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SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2026

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PRIVACY CASE: DAY OF RECKONING

Harry, Elton & Co will have to pay millions to Mail

Prince and other claimants face up to £34.5m bill for court costs

By Sam Greenhill

Chief Reporter

PRINCE Harry and his fellow claimants face a bill of up to £34.5million after the High Court ruled their 'inadequate' Daily Mail hacking case was 'unreasonable to a high degree'.

The Duke of Sussex, Doreen Lawrence, Sir Elton John and others have seven days to pay an initial instalment of £9.54million, a judge ordered.

Mr Justice Nicklin granted a rare 'indemnity order', concluding that not only did the claimants lose their 'speculative' case, they knew before launching it that the evidence was insufficient. He said it warranted an unusual ruling obliging them to pay extra costs because grave claims, including of criminal conduct, had been 'inadequate' and speculative from the start.

The devastating ruling is a disaster for Prince Harry a day after it was revealed that he and

Turn to Page 4

STRICTLY EXCLUSIVE

Giovanni: what REALLY happened between me and Amanda

SEE PAGES 24-26

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Page 2

Daily Mail, Saturday, August 22, 2026

Weather

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

Summary: Sunny, mild

UK TODAY: The day begins chilly with sunshine and light northerly winds. The afternoon turns warm and mostly cloudy, while the evening sees a mix of sunny intervals and gentle northeast breezes. Max 21c.

Today's weather

	9am	12noon	3pm	6pm	9pm
London	0 15c	0 19c	0 23c	0 23c	0 18c
Plymouth	0 16c	0 20c	0 23c	0 19c	0 17c
Cardiff	0 15c	0 18c	0 19c	0 19c	0 17c
B'ham	0 14c	0 17c	0 19c	0 20c	0 16c
M'chester	0 13c	0 17c	0 19c	0 18c	0 14c
Newcastle	0 13c	0 15c	0 17c	0 15c	0 13c
Glasgow	0 12c	0 15c	0 17c	0 17c	0 14c
Aberdeen	0 12c	0 15c	0 17c	0 16c	0 14c
Belfast	0 13c	0 15c	0 17c	0 16c	0 13c

5 day forecast

	Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu
London	0 24c	0 24c	0 26c	0 26c	0 24c
Plymouth	0 23c	0 22c	0 22c	0 22c	0 22c
Cardiff	0 23c	0 24c	0 25c	0 24c	0 22c
B'ham	0 22c	0 23c	0 24c	0 24c	0 22c
M'chester	0 20c	0 22c	0 22c	0 23c	0 21c
Newcastle	0 20c	0 20c	0 18c	0 23c	0 20c
Glasgow	0 18c	0 20c	0 20c	0 20c	0 20c
Aberdeen	0 18c	0 19c	0 17c	0 18c	0 19c
Belfast	0 18c	0 20c	0 19c	0 19c	0 19c

Europe forecast

	October	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th
Amsterdam	Sat	19	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24
Brussels	Thunder	19	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26
Frankfurt	Stevens	21	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27

Around the world yesterday

	September	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th
Algiers	Sunny	13	16	Florence	Thunder	28	32	New Delhi	Sunny	24	30
Amsterdam	Thunder	19	18	Geneva	Stevens	16	18	New York	Sunny	28	32
Athens	Sunny	16	17	Gibraltar	Sunny	27	31	Minn	Sunny	25	29
Auckland	Cloudy	14	15	Guernsey	Thunder	17	18	Oak	Fair	20	24
Bahrain	Sunny	14	15	Montreal	Fair	19	20	Palestine	Stevens	22	26
Barcelona	Thunder	28	32	Hong Kong	Thunder	28	32	Perth	Cloudy	22	27
Basra	Sunny	42	38	Inverness	Sunny	18	18	Perth	Sunny	22	28
Beijing	Sunny	31	30	Istanbul	Sunny	26	26	Prague	Cloudy	22	23
Beirut	Sunny	30	28	Jersey	Thunder	18	18	Madras	Sunny	20	26
Beijing	Cloudy	17	15	Larnaca	Sunny	20	20	Rapa	Fair	22	25
Belgrade	Sunny	20	20	Las Palmas	Fair	29	24	Rome	Thunder	23	30
Berlin	Fair	24	25	Lisbon	Sunny	25	27	Singapore	Sunny	23	30
Borussia	Thunder	21	20	London	Fair	20	20	Stockholm	Thunder	16	30
Bridgway	Sunny	21	20	Los Angeles	Sunny	24	25	Strasbourg	Fair	17	33
Brussels	Cloudy	20	20	Lyon	Sunny	27	30	Sydney	Fair	22	27
Bucharest	Sunny	13	16	Madrid	Sunny	28	30	Sydney	Thunder	23	27
Budapest	Fair	31	30	Moldova	Sunny	30	30	Sel-Arm	Sunny	22	28
Cairo	Sunny	32	30	Malta	Sunny	32	30	Savannah	Sunny	22	28
Cape Town	Sunny	19	18	Melbourne	Cloudy	13	15	Tokyo	Fair	22	26
Casablanca	Thunder	26	25	Mexico City	Fair	18	18	Toronto	Sunny	23	23
Copenhagen	Cloudy	20	20	Miami	Fair	14	15	Suiza	Sunny	26	27
Corfu	Sunny	13	16	Milan	Thunder	20	20	Vancouver	Sunny	22	23
Dubai	Sunny	42	38	Montreal	Sunny	22	22	Mexico	Thunder	22	23
Dublin	Cloudy	19	18	Mexico	Stevens	20	20	Vienna	Cloudy	23	27
Dubrovnik	Sunny	29	29	Munich	Stevens	20	20	Warsaw	Fair	20	29
Faro	Sunny	24	25	Nairobi	Fair	21	21	Washington	Fair	14	32

