of support, to disqualify low-level mental health conditions such as ADHD, to reassess existing claimants and to halt payments to foreign nationals.

How long before Andy Burnham,

COMMENTARY By Daniel Hannan

with an eye on the electorate, also makes some moves in this direction? Until now, he has adopted the Blairish tactic of speaking in balanced (or, if you prefer, self-contradictory) sentences.

He will 'get really serious' about reducing bills - but he is 'not going to go with the crude cuts to benefit levels'. He will 'make some of the support conditional upon people taking opportunities' - but he will 'not go straight to blaming' the claimants themselves.

Burnham is constrained by the fact that benefits recipients cluster in Labour constituencies.

Keir Starmer's very mild attempt to slow the growth in long-term sickness payments was defeated by his backbenchers - the beginning of the end of his ill-fated premiership.

But, talking to Labour MPs, my sense is that they would accept from Burnham what they would not take from Starmer.

We may, in other words, soon be in a place where all three leading parties are competing to prove their competence, leaving only the Greens and Lib Dems as reflexive, magic-money-tree welfarists.

How refreshing to have a proper debate about the best ways to move people from the liabilities to the assets column.

Does the Reform plan to shift responsibility to employers - Netherlands-style - create better incentives to get people back to work?

Or is it, as the Tories claim, simply an unsustainable burden on the private sector?

The important thing is that we are at last having this conversation instead of posturing about who is

going to spend more taxpayers' money - at a time when our national debt has just passed £3trillion, making it the fourth-largest in the world (behind the much bigger economies of the US, China and Japan). It is, of course, easier to give a speech than to push reforms past a civil service whose first instinct is to spray money around.

The only successful welfare reform we have seen in Britain came after 2010, when Iain Duncan Smith, who had spent five years honing his plans, applied a combination of tax cuts and benefits reductions which resulted in the number of long-term unemployed falling by over 600,000.

THE moment he was no longer there, though, the state reverted to its high-spending habits.

Lockdown then introduced millions of working people who had never claimed a penny to a different way of living.

When I complimented the relevant minister at the time on the efficiency of the Covid furlough scheme, she responded wryly: 'It says something about how the British state is configured that the one thing it can do efficiently is to give away money.'

Quite. At around the same time, the classification of mental illnesses as equivalent to physical disabilities opened the door to almost unlimited claims, many of them obviously bogus.

Will the new Prime Minister begin the reforms this side of a general election, or will he leave it to the Conservatives and Reform to come up with a more radical programme? I don't know.

But thank heaven we recognise the urgency of the problem. It's later than we think.

■ Lord Hannan of Kingsclere is an independent peer and director of the Institute of Economic Affairs

and Nigel Farage vowed to deliver a 'fair' welfare system

a Tory revival. Mr Farage has been accused by the Tories of being soft on welfare after he previously supported lifting the two-child benefit cap, before a U-turn.

Helen Whately, Tory work and pensions spokesman, said Reform 'rushed out a cobbled-together announcement' and

'Public crying out for this change'

their proposals 'will drag Britain back into Brexit battles with no certainty or success'.

A Labour spokesman added: 'These plans would mean ripping up the UK's withdrawal agreement with the EU, plunging the UK back into years of Brexit renegotiations and stripping support from potentially millions of people who

have lawfully lived, worked and paid taxes in Britain for years, in many cases decades.'

Reform said the UK spent £55billion on benefits for foreign nationals, mostly migrants with indefinite leave to remain or EU settled status, between April 2022 and February 2026.

Its paper claimed 1.3million foreign nationals get Universal Credit. Under its plan, they would no longer be able to claim it, nor housing benefit, jobseeker's allowance, tax-free childcare or child benefit. But British citizens married to foreign spouses would retain their eligibility to benefits.

Foreign pensioners with sufficient National Insurance contributions would also be able to claim the State Pension.

Reform said its plan would save £21billion by its fifth year and £24billion by its eighth.

Comment - Page 16

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Page 16

Daily Mail

COMMENT

Britain's rampant reliance on benefits must be reined in

THE vast sum of money spent on welfare handouts is one of the most pressing problems in modern Britain.

A farcical situation has been allowed to develop which sees many sectors reliant on overseas labour, pushing up the population and intensifying pressures on the NHS and other public services.

Yet at the same time millions of others are paid benefits to sit at home, luxuriating in the knowledge that the taxpayer will cover their bills. This absurdity cannot continue.

Yet Labour is a cause of this predicament and is most definitely not the cure.

It prefers to keep the less well-off in a State-dependent stupor - a perverse deal which boils down to 'vote for us and we'll keep bumping up your benefits'.

Cabinet minister Pat McFadden has even admitted, it emerged earlier this year, that 'every meeting' he had with members of the Parliamentary Labour Party boiled down to: 'Who can we tax in order to pay benefits to others?'

Thankfully, the other parties are responding with robust proposals which will allow the £34billion annual benefits bill to be slashed in a way that will boost economic growth by getting people back to work.

Reform UK's initial ideas indicate the level of boldness and ambition that is required. With full details due to emerge later today, they suggest they can save £50billion a year.

But it is already clear their plans will require a renegotiation of Britain's EU withdrawal agreement so Europeans with 'settled status' here can be excluded from most benefits.

There is unlikely to be wide public support for reopening that particular can of worms, even among those who staunchly supported the historic Brexit vote a decade ago.

Meanwhile, the Conservatives have set out plans to reassess all existing disability cases and end claims for low-level mental health problems such as anxiety.

They would also restore the two-child benefits cap, which was so recklessly scrapped by the spendthrift Labour Party.

In a crucial difference from Reform's proposals, the Tories would retain welfare entitlement for those with EU settled status. This is a further sign that Remi Badenoch is making great strides in rebuilding her party's fortunes with compelling and credible policies.

It may be that Tory policy can be further improved to cut yet more unjustified spending, which would be all to the good.

What is absolutely certain is that rampant welfare reliance is dragging this country down, and must be reversed before it is too late.

ANOTHER sign of Mrs Badenoch's pragmatism is her determination to address the many injustices caused by human rights laws.

The European Convention on Human Rights has been twisted far beyond its original goals of protecting life and limb. Instead, in many cases it undermines rather than upholds the rule of law.

So the Conservatives' long-overdue pledge to leave the ECHR will result in a wide range of positive developments.

One of those, the party spells out today, will be the ability to address illegal traveller sites and other anti-social behaviour by a small number within that community.

The coasted liberal elite will inevitably cry foul. But it is fundamental to justice that wrongdoers should not receive a free pass merely because they come from a minority group.

The death of Jason Arday is a terrible tragedy... it must now be used to wage a culture war

THE apparent suicide of Cambridge academic Jason Arday is a terrible tragedy. What started as a story about plagiarism has ended with a shocking death.

What should we take from it? Regret, of course, that such a thing should have happened in our country. I have no doubt that journalists and broadcasters will want to reflect about the part played by the media.

Mr Arday's defenders maintain that the case shows that we live in a racist society, and that British media are innately racist. They are accusing newspapers and broadcasters of hounding the poor man to his death.

This is not just the view of many on the Left, articulated with varying vehemence by people such as the Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Adity Labour London Mayor Sadiq Khan and former professor of black studies Kehinde Andrews.

Abuse

Others less politicised also feel the same way. And even a few of my Right-wing friends think some papers went too far. They believe that there was an absence of mercy as a vulnerable man was dismantled in public.

Are they right? Is there truth in the charge that the media abused their tremendous power - that, to borrow from the poet Alexander Pope, they broke 'a butterfly upon a wheel'?

I am normally happy to criticise the media whenever they err, as they obviously sometimes do. We're not perfect, of course. But I don't believe these dire charges are justified. I don't doubt, though, that in the sewer of social media cruel and inexcusable things were said.

The best test of whether the Press abused its power is to ask if, amid the welter of allegations against Jason Arday, there was a single significant error of fact. To the best of my knowledge, no one has pointed any out.

Left-wing objectors recycle familiar accusations of racist

by Stephen Glover

smears' and 'witch hunts' being deployed by the Press against Mr Arday without addressing the evidence. The reason they don't is that such evidence does not exist.

This isn't the moment to wade through every allegation, but I'd better mention the main ones. An analysis by the Telegraph showed that there were well over a hundred passages in Mr Arday's PhD thesis that were identical or a close match to that of another student published six years earlier.

Mr Arday had also publicly claimed to have written an academic book that was never published, and to have been a visiting professor at three universities that had no recollection of him.

There were other outlandish boasts about incredible feats of long-distance running, charity work for WaterAid that was never undertaken, and an appearance on the TV programme Seven Up that didn't happen.

And so on. These inventions may have been in some way related to Mr Arday's autism. Some will say newspapers should have taken account of this, and desisted.

But how was this possible, particularly in view of the ring of fire that surrounded Mr Arday? A Times Higher Education journalist who put some questions to him last year was investigated by the police for harassment and told to stop contacting him for the sake of his mental health.

After publishing a number of allegations, the Telegraph was the subject of a petition organised by the Left-wing Good Law Project, and signed by the heads of three Cambridge colleges, accusing the paper of running a Right-wing smear campaign.

How could it and other newspapers be expected to abandon their investigations into a professor whom Cambridge University had championed, with his boss lauding him after his

appointment as 'the best in the world in terms of the research you do'?

Jason Arday wasn't some obscure don quietly pursuing his researches. Cambridge had chosen to make him a public figure, and he seemed to relish that role, acting as a guest editor of Radio 4's Today programme, and sometimes appeared on television.

Where is the evidence of Press racism? I believe that, if an underqualified white academic had been celebrated and elevated by one of our leading universities in a blaze of publicity as Mr Arday was, newspapers would have shown an equal interest.

In fact, in 2011 a well-known white columnist called Johann Hart was suspended by the Independent newspaper, which he subsequently left, after it had been established he was guilty of plagiarism. It was a very public scandal in which race, of course, played no part.

The imputation of racist motivations by Mr Arday's most extreme defenders is pretty despicable. It is intended to shut down debate and to stifle consideration of the facts.

Apologists may appear to have a figment of proof because of an academic called Nathan Cofnas. He was one of the first people to draw attention to the apparent plagiarism in Jason Arday's PhD thesis.

Dismissed

Cofnas was dismissed by Emmanuel College, Cambridge in 2024 after implying in a blog that black people are intrinsically less intelligent. That is obviously a racist view. It is a reasonable inference that his motivations in publicising the plagiarism were at least partly racist.

But he wasn't guilty of invention. If there is plagiarism in Mr Arday's thesis, as seems undeniably the case, Cofnas's motivations are strictly beside the point.

Newspapers that have highlighted the many inconsistencies in Mr Arday's career can't be justly accused of holding the same views as Cofnas.

I am sure Jason Arday was a good and kind man, as his family attests. I also believe that, whatever the exact nature of his autism, his achievements were considerable. Coming from an unprivileged background, he triumphed over many obstacles.

This is certainly cause for celebration. Unfortunately Cambridge raised him almost to the level of genius - 'the best in the world', as his head of faculty said. That is an accolade for an Einstein or a Newton.

Myths

We can accuse university leaders of manipulating Mr Arday to suit their own purposes. Or we may more generously think they were partly influenced by idealism, and believed they had chanced upon a person of unusual talent - a 'mute inglorious Milton', to quote Thomas Gray.

He wasn't that. Cambridge offered him a version of himself that he seemed willing to believe. He was almost sanctified by the great university, and the myths they had woven together may have taken on the appearance of reality in his mind.

How devastating it must have been for Jason Arday when those myths were so publicly exposed. Cambridge could, and should, have done more to protect the frail man it had built up.

Now the university authorities will investigate themselves. I doubt they will be as harsh in judging their own failures as they have been in judging the media.

If the lesson that Cambridge and politicians draw from this awful story - spurred on in that belief by Left-wing voices, especially on social media - is that it's all the fault of the Press, it will be the wrong one.

We should discount wild claims of racism by those who want to use the sad death of Jason Arday to wage their own culture war. This was a human tragedy, long in the making, that need not have happened.

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11

Page 17

WATERLOO Place in central London boasts several monuments connected to the Empire, including an equestrian statue of Edward VII and John Bell's beautiful memorial to the Allies' victory in the Crimean War.

In April this year, another - rather more tawdry - statue appeared there overnight. It depicts a man, obviously a politician, holding a flag on a pole and marching forwards. But the wind has blown the flag into his face and he is about to stride off the plinth.

Geddit? Blinded by pride in his country, the politician falls flat on his face. Only fools are patriots. The tiresome piece is inevitably the work of Robin Gunningham, the self-styled 'guerilla artist' and ex-public schoolboy who still goes by the name 'Banksy', but whose cover was brilliantly and permanently blown by The Mail on Sunday in 2008.

Gunningham's fans no doubt believe he was being ob-so daring to put the statue up - but think about it. If you or I tried to erect a huge new artwork in the heart of London, a few hundred yards from Buckingham Palace and government buildings, the police would come down on us in minutes. We would be arrested for criminal damage at best, and for terrorism offences at worst.

Yet Westminster Council has called the statue a 'striking addition to the city's vibrant public art scene'. The office of Sadiq Khan cooed: 'The mayor is hopeful that [Gunningham's] latest piece can be preserved for Londoners and visitors to enjoy.'

I suspect the authorities were approached in advance about the stunt and enthusiastically agreed to it. A truly brave work of art would be dissident and counter-cultural.

In Communist Cuba, where the taps run dry and the hospitals lack basic medicines, a graffiti artist called 'Fabian' scrawls his motto '2+2=5' on walls and doorways around Havana. This is a clear and - given the island's secret police - dangerous reference to the reality-denying horror of life under Big Brother in George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, which to that artist bears so many parallels with the Castros' hereditary tyranny.

Fabian has real courage. In Britain, an artist genuinely willing to defy convention in Waterloo Place might point out that the Empire brought enormous benefits to millions in Africa and Asia.

But good luck to you if you bought yourself a tin of spraypaint and tried to do a picture with that message. Not only would you be arrested after making a few strokes; you would be castigated by the political and social establishment as a dangerous subversive.

LABOUR politicians like Sadiq Khan and those Left-wing Westminster councillors, of course, care little for British patriotism. No wonder they celebrate 'art' that scorns it.

Last April, Gunningham daubed an image to the exterior wall of the Royal Courts of Justice that was ridiculous even by his standards. It depicted a judge in wig and robes lifting a gavel - not something actually used in English courts - and using it to batter a protester clutching a bloodstained placard and lying defencelessly on the ground.

Earlier this month, it was revealed that the 'artwork' cost taxpayers a staggering £85,000 to scrub clean from the Grade-II listed courthouse.

It was hardly worth it for an obvious, rather adolescent allusion to the conviction of the protesters for Palestine Action, a proscribed terrorist organisation.

Police arrest criminals and

He's seen as a brave 'rebel', but his graffiti is just tame propaganda for orthodox liberal views. In other words...

Banksy is an establishment of STORGE!

by AN Wilson

judges enforce their punishment. Society would collapse otherwise. But, of course, liberal prejudice favours the 'pro-Gaza' mob. Palestine Action may count a few blameless octogenarian grannies among its supporters, but its core are a thoroughly nasty bunch.

Not only did the group's members do damage worth £1.2million to an armaments factory near Bristol in 2024, one activist also inflicted horrible violence on the police who tried to prevent the attack.

The hammer-wielding judge in Gunningham's graffiti is even more offensive when one remembers that 23-year-old ex-Oxford student Samuel Corner used a

sledgehammer to savagely batter a young police sergeant, Kate Evans, fracturing her spine.

The genuinely brave and counter-cultural thing for Gunningham to do would be to paint graffiti that reminded passers-by of the bestial rapes, murders and kidnappings committed by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023 - or the tortures and mutilations inflicted on the hundreds of innocent Israeli hostages seized in that pogrom.

But of course the absurd 'Banksy' would never even consider that. This despicable figure is nothing more than a tame propagandist for the orthodox woke opinions of our liberal ruling regime.

In his silly pictures, sculptures and gimmicks, he is giving visual expression to what any self-righteous editor at the BBC, any Guardian columnist, any soft-Left supporter of Andy Burnham and his shower of useless MPs believe.

So, at Glastonbury last year,

Gunningham arranged a stunt in which an inflatable dinghy, containing figures who were meant to be illegal migrants, was reverently passed over the heads of the audience.

Those ageing hipsters, nostalgic for their probably not very rebellious youth, had all paid hundreds and in some cases thousands of pounds to be at the festival. Half of them were probably on drugs and few were thinking straight.

HAD they done so, they would have realised that whatever one's sympathies for the small number of women and children contained in the boats crossing the Channel, we cannot allow endless numbers of people to continue infiltrating our borders and defying our immigration laws day after day.

Yet again, at 'Glasto', Gunningham was simply reproducing the

Pictures of woke: Banksy's mural on the Royal Courts of Justice and, inset, his Girl With Balloon and Kissing Coppers on sale at Sotheby's

Picture: EDITOR'S GETTY IM

sentimental feelings of the group whose opinions he apes and flatters - and enjoying masses of free advertising on the BBC, which sends hundreds of staff to the woke shindig every year.

His art is supposedly free and for the people, but he has made himself prodigiously rich by selling prints and spin-offs. One of his originals sold recently at Sotheby's for £4.2million.

In Stalinist Russia and National Socialist Germany, artists who were prepared to sell their souls were enlisted as propagandists. They depicted, in Hitler's Reich, smiling Aryan mothers cuddling little blonde Nazi children. In 1930s Russia, probably the unhappiest country in the history of the world, where millions were killed and imprisoned behind barbed wire, state-sanctioned painters portrayed cheerful women driving gleaming tractors on collective farms and, in a land where millions died of

starvation, well-fed mechanics toiling merrily in factories.

While not in the same league, Gunningham nonetheless celebrates the very liberal nightmare that has brought the Western world to the verge of collapse.

His work is obviously bad, ugly and artistically worthless but he is a talented self-promoter.

Though he was identified by the Daily Mail's sister paper almost 20 years ago - and uses the pseudonym 'David Jones' in public, shared with 15,000 other men in Britain - the reverent convention, especially on the BBC but also from politicians and fawning Leftie art critics, remains to use his daft unimoniker.

In other words, unlike real rebels and other vandals, Gunningham is protected by the establishment.

The reason for this is obvious: he's an establishment stooge.

---

Page 18

Kyiv pounds Moscow as UK-made drones used for the first time

UKRAINE has launched a major attack on Russia, using more than 800 drones and leaving at least seven people dead. Kyiv's targets included a

By Katherine Lawton and Will Stewart

'Russian Amazon' Wildberries warehouse near Moscow that was engulfed in flames

yesterday after the attacks on Saturday night. It came as British-made drones were reportedly used by Ukraine to strike targets in Russia's mainland for the first time. Moscow mayor Sergei

Sobyanin said the city came under siege from at least 600 drones on Saturday, while Russia's ministry of defence said it had destroyed 822 of the Ukrainian weapons.

At least seven people are understood to have been killed in the attacks.

Officials said an 83-year-old man died after a drone hit a house in the Moscow area, while a woman was killed when a bus was struck in Belgorod, which borders Ukraine.

Five were killed in Russia's south-western Rostov region, where three towns came under attack.

Russian attacks on Ukraine killed at least seven people and injured more than 39, with drone strikes torching Kyiv's landmark book market and destroying homes.

A Russian missile attack on the city of Kryvyi Rih in central

'Moscow under siege'

Ukraine killed two people and left 14 hurt, Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said yesterday.

Officials said a 66-year-old man and 64-year-old woman died after a guided bomb hit a house in the Zaporizhzhia region, while Ukraine reported one death each in the cities of Sumy, Donetsk and Kherson.

It is believed the Ukraine strikes on targets far into Russian territory were carried out using UK-made drones for the first time. Devices made by two UK companies were supplied to Ukraine, whose forces deployed the weapons as part of its deep-strike campaign.

Wildberries, the largest Russian online retailer, stores military equipment for Vladimir Putin, according to Ukraine.

The warehouse hit was the company's 2.7 million square foot hub at Koledino, just 28 miles south of Moscow. It is partly owned by senior officials in the Kremlin, yet air defences have failed to protect it.

After dozens of recent attacks on Wildberries sites, the impact is being felt in the Russian economy – with the latest strike set to

Inferno: A 'Russian Amazon' complex was hit in the strikes

Lost landmark: A fireman at Kyiv's book market yesterday

impact Moscow's supply chain. A second warehouse complex at North Domodedovo, close to one of Moscow's main international airports, also caught fire yesterday.

Meanwhile, Russia launched attacks on the Odesa region, close to the border with Romania. There are suspicions that Vladimir Putin is deliberately testing Nato responses, using attacks on southern Ukraine as cover.

Nato forces shot down a drone that flew into Romania yesterday morning. Two Spanish F-18 planes were deployed after the unmanned aircraft was detected entering the country's airspace.

One of the British drones used by Kyiv is the Nyan, a jet-powered attack drone developed by Callen-Lenz, a Wiltshire-based subsidiary of BAE Systems.

A second British drone has also been used in strikes. Its manufacturer has not been named for security reasons.

Murder arrest as man dies after 'dog attack'

A DOG owner has been arrested on suspicion of murder after his German Shepherd allegedly attacked a man on a public footpath.

The 55-year-old died after he was reportedly bitten by the dog in Wakefield, West Yorkshire.

Police said the death followed an altercation between two men on a footpath on a disused railway off Blacker Lane in Calder Grove at around 1.30pm on Saturday.

The victim was taken to hospital in a critical condition and died shortly after 7pm last night.

A 55-year-old man is being held on suspicion of murder and being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control in a public place

By Will Hallowell

causing injury. The German Shepherd has been seized by police.

West Yorkshire Police have appealed for witnesses.

Detective Chief Inspector Michael Cox said: 'We know that two people, one named Sophie, stopped to assist the injured man and direct officers.

'We would urge these two women to come forward.'

'The initial altercation has happened in an area used by walkers and we are urging anyone who has potentially seen or heard any part of the exchange between these two men to make contact.'

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Page 19

Jumping the shark

Influencers warned they could lose more than just followers with risky stunts

By Karl Grafton

THEY are the influencers with little thought for others as they seek 'content' to post on social media.

But now it seems these so-called creators have met their match in a world where the unwilling subjects of their filming bite back – literally.

At least three influencers have been bitten by sharks in less than a year – and scientists are warning about the rise in social media videos of people swimming too close to the predators, touching or even riding them.

Cases of sharks biting people are very rare but last month an influencer almost lost his leg after being attacked by a reef shark while spearfishing.

And in December a Chinese content creator was bitten in the Maldives. Both incidents were caught on camera.

Tayane Dalazen, a 37-year-old lawyer and social media personality from Sao Paulo, was bitten by a shark off the Brazilian coast in April. A nurse shark, more than seven feet long, clamped its jaws around her thigh.

Ms Dalazen posted footage of the bite online but says she 'wasn't there for social media' and didn't touch or provoke the shark – although she admits

Danger dive: Tayane Dalazen is bitten by nurse shark. Inset, her scar, circled, after the attack

being too close to the animals.

Shark expert Kristian Parton said: 'We're going to see people ending up in really serious incidents with sharks. We're talking about a true apex predator, a very large wild animal.

'You wouldn't walk into the Serengeti and try and put your hand on the face of a lion.'

Sharks will often use defensive or 'exploratory' bites when an unwelcome human is in their personal space, Mr Parton added. Human interactions can also

cause stress to the animals.

Researchers at the International Shark Attack File, which tracks such interactions, have said they have seen a marked increase in the past three years of people being bitten while trying to take footage with sharks.

A recent study of 'swim with wildlife' trips found influencers and photographers were the most likely to ignore safety rules.

One of the best-known shark content creators is Ocean Ramsey, a 39-year-old former model

who shot to fame in 2019 after she was pictured with one of the largest great whites ever seen.

Ms Ramsey says her content is not made 'to gain views' but 'to gain protection for sharks'.

She denies that getting close to the sharks causes harm, adding: 'I observe their behaviour and they choose to interact with me.'

But shark researcher Dr Jack Cooper said: 'I really cannot explain how going up to a shark and touching it or riding it is doing anything to aid conservation.'

Panned, city where only women pay to use the loo

By Will Hallowell

ONE woman's need to spend a penny could end up costing the city of Vienna considerably more after she sued Austria's capital for charging to use the ladies – but not men's urinals.

Melanie Gradik, 27, said: 'I was in a park with a friend and we both needed the bathroom.

'He could go for free, but I had to pay 50 cents.

'I thought to myself, "How is that possible? I want everyone to be able to use the bathroom on an equal footing. Either we all pay 50 cents or no one pays 50 cents".

'It's an example of how women are treated unequally in everyday life.'

She has now filed a legal complaint against Vienna for sex-

'We all pay or no-one does'

ism, arguing that charging women for access to public toilets violates the city's anti-discrimination laws.

If she wins, it will 'certainly have an impact' on other local authorities, her lawyer Petra Laback said, adding that it could set a precedent across the whole of Austria.

Ms Laback said the fact that some public facilities offer free urinals for men creates inequality, adding: 'Men have an additional free alternative, women do not.'

The city said that of its 168 public toilets, 29 charged 50 cents for both men and women but only because they employed toilet attendants.

However, it added that urinals were also provided at no cost to male users 'to prevent fouling caused by urinating in public spaces'.

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Page 20

vi

FOR almost five years, she built her entire life around caring for her vulnerable son. She mastered clinical procedures, handled complex medication regimens and turned her home into what was, in effect, a high-dependency unit.

Day after day, with the help of NHS-funded carers, she looked after the once-healthy young man who suffered a catastrophic hypoxic brain injury aged 22 in 2020, leaving him needing round-the-clock care.

Today, after years spent at his bedside, she no longer holds his hand. She no longer helps to bathe him, administers his care or sits with him for hours each day.

Instead, she sees him via a phone screen. Although his mother campaigned for him to stay at home, the NHS North East London Integrated Care Board (ICB) moved him to a specialist facility a year ago.

Since raising concerns about his care there, the woman – who the Mail is prevented from naming thanks to draconian court restrictions – was banned from visiting her son in person. Her contact with him was reduced to a brief 20-minute video call each day.

'They took my protection and they labelled it as obstruction,' she says. 'This is what they do to families who dare to question their care: they villainise them.'

Because her son is deemed to be in a 'vegetative state', the ICB argue that his clinically assisted nutrition and hydration should be withdrawn. This would effectively be a death sentence.

In just days, possibly as soon as today, a judge will decide his fate. The once-sociable, warm and friendly young man can only be identified here by the initials 'FHR', and his mother as 'FN'.

The impact of their separation at this traumatic time, she tells us in an exclusive interview, has been devastating.

'My sole purpose was to care for him, and now he's just gone,' she says. 'I speak to the Samaritans every single day, twice a day. It's the only way I keep myself sane.'

To most people, it sounds almost impossible to comprehend.

How can a mother be stopped from visiting her own severely disabled son? How can care home managers wind such power? And how can the courts be persuaded to uphold such restrictions?

'It's neglect dressed up as protection'

And relatives be silenced from speaking publicly about their loved ones?

Her case shines a light on a system operating largely behind closed doors and gagging orders which restrict families from speaking out.

Disputes between families, care providers and NHS bodies can often result in relatives losing direct access to the people they love most.

For the woman known as FN is just one of hundreds who claim they have been restricted, threatened with bans or entirely blocked from seeing relatives after raising concerns about the quality of care being provided.

Campaigners, lawyers and charities warn of a growing trend in the punitive use of so-called 'contact orders' which cut relatives out of the lives of disabled family members. Those affected describe the process as having their loved ones 'kidnapped' while health authorities insist restrictions are imposed only when considered necessary to protect a patient's welfare.

After conducting an independ-

SPECIAL REPORT

by Inderdeep Bains

ent survey, the Challenging Behaviour Foundation (CBF), which supports children and young people with severe learning disabilities, found that abuse of the orders was a 'systemic issue'.

'We just don't know how far this extends; there's no figures or database,' says Jacqui Shurlock, CBO of the charity.

'But our sense is that more and more people are experiencing contact orders.'

She added: 'There's a definite tendency towards blaming parents when they raise concerns. I can't comment on this case but we know from past cases, parents who have raised legitimate complaints have had orders placed on them.'

Lawyer Hanna Whitehead, who specialises in the Court of Protection which makes decisions for individuals lacking the mental capacity to do so themselves, has been raising concerns about an increase in orders being misused.

It's becoming increasingly prevalent. I've worked in this area for quite a while and I've never had so many orders come through where contact has been restricted.

She said that while some orders are of course justified, she was seeing bans were sometimes being used by care homes as the most convenient way to avoid relatives' complaints.

'It's easier for care homes that way because they just don't have to deal with it,' she added. 'As care homes are private property, they are the landlords and they do technically have the right to restrict who can enter onto the property.'

She added: 'I don't want to tar them all with the same brush, there are very reasonable care homes and carers out there, and there are family members that are problematic. But you do see cases where family members have raised concerns and carers get to the point where they don't want to deal with this person any more, so they just restrict contact.'

The Government is responding to growing criticism of the use of these orders. In March, then-Care Minister Stephen Kinnock promised to crack down on the use of such orders in a bid to improve families' visitation rights and end blanket bans.

But for this mother, the promise of a crackdown has come too late. Over the past year, she has lost precious time with her son who could effectively be sentenced to death later this month.

Medical professionals describe him as being in a vegetative state. Yet, the family argue he has a

Picture: GETTY

higher level of consciousness. 'He experiences life. He experiences love,' his mother says, showing me a video of him responding to requests to stick out his tongue.

'He can hold his head up, he can focus... He's not a vegetable. He's not brain dead,' she adds.

She describes the painstaking rehabilitation journey he went through at home, built on meticulous daily routines and determination, which she says has stabilised him and heightened his state of awareness.

'I educated myself in every area of his care,' she says. 'Medication, tracheostomy care, bladder care, chest care.

'These were things I would have been scared to do before but because of my love for my son, everything just became easy and natural.'

When her son's brain injury developed six years ago, he was initially cared for at home after a long stint in hospital. But since 2022, the ICB launched several court hearings in attempts to alter his care arrangements. These attempts had failed until spring last year.

In April 2025, a judge ruled he should be moved to a care home, initially on an interim basis to undergo an assessment to measure his level of consciousness.

That assessment was intended

to inform a decision on whether it would be in his 'best interest' to 'withdraw' his food and water.

Just days after the move into care, the family says, FHR's health deteriorated dramatically and the progress he had made was lost.

We were raising concerns with the care home, saying 'He's not himself,' but they didn't seem bothered,' she claimed.

When, she says, his monitors showed the oxygen saturation in his blood dropped, the family

'He's not a vegetable. He's not brain dead'

made the decision to call an ambulance against the care home's wishes.

The mother, who is in her mid-40s, said it emerged at hospital, that she had made the right call as her son had developed aspiration pneumonia and required urgent hospital treatment.

'In four-and-a-half years at home, including in hospital settings, there was no pneumonia,'

she says. 'Three days of being in the care home, he's got aspiration pneumonia.' In her eyes, she'd called an ambulance after recognising that her son was in a life-threatening condition. But the mother says this incident triggered the contact order.

After his discharge from hospital, the care home imposed severe restrictions on contact due to what they alleged was the family's 'challenging behaviour'.

'When I arrived to see him, I was asked to leave and told the police would be called, so I left and that was it. Since that day, I've not seen my son in that care home,' she says.

The care provider initially banned the entire family from visiting, leaving FHR completely isolated for six weeks.

The restrictions on other family members were soon lifted, however, the home was authorised to keep the ban on his mother and restrict contact to a single daily video call.

For the mother, the sense of helplessness was overwhelming.

'When it first happened, I went into shock,' she recalls. 'I think it's how my brain handled such an extreme situation that I had no control over.'

She likened her distress to what she experienced when her son first suffered his brain injury six years ago – he was left severely disabled

---

11

Page 21

The devoted mother banned from visiting her severely disabled son by NHS care home that wants to stop giving him food and drink

A judge will decide his fate in days – and it's just one of hundreds of cases where relatives have been sidelined after making complaints

after a failed suicide attempt. The tragic episode, his mother believes, was a cry for help after a period of anxiety rather than a genuine bid to die at 22, but one that nonetheless changed their lives forever.

In the days after the family was first banned from seeing him, the desperate mother posted a social media video featuring FHR soon after his injury in 2020 in which she talked about being separated from her son.

The video, which attracted more than 1 million views, FN claims, did not identify the care home, disclose its location or reveal details of the Court of Protection proceedings.

Nonetheless, the ICB subsequently applied to have the mother committed to prison for alleged contempt of court. That application is currently stayed.

'It was something I did out of desperation not knowing what was going to happen. All I knew

was we needed help,' she said. Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, which is representing the mother, said: 'FN has fought with extraordinary courage for her son's life, dignity and best interests.

'Yet, instead of being supported as a devoted mother, she has been banned from visiting him, restricted to short video calls, threatened with prison and gagged from showing the world the son she loves.'

As councils face mounting pressure to secure specialist placements, authorities and courts often side with care providers in disputes with families rather than risk them withdrawing beds.

'When it gets to the Court of Protection, the court is really limited in terms of what it can do,' Ms Shurlock added. 'If they've only got one provider, but there are concerns about the person going back home, they don't have many options. It is a bit of blunt

tool, they can only look at the provisions already on the table.'

Ms Whitehead, who specialises in health and welfare cases, said: 'There is a shortage of beds around the country. So the problem is, when a case goes to court, the judge might agree that contact restrictions seem somewhat unreasonable, and that there's not much evidence.

'But the court and the judge don't have to consider the best interests of the relatives. It's about the best interest of this vulnerable person. And although it might be in the vulnerable person's best interest to have contact with their sister, daughter, whoever, it's also in their best interest to not have an urgent move from a care home to some random place down the country.

'They do the balancing exercise; and they decide to preserve the placement instead of reinstating the contact.'

The mother believes that is

exactly what has happened to her case. She believes that the care home's insistence that she can't visit, coupled with the belief that the son wouldn't receive sufficient care at home, means the judge is left with no choice but to side with the care provider.

A ruling permitting the 'interim' ban on the mother's visits in May 2025 appears to confirm this.

In the ruling, the court heard that FHR's placement was 'at the brink of serving notice' and that the court determined that it was 'imperative that the placement is protected'.

However, it also urged the ICB together with the care provider to 'actively consider' re-introducing in-person visits 'while maintaining the placement'.

What was initially presented as a temporary move to a care home, has now stretched beyond a year, as did the 'interim' visiting ban.

Another judgment, by a second judge in April this year, acknowl-

edged that FN is 'obviously a devoted mother' and again urged the home and ICB to reconsider the ban. 'It is a very important issue that FHR may not be able to spend time with his mother. That weighs on me quite heavily,' Mr Justice McKendrick wrote.

He goes on to give 'very clear direction' that the ICB 'must urgently consult' with the care home manager to lift these restrictions. In response to the judge's call to relax the ban, the care home managers increased the video calls from 20 minutes a day to 40 minutes last month.

Most recently, the mother says, she has been sent a 27-clause 'agreement' which she has been told she must sign before the home considers allowing her to visit.

The five-page document says she would be granted one 30-minute visit per week which will be supervised by a member of staff who will 'remain within direct sight'.

It also prevents the mother from raising questions or complaints about her son's care while at the care home.

The agreement also bans 'any untoward behaviour' and insists she must act 'calmly and respectfully' at all times.

'They've portrayed me as some kind of villain who is aggressive and unreliable,' said the mother, whose lawyers are currently reviewing the document. 'All I wanted is the best for my son, no one can care better for her child than a mother.'

Over the past year, the mother said she has made repeated legal

'All I wanted is the best for my child'

attempts to bring her son home, arguing she is better placed to care for him.

