Must Reads
Family left devastated after losing everything including their pets in horrendous fire
A family has been left devastated after a fire caused by a tumble dryer ripped through their home destroying everything and killing their pet cats. Alan Beal and partner Nikki Coop, both 35, were not contents insured and believe they have "lost 99 per cent" of their belongings in the horror blaze. The fire happened while no one was home, and is believed to have been sparked by a faulty 10-year-old tumble dryer. Alan had loaded the dryer while...
Seven police officers were treated in hospital after chemical hazard alert
Seven police officers were treated in hospital today and around 60 people evacuated from their homes after a chemical hazard alert in an upmarket road. The incident began around 5am as police conducted what they described as 'a routine arrest' at an address where surrounding properties are worth £1.2 million. The occupant of the Oxford house alerted them to a potential chemical hazard at his property and neighbours were roused from their beds and evacuated. Seven police officers suffered minor...
19 shocking facts about the homelessness epidemic in the UK
Channel 4’s 999: What’s Your Emergency?, which examines the challenging work of the police, paramedics and fire service in Wiltshire. Through their research they have revealed 18 shocking facts about the homeless crisis in the UK. 1.More than 4,000 people are sleeping rough on the Nation’s Streets 2.The need for social housing is now vastly outstripping supply with 1.24 million households on local authority waiting list 3.Over the last 7 years the number of people sleeping on the streets has...
Two police officers lose jobs after being overheard saying they hope boy ‘gets raped’ on mum’s answerphone
Two police officers have lost their jobs after they were caught saying they hoped a vulnerable teen "got raped" - on the boy's mother's answer machine. PC Samuel Dexter and PC Hannah Mayo did not realise their shocking conversation was being caught on voicemail. The officers had driven over to the family's house after receiving a phone call from the 14-year-old's mother. PC Dexter had previously attended the address earlier that same evening, when the boy's mother had phoned the...
U.K. public unaware of the contribution of horses and donkeys in WW1
A recent survey conducted for Brooke Action for Working Horses and donkeys, has found that the U.K. public are largely unaware of how many horses died in the First World War, despite the fact that the majority (80%) knew that horses were used in the conflict. Only 12% of the U.K. public knew that between 1914 and 1918, eight million of these animals died on all sides. Brooke has today launched Every Horse Remembered, a new campaign to highlight the...
Cheeky red squirrel takes over from the camera man to show how it’s done
This is the comical moment a red squirrel gets behind the camera to show a professional wildlife photographer how it's done. The cheeky creature clambered up to the lens after spotting the Fuji Film X-T2 camera set up in nature reserve. He looked just the part as he looked through the view finder ready to take the perfect shot. Wildlife photograph Alan Hewitt was stunned to see the bushy-tailed rascal taking the reigns but managed to snap the squirrel in...
Mum-of-four had benefits cut as she was too sick to attend meeting died cold & alone wrapped in a coat and scarf, her family claimed
A mum-of-four who had her benefits cut after she was too sick to attend a meeting died cold and alone wrapped in a coat and scarf, her family claimed yesterday. Elaine Morrall, 38, had her benefits stopped because she failed to attend a meeting about universal credit as she was in a hospital intensive care unit, they said. Elaine, who suffered from an eating disorder and mental health problems, was found dead in her housing trust home earlier this month....
Devoted bird keeps coming back to the RSPCA centre that rescued him – because he’s fallen in love with staff
A dove have fallen in love with the people who rescued him and keeps sneaking back into the animal sanctuary - through the cat flap. The bird, named Dave, was found injured in New Malden, south west London on October 12, and taken to an RSPCA rescue centre. But despite being released back into the wild after being nursed back to health, the loved-up dove keeps coming back to RSPCA Millbrook Animal Centre, almost every day - because he's fallen...
Train staff tell passenger to pick up suspicious unattended bag and “hand it in”
A worried passenger was shocked when she reported a suspicious abandoned bag on a train and was told by staff to pick it up herself. Georgia Stone, 22, was on an 08.49am Greater Anglia service to London when she spotted a large unattended sports bag yesterday. She said on Twitter: "08.49 Bishops Stortford to Liverpool Street someone has left a large sports bag on the train on a seat by itself." Greater Anglia replied: "Hi. If there is no-one around...