Moon and Sun

MOBA/Van 2, 5th, 6th

Sun/Van London 5.5.7pm, sets: 8.0pm

Manchester rises 8.8am, sets: 8.22am

NGW/TDE/London Bridge: 9.5.6pm

Liverpool: 7.8.6pm

Extremes (24 hrs to 10pm Thu)

Warmer: British, 3rd.

Cabinet: Darwin/Irwin No 2, 2c.

Wetted: Minnesota No 2, 25.30pm.

Sentinel: Shoeburn/Irwin, Larch/40.

15.5.9s.

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Hosepipe ban could carry on till Christmas, warns Thames Water

THAMES Water admits its hosepipe ban could remain in place for the next four months.

Nevil Muncaster, strategic water resources director at the company, said: 'Realistically, it's going to be towards the end of the year before (the ban) comes off. That's something that we need to make sure we do just to protect the environment.'

When temperatures go beyond 25C (77F), customers tend to use 25 per cent more water than usual.

And when it is hotter than 30C (86F), as it has been on 38 days so far this

By Katherine Lawton

year, that rises to 50 per cent more than usual, he said.

All 83 million of its customers were hit with restrictions last month when drought was declared across most of England and Wales.

Rain has returned to parts of the UK this week, but it will not reverse the drought conditions.

It comes as thousands of insect and spider-bite victims have desperately sought help from the NHS website. Analysis by NHS England found there

were 90,206 visits to the NHS website page on bites and stings in June.

This soared by 35.2 per cent in July when there were 121,976 visits.

Hits peaked in the week of July 6, when there were 33,972 visits - the equivalent of one every 18 seconds.

Professor Frankie Swords, national medical director at NHS England, advised victims to look at the website first. But he added: 'A pharmacist can also provide treatments, such as antihistamines and steroid creams and give the same antibiotics as a GP when a bite or sting is infected.'

By John-Paul Ford Rojas Deputy Business Editor

CHANCELLOR John Healey has been left with 'razor thin' financial headroom ahead of his first Budget after figures showed Labour is spending nearly £1 billion a day on benefits.

The surge in the cost of welfare and the state pension to £29.5billion last month helped deliver worse than expected borrowing figures yesterday.

It will add to fears that Mr Healey will hike taxes at the Budget in October to pay for Andy Burnham's spending plans. The Resolution Foundation think-tank believes his 'headroom' against Budget rules has now shrunk from £24billion to less than £8billion.

Borrowing - the shortfall between government spending and its tax income - climbed to £1.8billion in July, up from £1.1billion in the same month a year ago.

Economists had forecast public finances would break even in July - traditionally a bumper month for self-assessment tax receipts.

But while the Government did rake in more taxes, the increase in spending was even bigger.

The rise in borrowing was also driven by higher interest payments on Britain's debt. The payments climbed by 10 per cent to £7.7billion.

The UK debt pile has now swollen to £2.98 trillion according to yesterday's figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Tory shadow chancellor Sir Mel Stride said: 'Labour will just keep tapping the nation's credit card, even with the bailiffs at the door.'

Borrowing for the first four

Saturday

Staggering sum spent on benefits gives Healey a Budget headache

... and raises spectre of tax hikes

Decisions: John Healey

months of the financial year, from April to July, stands at £56.7 billion. That is £2.3billion higher than forecast by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) at the time of the previous Chancellor's spring statement in March.

That will narrow the scope for Mr Healey to meet fiscal rules obliging him to bring borrowing and debt levels down. In March, the OBR said the government had £24billion 'headroom' against meeting the target.