She claims that during his time in care, FHR has been admitted to hospital five times, compared with just once during all the years he was cared for at home.

FN also alleges his tracheostomy tube was not changed for five months – although they're usually changed every four to six weeks – and that he suffered multiple avoidable infections.

During his hospital admissions, she says she was able to visit him without issue, despite being barred from seeing him at the care home.

The care home and health authorities dispute many of the family's criticisms and maintain that all decisions have been taken in FHR's best interests.

'They create this narrative that families like ours are deluded,' the mother says of health authorities.

'That we're keeping these people alive for our own sake. But letting go is the easy route. I've given up my life and everything I've ever worked for to take care of my son. It's not easy.'

She says the bid to see care withdrawn from FHR will be a cruel death sentence, one which will see him starve and dehydrate.

'It's neglect dressed up as protection. I've always said let him live and die when his time comes,' she says.

'Don't starve him. Don't dehydrate him. Don't kill him by neglect and withdrawing care,' the mother adds.

'Just leave my kid alone.'

---

Page 22

Daily Mail Reporter

ABOUT a quarter of patient referrals to hospitals are being rejected and returned to GPs, a poll has found.

More than a third of the so-called bouncebacks that doctors received asked them to do work considered outside their remit. Some GPs are now raising concerns that this is creating delays for suspected cancer patients.

In the survey of 712 GPs by healthcare magazine Pulse, doctors estimated that 26 per cent of referrals were returned under the category of advice and guidance (A&G) – even though this was not requested. A&G is designed

Quarter of hospital referrals are sent straight back to GPs

for GPs to seek specialist advice before making referrals. But these unsolicited returns mean that those patients who doctors had intended to refer to hospital had to return to their GP for specialist advice. One London GP

said they felt the system was 'getting more risky and unsafe' and contributed to their decision to leave general practice.

Family doctors also estimated that 36 per cent of the A&G they received required them to go out-

side of their normal remit. One in the North East also warned that A&G was creating 'increasing barriers to two-week wait gastrointestinal referrals' for patients with 'red-flag suspected cancer symptoms'.

Dr Clare Bannon, GPs committee chairman at the British Medical Association, told Pulse: 'Where a referral is requested, hospital trusts are contractually obliged to accept referrals from general practice, except in very limited circum-

'It's getting more risky and unsafe'

stances. Referrals should not simply be rejected with requests for additional GP actions unless part of a locally agreed pathway.'

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: 'Under this government, the A&G model has supported millions of patients to receive care in the right place without having to join elective waiting lists.

'This is helping more patients to receive timely and appropriate care in primary and community settings.'

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August 17, 2026

ON THIS DAY

FROM THE DAILY MAIL ARCHIVE

AUGUST 17, 1998

THE terrible human suffering caused by the Omagh atrocity (on August 15) was revealed with the names of the victims last night. Among the 28 killed in Ulster's worst-ever terrorist outrage were three generations of one family: 14 were women and 11 were in their teens or younger.

AUGUST 17, 1999

FORMER spymaster Vladimir Putin was approved as Russian prime minister yesterday. Putin, 46, pledged to help the poor, defend ethnic Russians in former Soviet republics and protect Russia's global role.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

ROBIN COUSINS, 69. The former figure skater from Bristol – and head judge on ITV's Dancing On Ice – won gold at the 1980 Winter Olympics before being named BBC Sports Personality later that year. The four-time British champion won his first national title aged 12.

MARGARET HAMILTON, 90. The US engineer led the Nasa team that created the software behind the Apollo 11 mission to land on the moon in 1969. She only had access to 72kb of computer memory (a modern mobile phone carries a million times more storage space). She also popularised the term 'software engineering' and was nicknamed 'rope mother' because the computer used copper wires woven into long 'ropes'.

BORN ON THIS DAY

FRANCIS GARY POWERS (1929-1977). The US pilot was sentenced to ten years in prison by a Soviet court after his CIA spy plane was shot down over Russia in 1960. Two years later he was freed and exchanged in Berlin for a Soviet spy.

JANŐ ZEMIN (1926-2022). The former president of China, who took power in the wake of the Tiananmen Square massacre, oversaw his country joining the World Trade Organisation, the handover of Hong Kong and Beijing being awarded the Olympics. He did not tolerate dissent, saying: 'Both democracy and human rights are relative concepts.'

ON AUGUST 17...

IN 1896, Bridget Driscoll, of Croydon, became the first British pedestrian killed by a motor vehicle.

IN 1987, Nazi war criminal Rudolf Hess hanged himself in Berlin's Spandau Prison, aged 93.

WORD WIZARDRY

GUESS THE DEFINITION

Pavonine (coined mid-1600s)

Relating to: A) A peafowl. B) A parrot. C) A nightingale.

Answer below

PHRASE EXPLAINED

Man on the Clapham omnibus: meaning the man on the street; coined by Lord [Charles] Bowen around 1900, the 'omnibus' was a horse-drawn carriage and 'Clapham' a typical suburban part of London.

QUOTE FOR TODAY

Easy is not an option. Usain Bolt,

Jamaican retired sprinter

JOKE OF THE DAY

WHAT do you call an exploding monkey? A baboom.

Guess The Definition answer: A.

Compiled by ETAN SMALLMAN and ADAM JACOT DE BOINOD

---

Page 23

INSPIRE

● At the end of the day, we can endure much more than we think we can ● FRIDA KAHLO

A week before we started IVF, my partner was killed by a speeding car. Here's why I decided to have our child alone

Now Liz is fighting to bring the driver to justice after he fled to Pakistan

IT WAS just before 6pm on January 13, 2021, and I was working from home. 'I'm going for a run,' my partner Jack, then 29, told me. Without looking up from my computer, I replied: 'OK.'

Off he went. It was the last time I ever saw him. Jack and I would usually run

EXCLUSIVE by Liz Austin

together but that day I was resting in advance of an embryo transfer the following week. It was our first IVF attempt and we were both hugely

excited. I'd been eating well and taking it easy to give us the best chance of success. But I will always ask myself if things might have been different had I gone on that run with him.

I find it very painful, too, that I didn't get up and give him a hug as he left. But it was all so ordinary at the time. I didn't know - how could I?

Half an hour later, I finished

TURN TO NEXT PAGE

Determined: Liz has launched a petition to change the law

Picture: CHRIS H. LANG/AMSTERDAM

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Page 24

INSPIRE

THE new buzzword in the health and wellness space is 'longevity', and little wonder. Who doesn't want to live for ever? Or at least look and feel as good as possible for as long as possible?

On London's Harley Street, longevity clinics now vie for position with cosmetic ones, while the trade in a dazzling array of health-optimising supplements is booming.

Meanwhile, in the world of skincare, a shift is also taking place. Once creams shouted about their anti-ageing properties, but now it's all about what they can do for skin's 'longevity'. So what's the difference, or is it just a cute marketing move designed to make us all pay more for exactly the same thing?

In recent years there's been something of a backlash against the term 'anti-ageing', with many considering it negative and ageist. By contrast longevity formulas, insist brands, don't merely correct visible signs of ageing, but are said to prevent and even reverse the very root cause of lines, brown spots and laxity.

Lancome, with its new Absolute Longevity MD The Serum, £166 (boots.com), which comes in three versions for three 'life stages' - Anticipate (35 and under), Intercept (35 to 55) and Reset (55 plus) - describes this approach as 'reprogramming skin's ageing trajectory'. While Sisley, talking about the Sisleya Longevity Essential Serum, £435 (sisley-paris.com), calls it 'reactivating skin's youth potential'.

Dr Clare Kiely, a consultant dermatologist and chief medical officer of The Skin Diary skincare brand (lsekindiary.com), defines longevity more straightforwardly.

'We're beginning to understand more about the hallmarks of skin ageing, such as chronic inflammation and stunted repair,' she says. 'This allows us to try to improve its long-term health, resilience and cellular function.'

If a product can do this in human skin (as opposed to a test tube), she adds, you have a true longevity formula.

IN MANY ways, says Dr Kiely, skincare has been improving skin longevity for decades. Daily sunscreen prevents the DNA damage that makes skin wrinkle, discolour and sag.

Antioxidants, such as green tea and vitamin C, form a protective buffer against pollution and many other ageing environmental stresses. While retinoids support cell renewal.

All this is backed by decades of scientific evidence.

Indeed, a closer look at both the Sisley serum and Tatcha's The Longevity Serum, £83 (tatcha.co.uk), shows that they're packed with antioxidants and ingredients for skin barrier support that have years of data behind them.

So what's new? Perhaps it's just the advanced skincare science we're now seeing in the laboratory.

'What is genuinely new,' says Dr Kiely, 'is our ability to study the biology in much greater detail and investigate processes such as senescence and mitophagy (where cells recycle or remove damaging metabolic waste and toxic near-dead 'sondisc cells') and cell energy production.'

There are some novel ingredients in these creams. The

Are pricey 'longevity' potions really any better than anti-ageing budget buys?

by Inge van Lotringen

problem, she says, is that while interesting compounds and technologies are being uncovered to assist the most intricate skin-ageing processes, they only show promise in a petri dish and have yet to prove themselves in the long-term on the skin.

'It's a big leap from there to claim they can reverse hallmarks of ageing in living skin,' says Dr Kiely. 'But that's what marketing often does.'

Lancome's Absolute serum boasts it can promote cellular energy (and consequently youthful looks) with a compound called urolithin-A.

While Dermatogica's Plute-code Booster Damage Correcting Longevity Serum, £89 (dermatogica.co.uk), promises to do much the same with sunflower sprout extract.

Skin Diligent's CEL Eye Cream, £80 (skindiligent.com from September 15), has a 'cellular epigenetic longevity complex' featuring exosomes, peptides and plant nucleotides to help cells remain young.

Dr Kiely says these products may well work, and there's no doubt the flashy ingredients they contain have been shown to have potential in the lab. But with no independent published research - meaning results showing a rejuvenating ability when incorporated in a cream or serum that have been replicated by others - their benefits are speculative,' she says.

While it's tempting to be seduced by the longevity promise and new ingredients, the reality is these pricey potions don't have as much evidence that they can keep your skin healthy for longer as many of

the 'old-fashioned' anti-ageing elxins. My view is that you've often better off relying on trusted products which contain long-established ingredients and have a proven track record of improving skin health.

These under £30 options tick all those boxes and don't just include some of my own favourites, but have all been recommended by countless dermatologists over the years.

■ No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Serum, £27.95 (no7beauty.co.uk)

ITS wrinkle-smoothing powers proven in independent human clinical trials at the University of Manchester, this retinol serum has become a byword for affordable skincare.

■ Helioscare Pigment Solution Fluid Sunscreen SPF50 PA++++, £22.52 (amazon.co.uk)

HELIOCARE is one of a small number of sun protection brands universally loved by dermatologists. Apart from the highest broad-spectrum UV protection, this light, tinted fluid has pigmentation-fading ingredients.

■ Dermatica Azelaic Acid 12% Cream, £19.99 (boots.com) AZELAIC acid is a dermatological ingredient hailed for its ability to fight spots and bacteria, brighten skin and smooth wrinkles, all while calming inflammation. This cream is slightly stronger than most non-prescription products, making it effective but still safe without medical oversight.

■ Cetaphil Advanced Defence Serum, £21.20 (cetaphil.co.uk)

A BLEND of powerful, long-established antioxidants, this hydrating serum suits very sensitive skin and is recommended by dermatologists for shielding skin from damage and allowing it to repair itself.

FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

work and decided to go for a walk and meet him on his way back to our west London flat. I took our usual running route towards the Thames but, as I approached Battersea bridge, I saw flashing lights. An accident. Perhaps Jack had gone a different way to avoid it. I called him but there was no answer.

A few minutes later, I called again. Normally he'd pick up quickly, feeling the phone's vibration in his pocket. I felt a flicker of unease and began walking more quickly towards the police cars gathered around a junction near the bridge.

I thought about asking the police what had happened but talked myself out of it - I didn't want to bother them unnecessarily, so I ran the two miles back to the flat instead, telling myself Jack had gone home a different way. Maybe he was in the shower and didn't hear the phone.

But deep down, I felt an intense panic growing inside me.

I got home and he wasn't there. So I raced all the way back to the bridge. This time I approached a police officer, who went to speak to a colleague, and when he looked up and began walking towards me, that's when I knew it was Jack.

What was Jack wearing, they asked me. They had Jack's phone and must have seen my name on it, ringing and ringing. I told them and then they said he had been hit by a car and had died. I like to believe it happened quickly: passers-by tried to revive him, I was later told, and an ambulance arrived quickly but no one could do anything.

He was pronounced dead at 6.34pm - just over half an hour after he'd left for his run, and just when I was walking to meet him.

Later, I would learn much more - that the car was a Range Rover driven by Rashid Ali, 26, who was doing 40mph,

twice the speed limit. He had driven through amber lights at the junction, as Jack crossed.

When I saw photos of Rashid I realised I had seen him speaking to police on the side of the road. It was he and his girlfriend who had called emergency services.

At first, I felt simple disbelief. I kept asking them if this was really happening and I felt physically sick from the shock.

I wanted to see Jack but the police advised me I shouldn't and so I never saw him again. That's a decision that tortures me to this day. I wish I had insisted so I could have said goodbye.

Officers were sent to tell Jack's parents, who live in Birmingham, and that night his mum and dad, Teresa and Noel, drove down to London to tell his sister Clara, who lives in Clapham.

They had to wake her in the middle of the night to tell her that her brother had died. It was a real, living nightmare.

I called my parents in Australia where it was morning and my mum's birthday, so she answered the phone excitedly, thinking I was calling to wish her a happy day. Covid meant they couldn't come to me.

Jack's family wanted us to be together to process it, so the following morning I went back to Birmingham with Teresa, Noel and Clara and stayed there for six weeks.

It's hard to describe how I felt, it was like an out of body experience. I had compassionate leave from work and those weeks were a blur - just

Charismatic: Aston Villa fan Jack

the four of us locked down in a house together. A month later, we had Jack's funeral in Birmingham - a Covid one, with just 30 people - and later in the summer we held a celebration of his life.

Jack and I met in 2018 through work. We were both in marketing for an international business - I'd moved to London on secondment from the Sydney office in 2012 and he joined the company in 2016.

He was charismatic and talented and ambitious. I was nine years older than him but that didn't bother him and he wasn't afraid to talk about the future. It was so different to anything I'd experi-

enced in previous relationships.

In 2018, we moved in together and quickly started to discuss all the serious stuff of life - marriage, children, heading back to Australia. Nothing was off-limits.

And then came lockdown and, suddenly, it seemed having a baby

should be our priority. We had been trying on and off but I was in my late-30s and worried time was running out.

So by late 2020, we had embarked on IVF and after our first round had eight frozen embryos, which was a brilliant result. The first was scheduled for transfer in January 2021 - a week after Jack was killed.

When I called a few days after his death to cancel, I can't remember the conversation I had with the fertility doctor; I was getting through the days on autopilot.

But the clinic was wonderful and provided me with online counseling. It also told me Jack had signed a consent form for the embryos to be used in the event of his death. Another shock.

I knew nothing about that - he hadn't mentioned the consent question and, presumably thinking it would never apply, had simply ticked a box to say yes.

From that moment, I think I knew deep-down I'd go ahead. The idea of continuing to have our child seemed crazy, but also a miracle.

I felt that this was the one thing that was going to save me and bring a living piece of Jack back into the world.

More than that, I had wanted to be a mother for such a long time and had finally found someone who wanted the same thing; there was no way I was going to let that chance slip through my hands.

And yet there were big hurdles. I wasn't in a good way mentally or physically in the aftermath of Jack's

'The police said I shouldn't see his body - that still tortures me'

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© C. K. KIRKEL, 2025

Miracle: Liz with her daughter born after Jack, right, had given permission for embryos to be used in the event of his death

I tell my daughter her dad lives on the moon. 'But why doesn't he want to come and see me?' she asks and my heart breaks

death. I struggled to sleep and eat and constantly replayed the accident in my mind, utterly consumed by what had happened.

Weekly counselling was organised to make sure I knew what was involved. All the implications of having Jack's baby. What it would mean financially to be a single parent. How hard it would be. I'll admit I often gave the answers I knew they wanted to hear. I just knew I had to do it.

So, three months after Jack died, I went ahead with the embryo transfer, at the end of March 2021. I suppose I could have waited longer, but what for? Nothing was going to change.

I didn't know when I would ever 'feel better' and I was desperate to know if the IVF would actually work. What was the worst that could happen? I'd already experienced that.

No one else knew except a handful of close friends and our families. Jack's parents never pressured me but were hugely supportive all the way through.

Again, the process worked as well as it possibly could and I became pregnant on the very first transfer. I was still so numb I could barely comprehend it. I think I felt grateful that in the

depths of my grief something was going to plan but I also worried that the enormous grief I still felt would somehow affect the baby.

When I was seven months pregnant, I remember telling my counsellor that I had voted every single day since January and was terrified the baby would 'come out sad because my baseline emotion is just sadness'. She reassured me that's not how it works.

Jack's family and my close friends took turns to come to scans and appointments with me.

I didn't feel lonely but I did feel cheated. This was something I was supposed to be doing with Jack; this was our thing. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel resentful of all the other couples who got to plan for and share in these moments.

I found it helpful to keep a journal of messages and photos for him, as if he was away from home and I was keeping him updated on the pregnancy in writing.

Our daughter was born in December 2021. I hadn't wanted to know the gender because I wanted to experience a 'good' surprise and I was very surprised she was a girl - I'd had recurring dreams about having a boy.

But she is so Jack - she's got his humour, character, facial expressions and a love of football.

My parents hadn't been allowed to fly from Australia until that point but came over for the birth, and Jack's mum was there too.

The hospital knew the situation and allowed us time together, after which I went home to our flat. Those first few days felt overwhelming and I definitely

'I cried so much I was terrified the baby would come out sad'

questioned what I had done, and whether I could do it in the long run. But it felt good to have a full house, with lots of people coming and going and helping out around the clock.

Christmas that year was very different to the year before. It wasn't a celebration. We wouldn't even have marked it had it not

been my daughter's first. But I didn't want her growing up dreading Christmas and I wanted to at least start a tradition with her. In the end, we had a family lunch and then spent Boxing Day at Villa Park watching Aston Villa, Jack's favourite team.

I had already decided that once our daughter was born, I would go back to Australia. You need a village around you when you have a baby and, although I had friends in London, it wasn't the same.

It was a hard decision - Jack's family were very sad - but I have an amazing network at home and when our daughter was five months old, in May 2022, I moved back to Sydney.

I'm 45 now and our daughter is four. I have told her all about her dad and how much he would have loved her.

She's at the age where she asks about him all the time - where is he and why can't she see him? I tell her he lives in the moon. 'But why doesn't he want to come and see me?' she asks, and my heart breaks every time.

I reassure her that he would if he could and he'll always be watching. She knows he died because he got hit by a car but

she has no concept of 'forever'. When she was learning about road safety at school, she asked questions like: 'Did he look both ways when he crossed the road? Do you think he cried when he got hurt?'

In the meantime, while my life was changing and I was trying to live with my grief, the police were building a case against Rashid Ali. The process moved very slowly - it wasn't until April 2023 that he was charged with death by dangerous driving - and it was later revealed that he was in the UK from Pakistan on an expired student visa.

Eventually, the trial was scheduled for late July 2024. Jack's family and friends attended every day but it was only once the trial had started, at the Old Bailey, that we discovered he had fled the country some time before.

At no point from the time of the accident to the trial had anyone thought to confiscate his passport. In his absence he was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving, banned from driving and sentenced to five years in custody. But that is all theoretical. In reality there has

'The heartache of preparing for the trial was pointless'

been zero accountability and he remains on the run.

There is no formal extradition treaty between the UK and Pakistan - though individual requests are sometimes granted - and as it stands Rashid Ali has got away with it.

We all went through a great deal of heartache preparing for the trial, only to realise it was essentially pointless.

Earlier this year, the case appeared on Channel 4's Dispatches episode, Hunting Britain's Pugitives, highlighting social media posts of him getting married and travelling to Dubai.

The investigation even discovered what appears to be one of him in a restaurant in Mayfair, though we're not sure when that was taken.

Rashid is now 32 and living his life carefree, while my daughter grows up with no father.

Which is why with Jack's family we have now launched the Justice for Jack petition, calling for an amendment to the Bail Act, with mandatory passport surrender for people accused of serious crimes.

We need 10,000 signatures before the end of the year for the Government to respond.

We are trying to change legislation to close the loophole by which criminals are able to keep hold of travel documents.

It makes a mockery of the whole expensive, time-consuming legal process if a convicted criminal is able to simply skip the country and avoid serving their sentence.

I know nothing will bring Jack back but I do want justice for him. And for our daughter.

■ Sign the Justice for Jack petition at petition. parliament.uk/petitions/770818

As told to KERRY PARNELL

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INSPIRE

VI

HOW TO DRESS LIKE A GROWN UP Shane Watson

YOU would think there was only one decision to make when it comes to swimwear post-50: bikini or one-piece? That's certainly the big one, but once you've picked a side there are a few other things to avoid to be sure your swimwear isn't ageing you.

THE PLUNGE FRONT SWIMSUIT

KATE Moss fell foul of this style last week. It's not the low cut so much as the 'glamorous party wear' vibes that make this feel old - along with chiffon beach robes, picture hats and platform sandals.

Avoid slashed fronts, gold hardware, a glossy finish, lace-up fronts, a belt and anything that hints at cocktail vibes.

INSTEAD: Keep it sporty and fresh - a broderie trim is flattering and not too girly. Combine that with bold lacquer red and you're in business (M&S's broderie trim swimsuit, £26, marksandspencer.com).

THE TOO SMALL BIKINI

HOWEVER fabulous your figure, a well-covered bikini is more elegant and flattering at this age.

The one that works best for those over 50 is sufficiently bottom-covering with plenty of side coverage.

INSTEAD: Try M&S's high-waisted bikini bottoms with adjustable ruched sides so you can wear them exactly the width that suits you (£16, bottoms; £17, top). Plus they have inbuilt tummy control, too.

THE TANKINI

THE worst offender in the swimwear hierarchy. I can't think of a good reason for choosing one over a swimsuit. You don't get the smooth clean line of a costume and, if you are past bikinis, you surely don't want to risk the top riding up, revealing your tummy.

INSTEAD: Go for a sleek one-piece, the best of which will smooth your silhouette and contain you like a light corset - even without body shaping mesh and lining (a Boden swimwear specialty). There are lots of great Boden one-pieces, but my current favourite is the Minori halter tie in cinnamon (£85, boden.com).

THE HIGH-WAISTED BIKINI

SIMILAR issues to the tankini. You think: 'I'm damned if I'm giving up a bikini but my stomach isn't what it was so I'll just go for some big pants.'

The trouble is the high-waisted bikini covering your tummy button shifts all the focus to your abs. It's strange but true - you need a flatter torso than for a regular bikini. INSTEAD: If you go for fold-over bikini bottoms, you can adjust them (£39, boden.com). Wear with the Minori halter tie bikini top (£31.50).

THE RUCHED FRONT LOOK

THERE'S nothing wrong with these other than that they scream 'wobbly front disguise' and younger women would not be seen dead in them.

You may think: 'What the hell! I do need to disguise my wobbly tummy.' But there are other ways to do that without

Swimwear swaps that will take years off you

Steek bikini: Top £31.50, bottoms £39, boden.com

Contrast cut: Monsoon, £49, johnlewis.co.uk

simultaneously making you look a bit mummy.

INSTEAD: Get a strong weave that contains you. Try M&S's tummy-control textured swimsuit in brown (£36).

THE ROYAL BLUE ONE-PIECE

I HAVE one, since I liked the shape and they had sold out in the red, but it only gets worn in emergencies as it turns out a royal blue swimsuit - as opposed to midnight blue - is dowdy. Who knew?

Oddly, there is a short list of potentially ageing swimwear colours and they include all the tropical brights and strong pinks, although an ice pink can look nice.

INSTEAD: Choose the colours that are chic and anti-ageing now: black, brown, olive, khaki, red or black and white. John Lewis has a good twist-front swimsuit in khaki (£38.50, johnlewis.com).

THE FLORAL SWIMSUIT

FLORALS are the worst offenders but all prints will

dial up your age instantly. The busier the colour combinations are, the higher the dial goes.

INSTEAD: Go for a small gingham check or stripes like Saint + Sofia's bestselling cross-front striped swimsuit (£99, uk.saintandsofia.com).

THE LOW-CUT LEG

THIS is the position women often retreat to when they're anxious about showing too much hip flesh, but not only does the line cut you off so you look shorter legged, it instantly adds a decade to your age.

INSTEAD: Try one of the many excellent eye-tricking options such as the illusion cross-back swimsuit in navy with white leg panels from Chelsea Peers (£65, johnlewis.co.uk). You will look like you're wearing a high-leg swimsuit but have all the coverage of a regular leg.

Monsoon does a contrast trim one, too, in black or blue, also from John Lewis (£49).

Newly slim?

Peplum top, £38, and wide-leg trousers, £46, next.co.uk

Ruched mesh maxi dress, now £50, karenmillen.com; woven gold male sandals, £38, and tinned tote bag, now £29, riverisland.com

LAST year I jumped on the Mounjaro bandwagon and lost 2st - slimming down from 13st to 11st - and I couldn't be more thrilled about the improvements to my health, energy and self-confidence.

It is a fresh delight every morning to look in the mirror and to actually be happy with my reflection.

Now I've switched to the new Wegovy pill to maintain my weight and hopefully nudge myself off a plateau and into the healthy body mass index category.

It seems to be working, but after 30 years of being 'big' I have absolutely no idea how to dress 'slim'.

I haven't really paid any attention to fashion or style since I worked as a magazine editor in my late-20s. Three children and the solitary life of a freelance writer have meant I've slouched into the easy habit of sweat pants

by LOUISE ATKINSON who's just gone from size 18 to 12

and comfy cover-ups. Besides, following trends can seem futile when you can't even squeeze into the largest sizes on the rails.

Rifle through my wardrobe and you'll find predominantly slimming black or navy, with baggy tops to disguise my huge bust and big floaty dresses to cover my stomach.

But losing weight - I've gone from a size 18 to a svelte size 12 - has brought

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Page 27

Try these summer styles...

Longline waistcoat, £5, belted bermuda shorts, now £7, and heeled sandals, £18, primark.com

Sculpting swimsuit, £79, bravissimo.com; wide-leg trousers, £22, riverisland.com; flatform sandals, £30, marksandspencer.com

Drop-waist linen dress, £111.30, boden.com; block heel sandals, £16, primark.com; raffia tote bag, £159, hobbs.com

Floral maxi dress, £180, aspiga.com; woven belt, £11, primark.com

Strapless top, now £35.40, and wide-leg trousers, now £47.40, omnes.com; zebra sandals, £42, riverisland.com

with it a new bravery and joie de vivre, and I'm keen to celebrate the flatter tummy and muscled-up arms I've worked so hard to tone in the gym.

But I confess, I have absolutely no idea of what's on trend or what's 'appropriate' for a 62-year-old woman like me.

So I put my faith – and my new figure – in the hands of deputy fashion editor Amy Kester, who picked out a selection of fun summer looks I'd never have chosen for myself. And I'm delighted!

CLEVER CO-ORD

THE hot summer buzzword is 'co-ord' (short for co-ordinated) – it's a matchy-matchy top and bottom set which is great for a non-model figure like mine, as you can buy each part in whatever size you need for a perfect fit. I've always chosen skin-tight jeans in an attempt to highlight my slimmest bits – my bottom and thighs – and, as a result, have

ended up looking like a top-heavy cartoon character (think Gru from Despicable Me), but the flared peplum skirt on this top and the loose flared trousers from Next accentuate my now slimmer waist. It's a complete silhouette reversal and a revelation.

PARTY-READY

OLD me would run a mile from anything figure-hugging, and I was far too 'don't look at me' to wear neon brights, but this Karen Millen body-skimming mesh dress is my new younger, livelier, healthier persona in a dress.

Just pulling it over my head put a huge smile on my face. Gold sandals and a fringed bag complete the devil-may-care hippy vibe.

SHORTS SUIT

THESE days, Amy tells me, shorts are perfectly appropriate smart daywear.

The key to looking sophisticated in mid-life is a longer-in-the

leg style (just above the knee) and although I could also pull on a ribbed T-shirt, the matching waistcoat, both Primark, makes this a proper outfit.

The hidden buttons shrink my top half (a bit) and the eye is cleverly drawn instead to the scarf belt knotted at the waist. It would be comfy-casual with black flip flops but teamed with strappy heels this pretty little combo is great for a pub garden lunch.

SLIMMING SWIMSUIT

I'D always scoffed at the idea of wearing a swimsuit as a top on holiday. No one needed to see me in a baggy one-piece squishing my fulsome frontage into an ugly mono-boob. Even the shortest trip to the pool bar would see me properly covered-up in a voluminous kaftan.

But it turns out cup-sized swimwear gives just as much support as a good bra, and the flattering two-tone edging on this

Bravissimo one is very high fashion. This swimsuit becomes a nifty little top when teamed with light floaty trousers – grab a white linen shirt and floppy sun hat and I'm beach-ready.

SHIRT-DRESS

WITH temperatures topping 30 degrees it's almost impossible to look smart and cool, while the shapeless summer sundresses in my wardrobe scream 'old me'.

White linen is the perfect choice, and a sleeveless button-through shirt-dress like this one from Boden – cinched in with a tan leather belt – is remarkably flattering. Teamed with a smart (but not beachy) tote bag and comfy sandals, this would be the perfect outfit for more clothes shopping.

MODEST MAXI DRESS

FLOOR-LENGTH florals can be too Little House On The Prairie or 'grandmother's nightie', but this soft cotton maxi from Aspiga

skims my waist, narrowing my silhouette, while the pretty shoulder frills completely disguise my bust. It's like the girls have disappeared!

I'm also smitten with the genius 'modesty panel' which poppers across the V-neckline to hide my cleavage. With a cute woven clutch and wedge sandals, I could rock a summer wedding in this.

STRAPLESS SUCCESS

I'VE never worn spaghetti straps because I just couldn't trust the engineering of a strapless bra, but with boobs considerably smaller than they used to be thanks to Mounjaro, suddenly 'off-the-shoulder' is on the menu.

The corset tightness and sticky rubber edging of this top from Omnes holds everything in place surprisingly well and it feels good to be able to showcase the biceps I've been working on in the gym. Thong sandals give the outfit a relaxed feel.

Picture: LEO-HOSE; Styling: AMY KISTER

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Page 28

INSPIRE

A FEROCIOUSLY busy, sunny day earlier this summer, and after a few weeks of travelling and living out of a suitcase, I was still not fully unpacked.

That morning I pulled a contact lens case out of my sponge bag, swiped out each lens – the reusable kind, which I change every fortnight – and bunged them into each eye as casually as I had done since I first got contacts aged 16.

No cleaning, no mirror. I may not even have washed my hands.

For those of us who use contacts, it's a familiar scene. But it is also the beginning of a cautionary tale, for my undeniable carelessness almost cost me my sight...

The first sign of trouble came later that day as my eyes began to feel itchy. I cursed the pollen count, took an antihistamine pill and chucked in some eyedrops from a little bottle that rolls around the bottom of my handbag.

It did no good – by the time I cycled home at 5pm, there was a nimbus glow around everything and no amount of blinking could clear my vision. I couldn't wait to take the lenses out and retreat to my trusty specs.

Once home, I peeled the plastic discs from my eyeballs, blinked in relief and then froze in horror. The blurriness was still there. I told myself not to panic, grabbed a bottle of saline solution that I keep by my desk and sluiced both eyes repeatedly.

It didn't give the usual relief, but instead felt like I was rinsing my eyeballs in sulphuric acid – and it turned out to be the worst thing I could have done.

WITHIN seconds it was as if the room had filled with thick smoke. And suddenly I could see nothing, not blurred shapes, not even colour. My world had become a binary one of dark and light only.

Less than 12 hours after that first itchy blink, I was functionally blind. For a moment I wondered if I could sleep it off, but when a friend dropped by and saw me, she whisked me off to Moorfields Eye Hospital in London.

As I progressed through the various triage stages of their A&E, each blink a self-harming slash to my eyeballs, each brightly lit hospital room another flamethrower assault on my sight. I berated myself.

I had clearly stashed my

Lazy contact lens habits that almost left me blind

( And you're probably guilty of them too )

by Susannah Jowitt

lenses in a case that had been in my sponge bag a while. I hadn't cleaned them with fresh solution, hadn't washed my hands. And the eyedrops and saline had both been open far longer than the stipulated month. After 40 years of uneventful lens usage, I'd thrown away my sight in half a day through my own fatal neglect.

'You have a double corneal infection,' said an ophthalmologist at Moorfields, matter-of-factly. 'Both corneas are covered in so many ulcers that I'm glad we were able to catch it when we did. Ironically, the eyedrops you used will have actually 'fed' the infection, causing it to speed up.'

I couldn't see him clearly but his voice took on a stern edge. 'If your friend hadn't brought you in this evening, by morning, the ulcers would have covered the eye too extensively and you might

well have lost your sight.' I later discovered that certain types of bacteria are so aggressive they can break down corneal tissue in a single day.

The terror of what I'd nearly done to myself washed over me.

'Dirty water or unviable contact lens solution are most likely the culprits,' he went on. 'Do you ever shower or swim with lenses in?'

'Nearly every shower for the last 40 years and every single swim,' I replied. 'I'm far too shortsighted to swim without them.'

He tutged gently. 'None of our water is sterile – microbes can get trapped between your lens and the surface of your eye and then work their way in and cause these ulcers on the cornea.'

Hostile microbes burrowing into my eyeball? I was now on the set of a horror film.

I was given antibiotic eye drops, to be dripped into both eyes hourly, throughout the day and night, my alarm set for every 59 minutes for the first 48 hours, then hourly during the day alone for two weeks.

I didn't mind the tyranny of this timetable, as each drop felt like healing balm from the gods.

Miraculously, I could see within minutes of taking the first ones.

Blurred at first, my eyeballs still red and weeping, still cringing at bright lights, but within a day or two, I felt nearly fine. I wasn't allowed to go back to wearing my fortnightly contact lenses for six weeks, and only then after a series of tests but, vanity gone, I wore my glasses with relief.

In this brightest of summers my eyes need shading more than ever, but I put aside my beloved sunnies and bought clip-on shades. 'It's a strong look,' my husband assured me. 'A little bit Gary Oldman as Count Dracula.'

Neha Shah, the optometrist at my Specsavers branch, later performed a series of tests and told me I had been lucky. 'There is no scarring on either of your corneas,

Ordeal: Susannah's infection left her eyes red and puffy

so you can go back to wearing your reusable lenses – for a maximum 14 hours a day and only six days a week.'

She added: 'Change solution daily and rinse and rub each lens in the solution for at least 30 seconds before use.'

Ouch. Thirty seconds is longer than I brush my teeth for and there are 32 of them.

My corneas may not be scarred but, mentally, I am. Corneal infections are unusual but not rare.

So now I'm super-vigilant. I put my lenses in after the shower and studiously stick to the 30-day limit on all solutions. I boil and air-dry my contacts case fortnightly, wash and dry my hands as soon as look at my eyes.

Daily disposable contact lenses would remove some of these hurdles but, at double the price of reusables, are too expensive for me, so I will just have to be more careful.

Above all, I pay my eyeballs the respect they deserve. I know now the eyes have it hard.

MailTravel

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SAVE YOUR 15%

Austria – Salzburg & the Eastern Alps

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• Return flights, coach travel and transfers
• Seven nights' four-star half-board accommodation in Werfenweng
• A welcome drink, plus unlimited drinks (draft beers, wines, soft drinks, teas and coffees) from the bar between 10:00 and 22:00
• Tours and visits to Zell am See, Schmittenhöhe, Salzburg, Salzkammergut and Gastein Valley
• Schnapps tasting session at an alpine lodge
• Escorted by a tour manager

Call us FREE or 0808 303 9099 Visit www.mailtravel.co.uk

Holdings are operated by Newmarket Holdings ABTDT 1009, ATOL 2125, ABTA V36-2 a company wholly independent of Associated Newspapers Limited and Mail Travel. Price based of two people sharing. Single supplements apply. From price based on October 4, 2027 from London Standard. Case up to 10% applies to select four bookings made by September 30, 2026, and cannot be applied retrospectively to bookings already confirmed. Subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time. Prices shown include the discount. Prices carried at the time of print.

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Page 29

by Natasha Silverman SEX AND RELATIONSHIP THERAPIST

SUMMER holidays come with an awful lot of expectations. They're expensive, precious and often represent the one chance to spend uninterrupted time together.

We imagine we'll reconnect, have meaningful conversations, enjoy great sex and come home feeling closer than ever.

But holidays can also be surprisingly stressful for couples. I often hear from clients who are filled with dread at the prospect of a holiday. Not because they're worried about flying or packing, but because they don't want to spend that amount of time with their partner.

If you're already feeling turned off by them, irritated by them, or simply desperate for space, the thought of being together for ten days or two weeks can feel unbearable.

When you know deep down that your relationship isn't working, a holiday can make that impossible to ignore. In fact, I see a lot of separations happen either in the weeks leading up to a holiday or immediately afterwards.

That's because for much of the year, work, routines, children, separate social lives and everyday distractions mask what's really going on between you. Then suddenly you're together round the clock. The forced intimacy can leave people re-evaluating their marriage.

And yes, sometimes when couples feel stuck, they might need professional help, but the role of therapy is not to trap people in relationships that aren't working. If clients really feel averse to spending any time with their partner, they sometimes come to therapy for permission to walk away, and that's OK.

But if you're not ready to call time on your relationship - and don't want to ditch your two weeks in the sun - here are some of the biggest holiday flashpoints I see in the therapy room - and how you can avoid them...

ONE WANTS TO TREK... ONE FLY AND FLOP

THIS is one of the most common holiday arguments I encounter. I see couples place a lot of weight on having the perfect break, but the difficulty is that 'perfect' can mean something very different to each partner.

One of you wants adventure, activity and novelty. The other wants a sun lounger, a book and absolutely no obligations.

The mistake couples make is thinking they're arguing about the destination. What they're really talking about is how their needs can be met in the relationship.

I see more burnout than ever before. Many clients spend their lives giving, working and coping. The thought of a hike up to a hilltop village feels like yet another task. Others spend all year behind a desk and desperately need stimulation and excitement to unwind.

THE SOLUTION: No matter how compatible a couple is, we are individuals with our own needs, desires, dislikes and boundaries. We will never match up completely - nor should we. Before you go away, think about what you expect and want from the

Holiday warning signs you could be heading for divorce... and expert tips to stop beach bust ups

trip. Think about previous holidays too. What worked? What didn't? Where did resentment creep in? Then talk honestly.

I encourage clients to avoid criticism and instead focus on communicating their feelings and needs. I also suggest giving themselves permission to spend at least 20 per cent of the time meeting their own needs separately and guilt-free. That might look like a hot-stone massage while their partner enjoys a hike.

THEY'RE GLUED TO THEIR PHONE

MANY couples hope a holiday will finally provide quality time together. Then one partner spends the entire time-sending, answering emails, disappearing into work or their social media.

When somebody is always on their device, I wonder what function that behaviour serves. It can be a sign of a dysregulated nervous system, where they use their phone to numb or soothe themselves, or to avoid being present.

Sometimes work becomes an excuse. They tell themselves it's important - and perhaps some of it genuinely is - but to the partner sitting beside them, it can

feel incredibly rejecting. If somebody continually chooses their phone over being present with you, it can leave you feeling lonely even when you're together.

THE SOLUTION: I often ask couples: 'When you get home from your holiday, what would make you say you got exactly what you needed?' That's a useful question to prepare for a trip, especially if this issue has come up before.

It's usually easier to discuss these things before you go, rather than being perceived as 'nagging' on holiday. Maybe suggest times you can be phone-free, and other times when you can check in on emails, if that's truly necessary.

THEY DON'T PULL THEIR WEIGHT

ONE child's having a tantrum over ice cream, the other needs their arm-bands blown up. Their father? On a sun lounger, headphones on, buried in a thriller.

I hear this complaint constantly, particularly from women: 'He did not help me with the kids at all. He was useless.'

Often, they had convinced themselves their partner's lack of involvement at home was because work was demanding.

Then they go away together and realise it isn't that they're busy. It's that they don't want to share parenting. For some, that realisation becomes the straw that breaks the camel's back.

He may say he didn't notice or 'I thought you were managing fine without me', but the fact a partner can see you're struggling and you feel he doesn't care enough to help can be deeply hurtful.

THE SOLUTION: Rather than say, 'You never help with the children,' try, 'When I'm managing everything with the children on holiday, I feel unseen, overwhelmed and like I'm doing it by myself.'

It's also important to be specific. Tell your partner exactly what you need from them. Many people resist this because they think, 'Why should I have to spell it out? I'm not their parent.' But sometimes that's exactly what you need to do. You can also discuss booking a kids' club, or a babysitter if you'd both like a break.

Couples who navigate holidays successfully are usually the ones who can communicate effectively both beforehand and on holiday, and work out ways to ensure both partners feel considered.

YOU FEEL LONELY IN PARADISE

THE air is soft, the night is young, and you've been chatting away to your partner. Their response? 'Sorry, did you say something?'

One of the most painful complaints I hear is from people who feel their partner has very little interest in what they have to say.

They won't maintain eye contact when talking about feelings and seem uninterested in their partner's inner world.

It's natural to hope that with time alone together in a beautiful place, things will be different. But with an avoidant, disconnected partner, that's not likely.

Even harder is when that same partner suddenly becomes highly engaged when they want sex. For many, that combination is a relationship killer.

THE SOLUTION: If you come home feeling just as lonely, unseen, rejected or disconnected as when you left, only with a great tan, it's likely the problem isn't the holiday at all, but the relationship.

Counselling can help but only if both parties are willing to do the work.

HOLIDAY SEX BECOMES A BATTLEGROUND

FOR one partner, holiday sex might seem like the perfect way to let go and relax without life's pressures getting in the way. For the other, it might seem like yet more caretaking - the very thing they are trying to escape.

The expectation of intimacy can act as a wet flannel on desire.

One partner may resentfully give in to duty sex, while the higher-desire partner, who thought sun, sea and sangria would allow sex to flourish, feels deeply rejected. At this point couples start to realise, 'It's not our routine, is it? It's us?' - and this can feel really destabilising.

THE SOLUTION: One of the most effective things couples can do is remove the expectation entirely.

Touch your partner simply to be close to them. Stroke their hair. Hold their hand. Tell them, 'This isn't going anywhere. I just want to be close to you.'

Research tells us that people who have new experiences together have a better sex life.

When somebody no longer feels pressured, they have space to ask themselves what they want. And relaxed, tanned, with a cocktail in their hand, that may well be sex.

FRIENDS AND FAMILY ALWAYS COME FIRST

THERE'S nothing wrong with group holidays or wanting family around. The question is whether friends and family are a strategy to avoid spending time alone as a couple. Wanting couple time is healthy, but if the idea of our partner wanting others there makes you feel rejected, or like you aren't 'enough', that may be worth paying attention to.

THE SOLUTION: There's plenty of room for compromise here. Discuss how you can both get your needs met, even in small moments. For example, if his family are coming along, can you go for dinner alone one or two nights?

You might suggest booking another break with just the two of you, or a weekend away with friends. However, if only one person consistently gets what they want, the power dynamic isn't equal. If you find yourself giving in and repressing your feelings, don't ignore that.

As told to LEAH HARDY

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Page 30

INSPIRE

LOOKING at my life from the outside, it appears almost idyllic. I live with my 17-year-old son, while my eldest is 19 and away at college for most of the year. I love spending time with them – cooking meals, playing board games or going to festivals together, since we love the same music.

For a while we kept chickens, but now we have koi fish, a dog and a cat. I love animals and my biggest pleasure is going horse-riding whenever I can. All in all, it's a pretty blissful existence.

I'm 46 now, but you'd never guess that in my twenties I was an addict, an alcoholic party girl with an eating disorder and a cocaine habit. I hid it so well and my life, hanging out with A-listers, seemed dazzling. In the late 1990s, I was a top model,

by Karen Thomson

appearing in magazines such as Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire and walking the catwalk for Versace and Chloe. I was frequently invited to film premieres and high-end parties.

I started modelling at 18 after being scouted on the street while I was waiting for a boyfriend. I travelled a lot, flying to London, Paris and Milan. At 17 I was part of a Versace tribute show with Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss and all the other big supermodels shortly after Gianni Versace had been murdered. Nelson Mandela attended and when I told him I was from South Africa he said, 'I'm so proud of you, my daughter.' That was a huge deal for me.

I was not a naturally sociable person, but as long as I had a drink in my hand, I did a

convincing impression of being the life and soul of the party.

I never thought of myself as an alcoholic. I didn't even like the taste of alcohol. I wasn't knocking back vodka with my breakfast or hiding bottles of spirits around the house, and I never needed to drink every day. But once I started drinking, I couldn't stop. I would black out, find myself unable to remember what had happened and feel horrific the next day.

At events I'd always be very nervous until I'd had a drink. I'd down next Jack Daniel's, tequila shots and, at one point, absin the (one of the strongest drinks available with an alcohol percentage up to 74 per cent).

After eight wild years of modelling, I remember the night I'd been invited to a party packed with A-listers in a swanky private house. The drinks were flowing, as was the cocaine, but for some reason I didn't feel exhilarated – I just felt very alone.

The next morning was my rock bottom. I looked in the bathroom mirror and wondered who I'd become.

The person reflected back at me was gaunt and lifeless. How had I got to this point? I was only 24. I felt pathetic.

My whole life flashed before my eyes. I realised how much time I had spent searching for something that would make me feel whole – in alcohol and drugs, but also in relationships, approval, people, places and experiences. To others my life looked exciting, but inside I felt completely empty.

I had previously managed to get some pills from a friend. Should I swallow the rest of them and take my own life? Or should I face the darkness and sadness within me?

As a child I grew up in South Africa within the Dutch Reformed Church – a strict religion about being good all the time and following the rules.

I had always been a good girl, desperately trying to please others. I grew up with my younger brother Tiaan, my mum Deirdre and my dad, Kobus, a retired professor.

My mum's father was Dr Christian Barnard – the world-famous surgeon who performed the first successful heart transplant. He had always believed in me, telling me I could do something great with my life. So when I went down the road of alcoholism and addiction, it was devastating – I felt I hadn't achieved what I was really capable of, or lived up to his expectations. He died in 2001 without seeing me get sober.

My parents weren't big drinkers but, when I was 15, some friends and I stole a bottle of red wine and downed it. Even though we got violently ill, the alcohol helped me lose my inhibitions. I'd been painfully shy my whole life and realised drinking provided me with a buffer, allowing me to feel confident and beautiful and not worry about what people thought.

MUSIC2YOU

PROUDLY PRESENTS

This new collection contains 66 of the biggest hits of the 60s and 70s, opening with Glen Campbell's acclaimed hit Wichita Lineman and chart-toppers from Chicago, The Walker Brothers and Bobbie Gentry. We have Harry Nilsson with Everybody's Talkin, Captain & Tennille with Love Will Keep Us Together plus some of the finest female voices ever to enter a recording studio, with Dusty Springfield, Shirley Bassey, Mama Cass and Dinona Warwick. Disc 2 kicks off with Easy from the Commodores

1. 1.1.1. 2.1.1. 3.1.1. 4.1.1. 5.1.1. 6.1.1. 7.1.1. 8.1.1. 9.1.1. 10.1.1. 11.1.1. 12.1.1. 13.1.1. 14.1.1. 15.1.1. 16.1.1. 17.1.1. 18.1.1. 19.1.1. 20.1.1. 21.1.1. 22.1.1. 23.1.1. 24.1.1. 25.1.1. 26.1.1. 27.1.1. 28.1.1. 29.1.1. 30.1.1. 31.1.1. 32.1.1. 33.1.1. 34.1.1. 35.1.1. 36.1.1. 37.1.1. 38.1.1. 39.1.1. 40.1.1. 41.1.1. 42.1.1. 43.1.1. 44.1.1. 45.1.1. 46.1.1. 47.1.1. 48.1.1. 49.1.1. 50.1.1. 51.1.1. 52.1.1. 53.1.1. 54.1.1. 55.1.1. 56.1.1. 57.1.1. 58.1.1. 59.1.1. 60.1.1. 61.1.1. 62.1.1. 63.1.1. 64.1.1. 65.1.1. 66.1.1. 67.1.1. 68.1.1. 69.1.1. 70.1.1. 71.1.1. 72.1.1. 73.1.1. 74.1.1. 75.1.1. 76.1.1. 77.1.1. 78.1.1. 79.1.1. 80.1.1. 81.1.1. 82.1.1. 83.1.1. 84.1.1. 85.1.1. 86.1.1. 87.1.1. 88.1.1. 89.1.1. 90.1.1. 91.1.1. 92.1.1. 93.1.1. 94.1.1. 95.1.1. 96.1.1. 97.1.1. 98.1.1. 99.1.1.

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MailPuzzles

Page 31

TERMS & CONDITIONS, PAGE 46

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

				3	5		9
5		2			6
	7	3	4
	4	6	5	2
			3		8	4	1
7	5
		4		8	3
	8			6	2

	2	5				3
				7		2
4		3		9			8
	5		4
3	4		6	1	7
		8			6
7						8
	1	4					9
	6		5	1		2

Difficulty rating ★★★★★

Difficulty rating ★★★☆☆

PRIZE SUDOKU

	5	1	2	6	4
8					6
						9
5
	4	6		2		7	9
	3		5	4
9		1	2		5		8
	7	2	3	8
		3	4			7	1

WIN £250

REVEAL the three shaded squares for your chance to win £250. HOW TO ENTER: Call 0901 292 5009 and leave today's three-number answer (reading left to right) and your details. Or text SUDOKU to 65700 with your answer and name. Texts and calls cost £1 plus standard network charges. One weekly winner chosen from all correct 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.

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE CROSSWORD

PLAY our accumulator game! Every day this week, solve the crossword to find the letter in the pink circle. On Friday, we'll provide instructions to submit your five-letter word for your chance to win a luxury Cross pen. UK residents aged 18+, excl NI. See Terms & Conditions. Entries cost 50p.

WRITE YOUR LETTERS IN THESE SQUARES

WIN A LUXURY CROSS PEN

SEE BELOW

ACROSS

7 Charity founded in 1938 once called the National Marriage Guidance Council (6) 8 El _ Central American country that uses the U.S. dollar as its primary currency (8) 9 City in which top-flight Spanish football club Osasuna play their home games (8) 10 To express information in a system of symbols (6) 11 Informal term meaning 'to finish work at the end of the day' (5,3) 12 The Dead, TV police procedural series starring Trevor Eve (6) 13 Late singer noted for the song Total Eclipse Of The Heart (6,5) 18 Clutch, a bald eagle, was one for the 2026 FIFA World Cup (6) 20 Musical that includes the song Day By Day (8) 22 Bishnik, Spanish fashion designer noted for his high-end shoes (6) 23 _ Development, U.S. sitcom narrated by Ron Howard (8) 24 Abbey, Benedictine monastery on the edge of Dartmoor (8) 25 ____ Murnaghan, late TV news presenter and first host of Eggheads (6)

DOWN

1 _ Thomas, Welsh former cyclist who won the Tour de France in 2018 (7) 2 A cold, blended vegetable soup from Andalusia in Spain (8) 3 Edward , Maltese doctor and author who devised the term 'tateral thinking' (2,4) 4 It's _ To Tipperary, English music hall song first performed in 1912 (1,4,3) 5 Bela , Hungarian composer who has a memorial statue in London's South Kensington (6) 6 Coppiery-coloured fish of the cod family with a chin barbel found around the UK coast (7) 8 Rank of non-commissioned officer in the armed forces of many countries (5,8) 14 Existing only as a concept (8) 15 Harmful effect on the body caused by very cold weather (8) 16 A medium-sized monkey inhabiting the wooded or rocky regions of Asia and Africa (7) 17 The _, 1770 painting by Thomas Gainsborough of a richly attired youth (4,3) 19 Stop All The _, other title for the poem Funeral Blues by W. H. Auden published in 1938 (6) 21 To mock or ridicule (6)

WORD WHEEL

YOU have ten minutes to find as many words as possible using the letters in the wheel. Each word must use the hub letter and at least three others,

and letters may be used only once. You can't use plurals, foreign words or proper nouns. Verbs ending in 's' permitted. Clue for today's nine-letter word: Dracula! Ugh, ableist to the core, pathetic. RATING: 10 words, average: 15, good; 20, very good; 25 or more, excellent. SOLUTION TOMORROW

Test your general knowledge daily with our quiz in the Morning Mail newsletter. Scan the QR code to sign up now

SOLUTION TOMORROW

NAME GAME

HIDDEN in the grid is the name of an actress. Answer the questions, then rearrange the letters corresponding to your answers to fill in the name. SOLUTION TOMORROW

BOX 1: Aimee Lou Wood (pictured) co-created and starred in which 2025 comedy series? Death Valley (M) Film Club (I) Small Prophets (J)

BOX 2: Sherborne, sited on the River Yeo, is a market town in which English county? West Yorkshire (A) Lincolnshire (S) Dorset (T)

BOX 3: Cats with what type of coat colouration are almost exclusively female? Tortoiseshell (E) Seal point (K) Ginger (I)

BOX 4: In what year did the endurance sports car race 24 Hours of Le Mans first take place? 1923 (S) 1934 (P) 1945 (U)

BOX 5: What is an anchoress? A large steam ship (G) A long-serving TV presenter (M) A religious recluse (Y)

BOX 6: The Ice House and The Sculptures are novels by which crime novelist? Fay Weldon (D) Minette Walters (T) Val McDermid (A)

BOX 7: Which of the following birds is a well-known example of a brood parasite? Cuckoo (U) Robin (Y) Magpie (X)

BOX 8: The England men's football team played against which of these countries in their first match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup? Switzerland (O) Uruguay (F) Croatia (S)

BOX 9: In fiction, who was the skipper of the Vital Spark? Para Handy (I) Captain Pugwash (C) Ahab (L)

Friday's solution: OLLY MURS (10, 2R, 3Y, 4L, 5M, 6S, 7L, 8U)

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 32

MailPuzzles

HONEYCOMB

ALL the solutions read clockwise around their numbers. The solution to clue number 1 starts from the given letter.

1. Public bar
2. Endured
3. Delimit
4. Speeding
5. Type of rock
6. White metal
7. Rest
8. Cracked
9. Disfigure
10. Taper
11. Young eels
12. Disregard

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. Dr Zalus was an antagonist in which sci-fi franchise?
2. When a fluid flows past the surface of an object, what is the name of the force that acts perpendicular to the direction of that oncoming flow?
3. Which Greek dramatist wrote the plays Ajax, Antigone and Electra?

MINDBENDER

1. Steven and Lindsay are walking on the beach. Each picks up a third as many shells as the other picks up pieces of sea glass. When they return home, they find they have a total of 180 beach-combed items between them. If Steven found 14 shells, how many pieces of sea glass did he collect?

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. Calls and texts cost £1 plus your standard network charges. Today's clues available between 00.01 today and 23.30 only.

4. An exhibition of which Victorian artist's work is being shown at the Royal Academy, featuring paintings produced in Bethlem Royal Hospital?
5. The calvaria is a bone at the top of which part of the human body?
6. Which Henryk Sienkiewicz novel, set in ancient Rome, was adapted into a 1952 film starring Robert Taylor and Deborah Kerr?

SOLUTION: PULLOUT BACK PAGE

2. What connects angle shades, cinnabar and scarlet tiger?
3. At which river may you find a HERON?
4. Which of these is the odd one out: Guarneri, Maricotti, Amati, Stradivari?
5. Which three-letter word completes the following longer words: --ted, s--, --d, t--g?

SOLUTION: PULLOUT BACK PAGE

PITCHERWITS™

1a. It'll lift the motor, but makes loss carsick, alas (7,4)

5a. Hoe down, say, with dichloride rod broken off (7)

12a. Made a sound of pain, having raged on about it (7)

13a. Ceding that the mount could be going on paper (11)

1d. Mental condition could be most defiant (5,2,4)

4d. 'Pike, get in and go haywire! Sustain!' (4,2,5)

5d. Ringing for a vocation (7)

6d. Spouse who had burn cooking (7)

ACROSS

1 Picture Clue 5 Picture Clue 7 Lisle, taking over New York island (5) 8 Said to take woman to court? Fishy! (5) 9 Travelling shows that are pale? (5)

11 Panic language to include bell ringing? (5) 12 Picture Clue 13 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

TO ORDER Daily Mail Pitcherwits Vol 9 by Professor Rebus for £9.99, go to maxishop.co.uk:3for99 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 NHS is struggling with bones (5) 3 Siren used for nag control (5) 4 Picture Clue 5 Picture Clue 6 Picture Clue

10 Investor; making a bit of one in a teacup (5) 11 List of holy books is about to be unknown (5)

FRIDAY'S SOLUTION — ACROSS: 1 Shoehorned. 7 Basso. 8 Towrope. 11 Nimbi. 13 Delta. 14 Tears up. 16 Inset. 18 Key lime pie. DOWN: 2 His. 3 Emotions. 4 Roar. 5 Dependants. 6 T-bone steak. 9 Windpipe. 10 Oval. 12 Mica. 15 Reel. 17 Ski.

MAILWORD

ACROSS

1 Attempt 5 Bend 8 Commotion 9 Sheet of written material 11 Game bird 12 Permit 13 Blind 15 One after another 16 Biblical book 20 Garland 21 Deactivated 23 Yoko artist 24 Oak, e.g. 26 Heavy overcoat 28 Speech with unvarled pitch 30 Florida city

33 Articles for sale 34 Year's record 35 Increases 36 Conclude 37 Wine varieties

DOWN

1 Beautiful person, informally 2 Grilled sandwich 3 Farewell 4 Composition by Ravel 5 Completely 6 Duran Duran single 7 Brownbeat 9 Adherent 10 ...Korbut, gymnast

11 Bedcover 14 Jocularly 17 Travelled by car 18 Unity 19 Painful afflictions 22 Bloom 25 Book by Jane Austen 27 Ante 29 Lubricant 30 West, classic actress 31 Tavern 32 Also

SOLUTION TOMORROW

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Page 33

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

	S	U	C
O				D
T				Y
T				D
	D	D	D

EIDERDOWN

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. Martial arts workout (4)
2. Its capital is Raleigh (abbr) (2)
3. Infinitive introducer (2)
4. Triplet by birth (4)

DOWN

1. Wrinkle one's brow (4)
2. Summer cooler (abbr) (2)
3. Impulse carrier (anat) (4)
4. Pacific tree (2)

SOLUTION TOMORROW

1	2		3
4
		5
6

CROSS NUMBER

THERE MAY BE MORE THAN ONE SOLUTION

5				27
	4			10
			5	29
		2		12
19	20	20	19	21

Today's challenge time: 4 mins 8 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 24 represents F, so fill in F every time the figure 24 appears. You have one letter in the control grid to start you off. Enter it 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

Saturday's solution

WEEKEND solution

*** Book Fourteen Now Available! ***

Order via www.knightfeatures.com/store or by cheque payable to Knight Features, Unit B207, 89 Bickersleth Rd, London SW17 9SH. Price £6.95 + £1.95 UK P&P (£8.90) ea.

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 10-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.

SCRABBLE09 and SCRABBLE09 Ties are registered trademarks. All rights in this game are owned in the USA by Healco Inc. in Canada by Healco Canada Inc. and elsewhere by J.M. Spicer & Sons Ltd. A subsidiary of Mahal, Inc.

PAR SCORE 135-145 by JUDD

FOUR RACK TOTAL TIME LIMIT: 20 MIN

Friday's solution: LIQUEUR 98 PLAYFUL 98 SECTION 59 SPECIAL 61 JUDD'S TOTAL: 298

© 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: Programming terms

ARRAY

BOOLEAN

CLASS

CONSTANT

DEBUG

DICTIONARY

FUNCTION

LOOP

OBJECT

VARIABLE

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. What was Paddy Ashdown's first name?

2. A loganberry is a hybrid produced from crossing a blackberry with which other berry?

3. Brian McCardie, who died in 2024, played John Thomas 'Tommy' Hunter in which BBC police TV serial?

4. What is the name of the tidal surge that travels up the estuary that separates Bristol from Wales?

5. With which instrument was jazz musician Stephane Grappelli associated?

SOLUTION: PULLOUT BACK PAGE

GOGEN

DECK EQUIVOCAL FIB FIGHT HOAX MAJOR PORT SING SUE THROW WRY

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 Z) in the grid so all listed words are spelt out.

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

SOLUTION TOMORROW

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Page 34

MailPuzzles

BRIDGE MASTERCLASS | CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

North

▲ KJ6

▼ AK10 74

A95

▲ KJ

East

▲ Q94

▼ 652

◆ KJ106

▲ Q109

PLAYING teams, you are sitting North. East is the dealer and passes, as does South, and West opens 3▲ in third seat. What call do you make? DOUBLE. Your hand is too strong for a 3▼ overcall and unsuitable for 4▼ or 3NT since you would be guessing about the right contract. East now raises to 4▲, and your partner and West both pass. What do you do now?

4▼ will work well if your partner has a fit, but doubling again will cater for more possibilities in partner's hand, and hence is a more flexible approach. Over this, South bids 4▲ and this ends the auction.

Switching to the East seat, your partner leads the ▼J. Declarer wins this in hand with the ▼Q, and leads a low trump to dummy's ▲J and your ▲Q. How do you defend?

Partner's lead looks like a singleton, and you may be tempted to play a heart now to get a ruff, but why have you been given this chance? If declarer held the ▲A, you would not now be on lead with the ▲Q, in a position to give your partner a ruff. Therefore, partner must hold the ▲A. The hand continues tomorrow.

HEATHER DHONDY

No 17,945

FOR your chance 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/calls cost (1) plus standard network charges. Or enter by post by sending the completed crossword to Daily Mail Prize Crossword 17,945, PO Box 26, Colchester, Essex CO2 8GF. Please include your name and address. One weekly winner chosen from all correct daily entries received between 00:01 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 Those tending to small issue? (12) 8 Start to prepare gamble shortly as 9 Bachelor in beginning in charge is overly stiff? (7) 11 Snap talker damaged part of a shoe (5,5) 12 Insulting remark is lurid in part (4) 14 Fancy clarion concealing large set of bells (8) 16 This person's sadly rejected type of sausage (6) 17 Capture feature in volleyball (3) 19 Period of not sitting in alcove (0) 21 Odd parts of work no good in hands of 24 Trouble: still seemingly admitted (4) 25 First of guys paying heed with a glow? (10) 27 Decorate again around near pit (7) 28 Takes in favourite visitors (discarding uniform) (7) 29 New blogger in cultivated area of grass for sport (7,5)

DOWN

1 Clubhouse cupboard with front missing is totally full (7) 2 How one might judge meat actually present? (2,3,5) 3 Largely proper allowance for period of time (8) 4 Hostile move Dorian organised (6) 5 Calls dour boss periodically (4) 6 Artist somehow left with a parasitic insect (3-4) 7 Small fruit put on tray for minor participant (5,7) 10 One with expertise in partyo? (12) 13 Elegant way for representing bird of prey (5,5) 15 Original trio of bridge players (3) 18 Gulibie tripper extremely flustered in gust (8) 20 Caribbean song and plays unusually kept by company (7) 22 Feeling of fear frequently is shown by male relative (7) 23 Endlessly salient figure gets stuff found in bread (6) 26 Financial statement for list of performers (4)

NEED A CLUE? Text TIP to 65700 to receive FOUR answers to today's crossword, or call 0901 293 6236. Texts and calls cost (1) plus standard network charges. Today's clues available between 00:01 today and 23:30 only.

SOLUTIONS TO FRIDAY'S PUZZLES

SUDOKU

2	6	7	1	2	8	5	9	4
9	1	4	5	3	8	6	7	2
2	5	8	9	7	4	3	6	1
6	7	1	4	5	3	9	2	8
8	9	5	7	6	2	4	1	3
4	3	2	8	1	9	8	5	7
6	4	3	2	9	7	1	8	6
7	8	9	6	4	1	2	3	5
1	2	6	3	8	5	7	4	8

6	9	7	1	3	4	6	5	2
5	5	1	2	6	7	4	6	9
2	4	6	6	5	3	3	7	1
4	1	6	8	7	2	9	3	5
9	7	3	4	1	5	6	2	8
8	2	5	3	9	6	7	1	4
7	8	6	5	6	1	2	4	3
1	6	4	9	2	3	5	8	7
5	3	2	7	4	8	1	9	6

PRIZE SUDOKU

3	1	8	2	6	7	4	9	5
7	5	3	4	1	9	8	5	6
9	4	6	6	3	5	1	7	2
5	9	1	5	2	4	7	5	6
8	7	3	1	5	6	9	2	4
2	6	4	9	7	8	3	5	1
6	3	9	5	4	1	2	6	7
4	6	5	7	9	2	6	1	3
1	2	7	6	8	3	5	4	9

WORD SEARCH

Missing 42 credit
1	2
3	4
5	6
7	8
9	10
11	12
13	14

HIDATO

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15

KAKURO

NINE TO FIVE

	L	L	S
L	O	O	M	S
S	T	R	O	P
L	U	R	C	H
	S	Y	K

CROSS NUMBER

				19
4	5	2	1	12
9	8	6	7	30
2	4	1	3	10
8	7	9	6	30
23	24	18	17	19

MAKING TRACKS

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	35	DOUBLE IT	-10	÷5	×25	÷10	½ OF IT	÷5	TIMES ITSELF	×11
Intermediate	17	×8	+20	25% OF IT	+11	×15	DOUBLE IT	10% OF IT	-6	4/9 OF IT
Advanced	36	×2 1/3	LESS 25%	8/18 OF IT	×9	-5	9/19 OF IT	+8	×28	LESS 30%

KENKEN

6	1	4	3	5	2
3	2	1	4	6	5
2	4	5	6	1	3
5	3	6	2	4	1
1	6	2	5	3	4
4	5	3	1	2	6

KILLER SUDOKU

9	2	4	5	8	2	6	1	7
4	7	3	3	5	1	9	5	4
1	6	6	7	4	9	2	6	3
6	2	5	4	9	3	7	7	2
4	9	1	6	2	7	5	3	8
7	2	3	8	1	5	4	6	9
2	6	5	1	7	8	3	4	5
9	4	7	2	3	9	8	5	1
3	1	2	8	3	4	7	2	6

SUDOKU X

2	6	3	5	4	1
1	4	5	3	6	2
6	3	1	2	5	4
5	2	4	6	1	3
4	5	2	1	3	6
3	1	6	4	2	5

GOGEN

J	R	V	E	K
S	I	M	Y	Q
C	D	X	H	U
L	O	R	A	P
F	T	G	N	W

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD No. 17,942

ACROSS: 1 Intimacy, 5 Toledo, 9 Backfire, 10 Subtle, 12 Enya, 13 Pith helmet, 15 Laughing clock, 16 Cost-effective, 23 Reciprocal, 25 Thea, 28 Equate, 29 Dormouse, 30 Trbbl, 31 Gratuity.
DOWN: 1 Inbred, 2 Tacky, 3 Miff, 4 Cornish, 6 Of use, 7 Extempore, 8 Overtake, 11 Shun, 14 Mute, 15 Lose count, 16 Ice, 17 Skim, 18 Scarlett, 20 Food, 21 Clamsur, 22 Lareny, 24 Putts, 26 Hours, 27 Emit.

MAILWORD

ACROSS: 1 Acer, 5 Plead, 10 Logo, 11 Libya, 12 Proof, 14 Abbey, 15 Art, 16 Late, 18 Car, 19 Ocelot, 22 Ali, 23 Our, 24 Noo, 26 Sparta, 28 Tie, 29 Sport, 30 Alb, 31 Email, 34 Korea, 36 Linde, 37 Wits, 38 Laden, 39 Love.
DOWN: 1 Alpaca, 2 Cornish, 3 Ego trip, 4 Roo, 5 Plate rack, 6 Ubet, 7 Ebb, 8 Aye, 9 Day, 10 Floor plan, 17 Acute, 20 Ontario, 21 Toilets, 25 Debase, 27 Aside, 31 E3, 32 Mia, 33 And, 35 Owl.

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE CROSSWORD

ACROSS: 6 Shale, 7 Hathaway, 10 Inhale, 11 Miranda, 12 Pallets, 13 Profile, 14 Winterwatch, 15 Impetia, 21 Runaway, 23 Binface, 25 Octette, 26 Mulligan.

SOLUTIONS TO TODAY'S PUZZLES

QUICK QUIZ: 1 Jeremy.

2 Raspberry, 3 Line Of Duty.

4 The Severn Bone, 5 Violin.

MINDBENDER: 193 pieces of

sea glass, 2 they are all types

of moth, 3 Rhone, 4 Manicotti,

a type of pistol; the others

were violin makers, 5 Wan.

Wanted, swan, wand, twang.

MASTERQUIZ:

1 Planet Of The Apes.

2 Life, 3 Sophocles, 4 Richard

Dadd, 5 Skull, 6 Quo Vadis.

HON! YO!MB!

1 Saloon, 2 Lasted, 3 Demark.

4 Racing, 5 Gretis, 6 Silver.

7 Repose, 8 Solved, 9 Detace.

10 Candle, 11 Evers, 12 Ignore.

KUROSU

O	X	X	O	X	O
X	O	O	X	O	X
O	O	X	X	O	X
X	X	O	O	X	O
X	X	O	X	O	O
O	O	X	O	X	X

30-SECOND CHALLENGE:

Beginner: 99.

Intermediate: 64.

Advanced: 2450.

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11

Page 35

You'd never guess I was an alcoholic and hooked on cocaine. Here's how I beat my addictions

Picture: JEFF GILBERKALAMY

me that those things couldn't be found in substances, other people or external experiences.

Looking back, I think I had spent years trying to fill a God-shaped hole with everything except God.

I gave up modelling and went to university, where I got a degree in psychology. After years of addiction, I was thinking clearly again and not waking up feeling anxious that I'd done something terrible the night before.

Finally sober, I met my husband Steven in Cape Town, and we moved to Palm Springs, California, in 2016 as we thought it was a safer and healthier place to raise our children. Although we divorced after ten years, I still live

here and my boys remain the greatest blessing of my life.

I haven't had a drink for 22 years, but it hasn't always been easy. After I stopped, my sugar intake skyrocketed. I remember buying my favourite chocolate and hiding it from my sons to eat in secret. I would tell myself it was because I didn't want my kids to have sugar, but really, it was because I didn't want to share.

I started to notice that this was a common response among recovering alcoholics. We had celebrations for people marking a year in recovery and often they would have doubled or tripled in size. They were swapping their alcohol or drug addiction for one

to junk food and sugar – anything to give them that dopamine hit.

So, together with Professor Tim Noakes, a world-renowned South African scientist, I set up one of the world's first in-patient carb and sugar addiction programmes.

IT FOLLOWED the same treatment protocols as programmes for alcohol and drug addiction, but we also implemented a low-carb lifestyle at the clinic. I started an online programme called Sugar Free Revolution and wrote a book titled Sugar Free, too. One of the hardest things has been coming

Healthy and happy: Karen has been sober for 22 years

to terms with the way I treated my parents. They were so loving and kind and I realised how much worry I had caused them. My mum is in a nursing facility now because she has Parkinson's disease and I've often wondered if the trauma I put her through triggered it. I carry a lot of guilt about that.

Naturally, I've warned my children about the dangers of alcohol and drugs. I'm sure they've experimented, but we don't have alcohol in the house and they've never seen me or their dad drink, so it's never been something normal to them. But obviously I'm petrified they have inherited my addictive genes. As for me, I'll

only drink a club soda now if I'm going out.

I truly believe no one should drink. I'm not saying that to be controversial: alcohol is a carcinogen – a poison. There's not one health benefit from drinking and if you can't give it up, maybe you should ask yourself why that glass of wine is so important to you?

My whole life, all I've wanted is to help people suffer less. So if my story of sobriety can help anyone, then I'm happy to share it.

As told to LINA DAS

■ For confidential support, call Samaritans on 116 123, visit samaritans.org

KAREN'S TEN SIMPLE TIPS FOR DRINKING LESS

1. Start with honesty, not self-blame

MOST people drink not because they're weak, but because it's become a coping strategy. Simply acknowledging the role alcohol plays in your life is the first step towards changing it.

2. Seek support early

CONNECTION is one of the most reliable predictors of successful sobriety. Alcoholics Anonymous remains one of the most accessible and effective support structures worldwide. You don't have to navigate sobriety alone.

3. Take one day at a time

TWENTY-TWO years without alcohol would have sounded impossible to me

at the beginning. One day wasn't. Don't spend today worrying about whether you'll drink at a wedding next year. Stay sober today. Tomorrow, you do the same thing again.

4. Stabilise your biology

HEAVY drinking disrupts sleep, hormones, and blood sugar, all of which can drive cravings. Prioritise protein-rich meals, hydration, movement, and consistent sleep. A regulated body makes for a steadier mind.

5. Rebuild your environment

SURROUNDINGS shape habits more than willpower does. Remove alcohol from your home, change your routine and spend time with people who support

your goals. Sobriety often requires a shift in the company you keep.

6. Replace the ritual

ALCOHOL often marks the end of the day, transitions, or moments of stress. Swap drink for another ritual – a walk, a shower, herbal tea, or a check-in with a friend.

7. Remember that thoughts shape behaviour

ONE of the greatest lessons sobriety taught me was that feelings don't have to be fixed immediately. You can be anxious, lonely, angry or afraid without drinking those feelings away.

8. Move your body daily

MOVEMENT improves mood, reduces anxiety, and supports sleep, all vital in

early sobriety. It doesn't need to be extreme; walking, stretching, or gentle strength work is enough.

9. Love the process

REDUCING or quitting alcohol isn't a quick fix. It's a lifestyle shift. Focus on how you feel – clarity, headache-free mornings, smoother relationships, boosted energy – rather than waiting for a milestone to 'prove' success.

10. Treat setbacks as data, not failure

SOBRIETY is a learning process. A slip isn't evidence you can't change; it's information about triggers or stressors. Progress is rarely linear, and perfection is not the goal.

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Page 36

INSPIRE

DR MAX THE MIND DOCTOR

Let NHS psychiatrist Max Pemberton transform your life

The 5 signs your teenager isn't coping with their exam results

BACK when I was a junior doctor, I did a job working in A&E covering the child and adolescent mental health service. A 17-year-old girl was brought in one evening convinced she was dying. Her chest was tight, her heart was hammering, she had pins and needles in both hands, and she was certain she was having a heart attack. Her ECG was normal and so were her bloods.

What she was having was a panic attack. Her mother stood at the end of the trolley looking utterly bewildered as to why this would have happened.

I asked if there had been any stressors of late and her mother shook her head.

Two weeks previously she had got her A-level results and they weren't what she hoped for, but she'd taken it in her stride.

In fact, her mother said, she'd shrugged and simply said she was pleased to have them done, then went out with friends. She'd been cheerful ever since. The truth was though,

she had not been fine at all. She'd just been very good at appearing to be. Last Thursday was A-level results day, and this Thursday it's the turn of OCEES, which means that for the next fortnight, a great many families will be watching a teenager for signs of distress. Most parents know to worry about the child who cries, takes to their bedroom and stops going out.

Quite rightly, those are the ones who get a cup of tea and an arm round the shoulder. But the ones I worry about are the teenagers whose parents tell me they actually took a crashing disappointment very well.

That's not to alarm people - plenty of youngsters don't get the results they hoped for and cope fine with a let-down and change of plans. But for some,

disappointment gets tangled up with shame. They feel it reflects on them as a person.

'I didn't get the grades' becomes 'I am the sort of person who doesn't get the grades', and then, most painfully of all, 'I have let my parents down'.

A teenager who believes they have failed you is often the very last teen who will admit to you they are struggling, because talking about it means dragging up the thing they are working hardest not to think about.

What's more, they can feel that admitting feeling disappointment or shame adds an extra burden to their parents, which they would then feel even more guilty about.

A VEGAN dies down ageing at the DNA level, reports say, the truth is that claim was based on one study that followed 48 adults who ate either a vegan or a meat-heavy diet for a month. Eating veg is good for many reasons, but reversing biological age isn't one of them.

■ Unnecessary reassurance. If your child keeps telling you they are fine when you have not asked, or tells you to stop worrying when you have said nothing, that is worth noticing. Unprompted reassurance is usually meant to close a conversation down rather than open one up.

■ Being overly cheerful. Coming to terms with a setback tends to happen in waves, with good days and bad ones, and cheerfulness that switches on within hours and never dips afterwards is often maintained by effort.

Inspirational: Lucy Davis is at peace with cancer diagnosis

■ Being overly busy. The teenager who is suddenly up early, out constantly, picking up extra shifts and filling every hour looks like the picture of resilience, and sometimes that is exactly what it is. But an empty afternoon is where difficult thoughts come to the fore, and so people can create a frantic schedule to avoid this.

■ Being controlled. When a young person loses control over one part of their life, they will often grip another part very tightly indeed. That might be the gym, or what they are eating, or how they look, or a bedroom that has never been tidy in its life and is suddenly immaculate. I have seen more than one eating disorder take hold in the weeks immediately after a set of exam results.

■ Losing their temper. Anger is far easier for an adolescent to show than shame, and so the row will almost never be about the results. I once treated a boy who arrived in A&E with a broken hand after punching a wall during an argument with his brother about the television, three weeks after results day. It was not about the television.

If you do spot something, resist the urge to sit them down for a talk. Adolescents disclose far more easily side by side than face to face, so the car, the dog walk and the washing up are all better. And ask about the practical before the emotional. 'What are you thinking of doing?' tends to open a conversation, whereas starting with questions about how they are feeling risks them closing down.

There's often a temptation to step in and try to fix things yourself, but resist this.

It takes the situation out of their hands at precisely the moment they most need to discover that they can find a way through something themselves.

Avoid minimising things by saying 'It's not the end of the world'. Remind them of the things they have succeeded at in life and encourage them to think constructively and focus on what opportunities and options they do have.

If you're worried about a young person, Papyrus HOPELINE247 offers free, confidential support on 0800 968 4141, or text HOPE to 88247. Lines are open 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

Lucy's gift to her loved ones

I LOVED watching Lucy Davis as Dawn in The Office. For me, she made the show. I was very sad to hear last week that she has been diagnosed with stage four breast cancer. She is 53, and was diagnosed a year and a half ago. The cancer has spread to her spine, right hip and ribs, and she has said it is incurable.

Lucy has said she is at peace, that humour is what she has found most helpful, that she asked her family and friends to take the mickey out of her as much as possible, and that she wants to carry on acting and campaigning for animals rather than be treated as a patient.

She has told everyone how she wants to be treated, which is a gift to the people who love her, and they should accept it. We should take her advice about symptoms too. What prompted her to see a doctor was a tiny hard spot. So you should get anything unusual looked at.

■ SINCE last October, every GP practice in England has had to keep its online request form open from 8.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. The intention was reasonable but it hasn't gone entirely to plan. While GPs may be seeing more people, a smaller proportion are being seen in person. My worry is what gets lost along the way. Every online request has to be read by somebody clinical, which is time taken away from seeing patients. And a form cannot tell you important details like whether someone looks unwell or has lost weight since you last saw them.

DR MAX PRESCRIBES... TAKING THE STAIRS

A STUDY by the University of East Anglia found regular stair climbers were 24 per cent less likely to die of any cause and 39

per cent less likely to die of heart disease. I'd take that with a pinch of salt, as those already unwell tend to take the lift, so some of the 'benefit' must be the healthy taking the stairs, not the stairs making them healthier. Even so, it is rather satisfying to walk straight past the queue for the lift.

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Page 37

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• Escorted by a tour manager

The 'Prisoner's' Portmeirion, Snowdonia & Best of Wales

8 days from £1,599 per person*

• Starts April 26, June 14 and September 6, 2027 – self-drive to hotel with car parking
• Seven nights' half-board accommodation at Warner Bodelwyddan Castle, North Wales, with live entertainment every night
• Welcome sparkling reception and half a bottle of wine per person per night with dinner
• Escorted excursions by coach to: Portmeirion, Caernarfon, Snowdon Mountain Railway, Plas Cadnant Garden on Anglesey, Conwy guided walking tour, Welsh afternoon tea, canal cruise from Llangollen over Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, Horseshoe Pass, Puffin Island cruise from Beaumaris and Bodnant Garden
• Escorted by a tour manager

Wye Valley & Welsh Tipples, Herefordshire, Cruise & Steam

8 days from £1,799 per person*

• Starts June 21 and September 13, 2027 – self-drive to hotel with car parking
• Seven nights' half-board accommodation at Warner Holme Lacy, Herefordshire, with live entertainment every night
• Welcome sparkling reception and half a bottle of wine per person per night with dinner
• Escorted excursions by coach to: Hereford, a journey on the Severn Valley Steam Railway, Great Malvern, Worcester, Westonbury Mill Water Gardens, Eastnor Castle, the Wye Valley, Ross on Wye, Symonds Yat Rock viewpoint, Westons Cider Mill with Cider tasting and lunch, the Brecon Breacons National Park, a canal cruise on the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal, and a Welsh Whisky distillery with tasting
• Escorted by a tour manager

Call us FREE on 0808 303 7380 or visit www.mailtravel.co.uk

Holidays operated by GN Holidays & Voyages (ABTA 1929, ATOL 9362) a company wholly independent of Associated Newspapers and Mail Travel. Open Monday to Friday 9.00am-5.30pm (closed Bank Holidays). From price is per person based on standard twin or double room, singles and upgrades available. *£50 per person deposit or full payment if booking less than 12 weeks before holiday. Over 40s only. Price correct at the time of print.

---

38 TELEVISION

15

EMERALD ISLE

Martin & Roman's Irish Road Trip. 8pm, Ch4

THINGS stay spooky as the Kemp boys (pictured) continue their tour of Ireland's many mythic and mysterious highlights. They're in the beautiful Boyne Valley in County Meath in this second episode, starting at an

often overlooked Neolithic tomb that is older than Stonehenge or the pyramids of Egypt. After a refreshing sound bath on the Hill of Tara they venture on towards the capital Dublin and the ruins where local legend has it that the infamous Hellfire Club engaged in all manner of debauchery during the 18th century. Their final stop is Martin's old Spandau Ballet stamping ground of Slane Castle, where there's time for a snifter of whiskey to calm the nerves.

PICK OF TODAY'S TV

BURIED WITH MICHAEL SHEEN, 9PM, BBC2

CHANCES are you've heard of forever chemicals, toxic, man-made substances that do not break down easily in the soil nor, more worryingly, in the human body. There have been a number of high-profile cases of cover-ups and legal battles that have brought the issue to global attention, most infamously the Teflon scandal in America, and now the Welsh actor Michael Sheen (pictured) is investigating cases of toxic contamination much closer to home. This two-parter is an expansion of the BBC Sounds podcast Buried: The Last Witness, with Sheen joining forces with husband and wife

environmental journalists Dan Ashby and Lucy Taylor to continue the work of late whistleblower Douglas Gowan, who focused on the dumping of a toxic compound called polychlorinated biphenyl, or PCB, a known carcinogen, at multiple sites in Wales. Sheen heads to America to visits Anniston in Alabama, a town that won a multi- million dollar legal battle against Monsanto, the chemical company that opened a plant in Newport, Wales in 1949. The people of Anniston won their case in 2003. Could the people of Wales have a similar case against the American chemical giant? Both episodes are on BBC iPlayer from today.

BBC1

6.00 Breakfast

9.30 Countryfile Treasures (R)

10.30 Garden Rescue (R) Lee Burkhill

and Amelia Bouquet create a

relaxing garden in Liverpool.

11.15 Homes Under the Hammer (AD,R)

12.15 Bargain Hunt (AD) Natasha Raskin

Sharp meets an artist, while the

teams scour Ardingly antiques

fair in West Sussex.

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 Transforming

a large bookcase, a tired cabinet

and an unwanted footstool.

2.45 Escape to the Country Allstair

Appleton helps a family find a home

with land in Aberdeenshire.

3.30 The Repair Shop (AD,R) Experts

restore a handmade book, a

camping stove and a flat cap.

4.30 The Answer Run Quiz show,

hosted by Jason Manford.

5.15 Pointless (R) Quiz, hosted by

Alexander Armstrong.

6.00 BBC News at Six; Weather

6.30 BBC Regional News; Weather

BBC2

6.45 Beechgrove Garden (R)

7.15 The Answer Run (R)

8.00 The Repair Shop (AD,BSL,R)

9.00 BBC News

1.00 Richard Osman's House of Games

(R) With Nina Conti, Nick Helm,

Athena Kugblenau and Toby Tarrant.

1.30 The Finish Line (R) Quiz, hosted by

Roman Kemp and Sarah Greene.

2.15 Do You Know Your Place? (R)

2.45 Animal Park Summer (AD,R)

3.30 Serengeti II (AD,R)

4.30 Vintage Antiques Roadshow (R)

Michael Aspel and the team present

the first of two programmes from

Renishow Hall in Derbyshire.

5.15 Flog III (R) From the National

Maritime Museum, Cornwall.

6.00 Richard Osman's House of Games

(R) Previous winners Edith

Bowman, Rhys James, Anita Rani

and Simon Rimmer take part.

6.30 Bear Grylls: Wild Reckoning (AD,R)

A couple whose marriage was

pushed to the brink while the wife

was going through the menopause

try to reconnect through a

problem-solving challenge.

ITV1

6.00 Good Morning Britain Morning

magazine featuring a mix of news

and current affairs, plus health,

entertainment and lifestyle features.

10.00 This Morning An entertaining

mix of celebrity chat, lifestyle

features, advice and competitions.

Including Local Weather.

1.30 News; Weather

1.55 Regional News

2.00 Dickinson's Real Deal (AD,R)

The dealers den descends on

Nottingham, where Henry Nicholls

gets a grilling over a brooch

collection and Fay Rutter sets her

sights on a German camera.

3.00 Deal or No Deal (AD,R) Stephen

Mullern hosts the game show as

contestant Brian H tries to open the

22 red boxes in the right order for

the chance to win a life-changing

cash prize; Regional Weather

4.00 Tipping Point (R) Quiz show,

hosted by Ben Shephard.

5.00 The Chase (R) Quiz show,

hosted by Bradley Walsh.

6.00 Regional News

6.30 News; Weather

CHANNEL 4

6.30 The King of Queens (AD,R)

7.45 Everybody Loves Raymond

(AD,R) Triple 5/6.

9.10 Frasier (AD,R) Four episodes.

11.10 Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares

USA (R) From Brooklyn, New York.

12.05 Channel 4 News Summary

12.10 Find It, Fix It, Flog It (AD,R)

1.10 The Great House Giveaway (R)

An accounts manager and a

kitchen and bedroom fitter

transform a crumbling house.

2.10 Countdown Debbie McGee is in

Dictionary Corner with Susie Dent.

3.00 A Place in the Sun (R) Lee

Juggurnault helps Helen and Kevin

to look for their dream holiday

home in or around Roquetas de

Mar, on Spain's Costa Almeria.

4.00 The Great B&B Challenge (R)

Six couples compete to win a

five-bedroom B&B in rural France.

5.00 Chateau DIY (AD,R) Tim and Sasha

attempt to transform a pond into a

gleaming water feature.

6.00 American Pickers (AD,R)

A toy museum ready to sell its

collection of treasures.

7

PM

7.00 The One Show With Roman

Kemp and Lauren Laverne.

EastEnders (AD) A situation

escalates for Nicola and George.

8.00 Child Maintenance: Parents

Under Pressure — Panorama

Krupa Paddy asks whether the

child maintenance system is

falling parents and their children.

8.30 Scam Interceptors (R)

9.00 Death in Paradise (AD,R)

A reggae rap artist is shot dead

at a soundcheck for a concert.

Things prove uncomfortable for

Marlon when he discovers a

personal connection to the

crime. Ralf Little stars.

10.00 BBC News at Ten

10.30 BBC Regional News

(Followed by Weather)

10.40 Have I Got News for You (R)

David Tennant hosts, with Miles

Jupp and Cathy Newman.

11.10 Mission: Impossible III (2006)

BUTTE (2) ♦ (AD) A former secret

agent ends up in a struggle to

save his hancee from a ruthless

arms dealer. Action thriller

sequel, starring Tom Cruise

and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

1.05 Weather for the Week Ahead

1.10 BBC News. The latest headlines.

7.00 Global Eye Aleem Maqbool

reports from Cape Coast on

slavery's legacy in Ghana.

7.30 Mastermind Specialist subjects

include Paul Newman and

Herge's Tintin books.

8.00 Only Connect Accrual World

take on the Kritwits.

8.30 University Challenge Bath

takes on City St George's.

9.00 Buried with Michael Sheen

PK1 (AD) Part one of two. The actor

investigates claims of

conspiracy, complicity and

denial over allegations of toxic

contamination in Wales.

10.00 Mortimer & Whitehouse:

Gone Fishing (AD,R) Paul and

Bob set off in a punt to fish for

perch on the River Thames.

10.30 Newsnight Presented by Faisal

Islam. (Followed by Weather)

11.05 Disclosure: Welcome to

Glasgow Myles Roman

investigates claims that parts

of Scotland's biggest city have

become no-go zones because

of crime, homelessness and

antisocial behaviour.

12.05 A House Through Time (AD,R) 1.05

Countryfile (BSL,R) 2.00 Bergerac

(AD,BSL,R) 2.45 This is BBC2

7.30 Fletchers' Family Farm

(AD,R) Kelvin is on a mission

to expand the cow herd and

Marnie prepares for lambing

season. Milo, Kelvin and his

dad start to work on an old

vintage tractor. Last in series.

8.00 Emmerdale (AD) Ruby

orchestrates the theft of

Jimmy's shipment.

8.30 Coronation Street (AD) Sarah

refuses to use her contacts to

help another prisoner.

9.00 Long Lost Family: Born

Without Trace — What

Happened Next (AD) Foundling

Susanne Barrow reveals further

discoveries after meeting her

half-brother Ian in 2024.

10.00 News (Followed by Weather)

10.30 Regional News

10.45 Cold Case Forensics: In the

Blood (AD,R) Angela Gallop

reveals how clues in blood helped

solve two crimes. Last in series.

11.40 The Assembly (R) Celebrities

are interviewed by

neurodivergent individuals.

12.05 Shop on TV 3.00 The Staircase

(AD,BSL,R) 4.05 Unwind with ITV 5.10

Dickinson's Real Deal (AD,BSL,R)

7.00 Channel 4 News

8.00 Martin & Roman's Irish Road

PK1 (AD) Martin and Roman

Kemp explore Meath and Dublin,

from the Boyne Valley tombs and

the Hill of Tara to the Hellfire Club

ruins and Slane Castle, mixing

myths, music and memories.

9.00 Celebrity Hunted (AD) A social

PK1 media post provokes the

hunters to raid a retirement

home and a couple of fugitives

pop up live on the BBC.

Continues tomorrow.

10.00 Secret Lives of Gypsy Wives

(AD) The sisters and their families

prepare for Christmas.

11.05 Surgery Secrets of the Super

Rich (AD,R) Emma has a nano-

fat treatment to rejuvenate her

under-eye shadows and James

tuckles hair loss head-on in an

eight-hour transplant.

12.05 Waiter Presents: Everybody Lies

1.00 Ramsay's Hotel Hell (AD,BSL,R)

RLB 1.50 FILM: Blue Bayou (2020) (15) ♦

Drama, directed by and starring

Justin Chon. 3.45 Lexison Wood:

Walking with Polar Bears (AD,BSL,R)

4.40 Hollyoaks Omnibus (AD,BSL,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 39

UNDER SURVEILLANCE

Celebrity Hunted, 9pm, Ch4

AFTER last week's daring escape at Craig Bevel Horwood's birthday party, the celebrity hunted continue to have a whale of a time as they evade the more deadpan hunters. Tonight, celebrity fugitives Sophie Morgan and JJ Chalmers appear to have missed the lie-low memo again when they stop by the BBC's Morning Live studio, and a social media post leads the hunters to the raid of a retirement home. There's more tomorrow.

FILM CHOICE

Mission: Impossible III, 11.10pm, BBC1

THIS Hunt outing for Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt and his Impossible Mission Force associates is a little bit darker than previous films but all involved still have great fun with it. Especially the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman's enthusiastic villain, an army dealer on the hunt for a deadly biochemical weapon.

CHANNEL 5

6.00 Milkshake! Peppa Pig (R) 6.10 Tweedy & Fluff (R) 6.15 Odo (R) 6.20 Thomas & Friends (R) 6.35 Fireman Sam (R) 6.45 Peppa Pig (R) 6.50 Pip and Posy (R) 7.00 Paw Patrol (R) 7.10 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 9.05 Peppa Pig (AD,R) 9.10 Philborne Puzzles (R)

9.15 Jeremy Vine

11.30 Storm & Alexis

12.45 5 News at Lunchtime

12.50 Matt Allwright

2.20 An Affair to Die For (2023) (12) (AD) Thriller, starring Ryan Francis and Meghan Carrasquillo.

4.00 Castle (R)

4.55 Love Nature (R)

5.00 5 News with Dan Walker

6.00 Cyprus: Jewel of the Med (R) A profile of the Mediterranean island, which enjoys 11 months of sunshine, beautiful beaches, crystal-clear waters, and attracts four million visitors a year.

6.55 5 News Update

7.00 Traffic Cops (R) Officers are on the lookout for a suspected cloned car, a vehicle disguised as another by copying its number plate, as they believe it is being used to commit crime.

7.55 5 News Update

8.00 Street Cops: Catching the Yobs A teen runs from PC. Ellie on the high street, as police unearth a nasty, studded baseball bat in the bushes. Northampton Street cops execute a warrant on a suspected drug dealer.

9.00 Fare Dodgers: At War with the Law In London, investigators hunt for a woman thought to owe more than £2,300 in unpaid fares.

10.00 Police Interceptors: Taking Down the Shoplifting Gangs (R) Officers in Burnley go after prolific suspects, including two brothers whose campaign of shoplifting is out of control.

11.05 Traffic Cops (R) A reckless motorcyclist puts lives in danger as he desperately tries to outrun the cops, while a trap is set on the AI by police targeting drug dealers.

12.05 Car Pound Cops (R) 1.00 Cruise TV with Lovettbookit (R) 2.00 GPs: Behind Closed Doors (R) 2.50 Castle (R) 3.45 Friends (R) 4.10 Friends (R) 4.35 Cruising with Susan Calman (AD,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

The Concorde crash is a fascinating story – but why only tell half of it?

THE sound of Concorde, a sort of approaching rumble, was so distinctive that you didn't have to look up when it went overhead. But we always did. There was no sight like it. On the day 23 years ago when the supersonic aircraft took to the skies for the final time, people stood and stared all along its flightpath. That machine was loved, in a way I don't believe any other jet aeroplane ever has been.

Concorde Crash: Days That Shocked The World conveyed little of that affection. The hour-long documentary opened with a brief history of the Anglo-French plane but got down to business within ten minutes, analysing the Air France Flight 4590 disaster in July 2000 at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport that cost 113 lives.

This would have been acceptable if the analysis was thorough. Instead, the programme stuck rigidly to the official version, without even hinting at the compelling but unproven theories that the authorities refused to discuss. There's a fascinating

DEEP SLEEP OF THE WEEKEND:

Arctic ground squirrels hibernate three feet underground, we learned on Force Of Nature (ITV), with their hearts beating once a minute and their body temperature below zero. Bet that makes their tails tingle when they're thawing out.

story here, but this show covered only half of it.

What is not disputed is that, as the plane took off with 100 passengers and nine crew on board, sheets of flame roared from the two engines on the left wing. Unable to generate enough thrust to stay airborne, the Concorde dropped out of the sky, killing everyone on board and four people on the ground.

Many of the bereaved learned their loved ones were dead from news reports. They included Francine Quignon-Fleuret, daughter of the flight engineer Gilles Jardinaud, who held back tears as she described how proud her dad was to be a new grandfather. This was to be his final trip before retirement.

Looking at the photo that appeared on every newspaper front page around the world, of the plane ablaze with heat haze shimmering around its white delta wings, 'my heart aches and I cry,' she said.

Investigators explained how a piece of twisted titanium, dis-

N. IRELAND TV VARIATIONS

BBC1: 10.40pm Girl-Topic.

BBC2: 10.50pm Av on Skidth.

WELSH TV VARIATIONS

BBC1: 9.00pm Buried with Michael Sheen.

BBC2: 9.00pm Death in Paradise.

SAC: 6.00pm Cyc. 12noon Newyddion SAC at Tywydd. 12.05 Roslyn Smith. 12.30 Henry 1.00 Division Heart Part 1. 2.00 Newyddion SAC at Tywydd. 2.05 Prychean Dis. 3.00 Newyddion SAC at Tywydd. 3.05 Mhelgly Te Mwydd. 4.00 Awr Fawr. 5.00 Fennin. 6.00 Michael Cynno, Sir Bardro. 6.30 Lown Morgan, Her 333. 7.00 Heno. 7.30 Newyddion SAC at Tywydd. 8.00 Spurs Dan y Uned. 8.25 Gurdillo a Mwy. Motor Gwilym at his seasonal flowers and collects seeds at Park y Winnick. 8.35 Newyddion SAC at Tywydd. 9.00 Cetti Gwlad. 9.50 Y Tywydd. 10.05 Y Oed. Contestants from Cresceth, Bethel, Shop Powys, Bangor and Caernarfon take part. 10.35 Y Fets.

CHRISTOPHER STEVENS

WEEKEND TV

Concorde Crash: Days That Shocked The World (C4) ★★☆☆☆

covered on the runway, supplied a clue to the cause. When one wheel ran over the metal, which had fallen off a DC10 minutes earlier, a tyre exploded with such force that the fuel tank was ruptured and was set alight by the heat of the engines.

What this account ignored was the discovery by British investigative journalist David Rose that Air France engineers, servicing the plane four days earlier, had failed to replace a vital component known as a spacer, which kept the wheels in alignment.

Without this part, the plane wobbled on the runway like a faulty supermarket trolley – something that was evident from the sooty tyre tracks along the tarmac.

The documentary showed these tracks but said nothing about them. Neither did it remark that the French president Jacques Chirac was in a jumbo jet on an adjacent taxiway, and that the flailing Concorde might easily have veered into it. Surely that was worth mentioning?

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40 DIGITAL & ON DEMAND

PICK OF DIGITAL & ON DEMAND TV

LANTERNS, HBO MAX

THE HBO series might be set in the DC superhero universe, but it looks and feels more like a noirish crime thriller. Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights) stars as Hal Jordan, the holder of the legendary Green Lantern ring — making him essentially an intergalactic cop — with Aaron Pierre (Rebel Ridge, pictured with Chandler) as his resentful trainee, John Stewart. Earth is only allowed to have one Lantern at a time, so John is playing a waiting game while Hal believes in an increasingly erratic fashion as the two of them start to investigate a murder. One roadblock in that investigation is local sheriff Kerry (Kelly Macdonald), who doesn't approve of the Lanterns' way of doing business. With a storyline that ties into the schism in the US, militia mindsets and the fear of aliens of all kinds, this should be a show that, like Peacemaker, bypasses superhero genre appeal and taps into a wider audience. Chandler is always a welcome presence on screen but he has a particularly appealing charm here.

TRUE CRIME SERIES

The Killing of James Bulger, 9pm, UAH

THE murder of two-year-old James Bulger by two ten-year-old boys, Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, in Merseyside in February 1993 horrified the nation — and is still shocking today even 33 years later. This new, three-part documentary digs into the case, starting with the police's search for the toddler after he's reported stunting. Episode two focuses on the breakthrough CCTV evidence and the shocking realization that two schoolchildren are the primary suspects. Tomorrow night's final part covers the trial and conviction.

fashion as the two of them start to investigate a murder. One roadblock in that investigation is local sheriff Kerry (Kelly Macdonald), who doesn't approve of the Lanterns' way of doing business. With a storyline that ties into the schism in the US, militia mindsets and the fear of aliens of all kinds, this should be a show that, like Peacemaker, bypasses superhero genre appeal and taps into a wider audience. Chandler is always a welcome presence on screen but he has a particularly appealing charm here.

MUSIC QUIZ

Celebrity Popmaster TV, 9pm, More4

KEN Bruce is back with a new series of his popular music quiz, kicking things off with a celebrity special. T'Pau's Carol Decker, actress Patsy Kensit, Deacon Blue

drummer Dougie Vipond and Happy Mondays legend Shaun Ryder are among the guests.

SCI-FI THRILLER

Signal One, 10.15pm, Sky Frenier/Now

IS biological life just a stage? This is one question posed by Signal One, a thoughtful sci-fi thriller in which scientists and a tycoon Josh Hutcherson, Isabelle Fuhrman, Dennis Quaid and David Thewlis, pictured! come together to make first contact with alien life. The film mostly unfolds in conversations between the characters and, while it's not quite up to the scale of Arrival or Interstellar, it's still a thoughtful watch.

TIME

9 (Scot 24)

7.00pm

7.30pm

8.00pm

8.30pm

9.00pm

9.30pm

10.00pm

10.30pm

11.00pm

11.30pm

13

The Architecture the Railways Built Tim Dunn visits London's King's Cross

7.40 The Flying Gardener 7.55 The Art of Spain Andrew Graham-Dixon concludes his journey in northern Spain, where modern art by modern such as Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dal flourished in the 20th century. Last in series

Mastermind The second heat of the 1977 series of the quiz

Call My Bluff With Andre Premis, Lisa Brown, Tom Conti and Barbara Kellerman

Art on the BBC. Michelangelo — The Good, the Bad and the Ugly How TV has influenced people's understanding of the Renaissance giant

Art & Design: The Journey — Arena George Melly examines Dadson and surrealism 11.25 Wainwright: The

Man Who Loved the Lakes Profile of Alfred Wainwright (To 12.25)

E4

13

Hollyoaks On the eve of Leah and Imran's wedding, the bride-to-be makes a discovery

The Simpsons Lisa takes up ice hockey

The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up to Cancer Mawaan Rizwan, Elle Goulding, Sophie Morgan and Tracy-Ann Oberman bake for charity

Below Deck Down Under Tensions run high on the Katina

Gogglebox The armchair critics share their opinions on it With a Shout, Gordon Ramsay's future Hand Stars, Rise and Fall and Saving Our Wild Tales From April 2023

First Dates A Disney fan seeks a fresh start after losing her last partner due to a tragic accident (To 12.05)

ITV2

The Floor The competition is heating up with just 40 players left as Rob Brydon hosts another tense round of quick-fire quiz duels

The 1% Club Quiz hosted by Lee Mack in which the questions are about logic and common sense, with 100 contestants having a chance of winning up to 1,000,000

The Only Way Is Essex The group's holiday in Albania continues, Jeff celebrates her birthday with a beach club trip, and Junaid proposes to Joe

Family Guy Peter's estranged sister arrives in Quahog

Family Guy Quagmire tells the that he is in love with Lois

Family Guy Peter runs his father-in-law's company

American Dad! Stan accuses Roger of being worthless (To 12.05)

ENTERTAINMENT & FACTUAL

SECTION

Freeview 33 Sky 150

11.20am Gummicks 12.25pm FILM. The Big Gundown (1966) (15) 2.10 FILM. Last nr Gold (1949) (PG) 4.00 Highway Thru Hell. 5.00 Moreover Cope. Catching Britains Spenders. 6.00 Police Interceptors. 8.00 Moreover Cope. Catching Britains Spenders. 9.00 Police Interceptors. 10.00 Highway Thru Hell. 11.00 The X-Files.

BBC THREE

Freeview 23 Sky 115 Virgin 107

7.00pm The Catch Up 7.05 Deadly 60. 8.00 The Great British Sewing Bee. 9.00 Top Gear. A trio of superstars are tested in Italy. 10.00 Silent Witness.

COMEDY CENTRAL

Sky 112 Virgin 132

12noon Salutar, the Teenage Witch. 1.00 Friends. 9.00 Stupid Central. 10.00 The Best of Mr Bean. 11.00 Whose Line Is It Anyway? USA

DISCOVERY

Sky 125 Virgin 177

11.00am Building Off the Grid. 1.00pm Dr Jeff Rocky Mountain. Vet. 3.00 How It's Made. 5.00 Alaska Homestead Rescue. 7.00 Wheeler Dealers. 8.00 Ant Anstead Master Mechanic. 9.00 Maine Cabin Masters. 10.00 Building Off the Grid. 11.00 Expedition X

E4 (DAYTIME)

Freeview 13 Sky 135 Virgin 106

11.00am Below Deck. Mediterranean 12noon The Simpsons. 2.00 Brooklyn Nine-Nine. 3.00 Modern Fanny. 5.00 The Simpsons. 6.30 Hollyoaks

SSTAR (DAYTIME)

Freeview 13 Sky 135 Virgin 136

12noon Traffic Cops. 2.00 Police Interceptors. 5.00 Car Pound Cops. 6.00 Home and Away

5 SELECT

Freeview 45 Sky 153 Virgin 138

12noon Ben Fogle. New Lives in the Wild. 1.00 Murder, She Wrote. 3.00 Columbus A Bird in the Hand. 5.00 Somerset Wonder of the West Country. 6.00 Abandoned Engineering. 7.00 Ben Fogle. New Lives in the Wild. 9.00 China with

Ben Fogle. 10.30 Amazing Railway Journeys with Nick Knowles. 11.20 Prisoner: Cell Block H

5 USA (DAYTIME)

Freeview 21 Sky 145 Virgin 120

12noon Law & Order. 6.00 NCIS

FOOD NETWORK UK

Freeview 42 Sky 144 Virgin 158 11.00am The Great British Bake Off. 1.00pm James Martin Islands to Highlands. 3.00 The Harry Billets On Local. 4.00 James One-Pan Wonders. 5.00 The Pioneer Woman. 6.00 James Martin Islands to Highlands. 7.00 The Great British Bake Off. 8.00 James Martin's French Adventure. 11.00 Diners, Drive-In and Dives.

GREAT TV

Freeview 34 Sky 137 Virgin 170 12noon Little House on the Prairie. 1.00 The Waltons. 4.00 Little House on the Prairie. 6.00 The Irish SM. 7.00 M'AT'PH

ITV2 (DAYTIME)

Freeview 6 Sky 118 Virgin 115 10.15am Dawson's 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. 4.00 The Real Housewives of Potomac. 5.00 The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. 6.00 Celebrity Catchphrase.

ITV3 (DAYTIME)

Freeview 10 Sky 119 Virgin 117 11.35am Heartbeat. 1.35pm Midcomer Murder. 3.35 Classic Emmerdale. 4.40 Classic Coronation Street. 5.50 Heartbeat

ITV4 (DAYTIME)

Freeview 26 Sky 120 Virgin 118 10.10am The Professionals. 11.20 Robin of Sherwood. 12.25pm Magnum. IV. 2.35 The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes. 3.45 Boon. 4.50 The Professionals. 5.55 Minder

MORSA (DAYTIME)

Freeview 18 Sky 126 Virgin 167 12.40pm Come One with Me. 3.20 Four in a Bed. 5.00 Car S/GS

NAT'L GEOGRAPHIC

Sky 129 Virgin 161

11.00am Car B.O.S. 12noon Ultimate Airport Dubai. 1.00 Air Crash

Investigation. 2.00 Nazi Megastructures. 4.00 Mysteries of Ancient Medicine. 5.00 Destruction Decoded. 6.00 Places that Changed History. 7.00 Air Crash Investigation. 8.00 Disaster Autopsy. 9.00 Air Crash Investigation. 10.00 Plane Crash Recreated. 11.00 Air Crash Investigation.

PBS AMERICA

Freeview 84 Sky 173 Virgin 187 11.05am The Truth About Franco Spans Forgotten Dictatorship. 1.00pm Weathered After the LA Firestorm. 2.15 Digging Up Britains Past. 3.10 The Stuarts. 4.15 Franco-The Last Impassion. 5.25 The Truth About Franco Spans Forgotten Dictatorship. 6.35 Digging Up Britains Past. 7.35 The Stuarts. 8.35 Franco The Last Impassion. 9.50 The Truth About Franco Spans Forgotten Dictatorship. 10.55 The Stuarts

REALLY

Freeview 44 Sky 143 Virgin 165 12noon The Yorkshire Auction House. 2.00 The Repair Shop. 3.00 Salvage Hunter. 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 The Repair Shop. 10.00 The Yorkshire Auction House. 11.00 Help! My House Is Haunted.

SKY ARTS

Freeview 36 Sky 122 Virgin 123 12noon The Art of Film with Ian Nathan. 1.00 Talies of the Unexpected. 2.00 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour. 3.00 The Eighties. 4.00 Discovering Red Droger. 5.00 Portrait Artist of the Year 2023. 6.00 Tales of the Unexpected. 7.00 Alfred Hitchcock Presents. 8.00 Andre Rees Shall We Dance? 11.00 Academy of Ancient Music. Vivaldi's Four Seasons.

SKY ATLANTIC

Sky 108 Virgin 131 10.15am House of the Dragon. 12.35pm Homicide Life on the Street. 2.30 Billions. 4.40 The Last of Us. 6.45 House of the Dragon. 9.00 FILM. Promising Young Women. (2020) (15) Crime thriller, starring Carey Mulligan. 11.00 Possession. Oliver becomes unexpectedly violent at Hope Hill.

RADIO

RADIO 4

FM: 50.4-94 KAMUZ

5.00am News Summary.

5.04 Last Word.

5.32 Weather.

5.34 Shipping Forecast.

5.43 Prayer for the Day.

5.45 Farming Today.

6.00 Today.

9.00 The Great Crime Mystery. New series. Public perceptions of the crime rate.

9.30 How Did We Get Here: No World Order. The Beijing Olympics, the financial crash and the Arab Spring.

10.00 Woman's Hour. 11.00 Behind the Crime. 11.45 Little Book of the Week: The Fire in the Mountain. Skilly, Etna and her People. By Helena Attlee.

12noon News.

12.04 You and Yours.

12.57 Weather.

1.00 The World at One.

SKY COMEDY

Sky 113 Virgin 112

11.50am Will & Grace. 12.20pm The Rehearsal. 1.40 The Comeback. 3.00 Will & Grace. 4.00 The Office Movers. 5.00 Community. 6.00 Will & Grace. 7.00 The Office (US). 8.00 The Office Movers. 9.00 Real Time with Bill Maher. 10.30 Warner's Vortex. 11.10 The Rehearsal.

SKY DOCUMENTARIES

Sky 116 Virgin 121

12noon Bardot. 2.00 Terry Venables & Max Cecil Brown. 4.00 The Directors. 5.00 Discovering Tim Robbins. 6.00 I Am Heath Ledger. Celebrating the life and work of the actor. 7.50 My Icon. Leon Pryce. 8.00 Mind Over Murder. 11.00 FILM. Bobby Robson. More Than a Manager. (2018) (12) Exploring the career of the much-loved former football manager.

PICK OF TODAY'S RADIO

BOOK OF THE WEEK: THE FIRE IN

THE MOUNTAIN, 11.45AM, RADIO 4

HELENA Attlee's fascination with the active volcano Mount Etna began when she spent a night in the Sicilian town of Catania and was woken by the 'primal, stirring gigantic sound' of an eruption. She went back to rent a place in a village on the side of the mountain to

see how the locals cope with both the dangers and the rewards of living so close to what they call 'Mamma Grande'. Juliet Aubrey reads from the book that she wrote as a result, and in today's first of five episodes she explores the austere iava landscape around her new home.

1.45 Human Intelligence.

New series. Naomi

Alderman discusses

ancient Roman

statesman Cicero.

2.00 The Archers.

2.15 Alone.

2.45 Opening Lines.

3.00 Great Lives.

3.30 You're Dead to Me.

4.00 Pride Before the Fall.

4.30 Soul Music.

5.00 PM; Weather.

SKY HISTORY

Sky 123 Virgin 131

11.00am Secrets Declassified with David Duchovny. 2.00 Digging for Britain. 6.00 American Pickers. 7.00 Forged in Fire. 8.00 Swamp Mysteries with Troy Landry. 9.00 Secrets Declassified with David Duchovny. 10.00 UFO POV.

SKY ONE

Sky 106 Virgin 109

1.00pm Hawaii Five-O. 3.00 SWAT. 5.00 The Simpsons. 6.00 Bob & Ramesh vs Usiah Bolt. 7.00 The Simpsons. 8.00 Agatha Raisin. 10.00 Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. 10.45 Frank Skinner. 30 Years of Dirt. 11.45 Grimm.

SKY SCI-FI

Sky 145 Virgin 140

1.00pm Stargate Atlantis. 2.00 Warehouse 13. 4.00 Stargate SG-1.

6.00 Six O'Clock News.

6.30 Just a Minute.

With guests Paul

Merton, Zoe Lyons,

Catherine Bishart

and Paterson Joseph.

7.00 The Archers.

7.15 Front Row.

8.00 The Briefing Room.

David Aaronovich

and guests discuss

Louise Casey's

social care review.

5.00 Star Trek Voyager. 6.00 Star Trek Enterprise. 7.00 Stargate Atlantis. 8.00 Stargate SG-1. 9.00 Resident Alien. 10.00 Grimm. 11.00 The Walking Dead.

SKY WITNESS

Sky 107 Virgin 105

12noon FBI. 2.00 The Rookie. 3.00 Law & Order Criminal Intent. 4.00 Nothing to Decline. 8.00 Caught on Dashups. 9.00 Law & Order Special Victims Unit. 10.00 Law & Order Criminal Intent. 11.00 The Rookie.

TLC

Freeview 12 Sky 133 Virgin 113

12noon The Big Bang Theory. 2.00 The Media. 3.30 Young Sheldon. 5.00 The Big Bang Theory. 9.00 Mock the Week: Summer Specials. 10.00 FILM: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. (2009) (12)

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FREEVIEW PRIMETIME PLANNER 41

ITV3	ITV4	MORE4	SKY MIX	QUEST	U&DAVE	U&DRAMA	SSTAR	5USA
6.55 Heartbeat Merton attempts to track down porcelain figures stolen during a crime spree in nearby Whitty	Formula E Highlights The London E Prix. Action from the final two races of the campaign, held at ExCeL London Circuit	6.50 Car S.O.S Fuzz Townshend and Tom Shaw restore a classic 980s Mercedes	Star Trek: The Next Generation Picard and Data are assigned to investigate why Spock has undertaken an unauthorized mission, faced starring Leonard Nimoy	Antiques Road Trip Experts Anita Nanning and Raj Bhram set out on a road trip through East Anglia to seek out items to add at an auction in Benton, Norfolk	7.05 Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gene Fishing Fishing for crucian carp	7.20 Last of the Summer Wine Part two of two. Compo takes to the air	GPs Behind Closed Doors from a trick with a nasty foot infectors, which Dr Sam Savage thinks could be shingles	NCIS A marine's wife kills an intruder, claiming he tried to cigar her. The investigation leads the team on a wild goose chase through a stack of old case files
Midsomer Murders Let Us Prep As Midsomer St Claire prepares for storms and flooding, it appears a murderer is using ancient barbara methods to punish modern-day Seners', 16th Rebecca Front, Andrea Lowe, Vincent Regan and Roy Hudd	The Motorbike Show Judgement day arrives for Henry Coles and Pete Thorne as they find out whether their 984 triumph 3/64 will achieve landspeed record glory	7.55 Grand Designs Stuart and Rosie Treasurer from the Wirral plan to Transform a small bungalow from a 1960s dormer into a dick piece of 2st-century architecture	Police 24/7 A neighbour tips off officers that a wanted suspect just arrived home, while police must figure out who to charge in a domestic violence investigation	Shed and Buried: Classic Cars Henry Cole and Fuzz Townshend visit Farlington, where a triumph WBA awaits revival	7.40 Would I Lie to You? With Aiding Bea, Jane Britsek, Adrian Chiles and Seann Walsh	The Brokenwood Mysteries Philip Henderson is found dead in his field following an altercation the previous day with his neighbour Doug Randall about his failed crop. Neill Rea stars	Casualty 24/7: Every Second Counts A 17-year-old arrives after failing from his bike and suffering a fit	NCIS Tony poses as a convict and takes part in a bogus jailbreak as part of an operation to recover priceless stolen Iraqi art
Grantchester Alpha's attempts to cook a romantic dinner are interrupted when the Reverend late arrives unannounced at the vicarage	At Apollo 13 (1995,PG) Fact-based drama about the efforts to return the crew of the Apollo 13 lunar mission safely to Earth after an on-board explosion. Starring Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Ed Harris, Gary Sirine, Ed Harris, Kathleen Quirlan, Mary Katie Schellhardt and Emily Ann Lloyd. Includes FYI Daily	Celebrity PopMaster TV Carol Decker, Dougie Vipond, Patty Meroff, Kelle Bryan and Shaun Ryder take part in the music quiz	Evil Krizers, David and Ben Investigate a supposed miracle when a girl comes back to life after being declared dead for almost three hours	Ant Anstead: Born Mechanic Ant heads to Scotland for a 1964 Mark I Cortina, but back at the workshop, he discovers knocking sound coming from the engine	Have I Got a Bit More News for You Sue Perkins hosts the quiz, with guest panelists Michelle Wolf and Tom Peck joining team captains Paul Merton and Ian Hislop	New Tricks The detectives reinvestigate the three-year-old case of a murdered barbara designer, and Gerry entels Emily's help to update his image	A&E After Dark A 66-year-old patient suffering with a collapsed lung is rushed to North Middlesex Majors	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Caris's piece reports a classmate's sexual assault. Crime drama, with Marika Hargitlay
Grantchester Alpha and Geordie Investigate witchcraft at a founding home	24 Hours in A&E The lives of patients facing adversity head-on, including a former cancer patient now battling an aggressive ear infection	24 Hours in A&E The lives of patients facing adversity head-on, including a former cancer patient now battling an aggressive ear infection	Caught on Dashcam Fly-on-the-dashboard documentary showcasing outrageous road disasters, captured in video form by drivers' dashboard cameras	The Repair Shop Leather expert Susie Ben up a wallet. Electronics expert Mark and ceramics expert Kirsten work on a china dog and handmade kennel	Q1 XL Sand Toksvig takes a Q book at some sets with Tom Allen, Melanie Bracewell, Desiree Burch and Alan Davies	11.20 Luther The maverick cap searches for a copycat killer murdering women in a horrific echo of an unsolved case from the 1980s (To 12.40)	11.20 Luther The maverick cap searches for a copycat killer murdering women in a horrific echo of an unsolved case from the 1980s (To 12.40)	Skin A&E in Birmingham, Dr Emma and Dr Dev face their biggest-ever head cyst and Dr Adripratuk a bride-to-be by removing a large keloid (To 12.00)	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit A girl's death becomes a criminal case when a surgeon harvests her organs without parental consent (To 12.00)
11.55 Trial & Retribution Part one of two (To 12.55)	11.50 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Last in series (To 1.00)	11.05 24 Hours in A&E An arm injury threatens to leave a father-of-three unable to use his right hand (To 12.05)	Grimm Hank and Nick investigate the case of a man whose house exploded soon after his brother's death in a similar incident. David Giuntoli stars (To 12.00)	BSB Highlights Action from the seventh round of the campaign, which came from Thruxton (To 12.00)	Taskmaster Alex Horne supervises the tasks as Mel Giedroyc's good nature is pushed to his limits and Joe Lycett shows no mercy to a camel (To 12.00)	11.20 Luther The maverick cap searches for a copycat killer murdering women in a horrific echo of an unsolved case from the 1980s (To 12.40)	Skin A&E in Birmingham, Dr Emma and Dr Dev face their biggest-ever head cyst and Dr Adripratuk a bride-to-be by removing a large keloid (To 12.00)	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit A girl's death becomes a criminal case when a surgeon harvests her organs without parental consent (To 12.00)

■ BRANDON Flowers (pictured), frontman of the US rock band The Killers, is this week's guest on Tracks (9) My Years (at 1:40am) on VERNON KAY (9:30AM, RADIO 2). His selections include The Smiths, The Cure, Frank Sinatra and Tom Petty. He also talks about the importance to him of seeing Oasis play live in Las Vegas, where he grew up, and also about the thrill of meeting and playing with Bruce Springsteen, The Shop Boys and The Cars.

8.30 BBC Inside Science. The latest scientific research. 9.00 The Great Crime Mystery. Public perceptions of the crime rate. 9.30 How Did We Get Here: No World Order. The Beijing Olympics, the financial crash and the Arab Spring.

10.00 The World Tonight. 10.45 Book at Bedtime: Mr Sidhu's Post Office. 11.00 Intimacy. 11.30 Poetry Please. 12midnight News and Weather. 12.30 Book of the Week: The Fire in the Mountain: Sicily, Etna and her People. 12.45 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 Montaket 5.00 Hudson & Rex 6.00 Body of Proof 7.00 Private Eyes 8.00 My Life Is Murder 9.00 Father Brown 10.00 Death in Paradise 11.00 Private Eyes U&DAVE (DAYTIME) Freeview 18 Sky 111 Virgin 127 11.20am Yukon Gold 12.20pm Top Gear 2.30 Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gene Fishing 3.00 Guy Martin: Proper Jobs 4.00 Maury Bikers: Best of British 5.00 Rick Stein's Cornwall U&DRAMA (DAYTIME) Freeview 20 Sky 143 Virgin 138 11.40am 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 Freeview 17 Sky 184 Virgin 176 12noon Train Trailers 5.00 Thielowne Diapposed to the Likely Lady? Bob and Terry show their competition spirit U&GOLD Sky 110 Virgin 124 11.50am Dad 12.25pm Only Fools and Horses 1.10 Keeping Up Appearances 1.50 Dad's Army 2.30 The Green Green Grass 3.10 Are You Being Served? 3.50 Dad 4.25 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 10.30 Not Going Out 11.00 Mrs Brown's Boys.

RADIO 2 FM 88-90 2MHZ 6.30am The Sara Cox Breakfast Show 9.30 Paris 1 Vernon Kay 12noon Jeremy Vine 2.00pm Clara Andis 4.00 Jason Maudert 7.00 From Nights on Radio 2. The BBC Concert Orchestra perform progressive rock classics 9.00 The Blues Show with the Black Keys. The American rock duo sit in for Carys 10.00 The Good Groove with Melvin Odoom. 12midnight 11 Bury RADIO 3 FM 90-2 92-4MHZ 6.30am Breakfast 9.30 Essential Classics 1.00pm Classical Live 4.00 Composer of the Week Felix Mendelssohn 5.00 In Time 7.00 BBC Promo 2026 10.00 Night Tracks 11.30 Round Midnight 12.30am Through the Night RADIO 5 LIVE MW 910 9MHZ 5.00am Wake Up to Mower 6.00 5 Live Breakfast 9.00 Rima Ahmed 11.00 Emma Vanity 2.00pm Gordon Smart 4.00 5 Live Drive 7.00 Live Smart: The Monday Night Club 9.00 5 Live Sport 5 Live Cricket 10.00 Qasa Alom 1.00am Dotum Adebayo.

U&W Freeview 25 Sky 132 Virgin 125 12noon DIY SOS The Big Build 1.00 Topping Point 4.00 Property Brothers Forever Homes 5.00 DIY SOS The Big Build 7.00 MasterChef Australia 8.00 Special Ops: Crime Squad UK 9.00 The Killing of James Bulger. New series: An in-depth look at the abduction and murder of toddler James Bulger in 1993 11.00 First Responders: A farmer is trapped under his rolled quad. U&YEERDAY Freeview 27 Sky 155 Virgin 129 11.00am The World at War 12noon Antiques Roadshow 2.00 Dangers & Cash 4.00 Secret Nazi Bases 5.00 The World at War 6.00 Antiques Roadshow 7.00 The Blue Planet 8.00 Canal Boat Diaries 10.00 Bangers & Cash.

SPORT

SKY MAIN EVENT

Sky 401 Virgin 501 12noon Transter Talk 1.00 Lunchtime Live 2.00 The EFL Show 3.00 Sports Book 4.00 Live Tennis 7.00 Live EFL Cardiff City v. Wrexham (Kick-off Gym). Coverage of the final match in the opening round of Championship fixtures, held at Cardiff City Stadium 10.30 Live Tennis The Cincinnati Open. Coverage of day five of the event

SKY PREMIER LEAGUE

Sky 402 Virgin 503 12noon Transter Talk 1.00 Premier League Years 3.00 Ft. Bears 5.00 The Premier League Show 7.00 The Transter Show 8.00 Premier League Stories 8.30 Club Heroes 9.00 Transter 360 10.00 James Milner. Record Breaker 10.30 Away From Home 11.00 Premier League Years

SKY CRICKET

Sky 405 Virgin 505 11.30am The Hundred 3.00pm The Hundred Bitesize 3.15 The

Hundred Bitesize 3.30 The Hundred 7.30 The Hundred Bitesize 7.45 The Hundred Bitesize 8.00 Test Series Preview England v. Pakistan 8.45 The Hundred Bitesize 9.00 Test Cricket 10.00 Test Series Preview England v. Pakistan 10.45 Best of ICC WT20 11.00 Nepal Climbing Cricket Mountain 11.30 The Hundred Bitesize 11.45 The Hundred Bitesize

SKY MIX

Sky 416 Virgin 511 12noon My Icon Anthony Joshua 12.10 My Icon: Michael Holding 12.20 My Icon: Shaun Slyde 12.30 Darts World Championship Years 2014/15 1.80 NFL Highlights 2.00 Premier League Darts 6.00 Formula 1 7.00 Zuffa Boxing 8.00 Legends Tour Golf 9.00 PGA Tour Golf 10.00 Ladies European Tour Golf 11.00 NFL Highlights

TNT SPORTS 1

Sky 403 Virgin 515 1.30pm CFL Highlights 3.00 MLB Highlights 3.00 ARB FIA Formula

E World Championship Highlights 5.00 FIA Community Shield 6.30 Live MLB Cincinnati Reds v St Louis Cardinals (Start-time 6.40pm) Coverage of the National League Central match at Great American Ball Park 9.30 MLB Plays of the Week 10.00 European Rally Championship Highlights 10.30 CFL Highlights 11.00 Snooker China Open.

TNT SPORTS 2

Sky 401 Virgin 522 12noon British Superbikes 1.00 Men's Cycling Pro Series 2.00 Men's Cycling World Tour 3.00 Men's Cycling Pro Series 5.00 CFL Highlights 5.30 UEFA Champions League – Classics 6.00 Live Ultimate Pool 9.30 British Superbikes Highlights 10.30 UFC

TNT SPORTS 3

Sky 402 Virgin 523 12noon AFL 7.30 Playing for Our Future – Football 7.45 Test Cricket Highlights 8.45 The Gruppetts 9.00 Fishing On the Bank 10.00 NWSL

MOVIES

FILM4

Freeview 14 Sky 153 Virgin 428 11.00am The Son of Robin Hood (1958) (1) 12.40pm The Comancheros (1961) (PG) 2.50 Man in the Saddle (1993) (1) 4.35 Charade (1963) (PG) 6.50 Fisherman's Friends One and All (2022) (2) Comedy sequel, starring James Pureley 9.00 Brossed Off (1996) (15) Drama, starring Pete Postlethwaite 11.10 Glass (2019) (15) Thriller, starring James McAvoy and Bruce Willis 1.45am Cuban Fury (2016) (15)

GREAT ACTION

Freeview 42 Sky 155 Virgin 426 1.00pm The Unit 3.00 from Before 4.00 Stonados (2013) (15) 6.00 The Unit 7.00 Burn Notice 9.00 Parker (2013) (15) 11.30 The Avengers

GREAT WINTERDAY

Freeview 50 Sky 220 Virgin 425 12noon 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 Mystery: Mortal Mishaps (2018) (PG) 11.55 Picture Perfect Mysteries: Newlywed and Dead (2019) (PG)

GREAT DOMANCE

Freeview 52 Sky 232 Virgin 424 10.15am Valentine's Again (2017) (PG) 12.30pm A Winter Getaway (2021) (PG) 2.00 A Winter Princess (2019) (PG) 3.50 Just One Kiss (2022) (PG) 5.40 The Baker's Son (2021) (PG) 7.40 A Wedding for Kells (2020) (PG) Romantic fantasy starring Eloise Mumford 9.35 Fashionably Yours (2020) (PG) 11.40 Love, Fall & Order (2019) (U)

SKY DRAMA

Sky 213 Virgin 420 11.35am Flashdance (1983) (15) 1.20pm Hamnet (2025) (12) 3.30 Chicago (2002) (12) 3.35 Joker Folio a Deca (2024) (15) With Iveejun Phoenix 8.00 L' Tonya (2017) (15) With Margot Robins 10.15 Hamnet (2025) (12) With Paul Mescal.

SKY PREMIERE

Sky 201 Virgin 401 11.00am Tom And Jerry Forbidden Compass (2020) (PG) 12.40pm Mortal Kombat II (2026) (15) 2.45 Signal One (2026) (15) 4.25 Normal (2026) (15) 6.00 Mortal Kombat II (2026) (15) Fantasy adventure, starring Karl Urban 8.00 Murder (2025) (12) Period drama, starring Paul Mescal and Annie Buckley 10.15 Signal One (2026) (15) Sci-fi thriller starring Isabella Fishman

TALKING PICTURES TV

Freeview 82 Sky 324 Virgin 445 11.35am Live at Up (1963) (1) 1.00pm Richard the Lionheart 1.35 Sleeping Car to Tissara (1948) (PG) 3.30 Discovering Westerns 5.00 Doctor in Love (1963) (PG) Medical comedy starring Leslie Phillips and Michael Craig 7.00 The Footage Detectives 8.00 Magret 9.50 The Key (1958) (12) Second World War romantic drama, starring William Holden and Sophia Loren.

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Page 42

ARIES Mar 21 - Apr 20 THE best part of any whodunnit is working out who the bad guys are. Sometimes it's

possible to spot the real culprit from the subtle tells of body language, even without their motive being clear. Where are your instincts directing you to look today? Are you sure that the story is factual, or could you be relying on assumptions to fill in the blanks? If something feels unresolved, it may be because you're waiting for crucial information. Be patient and remain faithful. Your future is waiting, and the stars are ready to guide you. Call now: 0905 789 0301*

TAURUS Apr 21 - May 21

WHEN important items end up missing thanks to someone's overzealous attempt to tidy up, it can be frustrating. In fact, the negative emotion this can stir up may be out of proportion to the inconvenience inflicted. Is your reaction to a perceived overstepping of the mark justified today? Or has your need to be in control been triggered by a well-intentioned attempt to help? Leave room for the possibility that there are motives you haven't yet seen. Your future is waiting, and the stars are ready to guide you. Call now: 0905 789 0302*

GEMINI May 22 - June 22 IN THE old days of landlines, it was possible to listen to both sides of a supposedly

private conversation. Hearing only half the story leaves plenty of blanks to be filled in. It's remarkable how quickly the mind begins inventing the missing parts. Human beings dislike gaps in a story, so we instinctively improvise. This can divert us from the truth. Today favours curiosity over conclusion. If a situation has left you puzzled, ask another question before forming an opinion. Your future is waiting, and the stars are ready to guide you. Call now: 0905 789 0303*

CANCER June 23 - July 23

EXPERIENCED tailors don't start snipping straight away. They measure and pin the garment before the scissors come out. This patience saves time because mistakes are avoided. Emotional decisions deserve the same respect. If you're tempted to act before all the facts are known, today's influences encourage restraint. Waiting doesn't always mean losing momentum. Sometimes it protects you from

JEMIMA CAINED

JCAINER.COM

WHAT makes a decision fair? How do we determine what justice looks like? The answer can be different depending on where you're standing. A satisfactory resolution is rarely quick. Investigation can feel painfully slow. The process is often messier than we'd like, too. Mars

in Cancer meets elusive Neptune in fiery Aries today and waters of frustration bubble. Meanwhile though, loving Venus, sitting in diplomatic Libra, makes a harmonious connection to generous Jupiter. Patience today allows justice to succeed.

solving the wrong problem. Wisdom looks slower than impulse, but travels further in the end. Your future is waiting, and the stars are ready to guide you. Call now: 0905 789 0304*

LEO July 24 - Aug 23

PEOPLE remember the referee's controversial decision for longer than they remember the final score. Fairness matters because it shapes whether we accept an outcome. Today there may be an opportunity to show that you're interested in doing what's right rather than being proved right. People rarely forget the moments when someone chose principle over pride. Your example could restore confidence in a situation that has felt uncertain. Your future is waiting, and the stars are ready to guide you. Call now: 0905 789 0305*

VIRGO Aug 24 - Sep 23

'IT'S always in the last place you look.' Except, of course, when it isn't. Sometimes we must circle back to a place we've searched before to finally find what we're looking for. The belief that something is lost can convince us to glance past the hope that's right before our eyes. A complicated situation in your world is asking to be revisited today. This time, fresh faith in a positive outcome may help you find what you had previously missed. Your future is waiting, and the stars are ready to guide you. Call now: 0905 789 0306*

• 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.

LIBRA Sep 24 - Oct 23 MOST people

know the relief of hearing someone say, 'I can see why you felt that way' – even if they don't completely agree with the conclusion. Feeling understood and being agreed with are not the same thing, but they can be easily confused, especially in moments of distress. We wait for confirmation of what we feel we need to hear. Today encourages active listening. You don't have to abandon your own point of view to recognise another person's experience. Your future is waiting, and the stars are ready to guide you. Call now: 0905 789 0307*

SCORPIO Oct 24 - Nov 22 HAVE you

ever watched swirling murky water – settle in a glass? Leave it alone for long enough and what was opaque becomes clear again. We often believe every problem demands immediate action, yet some benefit from a little less interference. Today's Moon entering your sign reminds you that hidden truths have a way of finding the light. What emerges naturally is often far more reliable than anything extracted through pressure. Your future is waiting, and the stars are ready to guide you. Call now: 0905 789 0308*

SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 - Dec 21

IN THE middle of a jigsaw puzzle, it's easy to convince yourself that a piece is lost forever and start cursing your bad luck. Then you see the missing piece had

simply slipped beneath the box lid – and self-consciousness sets in. If something doesn't make sense today it doesn't necessarily mean the situation is beyond understanding. There may be one overlooked detail that changes how everything fits together. Maintain a hopeful outlook and an open mind. Your future is waiting, and the stars are ready to guide you. Call now: 0905 789 0309*

CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan 20

APOLOGIES don't change the past. That doesn't mean they are not appreciated when they are made sincerely. Accountability may not entirely improve the way you feel about a historic transgression, but it does tend to help. Putting something right is never wasted effort, even if it happens later than planned. You cannot rewrite history, but you can influence what happens next. That is where fairness takes the form of practical action rather than just a hope for an alternate reality. Your future is waiting, and the stars are ready to guide you. Call now: 0905 789 0310*

AQUARIUS Jan 21 - Feb 19

COMMENTS under a news article tell you more about the writers than the case being reported. We all bring our own experiences to every situation, which means two people can witness the same event and have entirely different perspectives. Today Mercury connects to your historic ruler Saturn and encourages you to separate evidence from expectation. Before deciding what something means, ask yourself what you know. Clear thinking calms uncertainty. Your future is waiting, and the stars are ready to guide you. Call now: 0905 789 0311*

PISCES Feb 20 - Mar 20

HOOVERING the house before your guests arrive for a cup of tea may seem pointless, as soon biscuit crumbs could be falling on the floor. But welcoming people to a clean and tidy home is part of the host's job. A clear space at the beginning always feels better – even if it doesn't last long. A messy emotive issue is pushing to be tidied today as Mars connects to your ruling planet, Neptune. Assess how much you can offer. Doing only what you can now is more noble than it looks. Your future is waiting, and the stars are ready to guide you. Call now: 0905 789 0312*

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• Selected departures between April and October 2027
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• Tours and visits of Fortified Church of Premier, Brasov, Bran Castle, Viscri, Sighisoara, King Charles house museum, Sibiu, Corvin Castle, Sibiel Village Glass Museum, Peles Castle, Bucharest and Village Museum
• Escorted by a tour manager

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Maildays are operated by and subject to the booking conditions of Riviera Travel, ABTA 14744, ATOL 3430 protected, a company independent of Associated Newspapers Ltd and Mail Travel. Prices are per person, based on two people sharing, and are subject to availability. *From price based on April 6, 2027 from Birmingham. Price correct at time of print.

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FRED BASS

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Page 43

Want the zoom but don't want to pay the big bucks for it? A new monocular has hit the market that may be what you need. Want huge zoom at a tiny size and price? Then this is could be the most important thing you will ever read.

What is it?

It is the Zoom Monocular. A monocular is like a pair of binoculars, but for one eye. That means it is MUCH smaller but the zoom is still amazing! It has the special 4.5 large telescope, but it fits in your pocket. It is tough so it can handle the outdoors and harsh conditions.

While a huge £300 telescope has great features, it is too big to bring with you.

The Problem With Big

Telescopes and Binoculars

I thought big telescopes and binoculars were the best thing to get for great zoom. But the best thing is something you bring with you all the time. Sure you can still bring binoculars with you. But you have to hang them on your neck all the time (which sucks for hiking), or you need a backpack or bag to carry it.

I don't know about you, but I don't always want to carry a bag around with me. That is why I got excited when I found out about Zoom Monocular. At last, something with great zoom that you can fit in your pocket! Ever since getting my Zoom Monocular, I never miss a great shot for my photos. Why? Because I always have Zoom in my jacket pocket!

Say Goodbye To Pricey Cameras

Forget spending thousands of your hard earned money on a DSLR camera. All you need for pro quality photos is your phone camera and Zoom. How come? There is a an attachment for the Zoom that fits most mobile phones. It combines the zoom power of your camera with the telescope to rapidly enlarge any image. Giving you similar effects to a £3000 priced camera.

Only Zoom ticks ALL the boxes...but what makes it so good?

Lens Comparison	ZOOM	Brand 1	Brand 2	Brand 3	Brand 4
Sharpness	√	✗	✗	√	√
Coating	√	✗	✗	✗	√
High Contrast	√	✗	✗	✗	✗
Low Aberration	√	✗	✗	✗	✗
Low Distortion	√	√	√	✗	√
Low Vignetting	√	√	✗	✗	√
RRP	1091/£29.99	£199	£999	£1799	£2999

This is a good product and will not be sold or sold in the U.S. or U.S. or U.S. or U.S. or U.S. or U.S. or U.S. or U.S. or U.S. or U.S. or U.S. or U.S. or U.S. or U.S. or U.S. or U.S. or U.S. or U.S. or U.S. or U.S. or U.S. or U.S. or U.S. or U.S. or U.S. or U.S.

Why Is This £29.99 Monocular Better Than £300 Telescopes?

It Fits In Your Pocket and Has Military Grade Zoom

THIS ATTACHMENT IS SOLD FOR £9.99, BUT IS FREE WHEN YOU BUY USING CODE ZT3306.

It is very easy to get crisp and clear photos and videos from far away. Just clip the Zoom on your phone. Some users have even won photo contests using this exact setup! The point is, this thing is top quality!

Top Quality: crystal clear images like never before

One thing that I like is the special optical glass employed in these monoculars. I found out that it is a good prism type is what makes images look more clear.

This is the main reason why the Zoom Monocular has such a clear image.

If Zoom Is This Good, How Is It So Cheap?

Zoom is so good that when I saw the price, I did not trust it. How could it be so good, but have such a low price? That is when I looked in to the Zoom company. What I found made sense and made me trust it. This company makes a range of binoculars, night vision, and photo accessories, and have deployed their considerable skills in developing a superior monocular at a very affordable price. I have sampled their night vision as well as their other products and the Zoom lives up to the reputation they have gained for themselves.

When Should I Get My Zoom?

The best time to get your Zoom is now. Why? They have a start up promo to get people talking about them.

There is one problem though... This deal will not last for long. In fact, as we speak, Zoom is getting more popular. This means their start up promo will end soon and go up to full price.

How Much Is Zoom Today?

As of today, Zoom is still on sale. The full price is £69.99, but they lowered it to £29.99. But, since they are doing great so far, it is even lower now! I reached out to Zoom. They gave me a great discount to share with my readers.

Today, you can get Zoom for only £29.99 plus FREE Smart Phone Connector and Tripod but trust me when I say this will not last long at all.

There is one other problem.

This thing is selling like crazy, so it could run out at any time. I suggest picking yours up right now. Especially if you want to save £40 off the price.

Where Can I Get My Zoom?

You can only get Zoom here. You can go on to our website or call FREE on 0800 472 5034 and don't forget to use Code ZT3306 to get your FREE phone attachment and Tripod. Lines open Mon - Sat 7am - 9pm & Sun 8am - 8pm.

Based On Your Feedback

This article is getting very popular. I have received a few questions I would like to answer here:

Q: Does Zoom work with my mobile phone?

A: Yes, the clip for Zoom fits on almost any phone.

Q: Can I use Zoom without a phone?

A: Yes, you can use it for many other things. People use it for sight seeing and watching events. It is also used for exploring, hiking and hunting.

Q: Can I get a refund on my Zoom?

A: Yes, Zoom has a 30 day money back guarantee. If you decide you do not want your Zoom, they will give you a refund.

Order your Zoom today. Only available online at pressplaydeals.co.uk/zoom

"Totally recommend the Zoom for any wildlife enthusiast or world traveler. Took this photo with the Zoom Monocular lens... won 1st place in the 10th Annual PX3 Competition."

JACK L. — VERIFIED — ZOOM BUYER

"I travel the world as a huge football fan, but I'm usually up in the cheap seats. With my new Zoom I can see like I'm right by the field... It really makes you feel like you're part of the action!"

CRAIG C. — VERIFIED — ZOOM BUYER

About the Author: Bill Johnson Bill works in IT and has a love for the latest technology releases, innovations and breakthroughs. He typically covers stories about exciting new tech products.

Claim Your Discount Today*

(Disclaimer: only if still available)

I test a lot of products and very few make the cut. Zoom has made the cut. It is a great monocular at an even greater price.

To get Zoom today at a 57% discount, go to their official website below. Note: Zoom is only sold on their official website.

All UK orders ship from their warehouse. All orders ship express so you get it quick. RRP £69.99 • YOURS TODAY FOR JUST £29.99

pressplaydeals.co.uk/zoom

CALL FREE: 0800 472 5034

Speak to someone in our UK Call Centre who will assist with your order

Call centre Opening hours Mon - Sat 7am - 9pm, Sun 8am - 8pm

Original for coupon orders: 1. Pressplay Ltd. (Dept ZT3306), 4 Whittle End, Great Notley, Branstow, Essex CM77 7BA.

EXCLUSIVE OFFER FOR READERS

Send to: Pressplay Ltd. (Dept ZT3306), 4 Whittle End, Great Notley, Branstow, Essex CM77 7BA.

Please send me:

Name	Price	Qty	Total
High Power Zoom Monocular with FREE Smart Phone Connector And FREE Tripod SAVE £49.99	£29.99
Additional Smart Phone Connector and Tripod	£9.99
Please add £4.95 postage and packing to entire order or £7.95 for priority despatch (order below 3pm available)			£4.95/£7.95

Grand TOTAL: £

I enclose Cheque/POS (made payable to Pressplay Ltd) for I on charge my MadeCard/Visa/Maestro account

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Page 44

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Page 45

LETTERS

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.

What we want is the boats stopped

IN REGARD to illegal migrants, the Prime Minister continues to miss the point by a country mile.

No one cares whether they are in hotels, army camps or HMOs. No one cares if it's North, South, East or West, middle-class areas or working-class areas.

The electorate see no reason why they should fund hundreds of thousands of young men who enter the UK illegally, some with dubious back stories.

G. MATTHEWS, Lancaster

ON JUNE 4, 1940, Churchill gave a defiant speech to Parliament.

Its modern equivalent might be: 'We shall go on to our end. We shall escort them from France, we shall help them on the seas and oceans, we shall subjugate our island whatever the cost may be. We shall welcome them on the beaches, we shall provide transport from the landing grounds, we shall build houses in our fields, we shall deny the problem in Parliament and retreat to the hills.'

We shall always surrender.

R. PRIOR, Shinfield, Berks

Hope and bray

OUR PM is being urged to raise money from even more taxes.

There is a saying attributed to Pope Urban VI, who in 1385 wanted to raise church tax revenues from English sources.

Warned that this would provoke a strong backlash, the Pope supposedly replied: 'The English ass will bray, but it will bear up under the load.'

DOUG CLARK, Currie, Midlothian

Befuddled ducks

DURING the solar eclipse that preceded the one last week, my late husband and I were at our home in Eteil, Brittany.

The TV was obsessed with a woman who kept wolves. I'm not sure what behaviour they expected but nothing happened.

However, my stepdaughter farms in Surrey. My son-in-law said all the birds went quiet and

Straight to the POINT

■ MY CHERRY tree is so

distressed through lack of rain, I cry when I look at it.

Mrs P. NUDDS, London SE9

■ PLANNING permission will be easy to get. Everything's a brownfield site now.

TREVOR COLLINS,

Grimsby, Lancs

■ AN HMO in every postcode. No hope in anyone's heart.

JOHN GRAY, Reading, Berks

■ BURNHAM is just Starmer

without the sausages.

TERRY MCCARTNEY,

Canvey Island, Essex

■ ANDY BURNHAM being vindictive? I call it being fair.

PAULINE HUNT,

Norwich, Lancs

■ ANDY, I see Labour's boats plan has worked 3,000 times since you took office.

TOM HEANEY, Liverpool

the ducks stood on one leg and fell asleep until the light returned, when they awoke very confused. REEVOA LETT, Poynton, Cheshire

Beat the bots

FOR most customers, the first contact with any customer services department is a bot.

Inevitably my requirements are not met, but I have worked out that if the bot's questions are answered in gibberish, it gets fed up and transfers me to a person (who admittedly could be anywhere in the world). Try it.

Name and address supplied

Property rally

HERE we go again, with talk of a 'recovery' in the housing market. That means house prices rising.

What other price increase would be reported as good news? Why

do we expect the value of our homes to increase, when most of our other assets depreciate?

Buying your own home will be even farther out of reach for many. The bottom rung of the property ladder is so far off the ground, people can't get on it.

MALCOLM WRIGHT,

Benfield, Essex

Fighting drought

MY WIFE and I have found a way to reduce our water usage and preserve our garden plants.

A bath is run. My wife jumps in first and does the necessary. Then afterwards, I jump in. Next day, I add a little hot water and take another dip myself (my wife draws the line at double dipping).

The bathwater is then siphoned off into rainwater collection tanks and used for free watering. The minimal soap content is organic.

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.

Predator and prey: Badgers kill and eat adult hedgehogs

The hedgehog and the badger

I WAS surprised to read the recent report on a study which held traffic accountable for declining hedgehog populations (Daily Mail).

The survey was correct in acknowledging that hedgehogs are vulnerable to the rising volume of traffic on our roads but lead researcher Dr Lauren Moore appears to think this is the main problem. I will try to enlighten her.

An adult hedgehog has only one predator, the badger. No one has ever seen a cat, dog or fox eat a hedgehog, whereas the badger's long, sharp claws enable it to break through their defences.

Before protection for badgers was introduced in 1973 – the law was strengthened in 1992 – there were about six badgers on my farm. After 1992, which

coincided with farmers growing maize that enabled badgers to survive through the hardest of winters, the numbers on the farm escalated to about 300. With so many badgers, the number of ground-nesting birds, hares and hedgehogs plummeted to nearly zero.

The badger cull introduced by the government in 2013 in response to the spread of bovine TB has brought numbers back to roughly what they were before protection was introduced.

Since 2013, all country people have noticed a dramatic rise in numbers of ground-nesting birds, hares and, particularly, hedgehogs, which now seem to be increasing their populations with vigour.

R. G. EVANS, Marbury, Cheshire

so it doesn't affect the plants. Save water. Bath with a friend!

PETER WONSON, Alton, Hants

IN 1948, when I was about three, we moved to a new council house in the town of Halesworth that had two old 50-gallon oil drums fixed to it, so rainwater from the roof filled them both.

G. CRANMER, Pakenham, Suffolk

Ask a Merc

EACH time I have been in my son's Mercedes, he has taken great pleasure in showing me the latest thing he has found it can do when asked for help.

Having pressed my own number on the door panel to position the passenger seat correctly for my posture, I commented that I bet it couldn't cook Sunday dinner.

My son put the question to our invisible friend, which admitted it couldn't help but offered to name some restaurants and recipes.

My son declined, with thanks. His car replied: 'You're welcome.' DORIS TURRELL, Billericay, Essex

Dine and dash

WHY did the incognito writer who underpaid while dining in France, critical of the prices, food and service, keep returning to such eateries? What did she expect in St Tropez at high season, all you can eat for five euros?

Make a picnic, eat outdoors in the free Riviera sunshine instead. Perhaps the Daily Mail should underpay her for the article.

AMANDA YATES,

Widgopen, Tyne and Wear

Pipe down

SCOTLAND has billions of gallons of water in its lochs.

A pipeline to England would have been created long ago if they were full of oil, not water.

T. RADFORD, South Rauceby, Lancs

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

Amos 9.24

Are we feeling that 'Burnham bounce' yet?

THE Daily Mail continually asserts that Andy Burnham has no plans.

What? He has great plans, long-term and short-term, the best being devolution of power to all regions. His ideas are just what people want: restrictions on vape shops and betting shops, revitalising High Streets and reducing the cost of living. He is also doing a tour of the country, asking for people's opinions. When did a prime minister ever do that?

He is a great communicator who tells us his ideas and plans and clarifies his decisions. This explains his popularity. We have great hopes for Andy Burnham. And we really need hope.

LYNN KENNINGTON, Hadfield, Derbys

THE latest non-decision by our PM, on prisoner early release, is being touted by his allies as a triumph of leadership when it is obviously a belated reaction to outrage from the public and police. Since becoming PM, Mr Burnham has thrown a few crumbs to the peasantry, produced a wish list with no details of how to pay for it, and gone on holiday. Now he intends to tour the country, no doubt stopping off occasionally for a pint and a bag of scratchings. His talent for sound decision-making is in inverse proportion to his obvious, overwhelming desire for adulation.

M. RUTTER, Kingswinford, W. Mids

IF OUR new PM is supposed to be in listening mode, he needs to take the wax out of his ears. People don't want

him to find nicer places for illegal migrants to live. They want him to stop them coming here in the first place.

ALAN SHARPE, Melton Mowbray, Leics WE ARE now seeing, with painful clarity, what our new PM is: a fraud. There he stood, the white cliffs of Dover behind him, telling us trusting mugs that Labour's plan to stop the boats is working, when the people-smugglers have upgraded to gigantic dinghies. Next came the lecture that the middle classes must surrender the areas they live in to be overrun and degraded. Then we have early release, with the PM wearing his most sorrowful expression and issuing contradictory statements. I give him until next May before the country begins to fall apart entirely.

EDWARD MCALLISTER, Witham, Essex

LETTER OF THE WEEK

WIN 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 personalized photo gifts (see example, below), visit printerpix.co.uk. The Letters Editor will announce the Letter Of The Week each Friday. Write to: Daily Mail, Letters, 9 Derry Street, London W8 5HY or email letters@dailymail.co.uk, including your full postal address and telephone number.

FOR permission to copy cuttings for internal management and information purposes, please contact the Newspaper Licensing Agency (NLA), PO Box 89, Tunbridge Wells TN 1600. Tel: 0892 525273. e-mail: copy@nla.co.uk

The Mail is published by AML, 9 Derry Street, London W8 5HY. Printed by Newspinters Holdings Ltd (Broadcourse), Newspinters Holdings Ltd (Knowsley), Newspinters Holdings Ltd (Eurocentral); KP Services (Artway), Irish Times (Citywest, Dublin), Ireland; Bermont Impresion, Madrid; TPPint, SA, Tenerife; Miller Newsprint Ltd, Malta; Kronos Corporate Group Ltd, Cyprus; Millero Hellas 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 46

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS

QUESTION There are still quite a few water towers around the UK. Are any of these tall structures still used for their original purpose of supplying water?

YES – some towers in the UK remain in use to balance demand during peak periods and provide emergency reserves if pumping systems fail.

Water towers have a long history in Britain. Early public water supply systems emerged in towns such as London and Chester from the late 16th century, using pumps to raise water into elevated tanks. As urban populations expanded during the Industrial Revolution, water towers became a familiar feature of the landscape, helping to provide reliable supplies of clean drinking water.

Following the Second World War, a major programme of infrastructure investment extended mains water to rural communities, leading to the construction of many of the concrete water towers we still see today.

A good example is Bristol's Dunnham Down Water Tower, completed in 1954, which still has a storage capacity of around 600,000 gallons of potable water.

However modern water systems rely far more heavily on pumping stations, reservoirs and treatment works. As a result, some older towers have become redundant and have been demolished or adapted for other uses. Nevertheless they remain an important part of our

QUESTIONS

Q: If someone wins the lottery and they don't claim it, what happens to the money?

D. Coulson, Parncombe, Surrey

Q: Does history recall the fate of the four knights who murdered Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170?

John Hickey, Horsham, W Sussex

A towering achievement

Post-war landmark: The Durdham Down Water Tower in Bristol

infrastructure, using gravity to help ensure consistent water pressure for homes and businesses as well as providing backup storage.

R. Hall, Durham

QUESTION Why are things

'blown to smithereens'? What is the origin of the phrase?

THIS phrase, meaning being shattered into tiny fragments, has its origins in Ireland. 'Smithereens' is thought to derive from the Irish 'smidirint', meaning 'small pieces' or 'fragments'. The word had entered English in Ireland by the late 18th century although the term originally referred simply to something being smashed into bits.

As explosives became more common, the expression evolved into the vivid phrase we know today.

Niamh O'Donoghue, Bath

QUESTION Has the hot weather brought more jellyfish than normal to our coasts?

WARNING seas are not the only cause of increasing jellyfish numbers – another is overfishing. Larger fish eat jellyfish. As fish stocks decline, more jellyfish survive. Additionally, fewer fish means more food for the jellyfish. At this point the positive feedback loops kick in. Many fish lay vast numbers of eggs so that more survive. Thus, with fewer fish to lay eggs and more jellyfish to eat them, we could end up with a sea packed with jellyfish and few fish.

Phil Alexander, Hampshire

■ 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, 3 Derry Street, London W8 5HY, or email answers@dailymail.co.uk. A selection is published, but we cannot enter into individual correspondence.

TODAY'S RECIPE: Sweet chilli & peanut chicken with noodles

Slow-cooker special. Serves 4

Ingredients

A thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely grated

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 lime, juiced

3 tbsp peanut butter

2 tbsp soy sauce

50g sweet chilli sauce, plus extra for drizzling

4 chicken thigh fillets,

chopped into 2cm cubes

800ml chicken stock

2 pak choi, chopped

200g frozen podded edamame

4 nests of medium egg noodles

To garnish:

Chopped coriander

2 spring onions, finely chopped

50g salted peanuts, roughly chopped

Method

1 In the bowl of your slow cooker, mix the ginger, garlic, lime juice, peanut butter, soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce and seasoning until combined. Tip in the chicken and toss to coat.

2 Pour the stock in and cook on high for 4-5 hrs, or on low for 5-7 hrs.

3 Stir the pak choi and edamame through the chicken and nestle in the noodle nests. Cook for a further 30 mins, until the noodles are tender, stirring to make sure they are fully submerged.

4 Drizzle a little extra sweet chilli sauce over, then sprinkle over the coriander, spring onions and peanuts to serve.

Good Food's Alice Shields

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goodFOOD

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SAKURO

SUDOKU

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FUTOSHIKI

ACROSS: 12 Catch hold of. 13 Module. 14 Hamper. 16 Cane. 17 Pertinent. 18 Sidle. 19 Torne. 20 Formality. 22 Shoot. 23 Applicant. 27 Deep-sea. 30 Hot dog. 31 Tick. 32 Brush. 35 Jazz. 36 Flespit. 38 Norm. 39 Unkempt. 42 Sesame. 45 Manga. 46 Keynote. 47 Thud. 48 Talc. 50 Outworn. 52 Curvy. 54 Nought. 56 Deceive. 57 Tear. 59 Sign off. 61 Debt. 64 Spark.

GIANT CROSSWORD

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24 Current. 25 Coupon. 26 Storey. 28 Pizza. 29 Elf. 33 Permits. 34 Intern. 37 Train. 40 Pouch. 41 Polygon. 43 Evade. 44 Evolve. 46 Kicks. 49 Cheerio. 51 Overdo. 53 Regale. 55 Unbar. 58 Redemption. 60 Fit. 62 Balcon. 63 Gratified. 65 Propound. 66 Chippy. 70 Relaxed. 71 Sterile. 75 Intact. 76 Guards. 77 Globe. 78 Decoy. 80 Look. 84 Lift.

PUZZLE PRIZE WINNERS

Saturday, July 25

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Week beginning July 27

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discretion to disqualify any entrant whose conduct is contrary to the spirit of the promotion, to declare as void entries resulting from printing, production and/or distribution errors; or to modify, suspend or cancel the promotion if there is fraud or any event beyond the promoter's reasonable control. These terms prevail over any materials published elsewhere. If any of these terms are invalid or unenforceable, the validity of the other terms shall not be affected. If your newspaper does not have a Unique Number, log in to MyMail and use the missing numbers system. These terms are governed by English law and subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts. Promoter: Associated Newspapers Limited, 9 Derry Street, London W8 5HY, Customer Services Helpline: 03451 222 407. Calls to this line will be charged at local rates - calls from mobiles may cost more.

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Page 47

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15 NIGHTS DEPARTING 9TH & 15TH SEPTEMBER, 7TH OCTOBER & 2ND DECEMBER 2027

AND 5TH JANUARY & 10TH FEBRUARY 2028

DAY 1 Fly overnight from London to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam DAY 2 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Upon arrival, transfer to a hotel for your three night stay. Spend the remainder of the day at your leisure DAY 3 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Included EXCURSION: Guided tour of Ho Chi Minh City DAY 4 Cu Chi Tunnels, Vietnam Explore the vast Cu Chi Tunnels - an elaborate subterranean system that once served as a strategic stronghold for the Viet Cong Included EXCURSION: Tour of Cu Chi Tunnels DAY 5 My Tho, Vietnam Transfer to the port and embark the elegant 5★ Riviera Alba for your all-inclusive river cruise. Tonight, enjoy welcome drinks and dinner with your fellow guests DAY 6 Cai Be - Sa Dec, Vietnam Cruise down the Mekong Delta in a traditional small boat, before a visit to bustling Sa Dec Included EXCURSION: Visit to Cai Be & Visit to Sa Dec DAY 7 An Giang - Dong Thap, Vietnam Visit the colourful "Mango Island" for a guided tour, before a cruise to a village in the Dong Thap province Included EXCURSION: Guided tour of an island in An Giang & Guided tour of a village in Dong Thap DAY 8 Border crossing to Cambodia DAY 9 Phnom Penh, Cambodia Discover the Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda and National Museum on a guided tour of Phnom Penh Included EXCURSION: Guided tour of Phnom Penh DAY 10 Phnom Penh, Cambodia Uncover Cambodia's solemn past with visits to the Choeung Ek Memorial and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum Included EXCURSION: Visit Choeung Ek Memorial & Visit Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum

DAY 11 Wat Roka Kaong - Opopel Village, Cambodia Visit the sacred temple of Wat Roka Kaong and enjoy a glimpse of local life with a visit to Opopel Village Included EXCURSION: Visit to Wat Roka Kaong & Visit to Opopel Village DAY 12 Kampong Cham - Siem Reap, Cambodia Disembark the ship. Stop off at Kampong Kdei Bridge before arriving in Siem Reap for your two night stay at Borei Angkor Resort & Spa Included EXCURSION: Visit to Kampong Kdei Bridge & Lunch at a local restaurant & Phare Circus performance DAY 13 Temples of Angkor, Cambodia Angkor Wat at Sunsat Explore the ruins of Angkor, including the ancient walled capital of Angkor Thom and the vast temple complex of Angkor Wat Included EXCURSION: Guided tour of the Temples of Angkor DAY 14 Siem Reap - Hanoi, Vietnam Enjoy free time in Siem Reap before transferring to the airport for your flight to Hanoi. Upon arrival, transfer to the Hotel du Parc hotel for your overnight stay DAY 15 Hanoi, Vietnam Enjoy a guided tour of Colonial Hanoi before transferring to the airport for your overnight flight to London Included EXCURSION: Guided tour of Hanoi DAY 16 Arrive in London

DATE

Vista Suite (Main Deck)

Vista Suite (Upper Deck)

Solo fares available on request

Fares, availability & itinerary are based on 15th September 2027 departure

What's Included

✓ THREE NIGHT stay at the 5★ Pullman Saigon Centre Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam ✓ SEVEN NIGHTS full-board river cruising on board the Brand New 5★ Riviera Alba, including: - INCLUDED drinks throughout your voyage including water and refillable water bottle, tea and coffee throughout the day and selected drinks including soft drinks and local wine or beer, with lunch and dinner - 14 INCLUDED shore excursions - FREE Wi-Fi - Expert Riviera Cruise Director & Cruise Hosts - All port charges and taxes - PRICE PROMISE Book early confident in the knowledge it will be the lowest price - MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE with the Happiness Guarantee - if you're not happy by day two of your holiday, Riviera Travel will bring you home with a full refund - Port charges and tipping ✓ TWO NIGHT stay at the 5★ Borei Angkor Resort & Spa Hotel in Siem Reap, Cambodia ✓ OVERNIGHT stay at the 5★ Hotel du Parc hotel in Hanoi, Vietnam ✓ RETURN FLIGHTS FROM LONDON (regional and premium flights may be available on request), internal flights and overseas transfers ✓ Book by 8pm 22nd August 2026 and receive a Trio of Wine Gift with our compliments

Earn EXCLUSIVE CRUISE MILES worth £££'s off your next booking, only when you book with ROL Cruise*

ROL CRUISE SUMMER REWARD

Redeem by 8pm 31st August 2026**

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Fares and availability correct at time of sign of CV/DR (2026). Fares are per person based on two adults sharing, except single cabins, may increase or be withdrawn at any time. Offer applies to new bookings only. Images are for illustrative purposes only. Subject to the cruise line's T&Cs. If the correct odds are unavailable a suitable alternative will be provided. Will also supplement any costs and may require an additional overnight stay. Gift is based on one per booking for UK mankind addresses only. Fees are subject to change and may not be suitable for guests with visibility restrictions. Regional airports available at no cost dependent on selected departure dates. Minimum speed of 12,000 apples. Discount is per booking, for two adults travelling and will be deducted from total booking rates. Per new bookings only and not combinable with RCL's. Further T&Cs apply. *Cruise Misc T&Cs apply. Riviera Travel T&Cs apply. Agent to ATOL Holder Riviera (SHO), EXCE.

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Page 48

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Page 49

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vi

Page 53

City & Finance

City Editor: Alex Brummer

www.thisismaner.co.uk

Business Editor: Hugo Duncan

Sums just don't add up for Britain

DOUBLE Maths was, in my schooldays, an entry in the timetable that struck dread into the hearts of most pupils, other than the gifted few with a facility for figures.

In South Korea, private investors are faced with having to go back to school before they are allowed to invest in certain high-risk funds, because the government there is so worried about people losing their shirts on its highly volatile stock market.

The authorities recently raised the education requirements.

The programmes have not prevented investors, known as 'ants', from losing billions through bets on companies such as Samsung and SK Hynix.

It's a very un-British approach but it caught my eye, because, despite excellent A-level results last week, the UK is in the grip of a numeracy crisis and financial education is patchy at best.

Leave aside the brilliant A-level and uni-

Ruth & Sunderland

versity students: around half of working-age adults have the mathematical prowess of an 11-year-old and many brag that they are rubbish at figures as if it were a badge of honour.

Mere mortals don't need to grasp the Jacobian Conjecture that is gripping the world of AI at the moment, which is just as well in my case.

But a House of Lords inquiry into numeracy this year heard that the widespread lack of the most basic 'number sense' is a huge obstacle to social mobility, financial wellbeing and even health.

Professor Hannah Fry testified that there is evidence people who have type 1 diabetes end up with worse glucose control if

they have low numeracy skills. In my work on osteoporosis, I discovered many women are refusing medication because it carries a very, very small chance – as low as one in 10,000 – of causing a serious dental complication. Yet the treatment could bring a significant reduction in the much higher risk of a serious fracture, which might be a one-in-10 chance.

Bobby Seagull, a University Challenge star and maths teacher, told peers about an exercise where he asked his pupils to work out the average height of their classmates.

ONE insisted the answer was 2.7 metres, or nearly 9ft, and refused to accept it was wrong because it came up on his calculator.

Water company Severn Trent testified some of its apprentice intake had problems telling the time. (I recently encountered a young retail worker who couldn't tell the time from a clockface in, of all places, a shop selling watches.)

Poor numeracy leaves voters vulnerable

to having the wool pulled over their eyes by charlatans from all parties fiddling the stats.

And when coupled with a lack of knowledge about investment, it can lead people down potentially ruinous routes with their money from crypto to meme stocks.

The astounding gains in some AI stocks are likely to have created unrealistic expectations among novice investors that will end in tears if the bubble bursts.

Problems like these will become more acute as more people have to take responsibility for managing their own stock market-linked pensions.

Moves are afoot to strengthen financial education in schools, but even if this happens, many adults are floundering, left vulnerable to rip-offs, scams and basic misunderstandings about debt and savings, meaning their personal finances are less secure than they could be.

I rather enjoyed maths in Mr Proctor's classroom at Stainsby School back in the day. Not so much that I would want to take a refresher. But for many of us, it might not be a bad idea.

M&S HOPING SHOPPERS SAY 'IDO' TO WEDDING SUITS

MARKS & Spencer is betting big on a booming demand for suits as Britons dress up to the nines for black tie weddings.

Although the days of wearing a suit and tie to work may be over for many after Covid, the retailer says it is seeing a revival of formalwear, driven by weddings.

Sales of the High Street stalwart's dress shirts were up 24pc last year

compared with 2024, while it has already seen 100 suit alterations since launching a bespoke service at its flagship Oxford Street shop last month. Sales of bow ties and tuxedos were also up 9pc and 3pc respectively.

Mitch Hughes, director of M&S menswear, said: 'It's encouraging to see customers choosing M&S for life's milestone moments.'

Record rents on London offices as supply squeezed

OFFICE rents in London hot spots look set to hit record highs as companies faced with the capital's supply squeeze compete for space.

Forecasts compiled for the Daily Mail by property consultancy Carter Jonas suggest that typical rents for 'best-in-class' offices in the prime West End districts of Mayfair and St James's will hit £200 per square foot by the second quarter of next year.

Average rents in grade-A offices in the heart of the City are on course to reach £100 per square foot, the forecasts suggest.

The soaring prices come as businesses scramble to sign up for buildings that are still under construction to secure space ahead of rivals and to accommodate their growth plans.

Carter Jonas's analysis shows

By Joanna Hodgson

that typical rents for prime property in the West End now stand at £180 per square foot, having risen more than 60pc over the past five years.

Rents in the Square Mile's prime banking and insurance district now average £92.50 per square foot – up 32pc over the same period.

Michael Pain, head of Carter Jonas' London tenant representation team, said rental growth is being driven by 'robust demand, limited choice and constrained supply'. He added: 'It is likely to be the beginning of the next decade before supply catches up with demand.'

New rent benchmarks have been achieved in the Square Mile over the past year, including a reported record £160 per square foot agreed by tech firm

Ripple for the top floor of Brookfield Properties' One Leadenhall skyscraper.

Post-Covid, many companies are seeking buildings that have good transport links, can attract employees, and that offer social and wellbeing spaces that can't be replicated at home offices', said Merrill Baggallay, managing director at real estate investment firm BGO.

Real estate consultancy Knight Frank estimates total active demand for London offices is 14.3m sq ft, up from 10m sq ft a year ago.

Shabab Qadar, Knight Frank's head of London research, said: 'For many businesses, the office is now as much a tool for attracting and retaining talent as it is a place to work, placing a premium on schemes that promote employee wellbeing, collaboration and productivity.'

By Patrick Tooher

THE payments company that handles the vast majority of salaries, household bills and state benefits has returned to profit.

Vocalink, whose owner Mastercard is exploring a sale that could see the firm handed back

Mastercard payment firm back in the black with £7.3m profit

to British banks, made a pre-tax profit of £7.3m last year, against a £10.7m loss in 2024, accounts filed at Companies House show.

The return to profit came despite a 4pc fall in sales to £212m. Vocalink makes its money by charging a small fee

on the billions of transactions it processes every year.

The firm's kit also powers the current account switching ser-

vice. Mastercard is looking to sell a majority stake in Vocalink to a consortium of British lenders to ease concerns about a strategically important asset being under US ownership.

Vocalink recently hired former HMRC chief Sir Jonathan Thompson as chairman, replacing Mastercard's Tim Murphy.

---

54 Daily Mail Sport RACING

Joy for Fery... as Djokovic vomits

ARTHUR FERY won on his first appearance since breaking through at Wimbledon – but all was not well for Novak Djokovic, as he vomited en route to a worrying defeat in Cincinnati. To Fery first. The 5th Win 24-year-old has sensibly taken an extended break

TENNIS

since he emerged spectacularly on to the mainstream by reaching the semi-finals at Wimbledon. He recorded his first career win at Masters level by beating Aussie James Duckworth 6-4, 2-6, 7-6, 8-6 for

Djokovic, he lost 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 to Argentine Thiago Agustin Tirante and afterwards said: 'It's a condition I have health-wise. It's been bothering me for the last couple of years. And a lot of issues, especially when it's humid and hot.'

MATTHEW LAMBWELL

Scotland turn to Pocognoli

SEBASTIEN Pocognoli promised Scotland fans he would give them a team to be proud of after being confined as their own head coach last night. The Home Union Saint-Gilloise and Monaco boss, 39, has signed a two-year contract to succeed Steve Clarke, who stepped down after

SCOTCH GHAEL

Scott's proud stage exit at the World Cup. Pocognoli, a Premier Belgium international who spent three seasons at West Brom, led Union to the 2024-25 Belgian league title in his first season as a head coach. She said: 'Winn' brand of

the interest, I was excited. Scotland's supporters are famous for their passion, and I experienced it when we played in 2013 I'd 0-6 win at Hampden Park! I will do everything I can to give them a team to be proud of and build on the success that was achieved by my predecessor!

JENNY HIGEGATE

RACING RESULTS

PONTEFRACT

3:45 - NASH (3 January) 6-57 1: Diemonatheryme (16-2) Magni Henry & Ujtaffner (1, 5 Jan. 2) 11 1:45 - NASH (3 January) 6-57 2:20 - EA: 1170. TT: 0300. CSF: 11:30

3:00 - LUNN: PECKETT (27) Tuffinock 19-47 1. Dorgan & Ujtaffner (2) Gussens 15-2 3 ran. (1) Fenn Clavier, 2% 21. Tette: 0301 1:55. T6. EA: 7.00. TT: 22.25. SF: 4.45

4:45 - AMERICA QUEEN (3) Tuffinock 11-187 1. Ruky's Anger & Ujtaffner (1) Tuffinock 11-187 1. Ruky's Anger (9) Tuffinock 41. TC, Tette: 2.10. 1.70. 4:40. 2:20. EA: 00.25. TT: 102.62. 5:10. 1:10. 6:10. 7:10. 8:10. 9:10. 10:10. 11:10. 12:10. 13:10. 14:10. 15:10. 16:10. 17:10. 18:10. 19:10. 20:10. 21:10. 22:10. 23:10. 24:10. 25:10. 26:10. 27:10. 28:10. 29:10. 30:10. 31:10. 32:10. 33:10. 34:10. 35:10. 36:10. 37:10. 38:10. 39:10. 40:10. 41:10. 42:10. 43:10. 44:10. 45:10. 46:10. 47:10. 48:10. 49:10. 50:10. 51:10. 52:10. 53:10. 54:10. 55:10. 56:10. 57:10. 58:10. 59:10. 60:10. 61:10. 62:10. 63:10. 64:10. 65:10. 66:10. 67:10. 68:10. 69:10. 70:10. 71:10. 72:10. 73:10. 74:10. 75:10. 76:10. 77:10. 78:10. 79:10. 80:10. 81:10. 82:10. 83:10. 84:10. 85:10. 86:10. 87:10. 88:10. 89:10. 90:10. 91:10. 92:10. 93:10. 94:10. 95:10. 96:10. 97:10. 98:10. 99:10.

3:45 - FLUORESCENCE (Owen 2) 3-17 1. Bader & Ujtaffner (2) Bader Blue 6-1 3. 8 ran. (5 Buford) 1% 7. Tette: 1.00. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30.

4:15 - LITTOREPHINE (Lauren Young) 8-2 1. Carrie 2-6 8-47 1. Polo Star & Ujtaffner (1) 5 ran. (1) Guster, 2% 21. Tette: 5.00. 2:20. 1:50. EA: 13.20. TT: 41.00. CSF: 11.00. 1:00. 1:00.

4:45 - THE LADY (2) BUCCIAT (Joanna Mason) 10-1 1. Reanna Rose 15-2 2. Royal Police 28-1 3. 8 ran. (1) Guster, 2% 21. Tette: 5.00. 2:20. 1:50. 4:10. 6:10. 7:10. 8:10. 9:10. 10:10. 11:10. 12:10. 13:10. 14:10. 15:10. 16:10. 17:10. 18:10. 19:10. 20:10. 21:10. 22:10. 23:10. 24:10. 25:10. 26:10. 27:10. 28:10. 29:10. 30:10. 31:10. 32:10. 33:10. 34:10. 35:10. 36:10. 37:10. 38:10. 39:10. 40:10.

4:45 - THE LADY (2) Pheasant (1) G. Gynet (3) 40. GOLFERS (1) 1.30 - CLIPY DANIGER (4) O'Neill & 1.75 - Kennington (1) 1.75 - Kennington (1) 1.75 - Kennington (1) 1.75 - Kennington (1) 1.75 - Kennington (1) 1.75 - Kennington (1) 1.75 - Kennington (1) 1.75 - Kennington (1) 1.75 - Kennington (1) 1.75 - Kennington (1)

2:00 - HERETIC (D. Probert) 6-1 1. Reanna & Minnie 15-1 2. Spokesman (2) 6-1 13 ran. (M Kennington) 1. T. Tette: 1.42. 2.35. 3:20. 4:10. 5:10. 6:10. 7:10. 8:10. 9:10. 10:10. 11:10. 12:10. 13:10. 14:10. 15:10. 16:10. 17:10. 18:10. 19:10. 20:10. 21:10. 22:10. 23:10. 24:10. 25:10. 26:10. 27:10. 28:10. 29:10. 30:10. 31:10. 32:10. 33:10. 34:10. 35:10. 36:10. 37:10. 38:10. 39:10. 40:10.

2:30 - FALLAGAS (B. Loughman) 3-117 1. Mercantile 23-1 2. Star Of The Deane 18-1 3. 10 ran. (2) Guster, 2% 21. Tette: 1.00. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30.

2:30 - PROSPERITY (P. Jarrett) 4-47 1. All James & Ujtaffner (2) Sammy & Ujtaffner (1) 1. R. Gunn (1) 1. R. Gunn (1) 1. R. Gunn (1) 1. R. Gunn (1) 1. R. Gunn (1) 1. R. Gunn (1) 1. R. Gunn (1) 1. R. Gunn (1) 1. R. Gunn (1) 1. R. Gunn (1) 1. R. Gunn (1) 1. R. Gunn (1) 1. R. Gunn (1) 1. R. Gunn (1) 1. R. Gunn (1) 1. R. Gunn (1) 1

4:00 - STORM FORCE (Dennis Dray) 2-1/8"er 1. Piceon Amine 2-1/8"er 2. Space Hurry 14-1 70 ran. (1) Guster, 2% 21. Tette: 1.00. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30.

4:00 - THE LADY (2) Colton & 8-1 1. Black Orchid 8-2 2. Project Wallace (R) 1. 5. Ran. (6) Tette: 2% 100. Tette: 1.00. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30.

5:10 - MAXIMUM BLUE (4) 3 McHugh's & Ujtaffner (1) Tuffinock 19-1 2. Ray 18-1 3. 8 ran. (1) Guster, 2% 21. Tette: 1.00. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30. 1.30.

2.17.4.1.1.2.3.4.5

WOLK WINDER

1. 2014年1月1日

Gentleman (2)

STORM FORCE

WING

(Windsor, 5.20)

1. 2014年1月1日

Gentleman (2)

WING (2)

STORM FORCE

WING (2)

CAPTAIN HEATH TIRO

STYLE KING (nap)

(Wolverhampton, 7.00)

CATHIN 6 (nts)

(Windsor, 7.25)

TOO BARN GOOD

(Windsor, 5.20)

CATERING

2.15 MASTER JOCKEYT HANBEAF (5) £8,000 added £5,970 (on 4) Open (1)

1/2 1.65 AUSTRALIA TROURY (3) (P) (S) 7.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0

1/2 1.31 SUPER NET 10 (P) (B) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P)

1/2 1.31 BARRIER 6 (P) (B) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P)

1/2 1.31 BARRIER 6 (P) (B) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S)

1/2 1.31 BARRIER 6 (P) (B) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P)

2.45 MINISTRY (4) (2-4) (2,000 added £5,000)

2/2 1.31 BARRIER 6 (P) (B) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P)

2/2 1.31 BARRIER 6 (P) (B) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P)

2/2 1.31 BARRIER 6 (P) (B) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P) (S) (P)

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ATHLETICS: EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

Daily Mail Sport

55

Hunt makes it a fabulous

FOUR on famous night

By RIATH AL- SAMARRAI

WITH arms out- stretched and a grin almost as wide, Amy Hunt signed off from these European Championships in the same way she began — by claiming a gold medal. Make that four in the space of a week and a slice of history.

No woman has ever won so many from a single sitting at this level, and a perfect week for Hunt was concluded by dragging Britain to victory via a tricky spot in the mixed 4x100m relay.

Added to a gold medal secured later in the evening by Georgia Hunter Bell, and team gold in the female marathon, it was a stunning day for British women in Birmingham. But Hunt was the star. Hunt was the show. Hunt was the breakthrough act that offers rich promise for the second half of this Olympic cycle.

That much was shown again on closing night, in a new relay format that has the ring of a gimmick but leant itself to an unexpectedly tight race.

It started inauspiciously when Jeremiah Azu, the men's silver medallist, left Dina Asher-Smith in fourth at the first change, before the former 200m world champion launched her team back into the lead with a superb leg of 10.04sec. But even then there was work to do because Zharnel Hughes, surprisingly selected ahead of Romell Glave, lost the lead to Germany.

Enter Hunt. Taking the baton for the anchor leg, she was 0.03sec behind Gina Lucken- kemper, but demolished that deficit in a handful of long strides before seeing off the closing portion in just 9.89sec.

Clocking 39.97sec, 0.14sec clear of Germany, Britain had another gold and so did Hunt. 'Oh my

Hunting glory: Hunt became the first woman ever to win four golds in one event GETTY IMAGES/AP/PA

gosh, I am over the moon,' said Hunt, 24. 'To finish it off with some of my best friends in the sport is incredible.'

Indicating there had been a late change of plans to the line-up, Hunt also disclosed she had only practised handovers with Hughes an hour before the gun. Clearly they had the raw

speed to cope. While Hunt's haul is unprecedented, it will be noted that the mixed relay was only introduced this year.

But that will not be counted against a Cambridge graduate who destroyed all-comers as an individual in the 100m and 200m and has added two relay titles in the course of one weekend. She

once described herself as a 'track goddess and academic badass' and the counter-arguments are getting harder to stage.

The forthcoming intrigue will centre on how she competes at the World Championships next year, where the best of the United States and Caribbean might offer better perspective of

MEDAL TABLE

					TOTAL
1 ITA	9	6	5	20
2 GB	9	6	2	17
3 GER	6	9	5	20
4 NED	4	3	6	13
5 NOR	4	0	2	6

her level. As for Asher-Smith, 30, this was the eighth European gold medal of her career and 10th of any shade, giving her the outright female record in the 92 years of the championship.

Less than an hour later, Hunter Bell secured gold of her own in the 1,500m, with a victory that was easier to predict than any of the past week.

With the exception of France's Agathe Guillemot, no-one in this field had ticked off the distance within three seconds of her best mark for 2028.

But it is one thing to stand apart on paper and another to dance through the tactical mine- field of a race at the sport's most complex distance.

Hunter Bell's approach was delightfully straight-forward — she set a slow pace from the front and then kicked them all to smithereens in the final 300m when Klaudia Kazimierska attempted a challenge on the last lap. Crossing in 4:07.78, Hunter Bell was well over a second clear of the Pole in silver.

The tone for British women was set earlier in the day, when Abbie Donnelly took bronze in the marathon — the first British female to ever make that podium.

Coupled with the elevated placings of Natasha Wilson (fifth) and Rose Harvey (14th), Donnelly led Britain to the team gold.

Jazmin Sawyers, competing two years after rupturing an schilles tendon, took silver in a high-level long jump showdown. Her season best mark of 6.99m was only bettered by Italy's Larissa Iapichino.

By RIATH AL-SAMARRAI

AMY HUNT and her gold medal-winning relay team-mates were caught up in a huge security operation that brought travel chaos to the European Championships in Birmingham on Saturday night.

Armed police arrived in significant numbers at the Alexander Stadium after a man in his thirties was spotted behaving suspiciously at around 8.15pm. He was later arrested on suspicion of fraud.

The episode caused the cancellation of six medal ceremonies inside the venue, with major disruption erupting outside. Buses for spectators and hundreds of

Police swoop on stadium

to arrest 'suspicious' man

athletes and coaches, including the one carrying Hunt and the rest of the victorious 4x100m quartet, were delayed by up to two hours.

It is understood that police conducted searches on buses that were due to ferry competitors, staff and fans back to the city centre. As of yesterday, the individual arrested by West Midlands Police was still in custody.

A West Midlands police statement said: 'A man was arrested following

concerns of suspicious activity at the European Athletics Championship last night. At around 8.15pm, concerns were raised after a man was found in an area of Alexander Stadium with the wrong accreditation. As a precaution, security measures were put in place and transport for the Championship staff and athletes was suspended. This then led to delays to transport from the stadium for the wider public. 'A man in his 30s was arrested on

suspicion of fraud and remains in custody for questioning.

'We understand the concern this may have caused and can confirm there was no immediate risk to the public. 'As always, our priority is the safety of the public and we want to thank everyone for the patience.'

A statement from championship organisers read: 'Transport was suspended until the necessary security measures had been carried out whilst West Midlands Police arrested a man in his thirties on suspicion of fraud. The safety and well-being of our spectators, athletes, workforce and the wider Championships' family will always be our first priority.'

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56 Daily Mail Sport

CRICKET: ENGLAND v PAKISTAN - TWO DAYS TO GO

Extreme pace, high skill and a big heart — Archer

Now it's time for him to become the leader of Root's

CAMP-CHANGING

ONCE compared to a £100million signing, the time has arrived for Jofra Archer to show his true value to English cricket. The football analogy was provided by Chris Woakes, one of a clutch of England bowlers who have moved on since Archer, 31, burst on to the scene so spectacularly seven years ago.

World Cup-winning exploits and Ashes skirmishes with Steve Smith in a maiden summer of 2019 were of a level to justify Archer's fictional price tag.

Yet it is only now, heading into a three-match Test series against Pakistan this week, that one of England's most enigmatic cricketers appears to be capable of returning to those heights.

Archer has already had a productive 2026, quietly taking the man-of-the-series award while the noise was happening elsewhere during the 2-1 Test defeat by New Zealand and following up with a dozen wickets across the twin white-ball series wins over India.

What England followers would dearly love to see against the Pakistanis, though, is a grand finale to the home summer.

Archer has not featured across a full Test series since switching his allegiance from West Indies seven years ago, and if England are going to deliver a much-needed first series victory since 2024 to mark Joe Root's return as captain, they will need the man who is now a senior bowler to remain somewhere near his best throughout.

The scheduling is favourable in this regard: though there are only three days between Wednesday's opening Test at Headingley and the second match at Lord's, there is then more than a week before the series concludes at Edgbaston from September 9.

And Archer has more confidence in his body than at any stage of his England journey, courtesy of a long-term ECH fitness programme that has focused on robustness.

Archer has also been allowed to fly back to Barbados ahead of major series, as he did last autumn and again in the spring post-Indian Premier League. It

By RICHARD GIBSON

is a policy of special treatment that would make some of Archer's predecessors wince but it has coincided with this particular breakthrough.

No longer fretting over a posse of injury issues, the most frustrating of which for a fast bowler was recurring stress reactions in his right elbow. Archer has featured in seven of England's most recent 11 Test matches. No mean feat when you consider his previous appearance ratio had been 13 of 74 stretching back to a Lord's Ashes debut.

From a results perspective, things have been hugely impressive. If a career return of 42 wickets in 13 Tests at an average of 31.64 last year was underwhelming, 71 in 20 at 28.97 is getting there.

Few would disagree Archer's raw attributes make him a special talent. They say there are no better judges of a player's worth than their opponents and it was

notable that the New Zealanders recognised his quality by selecting Archer as England's player of the series, despite him only featuring in two of the three Tests earlier this summer.

What makes Archer such an exciting fast-bowling package is that he possesses a bit of everything: extreme pace, high skill and a big heart. It has

been hard to show off these qualities when he is losing speed after being bowled into the ground, or knackered because of the scheduling.

But striking a balance between rest and play, white-ball and red has suited everyone.

Since returning from a four-year absence from first-class cricket last July, Archer's statistics back

up the theory that he is the most well-rounded of England's available pacemen.

While Josh Tongue has taken more wickets (34 to 29) and struck every 43 deliveries compared with Archer's 51, there is a disparity the other way in economy-rate of 3.9 and 3.1.

Wickets are essential in Test cricket, of course, but another

By LAWRENCE BOOTH

ONE of the challenges in the aftermath of Bangladesh's stunning nine-wicket win in the first Test against Australia at Darwin was to arrange emotions in a socially acceptable sequence. The general consensus was: Bangladesh brilliant, Australia abject, England embarrassed, though some Down Under preferred reversing that order. Coping mechanisms, eh? We've all been there. And yet Australia really do have plenty to cope with right now. It's right and proper we salute the Bangladeshi heroes: Hasan Mahmud's first-innings six-for, a century for Tanzid Hasan and 84 for captain Nazmul Hossain Shanto, and a second-innings five-for from Mehdi Hasan. This was the greatest result in their history, against a team who had deluged

Shock defeat exposed Australia's cracks... England must capitalise

to play them only twice in the previous 20 years. But Australia will be doing themselves no favours if they don't use this result as a chance to reset their team in time for the 2027 Ashes. It's not just England who have questions to answer with less than a year to go before the resumption of Test cricket's longest-running narrative. The recent Ashes, as has been pointed out on a regular basis these past few days, papered over cracks wider than the one hit by Mitchell Starc to bowl

James Vince at the WACA in 2017-18. Against England, only Travis Head, Steve Smith and Alex Carey averaged more than 29, allowing Marnus Labuschagne (29), Cameron Green (24) and Jake Weatherald (22) to huddle together under the radar. The bowling is another matter, but by the time Australia land at Heathrow next summer, Nathan Lyon will be 39, Starc (right) 37, Josh Hazlewood

36, Pat Cummins 34, Scott Boland 38 and Michael Neser 37. Do Australia give their old-timers one last chance to win a series in England, or use the next few months to refresh and renew? You suspect their hand will be forced, because their schedule is punishing: after the second Test against Bangladesh, they face three in South Africa in October, then four at home to New Zealand in

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Daily Mail Sport 57

is back to his best for England. pace attack and prove he is a...

CAN ROOT GET ARCHER FIRING?

CAN ROOT GET ARCHER FIRING? ARCHER had a slightly better Test record during Ben Stokes' captaincy than he did during Joe Root's first spell in charge.

MATCHES Under Root...13 Under Stokes...7

WICKETS Under Root...44 Under Stokes...27

AVERAGE Under Root...30 Under Stokes...27.3

ECONOMY-RATE Under Root...3.1 Under Stokes...3

STRIKE-RATE Under Root...58.8 Under Stokes...54.9

BACK TO HIS BEST ARCHER is enjoying his best year in Test cricket since he burst onto the scene during the 2019 Ashes...

AVERAGE 2019...27.4 2020...45 2021...30.5 2025...27.9 2026...22.6

FIRST TEST... ENGLAND v PAKISTAN Start: Wednesday 11am, Headingley. TV: LIVE on Sky Sports.

crucial component is control and Archer is the tightest of any seamer to have played more than three times in this period. It was noticeable that during his last hurrah as England's captain in Nottingham in June, Ben Stokes valued Archer's ability to stall scoring rates as much as

break partnerships. He achieved this by bowling his stock length; a fraction too short to drive but difficult to score off given the ball is regularly passing batters at chest height.

Archer's average of 26 in this 13-month sequence is exactly the same as Gus Atkinson's and superior to that of Tongue (28) and Brydon Carse (36).

There has also been a noticeable uptick in his on-field demeanour, particularly through a developing bond with Josh Tongue, who this year has established himself as a team-mate across all formats.

Hunting as a pair, Archer's elation whenever Tongue took a wicket in England's Indian midsummer spoke of the way they have begun working on plans together. They even share a celebration, making a 'C' shape with their hands after prising out a batsman. That's me and Tonguey's thing. We'll keep it a secret, Archer has said.

It is early days but there is a touch of the relationship that developed between Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad.

It was irritating to Test cricket aficionados that participating in this year's Indian Premier League was prioritised over getting Archer ready for the start of the international summer, particularly given his central contract is worth almost £1 million a year.

Equally, though, the demands on his time are a reflection of how highly he is rated on the global scene, and the ECB ceded ground to the IPL when it comes to selection four years ago.

The knock-on effect of a schedule shaped by third parties was that Archer gave stand-in captain Root an eight-over burst on the first evening of his England return at The Oval, but was put out to pasture on the second morning amid concerns from the

medical team that thrusting a player who left the Ashes with a side strain into another spell might leave him in the 'red zone'.

And so he went unused during what became the defining period of the second-Test defeat by the New Zealanders.

To his credit, during the emotional match in Nottingham that followed, Archer gave Stokes his all one last time, rarely dipping below 90 miles per hour and striking both Devon Conway and Blair Tickner on their helmets, causing an eight-minute delay for the former and a concussion-induced exit from the match for the latter.

Such hostility was reminiscent of him hitting Steve Smith with a sickening blow back where it all began at Lord's in 2019, and highlighted that unlike the majority of his pace rivals, he has the speed through the air to remove the pitch from the equation.

In benign conditions, this can be a priceless weapon. Equally, it is important not to push things too far. When surfaces are unresponsive, the onus will be on Root to protect his asset — not repeat the mistake of late 2019 when Archer sent down 42 overs in the first innings of a Test in Mount Maunganui.

What kind of tune Root is able to get out of Archer now will be key to how he will be remembered among England's pace powers.

Archer's record — it is worth noting he had matched Andrew Flintoff's career haul of three Test five-ters within seven appearances — would be better had the ECB not prioritised readying him for series versus Australia and India. That they have done so highlights the regard in which he is held.

Now, with three outings against a Pakistan team in transition, it is time to prove he remains the game-changing Galactico his peers would have you believe.

INSIDE SPORT

BY MIKE KEEGAN

United's plan to cash in on academy stars

MANCHESTER UNITED have stepped up attempts to monetise their academy, Inside Sport understands.

There has been a notable shift within the club to put a stronger emphasis on young talent, with a view that their historic conveyor belt has slowed in recent years. Although the priority is to produce players for the first team, there is a recognition more can be done to bring in funds for those who are unlikely to make it, a method perfected by the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City. Earlier this month, Czech goalkeeper Radek Vitek, 22, joined Middlesbrough for around £1.4 million, along with a host of add-ons including a buy-back clause and 35 per

cent sell-on fee. Sources have also disclosed that left back Harry Amass, 19, who spent last season on loan at Sheffield Wednesday, could go for around £7m, again with add-ons. Midfielder Toby Collyer is another United feel could command a sizable fee — though the increased number of fixtures they will play this season, after qualifying for the Champions League, may increase the opportunities to impress for those on the fringes of Michael Carrick's squad. Meanwhile, Amazon have started filming their documentary, which will be based on United's season. It is the latest in its fly-on-the-wall All or Nothing series, following on from documentaries with Arsenal, Tottenham and City.

IT appears all is not well in the world of BBC local radio. Rumours that bosses are set to stop commentators covering away matches are rife, amid talk of a trial process that would mean fans of the visiting side would be forced to listen to the parochial view of the host broadcaster. Beeb insiders insist no decision has been made, but say they are looking at working at ways to reduce duplication. There is further angst over what reporters have deemed double standards, claiming that whereas some are allowed to work for the likes of Sky Sports — and take paid holiday — others have been denied such a chance. The BBC said it would not comment.

FORMER British Rowing chair Mark Davies has got stuck into the organisation after a bland statement announcing the departure of their performance director. Davies left last November ahead of the arrival of a new chief executive and was quick to take his old employer to task over the exit of Louise Kingsley. British Rowing's post stated Kingsley had decided to retire but with no spokesperson or quotes. It was left to Kingsley

— who decided to go after an investigation into a complaint against her, which led to no further action — to point out she had turned a shambolic performance at Tokyo 2020 into a record-breaking one in Paris. Davies noted: 'British Rowing apparently cannot find a single person to say anything nice about a woman who turned round the worst Olympic performance for 30 years to the best ever on foreign soil, for which she received an MBE.'

INSIDE SPORT has been contacted by a number of amateur golfers furious that their willingness to play a round in the intense heat last week ended up shooting them in the foot. Scores of players who braved afternoon temperatures of 37°C were then stunned to discover the World Handicap System had automatically added a stroke to their scores under its Playing Conditions Calculation, which can add or subtract shots should it deem extreme conditions favourable or harder. 'What appears to have happened is a load of those who went out in the much cooler mornings have scored well and that's had a knock-on effect on the rest of us, who played when it was much tougher,' explained one of those impacted. 'Outrageous!'

CHELSEA wrapped up their pre-season tour with a 3-3 draw against Malaysia's Johor Darul Ta'zim — and don't be surprised if fixtures against such high-level teams become more familiar for them. The credit belongs to JDT owner Tuaku Ismail, the Crown Prince of Johor who has quietly rebuilt the club over the past

decade. Visitors for the Chelsea match were left marveling at a stadium and training complex that would not look out of place in the Premier League. Having reached the Asian Champions League quarter-finals last season, the prince now dreams of turning JDT into a club of genuine regional and global power.

December and January, followed by five in India, and the 150th Anniversary game against England at the MCG. If Australia don't replenish their ranks, they may have no one left by the time they arrive to defend the urn. And that is where England shouldn't allow themselves too much schadenfreude. After all, they have just wasted the eight months since the Ashes reaching the obvious conclusion that Brendon McCullum was no longer the right man to coach the Test team. Traditionally, Australia have reacted more swiftly to defeat than England, because their tolerance of failure is much lower. You can be sure that, once the Australians have stopped pointing out why Bangladesh's win showed the Poms how it should have been done, they will steel themselves for a crazy 12 months. Can England say the same?

Super win for Giants

A BLISTERING 72 off 38 balls from New Zealand's Tim Seifert inspired Manchester Super Giants to their first Hundred title and denied Trent Rockets an unprecedented finals-day double after their women saw off Sunsers Leeds. Seifert blasted seven sixes, and captain Jos Buttler three in 14 balls, as the Super Giants — previously known as the Originals, before their 70 per cent purchase by the Indian BP-Sun397 Goenka Group — chased down a target of 159. Two late wickets for Pakistan left-armer Mohammad Amir made them sweat, only for

LAWRENCE BOOTH at Lord's

Liam Dawson to swing the winning six with two balls and five wickets to spare. The Rockets' innings had never got going, despite a brisk 31 from Ben Duckett, one of three wickets for Afghanistan's left-arm wrist-spinner Noor Ahmad. Earlier, the Rockets' women hammered the Sunsers by eight wickets after bowling them out for 91. England's Sophia Dunkley, watched by a crowd of more than 21,000 at Lord's, made the chase a formality with 41 off 23 balls.

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58 Daily Mail | Sport FOOTBALL

Wills swoop for Suzuki as June 1st - Vicario

■ JUVENTUS have resumed contact with TOTTENHAM goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario after talks for ASTON VILLA'S Emiliano Martinez collapsed last night. The Italians made an initial offer of £6million for Martinez and his advisors agreed terms on a significant rise on his current £130,000-a-week pay. However, despite initial optimism, Juventus have pulled back from the deal and are back in talks for Vicario. Meanwhile Villa have agreed a £30m deal with Parma for goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, who will pay a five-year contract. The Japan international will become their new hit, so a solution will be required for the Martinez issue.

■ BENFICA right back Amar Dardis arrived on fyneside last night ahead of a medical at NEWCASTLE. Talks are at the final stages, with a £29.5m deal in place for the 25-year-old. The Bosnia international is likely to go straight into the team to play Liverpool on Sunday. Newcastle have also had talks with Bayern Munich over a move

WINDOW & WATCH By SIMON JONES

for Joao Palhinha, but have other targets they are considering. Tottenham's Lucas Berpold is one of the names still on their radar. NOTTINGHAM FOREST are also expected to make another offer for the Swede.

■ COVENTRY CITY are closing in on a £21m deal with Fenerbahçe for striker Sidiki Cherif. As well as agreeing to sign Forest's Iolavo Awoniyi for £17m, manager Frank Lampard wants Cherif. 16, who was a target for CRYSTAL PALACE and WREXHAM in January.

■ CHELSEA vinger Pedro Neto (left) is wanted by Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal. Neto is also on the lists of Tottenham and MANCHESTER CITY, but Chelsea's sinking price is thought to be prohibitive.

■ WEST HAM have enquired about LEEDS

striker Joel Pirce after hitting an impasse in talks for Troy Parrott at AZ Alkmaar. The Hammers had a bid of around £15m rejected for Parrott last week. They could make another offer, but for now have turned their attention to Pirce.

■ LEEDS goalkeeper Lucas Perri is finalising his loan move to Torino. The Italians will pay an £800,000 fee, with the option to buy for £12m. Marseille are also keen. Leeds have agreed a deal with Hamburg to send Sebastiaan Bornauw there on loan.

■ FULHAM have had a £17m bid rejected for Atalanta right back Raoul Bellanova.

■ HULL CITY are in talks for Real Betis winger Pablo Garcia. The 20-year-old Spain Under-21 international is valued at £7m.

■ JAPANESE midfielder Tatsuki Seko has left STOKE CITY to join J1 League side Urawa Reda.

■ BIRMINGHAM CITY have asked about Sporting Gijon attacking midfielder Cesar Gelabert.

■ SOUTHAMPTON have rejected a £17.5m offer from Benfica for defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis. The Saints and SHEFFIELD-WITED are interested in Feyenoord defender Anel Ahmedhodzic.

LEAGUE ONE ROUND-UP

JACK WILSHERE'S LUTON fought back from 3-1 down to claim an incredible 4-3 opening day win at READIING. Jack Marriott's hat-trick had put the hosts in control before a double from new signing Kasey Palmer and a

96th-minute winner from substitute Gideon Kodua completed the comeback. 'We have to do so many things better,' said boss Wishere. 'But that being said, there's something special in this group.' At Oakwell, promoted BROKLEY made history as they earned their

first-ever win in League One after beating BARNSLEY 1-0. Victor Adeboyeyo's second-half strike was enough against his former club. Bromley boss Andy Woodman said: 'If we had come away with a 0-0, I would have been buzzing because that's the foundation you've got to build on. Let's see where this adventure takes us.'

HUDDERSFIELD ended the opening day top of the table after a 3-0 win over AFC WIMBLEDON, despite a first-half red card for Bali Mumba.

LEAGUE TWO ROUND-UP

YORK marked their return to the EFL after a 10-year absence in style by beating BRISTOL

BOVERS 3-2 thanks to a second-half double from debutant Harry Boyes. Boss Scott Lindsey said: 'He should have scored more for Southend last season, because he's got an unbelievable left foot.'

It was a bad day for GILLINGHAM boss Gareth Ainsworth, who criticised his side's 'capitalisation' after they shipped three late goals to lose 3-0 at home to WALSALL. He said: 'It was like one

game from zero to 80 minutes and then a game of 17 minutes of just collapse. It's a body language thing for me, which I just can't justify.' Elsewhere, BARNET pulled off the upset of the day by beating title favourites SALFORD 3-1 at the Hive — but manager Dean Brennan was left frustrated after Adebola Oluwo's late consolation goal for the visitors. He said: 'Stupid little things like that cost us last season. We should have won that game by four or five goals.'

WEEKEND RESULTS AND TABLES

COMMUNITY SHIELD

VOTTERAY

ARIDAL... (2) 1 MAN CITY... (0) 0
Calidon 1
Haven 12, 28
Odegaard 48

OTHER RESULTS

SCOTTISH LEAGUE 2, Alison 3, Montrose 6, 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, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, 180, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 195, 196, 197, 198, 199, 200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210, 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216, 217, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 231, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241, 242, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247, 248, 249, 250, 251, 252, 253, 254, 255, 256, 257, 258, 259, 260, 261, 262, 263, 264, 265, 266, 267, 268, 269, 270, 271, 272, 273, 274, 275, 276, 277, 278, 279, 280, 281, 282, 283, 284, 285, 286, 287, 288, 289, 290, 291, 292, 293, 294, 295, 296, 297, 298, 299, 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307, 308, 309, 310, 311, 312, 313, 314, 315, 316, 317, 318, 319, 320, 321, 322, 323, 324, 325, 326, 327, 328, 329, 330, 331, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336, 337, 338, 339, 340, 341, 342, 343, 344, 345, 346, 347, 348, 349, 350, 351, 352, 353, 354, 355, 356, 357, 358, 359, 360, 361, 362, 363, 364, 365, 366, 367, 368, 369, 370, 371, 372, 373, 374, 375, 376, 377, 378, 379, 380, 381, 382, 383, 384, 385, 386, 387, 388, 389, 390, 391, 392, 393, 394, 395, 396, 397, 398, 399, 400, 401, 402, 403, 404, 405, 406, 407, 408, 409, 410, 411, 412, 413, 414, 415, 416, 417, 418, 419, 420, 421, 422, 423, 424, 425, 426, 427, 428, 429, 430, 431, 432, 433, 434, 435, 436, 437, 438, 439, 440, 441, 442, 443, 444, 445, 446, 447, 448, 449, 450, 451, 452, 453, 454, 455, 456, 457, 458, 459, 460, 461, 462, 463, 464, 465, 466, 467, 468, 469, 470, 471, 472, 473, 474, 475, 476, 477, 478, 479, 480, 481, 482, 483, 484, 485, 486, 487, 488, 489, 490, 491, 492, 493, 494, 495, 496, 497, 498, 499, 500, 501, 502, 503, 504, 505, 506, 507, 508, 509, 510, 511, 512, 513, 514, 515, 516, 517, 518, 519, 520, 521, 522, 523, 524, 525, 526, 527, 528, 529, 530, 531, 532, 533, 534, 535, 536, 537, 538, 539, 540, 541, 542, 543, 544, 545, 546, 547, 548, 549, 550, 551, 552, 553, 554, 555, 556, 557, 558, 559, 560, 561, 562, 563, 564, 565, 566, 567, 568, 569, 570, 571, 572, 573, 574, 575, 576, 577, 578, 579, 580, 581, 582, 583, 584, 585, 586, 587, 588, 589, 590, 591, 592, 593, 594, 595, 596, 597, 598, 599, 600, 601, 602, 603, 604, 605, 606, 607, 608, 609, 610, 611, 612, 613, 614, 615, 616, 617, 618, 619, 620, 621, 622, 623, 624, 625, 626, 627, 628, 629, 630, 631, 632, 633, 634, 635, 636, 637, 638, 639, 640, 641, 642, 643, 644, 645, 646, 647, 648, 649, 650, 651, 652, 653, 654, 655, 656, 657, 658, 659, 660, 661, 662, 663, 664, 665, 666, 667, 668, 669, 670, 671, 672, 673, 674, 675, 676, 677, 678, 679, 680, 681, 682, 683, 684, 685, 686, 687, 688, 689, 690, 691, 692, 693, 694, 695, 696, 697, 698, 699, 700, 701, 702, 703, 704, 705, 706, 707, 708, 709, 710, 711, 712, 713, 714, 715, 716, 717, 718, 719, 720, 721, 722, 723, 724, 725, 726, 727, 728, 729, 730, 731, 732, 733, 734, 735, 736, 737, 738, 739, 740, 741, 742, 743, 744, 745, 746, 747, 748, 749, 750, 751, 752, 753, 754, 755, 756, 757, 758, 759, 760, 761, 762, 763, 764, 765, 766, 767, 768, 769, 770, 771, 772, 773, 774, 775, 776, 777, 778, 779, 780, 781, 782, 783, 784, 785, 786, 787, 788, 789, 790, 791, 792, 793, 794, 795, 796, 797, 798, 799, 800, 801, 802, 803, 804, 805, 806, 807, 808, 809, 810, 811, 812, 813, 814, 815, 816, 817, 818, 819, 820, 821, 822, 823, 824, 825, 826, 827, 828, 829, 830, 831, 832, 833, 834, 835, 836, 837, 838, 839, 840, 841, 842, 843, 844, 845, 846, 847, 848, 849, 850, 851, 852, 853, 854, 855, 856, 857, 858, 859, 860, 861, 862, 863, 864, 865, 866, 867, 868, 869, 870, 871, 872, 873, 874, 875, 876, 877, 878, 879, 880, 881, 882, 883, 884, 885, 886, 887, 888, 889, 890, 891, 892, 893, 894, 895, 896, 897, 898, 899, 900, 901, 902, 903, 904, 905, 906, 907, 908, 909, 910, 911, 912, 913, 914, 915, 916, 917, 918, 919, 920, 921, 922, 923, 924, 925, 926, 927, 928, 929, 930, 931, 932, 933, 934, 935, 936, 937, 938, 939, 940, 941, 942, 943, 944, 945, 946, 947, 948, 949, 950, 951, 952, 953, 954, 955, 956, 957, 958, 959, 960, 961, 962, 963, 964, 965, 966, 967, 968, 969, 970, 971, 972, 973, 974, 975, 976, 977, 978, 979, 980, 981, 982, 983, 984, 985, 986, 987, 988, 989, 990, 991, 992, 993, 994, 995, 996, 997, 998, 999, 1000

LEAGUE ONE

BARNLEY ... (0) 0	WINSLEY ... (0) 1
RODERSFIELD ... (0) 1	WOLOME ... (0) 1
MURPHY ... (0) 2	STONEWELL ... (0) 1
BRADFORD ... (0) 2	FREDERBROOK ... (0) 3
COLLINGTON & ROAD 75	(0) 0
BURTON & LEON ... (0) 1	STONEWELL ... (0) 1
CHAMPION (0) 2	WALAN ... (0) 2
DAVID & ALBANY 16	FRYNE 18
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 17
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 16
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 15
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 14
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 13
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 12
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 11
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 10
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 9
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 8
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 7
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 6
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 5
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 4
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 3
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 2
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 1
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 0
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 9
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 8
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 7
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 6
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 5
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 4
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 3
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 2
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 1
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 0
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 9
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 8
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 7
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 6
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 5
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 4
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 3
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 2
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 1
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 0
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 9
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 8
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 7
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 6
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 5
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 4
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 3
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 2
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 1
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 0
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 9
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 8
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 7
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 6
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 5
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 4
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 3
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 2
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 1
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 0
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 9
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 8
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 7
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 6
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 5
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 4
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 3
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 2
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 1
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 0
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 9
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 8
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 7
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 6
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 5
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 4
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 3
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 2
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 1
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 0
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 9
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 8
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 7
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 6
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 5
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 4
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 3
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 2
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 1
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 0
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 9
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 8
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 7
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 6
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 5
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 4
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 3
FRYNE 12	FRYNE 2

LEAGUE TWO

ALDERHOFF ... (0) 0	HARTLEFIELD ... (0) 1
BARDON ... (0) 1	HERNACHNER ... (0) 2
GATEHEAD ... (0) 2	WEEKS ... (0) 3
MALINE ... (0) 3	BROOMFIELD ... (0) 3
DEUTENWATER ... (0) 3	EASTLEIGH ... (0) 4
MIDDALE MRS. (0) 4	BOSTON (0) 5
JACKSON ... (0) 5	SCHNEIDER ... (0) 6
JUPITER (0) 5	JACKSONM ... (0) 6
JUMMERS ... (0) 6	WILLIAMS ... (0) 7
MILKINSON ... (0) 7	MILKINSON (0) 7
MILKINSON ... (0) 7	FOREST (0) 8
ROYAL ... (0) 8	CARLISLE ... (0) 9
FRIDNEY MATCHES
DAVELLERMAN (0) 9	JACKWICK ... (0) 1
WENTHING ... (0) 7	LYBRANFURT ... (0) 8
BRADFORD ... (0) 8	BRADFORD ... (0) 8
CHELSEA ... (0) 9	REAL SECREDAY ... (0) 1
JENNIFER ... (0) 1	LELI ... (0) 1
JENNIFER ... (0) 1	CRYSTAL PALACE ... (0) 1
JELMAN ... (0) 1	CRYSTALP ... (0) 1
MILL ... (0) 2	MILL ... (0) 2
LEEDS ... (0) 4	GEORGE ... (0) 5
MAINE ... (0) 2	BURRINGVIEW ... (0) 1

NATIONAL LEAGUE

ALBERGART ... (0) 8	HARTLEFIELD ... (0) 1
BARDON ... (0) 1	HERNACHNER ... (0) 2
GATEHEAD ... (0) 2	WEEKS ... (0) 3
MALINE ... (0) 3	BROOMFIELD ... (0) 3
DEUTENWATER ... (0) 3	EASTLEIGH ... (0) 4
MIDDALE MRS. (0) 4	BOSTON (0) 5
JACKSON ... (0) 5	SCHNEIDER ... (0) 6
JUPITER (0) 5	JACKSONM ... (0) 6
JUMMERS ... (0) 6	CRYSTALP ... (0) 7
MILKINSON ... (0) 7	MILKINSON (0) 7
MILKINSON ... (0) 7	FOREST (0) 8
ROYAL ... (0) 8	CARLISLE ... (0) 9
FRIDNEY MATCHES
DAVELLERMAN (0) 9	JACKWICK ... (0) 1
WENTHING ... (0) 7	LYBRANFURT ... (0) 8
BRADFORD ... (0) 8	BRADFORD ... (0) 8
CHELSEA ... (0) 9	REAL SECREDAY ... (0) 1
JENNIFER ... (0) 1	LELI ... (0) 1
JENNIFER ... (0) 1	CRYSTAL PALACE ... (0) 1
MILKINSON ... (0) 1	CRYSTALP ... (0) 1
MILKINSON ... (0) 1	FOREST (0) 8
DAVELLERMAN (0) 9	JACKWICK ... (0) 1
JENNIFER ... (0) 1	LELI ... (0) 1
JENNIFER ... (0) 1	CRYSTALP ... (0) 1
JENNIFER ... (0) 1	CRYSTALP ... (0) 1
JENNIFER ... (0) 1	CRYSTALP ... (0) 1
JENNIFER ... (0) 1	CRYSTALP ... (0) 1

	P	W	S	L	F	A	GP	Pin
Reynolds 76...	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Reynolds 76...	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Reynolds 76...	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Reynolds 76...	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Reynolds 76...	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Reynolds 76...	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Reynolds 76...	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

SCOTTISH LEAGUE CUP

SECOND ROUND

PROM
KENNEBUCK ... (0) 3	APR. ... (0) 2
Angliff ...	Stirling 5
Schjerning Lumen 75	Taylor 48
Crescent 0	0,365
SOUTHERN
ABRIDGE ... (0) 2	BUNDLE ... (0) 1
Heber 51, 65, Meas 57	10,000
ENHIGLIVE ... (0) 0	COON' ... (0) 4
Truro 22, Daves 24
5/36	Durand 74, Napton 60
DOVERMONT ... (0) 1	ROAD COUNTY ... (0) 2
Demar 78	Chase 39
Chase 55
NUTRIER
HEARTS ... (0) 6	WEDNES 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Portsmouth & Baird 50	Spence 54
Winn 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50
Winn 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50
Winn 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50
Winn 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50
Winn 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 50

WEEK AHEAD

(7-45 unless stated)

TODAY

SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP: Cardiff v Shirefield (8/2).

TOMORROW

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PL 60 - OFF ROUND FIRST LED. Dorset Sofia v AEK Athens ... (8.0) Dinamo Evaries v Wibney 66 ... (8.0) Montenegro v Dover ... (8.0) VERTO TRONY v Northern, Group B Wigan v Arlon 456 (2) (7/3), Group E Stockton County v Gorton (2) (7/3).

Northern, Group E, Reading v Worcester (7/3), Group B, Barnet v Arsenal (2/3), Leyton Street v AFC Wimbledon (7/3), Group B, Northampton v Wimbledon (7/3).

WEDNESDAY

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PL 60 - OFF ROUND FIRST LED. Celtic v LAEK ... (8.0) Slovan Bratislava v CM Carley (8.0)

H Boyer Showa v Sabah Baku. (8.0) HEC v Brade-Silwell ... (8.0) VERTO TRONY v Northern Group B Maritfield v Vale City (2) (7/3).

THURSDAY

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - Play-off Round First Legt. Gent v Allentown (7.50), Here's v Royal Victoria, Lloryn Red High v Loren (5.0), Motherwell v Freiburg (7.30), Rangers v Albionic, Shamrock Rovers v Karth (8.0), Trenton v Brighton (8.0).

SKY BET LEAGUE ONE: Shelf Med v Bradlewood.

FRIDAY

PREMIER LEAGUE

Arsenal v Coventry ... (8.0) WILLIAM HILL SCOTTISH CHAMPIONSHIP: Joannau (1) Parris (7.20) (2.0) (1.0) (0.0) (0.0)

SATURDAY

PREMIER LEAGUE

Breshton v Tottenham... (5.30)

Everton v Crystal Palace ... (8.0) Sally v Main (6.6) ... (12.30) Norwich v Sunderland ... (8.0) Nottingham Forest v Leeds ...

SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP: Birmingham v Bristol City (12.30), Blackburn v Middleborough, Darley's Cardiff, Furside City v Portsmouth (12.30), Milford v Norwich (12.30), Preston North End v Merseyside, QPR v St. Eulhu, Southampton v Stoke, Swindon v Shelf (8.0), West Ham v Charlton, Wrexham v Watford, Redgast and West Bristol v Burnley.

SKY BET LEAGUE ONE: AFC Wimbledon v Reading, Bromley v Cambridge (8.0), Dorchester v Barnsley (12.30), Leicester v Burton Albion, Lillion Herts County (12.30), Milton Keynes (8.0) v Huddersfield, Peterborough v Maverick, Shrewsbury v Salford (8.0), Stockton County v Blackpool, Wigan v Leyton Street, Warrambe v Portsmouth.

SKY BET LEAGUE TWO: Bristol Rovers v Newport County (12.30), Colchester v Bristol, Coney v Northampton, Lotham v Accrington Stanley, Fleetwood Te v Gillingham, Port Vale v Tranmere,

Rochdale v Crawley 75, Rotherham v York, Salford City v Sunderland (12.30), Shrewsbury v Barnet, Swindon v Cheltenham, Walsall v Grimsby (12.30).

WILLIAM HILL PREMIERSHIP Dundee Unit v Dundee ... (5.45) WILLIAM HILL SCOTTISH CHAMPIONSHIP Liverpool v Sunderland, Dunton v Arbroath, Queen's Park v Sturmburne, Salford (8.0).

---

FOOTBALL | Daily Mail Sport 59

Defence is sorted but now Liverpool must replace Mo

CRISIS? What crisis? Two weeks ago, it was fair to say Liverpool had a defensive crisis on their hands and risked going into the new season undercooked.

Virgil van Dijk had not yet returned from an extended break after the World Cup. Joe Gomez had joined Jeremy Jacquet, Giovanni Leoni and Conor Bradley in the treatment room. And youngster Ifeanyi Nduke, who was outstanding on the club's American tour, did not have a work permit to play in the Premier League.

A fortnight on, though, and all seems well. Jacquet made his debut in a friendly against Italian side Como at Anfield yesterday, which ended in a 2-0 win, and did not put a foot wrong in his first match since February 7.

Liverpool have also eased their defensive woes by signing Ronald Araujo from Barcelona on a season-long loan. The versatile Uruguay international also featured against Como.

Van Dijk is back and remains the most reliable member of the squad in terms of availability, while young Italian Leoni is beginning the final stages of his rehabilitation from a lengthy knee injury and hopes to return by the end of next month.

So, just like that, boss Andoni Iraola's biggest pre-season worry is gone.

Jacquet, who moved to Liverpool from Rennes this summer after the clubs struck a £60million agreement in January, looks like the leading contender to partner Van Dijk when the Reds travel to Newcastle for their Premier League opener.

With his first touch just seconds into this friendly, the 21-year-old confidently stepped past a couple of prying attackers. Calm and composed, he appeared to be just what Iraola demands of his defenders, who are told to take risks in possession.

And with his last touch before a planned substitution saw him replaced by Araujo, Jacquet scored to put Liverpool two up against Cesc Fabregas's side. It would have been easier to miss, but Jacquet was still in the right place at the right time.

It is early days, of course. Given his tender age and lack of experience at this level, Jacquet will need time to settle in a new league, especially after missing half of last season with a shoulder problem.

But the first signs are encouraging. Liverpool believe he and Leoni, a 19-year-old 6ft 5in physical specimen, are

Full of promise: Jacquet looked impressive on his Liverpool debut

ACTION IMAGES

By LEWIS STEELE

two of the brightest defenders in the game.

It fills fans with more confidence that a world without Van Dijk — maybe after this season — is not so bleak.

Now the worries at the back have been allayed, attention turns to other problem positions, such as the wide forwards.

Cody Oakpo scored Liverpool's opener and assisted Jacquet's goal, but the left winger has been linked with a move to Tottenham.

The club say they have no plans of selling the Dutchman, but that stance might be tested if they sign Paris Saint-Germain's Bradley Barcola, who is their top target.

Transfer chiefs have been in talks with PSG over a move for Barcola who, alongside fellow target Ibrahim Mbaye, was not even on the subs' bench for the French and European champions in their friendly last night.

It is a big week in that regard, with the clock ticking on Liverpool finally filling the void left by Mohamed Salah.

Gordon dazzles on debut

ANTHONY GORDON caught the eye on his Barcelona debut last night after an extended break following his World Cup exploits with England. The winger, making his first appearance for the La Liga champions since a £69.3million summer move from Newcastle, only played

45 minutes of Barca's 5-2 friendly win over Swiss side Basel. But Catalan daily newspaper Sport said Gordon, 25, was the 'best player in attack' for Hansi Flick's men after a 'very active' performance. Barcelona begin their league campaign at Elche on Sunday night.

By DAVID KENT

CRISTIANO RONALDO has revealed he is likely to call time on his glittering career at the end of the season. The Portuguese legend, 41, has made nearly 1,100 club appearances and scored 830 goals during his 24-year professional career, winning league titles with Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and his current club,

I will probably retire at end of this season, reveals Ronaldo

Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia. He has also won an incredible 233 caps for his country, scoring 146 goals and helping Portugal win Euro 2016. But after marrying his long-term girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez at their

home in Portugal last week, Ronaldo explained that his career is finally drawing to a close. 'This is probably my last year of football and I want to leave a spectacular legacy,' he told Vogue magazine. 'I have

my future all mapped out. I have so many things to keep me busy that to tell you just one thing is hard. 'Because football could leave a big hole, you have to fill your time in various ways, not just one. 'And also have more fun, travel more, watch and play padel, which I really like, and continue to enjoy what I have earned — what we've earned. 'After all, it's been 25 years with a lot of sacrifice.'

---

60 Daily Mail Sport FOOTBALL: CHAMPIONSHIP

Spygate ghosts haunt Saints

IF SOUTHAMPTON had hoped the Spygate saga would be long forgotten about by now, then they are in for a rude awakening this season. Playing their first Championship fixture since the espionage affair that saw them sensationally thrown out of the play-off final in May, Tonda Eckert's side were baited about 'Spygate' on their way to being beaten 2-1 by Watford at Vicarage Road. Eckert's side had no answer to the home team's energy and tenacity yesterday, with Watford's summer signing Iker Bravo and 19-year-old academy product Amin Nalizada handing new manager Alessio Dionisi a fine win in his first official match. 'We made a mistake in possession and they scored with their first chance — these games take a different dynamic

By DAVID KENT

afterwards,' said Eckert. 'The reaction was very positive. 'If you look at the 90 minutes, we didn't get the result we wanted but there were more than enough chances to turn the game around.' Watford's goals both came from errant Saints passes, First, Jack Stephens' aimless kick was seized upon by Bravo, a summer arrival from Udinese in Italy. The 21-year-old Spaniard did not hesitate, driving forward and stabbing the ball home after 12 minutes. The goal lifted the uncertainty that had gathered around Vicarage Road in the build-up to the new season. Australia

winger Nestory Irankunda was sold to Sporting Lisbon on Saturday and last season's captain Imran Louza was left out of the squad by Dionisi after the midfielder again asked to leave the club. Bravo's positivity rubbed off on his team-mates, with Othmane Maamma sending in a shot that Daniel Peretz pushed behind his near post. On the opposite wing, Watford youth product Nalizada seized on another wayward Southampton pass, this time by Ryan Manning, to speed away down the right. It looked as if the teenager had pushed the ball too far as he drove into the Saints area but then he suddenly unleashed a low shot into the far bottom corner for 2-0 on the half-hour. Cyle Larin pulled a goal back after 56 minutes but Eckert's side could not avoid defeat.

Wrexham's title talk

HOLLYWOOD pair Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac have reiterated their ambition for Wrexham to win promotion from the Championship and complete their journey from National League to Premier League. Wrexham kick off their league season with a Welsh derby at Cardiff tonight, having just missed out on a play-off spot last season with a seventh-placed finish. Deadpool star Reynolds said he felt 'obscene pride' at Wrexham's league finish and co-owner Mac underlined their determination to make the top flight after playing in the fifth tier of English football as recently as 2023. 'We want to win and we want to win right now,' he told the Men in Blazers podcast. 'We don't want to win at all or any cost. But believe us when we say,

WATCHING BRIEF...

CARDIFF v WREXHAM

Kick-off: 8pm, Cardiff City Stadium. TV: LIVE on Sky Sports Main Event. Referee: Andrew Kitchen.

we want to win the Championship, go into the Premier League and become the best, because that is the entire endeavour of what football is about.' Wrexham spent £33million last summer building a squad able to compete in the Championship and there has been more investment this year with the signings of Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson, Crystal Palace wing back Danny Imray and Preston midfielder Ben Whiteman.

Superb Flemming darkens

Nuno's race seven further

ROSS

HEPPENSTALL

at Turf Moor

BURNLEY

Flemming 83 (pen), 90-2

WEST HAM

Kilman 16 Solomon 72

NUNO Espirito Santo was interviewed on national radio on Saturday about West Ham's summer of upheaval and the club's prospects for the new season.

He was hardly gushing with enthusiasm as he spoke of boardroom uncertainty, the need for signings and the pressure of being promotion favourites.

Most tellingly, the Hammers boss stressed the importance of resilience and how a collective desire is crucial in negotiating a 46-game Championship season.

Twenty-four hours later, those qualities were ultimately lacking as West Ham surrendered victory in their first game outside the top flight for 14 years.

The Hammers, without playing particularly well, were 2-0 up in the 72nd minute after goals from defender Max Kilman and debutant Manor Solomon.

Burnley could have easily buckled at that point. Instead it was Nuno's men who capitulated during a dramatic final quarter as the outstanding Zian Flemming scored twice to level matters.

Having dropped 20 points from winning positions last season, Nuno's mood was dark as he admitted: 'It's disappointing. We had a very good first half and when we scored the second goal

Zian the lion: Flemming crashes home Burnley's equaliser to break West Ham hearts

GETTY IMAGES

we should have done better to get the result. There are many things we have to improve on.'

Having failed to save the club from relegation last term, Nuno knows only promotion will do this time around.

His men led in the 10th minute when Kilman headed home an unswinging corner from captain Jarrod Bowen.

Then West Ham fans, who aired vicious chants against unpopular former co-chair David Sullivan, were delighted when Mohamadou Kante reached the right-hand byline and crossed for Solomon to slam home from six yards.

Game over? No chance.

Flemming, who caused the Hammers defence problems all afternoon — nodding against a post and then having a header cleared off the line before the hour — then took centre stage.

The Dutch striker converted an 83rd-minute penalty after Ollie Scarles' clumsy challenge on Marcus Edwards and was then on hand to rifle home a low right-footed leveler in the second minute of added-time, sparking wild home celebrations.

West Ham broke the EFL transfer record by paying £22m for Celtic midfielder Arne Engels over the weekend, but Nuno still wants more new faces. The

Portuguese, who named a handful of academy products on the bench, added: 'We need more players, especially offensively.'

The contrast in mood between Nuno and new Burnley boss Nicky Hayen could not have been greater.

Hayen, a relatively unknown Belgian, celebrated his 4618 birthday in style, saying: 'We played a good game and showed a lot of courage and resilience, so I'm really satisfied. We wanted to make a connection with the fans and bring energy to the stadium for 95 minutes.

'That's exactly what we did and the fans supported us — you

HOW THEY STAND

	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
OPR	1	1	0	0	3	1	2	3
Millwall	1	1	0	0	2	0	2	3
Swanee	1	1	0	0	2	1	1	3
West Brom	1	1	0	0	2	1	1	3
Bolton	1	1	0	0	2	1	1	3
Charlton	1	1	0	0	2	1	1	3
Middlesbrough	1	1	0	0	2	1	1	3
Watford	1	1	0	0	2	1	1	3
Blackburn	1	1	0	0	2	2	0	1
West Ham	1	1	0	0	2	2	0	1
Burnley	1	1	0	0	2	2	0	1
Wolves	1	1	0	0	2	2	0	1
Birmingham	1	1	0	0	2	2	0	1
Sheffield	1	1	0	0	2	2	0	1
Cardiff	1	1	0	0	2	2	0	1
Wrexham	1	1	0	0	2	2	0	1
Derby	1	1	0	0	2	2	0	1
Lincoln City	1	1	0	0	2	2	0	1
Preston	1	1	0	0	2	2	0	1
Norwich	1	1	0	0	2	2	0	1
Stoke	1	1	0	0	2	2	0	1
Portsmouth	1	1	0	0	2	2	0	1
Bristol City	1	1	0	0	2	2	0	1
Southampton	1	1	0	0	2	2	0	1

could feel the adrenaline. 'The concern for Burnley fans is that the window remains open and Flemming, who scored 12 Premier League goals last season, could be sold before the deadline.

Hayen added with a smile: 'Well, it didn't help he scored twice! But we have the ambition to go up and we showed resilience to get a point. Maybe we deserved more.'

BURNLEY (3-4-2-0) Welis 6; Walker 6.5, Alleyne 6, Humphreys 6 (Pires 76min); Sonne 6, Majbril 6 (Amdoue 57, 6), Rophinder 6 (Laurent 37, 7), Bruun Larsen 6.5 (Cresor 82); Edwards 7, Ramsey 6.5 (Broja 76); FLEMMING 9. Scorer: Flemming 83 (pen), 90-2. Booked: Flemming. Manager: Nicky Hayen 8. WEST HAM (4-4-2) Hermansen 6; Walker-Weber 6, Kilman 6.5, Murriganos 6, Scarles 6.5 (Dixol 87); Bowen 6.5, Kante 6.5, Dillard 6, Solomon 7 (Vietnam 89); Castellanos 6, Pablo 6 (Ward-Prowne 46, 6). Kramer, Kilman 10, Solomon 72. Booked: Kante, Castellanos, Hermansen, Dixol. Manager: Nuno Espirito Santo 6. Referee: Josh Smith 6.5. Attendance: 22,546.

---

FOOTBALL: COMMUNITY SHIELD | Daily Mail Sport 61

JACK GAUGHAN at the Principality Stadium

THE odds were extremely lengthy; the name not on anybody's bingo card. Maybe it will be a quiz question in years to come, albeit a tame one.

Jack Grealish was the first substitution of the Enzo Maresca era at Manchester City yesterday, called upon at half-time of what started as an abject afternoon and never recovered.

Grealish, the man with one Premier League start to his name for the club since December 2024, was out on the Principality Stadium pitch on his own as Maresca debriefed everybody else in the dressing room on a horrible first half.

Two members of the performance staff put Grealish through his paces before set-piece coach James French emerged with an iPad. Presumably the message was to win some free-kicks, because City could barely lay a glove on Arsenal from open play. And when Martin Odegard pole-axed Grealish as he skipped beyond the Arsenal captain with an impish first touch, it felt like old times.

But those times are unlikely to return permanently. City are waiting for a buyer, although that is unlikely to be Everton.

Grealish started last season's loan spell positively, with some calling for an international recall after a string of assists, but his influence waned before a stress fracture in his foot ended the campaign prematurely shortly after the new year.

The Toffees are not inclined to go back in for the 30-year-old, shying away from a return after David Moyes had a sustained period of time working with him. There is interest from other Premier League clubs, though they are thought to have more pressing priorities in the transfer window. So Grealish's future may not be resolved for a while yet. 'Overall I think Jack was good,' Maresca said last night. 'The ones who are still here and want to work every day... if they deserve it, they are going to get minutes. At the moment the

By JACK GAUGHAN

ENZO MARESCA wants Manchester City to be active in the transfer market before their Premier League campaign starts on Sunday — after Barcelona finally agreed a £65.4million deal to sign Rodri. City's 3-0 defeat by Arsenal in yesterday's Community Shield laid bare the need for central midfield reinforcements, though a move for Lille and Morocco midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi is nearing completion. Barca were last night finalising an agreement to land Rodri, who was not with Maresca's squad in Cardiff. 'Rodri is a player who just won the World Cup and Ballon d'Or,' said Maresca before news of the agreement broke. 'He's a top player, all the teams need a player like Rodri, so it's not about if we

Jack is not the lad for Maresca ...time for him to find new home

Uncertain future: Grealish in training and battling with Cristhian Mosquera yesterday

transfer window is open and we will see what happens.'

What Grealish's introduction did indicate is the need for City to move in the market. Savinho — who is hopeful of pushing through a move to Tottenham — was not in Cardiff after being described as

unwell when missing training in the week.

With youngster Ryan McAdoo nursing a shoulder problem sustained during the pre-season tour of Asia, Maresca was without other options on the bench in that area of the pitch. If Savinho

does get his wish, the only natural, senior wingers on the books expected to have a true impact this season are Jeremy Doku and Antoine Remenyo, so City need to sign reinforcements. McAdoo will be given the chance to prove himself as an

option and will probably be utilised in the cup competitions. But clearly he is not the immediate answer, despite his undoubted talent.

The 18-year-old has impressed the new manager with a direct style and willingness to beat a man one-on-one — not something for which Grealish has been known as City.

His best form under Pep Guardiola came in acting as the integral ball carrier during the run to the Treble in 2023, winning fouls like the one committed by Odegard yesterday or shielding the ball, allowing City to pick their moments.

All the noises around how Maresca wants this team to play suggest those skills are not top of the list for his wingers. Grealish's six-year contract expires next summer and it is more likely someone will take him on a temporary deal rather than a permanent one at this stage.

Grealish would have headed off on City's pre-season tour had he not suffered an injury, doing rehabilitation in Majorca with club staff. He has been back training with the squad over the past few days.

City have changed their squad numbers, with Grealish wearing the No 18. Rayan Cherki, the mercurial attacking midfielder who couldn't hide his frustrating at lacklustre displays from his team-mates in the Welsh capital, has taken the No 18.

The adoration for Grealish remains. The loudest cheer of the afternoon from an understandably subdued City end came as the former Aston Villa captain trotted behind David Raya's goal to warm up.

There is still a great deal of warmth for somebody who will always go down in the pantheon, purely for his role in 2023.

That is the same at Everton — Grealish is hugely popular with staff — but his career appears to lie away from both those clubs now. It is down to somebody else to harness the obvious talent that has not shone brightly enough for three years.

It is down to the player to recapture the love and dedication to his craft. That has been missing for too long, yet the way he longingly stared into the distance as Arsenal celebrated at full time did suggest these days mean something to him.

The best result for City and Grealish is that a new home is found for him sooner rather than later.

Barca land Rodri for £65m as Enzo calls for signings

miss Rodri or not.' City still hold an interest in Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez, despite the Blues' Friday deadline to lodge a £120m bid having passed without a formal offer being made. 'He [Bouaddi] is still a Lille player,' Maresca said of the 18-year-old. 'Any new signing, the sooner they arrive the better because we are starting the Premier League in one week [City begin with a trip to Brighton on Sunday]. 'If they start to work with us as soon as possible it's better so they can understand the way we want to play.'

Bouaddi — who was on the bench as Lille drew at Everton in a pre-season friendly on Saturday — wants to join City and the French club's boss Davide Ancelotti confirmed there had been negotiations between the clubs. Tijani Reijnders is joining Al Qadsiah in Saudi Arabia for £52m after just one season at the club and Maresca admitted there is business City need to do if they are to compete for the biggest trophies again this season. Elliot Anderson, Nico O'Reilly, Jeremy Doku and Erling Haaland all started the

Community Shield, despite only returning to training in midweek. 'Elliot was quite good for his first game,' said Maresca. 'We decided to start with four who had just two or three sessions. The reason was because sometimes players prefer to start. The plan was to change all of them after 45 minutes, or an hour maximum.' City started sluggishly, conceding inside the first minute, and Maresca criticised his team for not being 'switched on'. Captain Ruben Dias said the display was 'frustrating'. He added: 'It's not good enough. Many things are changing, a new manager as well. If there is a lesson to be learned in a final, let it be this one because there are a lot more coming. The most important thing is we're already looking forward and we'll be ready for our next game.'

---

62 Daily Mail Sport FOOTBALL: COMMUNITY SHIELD

Odegaard looks determined to prove his point

From Back Page

manner that we competed. So that's a standard for us and if we have the standards at this level, I'm sure we're going to be really competitive," he said. "Probably there's more belief (after winning the title), you know how to do it, you know what it takes to win it. Everybody contributed and last season that was the biggest asset of the team. We know that is going to be exactly the same. I'm obviously extremely happy with the performance, the result and winning the first trophy. I told them I really enjoyed watching them. "We talked about the desire that we have to start the season and to show ourselves how much we want it, and I certainly saw a lot of positive things out there against a top opponent." Odegaard

stole the show and led from the front, setting the tone for Arsenal's display. The Norwegian midfielder suffered with injuries during the title-winning campaign and his manager believes he feels he has a point to prove. Arteta said: "He missed five or six months for different things and it was extremely difficult for him to get any momentum, so I'm sure this year — if we can maintain him fit and available with the players around him — we're going to see a very different Martin. I sensed from the first day that he joined that he has something else in the belly that he wants to prove and show it, because the team needs it as well." Arteta was also impressed with debutant Christos Tzolis, saying: "Naturally he has accommodated in the squad. He is very smart and accurate."

Glum: City players look stunned as they are outplayed MP

WHEN the curtain went up on the new Premier League season at the Principality Stadium, Manchester City recoiled at what they saw.

Pep Guardiola was not standing on the touchline for a start. In his stead, poor Enzo Maresca looked like a man blotted out by the shadow of his predecessor's greatness.

City were a goal down to Arsenal after 23 seconds. They were two down after 28 minutes. They looked tentative and unsure, as if Guardiola's magic cloak that had shielded them the last ten years had suddenly been snatched away. This occasion is a glorified

Arsenal revel in their dominance to hand city a reality check

friendly but it was still strange to see City looking so diminished.

Even the Arsenal supporters seemed startled by it. "Are you Tottenham in disguise?" they sung before half-time. And then, to remind City that Arsenal are the new kings, Gunners fans turned their backs on the pitch and did 'the Poznan', City's signature dance of delight. Maresca was serenaded with chants of 'you're getting sacked in the morning.'

It would be unwise to extrapolate too much from this

encounter but it would still be fair to say that Arsenal are going into the new season infused with the belief and the joy of being defending champions for the first time in 22 years while City are gripped by the uncertainty that comes with losing one of the greatest coaches of all time.

If you want one example of the exuberance of this crushing win, then look no further than Arsenal's third goal, two minutes after the interval. One of their two new signings, Christos Tzolis, stole in from the left and played a ball to

Martin Odegaard, who looks a player rejuvenated by his World Cup adventure with Norway, and was the man of the match.

Odegaard took it first time, the way a rugby player might take a line-breaking pass. His first touch took him clear of the City defence and left him with only Gianluigi Donnarumma to beat.

Odegaard shaped to shoot and sat Donnarumma down on his backside. He took one more touch and then rolled the ball nonchalantly into the back of the net. It was champagne stuff.

Arsenal had grown in confidence from the end of last season, when they dragged themselves over the line to win the title.

This was a team that knows now that it can win big. This was a team that did not shrink from its dominance but revelled in it. In this match, at least, they more than justified their status as favourites to win the league for a second season in succession.

Their chances would be helped if they did not sell Myles Lewis-Skelly before the end of the transfer window. Lewis-Skelly has

---

FOOTBALL: COMMUNITY SHIELD

Daily Mail Sport

63

been linked with a move to Chelsea but he was the dynamo at the heart of the Arsenal midfield and gelled well with Arsenal's other new signing, Bruno Guimaraes, before Declan Rice came on in the second half.

A reminder of Arsenal's formidable strength in depth arrived midway through the second half when, with his team 3-0 up, Bukayo Saka came off the bench to resounding cheers from the Arsenal support. Maresca looked bewildered as he looked on in the sunshine. He knew following Guardiola would not be easy. This match underlined how difficult it is going to be.

It was also a reminder of what life may look like without Rodri. The Spain midfielder was not included in the squad and has agreed a move to Barcelona.

City missed his control badly. Maresca is said to want to buy Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea to help replace him but Fernandez is no Rodri.

Elliot Anderson, City's new £1.16m signing from Nottingham Forest, worked hard but looked a little lost in a midfield that was overrun by Arsenal's. This defeat felt like a foretaste of the struggles City will face as they try to embrace life after the man who has dominated the club for a decade.

Arsenal had opened the scoring almost before Maresca had taken his seat in the City dug-out. Ben White played a pass across the face of the area and Lewis-Skelly

CARDIFF hosted yesterday's Community Shield because Canadian pop star The Weeknd had Wembley booked out for a concert. It is the third time since the new Wembley opened in 2007 that the curtain-raiser has been held elsewhere — Villa Park hosted in 2012 because the Olympic football tournament was being played at Wembley and Leicester's King Power Stadium was the venue in 2022 due to the Women's Euros final.

slipped a brilliant pass inside a City defender to Riccardo Calafiori. Calafiori had time to look up and rifle his shot past Donnarumma. It was not quite the start Maresca had been hoping for.

City looked disjointed and full of uncertainty in the early stages. Arsenal were brimming with confidence. Odegaard nutmegged Anderson in the middle of the pitch, Noni Madueke stretched play on the right and Guimaraes looked comfortable alongside Lewis-Skelly.

It was 20 minutes until City mustered anything that resembled a chance. A shot from Phil Foden bounced just in front of David Raya but even though the goalkeeper could only push it back into the danger area, it was scrambled away.

City remained very much

IT'S NOT ALWAYS A GOOD OMEN!

ONLY one team has won the Premier League after winning the Community Shield in the last 15 years. Crystal Palace were the first club to lift another trophy in the same season in five years...

YEAR WINNERS TROPHIES WON
2016	Man Utd LC, EL
2017	Arsenal None
2018	Man City PL, LC, FAC
2019	Man City LC
2020	Arsenal None
2021	Leicester None
2022	Liverpool None
2023	Arsenal None
2024	Man City None
2025	Crystal Palace UCL

OPENING WEEKEND FIXTURES: FRIDAY: Arsenal v Coventry (3pm).

SATURDAY (3pm unless stated): Hull v Man Utd (12.30pm), Ipswich v Sunderland, Everton v Crystal Palace, Nottm Forest v Leeds, Brentford v Tottenham (5.30pm). SUNDAY: Manchester City v Bournemouth (2pm), Brighton v Aston Villa (2pm), Newcastle v Liverpool (4.30pm). NEXT MONDAY: Fulham v Chelsea (8pm).

23 RICCARDO CALAFIORI'S goal after 23 seconds was the first scored in the opening minute of the Community Shield since Bobby Owen scored for Manchester City against West Brom in 1968.

second best. It was strange to see them looking so diminished.

Arsenal got the second goal their superiority deserved in the 28th minute. Odegaard curled a cross deep to the back post where Tzolis headed it across goal towards Kai Havertz. Havertz leapt and nodded the ball down and even though Donnarumma got his hands to it, he could not keep it out.

City had two chances to get back into the game in the space of 30 seconds just before half-time. First, Jeremy Doku played a ball back to Erling Haaland but the striker's sidefooted shot was too close to Raya. Then Doku met a pass on the volley eight yards out but his effort was deflected over the bar by White.

Then Odegaard got the third just after the interval and even City knew the jig was up. For Maresca, the match became an exercise in damage limitation.

And when City did fashion a chance ten minutes before the end, Raya provided an example of what a fine defensive unit Arsenal are with a brilliant one-handed stop to deny Antoine Semenyo.

It was City's last chance to salvage something from a sobering afternoon. Life without Guardiola has not started well.

IT'S TIME FOR JACK TO FIND A NEW HOME

JACK GAUGHAN: PAGE 61

BIG MATCH PLAYER RATINGS

BY ISAAN KHAN AND JACK GAUGHAN AT PRINCIPALITY STADIUM

ARSENAL

(4-3-3) TEAM AVERAGE 7.5

DAVID RAYA

Good low save to deny Haaland after 20 minutes, dropping down quickly. Arsenal are a different team with him in goal.

BEN WHITE

Made some good overlaps, often his best work. Plagued by injuries in recent years but his resurgence is promising.

GABRIEL

Very much up for the fight, with Haaland a keen target after their battle in Norway's win over Brazil at the World Cup.

CRISTHIAN MOSQUERA

Often left one-on-one with Haaland but used his pace to keep up with the Norwegian and stepped up to the task.

RICCARDO CALAFIORI

Opened the scoring with a neat finish after 23 seconds. Takes up great positions in final third which cause teams problems.

MARTIN ODEGAARD

Ran the show in midfield. A real captain's display. Sharp cross in build-up to Havertz's header and then scored the third.

BRUNO GUIMARAES

Charged around with intent. Kept looking to move the ball forward and didn't shy away from challenges.

MYLES LEWIS-SKELLY

Sublime pass between two City players set Calafiori on his way to scoring. Wriggled past players and offensively minded.

NONI MADUEKE

Had a lot of the ball, especially in the first half, but did not have much end product. Execution needed to be better.

KAI HAVERTZ

Rundled home his header under Donnarumma for 2-0. Held the ball up well and kept looking to get into channels.

CHRISTOS TZOLIS

Two assists in a spirited showing. Arsenal are looking for another left winger but he won't give up his place easily. SUBSTITUTES

Rice 7 (for Guimaraes, 46min) Hincapie 7 (for Calafiori, 60)

Saka 7 (for Madueke, 60)

Zubimendi (for Lewis-Skelly, 76) Gyokeres (for Havertz, 76)

MIKEL ARTETA

Rested big guns but got team selection right. Very promising.

REFEREE: SAM BARROTT

MAN CITY

(4-2-3-1) TEAM AVERAGE 5.3

GIANLUIGI DONNARUMMA 5

Should have got a strong arm on Havertz's header instead of parrying into the net. Some shaky moments on the ball.

ABDUKODIR KHUSANOV 4.5

Hugely culpable for Havertz's goal, allowing Tzolis to run off him unchecked in the build-up. Unusually tentative all game.

RUBEN DIAS

Struggled with runners in behind. Committed to aerial duels that he lost and left City in trouble on the break.

JOSKO GVARDIOL

Distribution was really poor, giving the ball away far too often. Too slow to react to Odegaard's run for the third.

NICO O'REILLY

Clearly rusty after joining up with the squad on Wednesday but did not have much help in dealing with Madueke.

ELLIOT ANDERSON

Needs more dynamism next to him if he is to be the success City expect. Short on match fitness after the World Cup.

MATEO KOVACIC

Not enough bite and lacked physicality to cover ground defensively, which explains why City are seeking a midfielder.

ANTOINE SEMENYO

Not nearly as effective on the right wing as on left. A couple of bright moments to create chances and a late shot.

PHIL FODEN

Won't want to see the first goal back — not strong enough with Lewis-Skelly. Flitted in and out. One dangerous effort.

JEREMY DOKU

City were most threatening when Doku was involved. Ran at his marker and tried to drive forward, with mixed results.

ERLING HAALAND

One clear sight of goal, when he was denied by Raya. A frustrating day against highly motivated Arsenal defenders. SUBSTITUTES

Grealish 6 (for Doku, 46min) Marmoush 5.5 (for Haaland, 53) Gaebi 6 (for O'Reilly, 54) Lewis 6.5 (for Anderson, 60) Gonzalez (for Kovacic, 79)

ENZO MARESCA

A limp start to his reign. City never looked like challenging.

6 ATTENDANCE: 58,056

---

Arsenal

ARSENAL 3 MAN CITY 0

WASHINGTON

Flying start: Arsenal's players celebrate after beating Manchester City and winning the Community Shield in Cardiff

PA

GUNNERS GLORY

ISAAN KHAN

at the Principality Stadium

ARSENAL laid down a marker for their Premier League title defence by sweeping aside Manchester City to win yesterday's Community Shield.

Riccardo Calafiori's opener after

Arsenal swat aside City to make title statement

just 23 seconds set the tone for a one-sided clash in Cardiff, with Kai Havertz adding a second before half-time.

And three minutes into the

second-half, man of the match Martin Odegaard added a third to kill any hopes of a City comeback, in Enzo Maresca's first competitive match in charge since he

replaced Pep Guardiola. The London club's victory over the FA Cup holders gave them their second trophy in four months and their 18th Community Shield, leaving boss Mikel Arteta purring.

"Very impressed in the manner that we played, especially in the

TURN TO PAGE 62, COL 1

Medal queen: Hunt REUTERS

Golden GIRLS

EURO JOY FOR HUNT

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ACROSS

1 Grief (9)

6 Novel (3)

8 Conflict (6)

9 Boundary

or edge (5)

10 Hinder (6)

11 Expert (7)

13 Towed vehicle (7)

16 Canadian

capital (6)

18 Bring upon

oneself (5)

19 Listen to or view

a broadcast (4,2)

21 Wildebeest (3)

22 Act in a dishonest

or unfair

way (4,5)

DOWN

1 Of high

temperature (3)

2 Nimble (5)

3 May, former

prime minister (7)

4 Spicy pepper (6)

5 Tooth

covering (6)

7 Unusually

reserved or

shy (9)

8 Needlework (9)

12 Tangled (7)

14 Recover or

regain (6)

15 Italian city (6)

17 Male voice (5)

20 Very cold (3)

SATURDAY'S SOLUTION (NO 10,494) - ACROSS: 1 On schedule. 6 One-way. 7 Rows. 9 Armada. 10 Elm. 11 Soils. 14 Tall. 15 Dad. 16 Abacus. 17 Draft. 18 Canopy. 20 Dilly-daily. DOWN: 1 Own. 2 Sewers. 3 Heyday. 4 Dermal. 5 Las Vegas. 6 One-sided. 8 Simplify. 9 Abu Dhabi. 12 Pastel. 13 Rancid. 14 Tunnel. 19 Pry.

SOLUTION TOMORROW

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