But the worsening borrowing figures, combined with major spending commitments - on council house building, social care reform and defence - have seen this reduced sharply.

In addition, the cost of borrowing on global financial markets has been pushed higher, largely due to the Iran war - which has driven up oil and gas prices, stoking inflation. It adds up to an increasingly difficult run-up

ANDREW NEIL

PAGE 23

to the Budget. Elliott Christensen, senior economist at the Resolution Foundation, said: 'The Chancellor's margin against his fiscal rules is now razor thin, with the healthy headroom of around £24billion last spring likely to have fallen below £8billion.'

Turmoil on bond markets, which has pushed up yields on UK bonds, known as gifts

• adding to the cost of borrowing - over recent days is likely to have shrunk that headroom even further, the think-tank said.

Martin Beck, chief economist at consultancy WPI Strategy, said: 'The fiscal arithmetic remains extremely tight.

The Government still faces a familiar trade-off between its policy ambitions, the pressure to maintain market confidence and the need to put the public finances on a sustainable path.

That means difficult choices on tax, spending and borrowing are still likely at the Autumn Budget.'

Tory business spokesman Andrew Griffith said: 'Labour must slash spending, rather than always reaching for more borrowing.'

Reacting to the figures, the Chancellor sought to assure markets over Labour's commitment to improving public finances. 'Fiscal discipline is the bedrock of our UK economic stability and national security which is why we are committed to meeting our fiscal rules, with a buffer against global uncertainties,' Mr Healey said.

Neil Mehta, from asset manager RBC BlueBay, said: 'Policy pledges to cut VAT on electricity bills, cap bus fares and business rates relief have only added to the spending load.'

Comment - Page 16

Clarifications & corrections

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Page 3

Well, they DID say wear a nice pair of heels...

Something's afoot for movie star Margaret

Feet first: Margaret Qualley

By Laura Craik Fashion Critic

ONE of summer's greatest pleasures is walking barefoot on the beach. Back in the real world, most of us can't put our shoes on again fast enough.

It's one thing to feel the sand between your toes, and quite another to feel a shard of glass or lump of chewing gum.

But American actress Margaret Qualley proved she's happy to walk where angels and most mortals fear to tread.

At the premiere of her film The Dog Stars, Ms Qualley, the 31-year-old daughter of Four Weddings And A Funeral star Andie MacDowell, traversed Leicester Square in a pair of 'barefoot sandals' comprised of nothing more than two thin leather straps and a tiny heel cap, leaving most of her foot bare to the elements - and the pavement.

Before you suggest that these sandals couldn't possibly catch on, it's worth knowing they were designed by Matthieu Blazy for Chanel, and shown as part of his debut Resort 2027 collec-

'Perhaps she wanted to feel grounded'

tion unveiled in Biarritz in April. While it's not yet known whether they'll be made available to buy, so fervent is the hype surrounding Chanel since Blazy took over as artistic director last year that you wouldn't bet against there already being a waiting list.

The feeding frenzy at Chanel, dubbed 'Blazymania', has seen operating profits rise by 5 per cent to £3.4billion since he took the helm.

Fashion is no stranger to the 'silly' shoe. Take Balenciaga's platform Crocs - a snip at £720 - and Golden Goose's 'distressed' leather sneakers, which cost £420 and are deliberately covered in scuff marks and dirt.

As a former ballet dancer, Ms Qualley's feet are certainly more used to being put through their paces than most women's. After so many hours 'en pointe', perhaps walking London's pavements barefoot was a cinch.

Or perhaps, after a challenging time, she simply wanted to feel grounded again - last month she announced her separation from her husband of three

Front and back: The actress's Chanel 'barefoot sandals'

years, record producer Jack Antonoff, 42, a close friend of Taylor Swift.

Rather than teaming her invisible sandals with an invisible dress, Qualley wore a long black cap-sleeved Chanel gown with fluttering black pallettes. The actress has been a Chanel ambassador since the age of 16. Judging by her enthusiasm for towing the line, her contract looks sure to last for a good while longer.

Toeing the line? At the Leicester Square premiere

By Shivall Best

IT'S usually seen as an activity for the young. But if you're a middle-aged woman, it's time to dust off your dancing shoes - as a study has revealed that clubbing is good for you.

Of 130 women aged 40-65 asked about their experiences at electronic dance music events, 91 per cent said clubbing contributes positively to their wellbeing.

Many described nights out as a form of 'therapy'.

Meanwhile, six in ten said they went out to escape the realities of everyday life, according to the

How clubbing helps middle-aged women stay a healthy step ahead

researchers from the University of Leeds.

Professor Alinka Greasley, co-author of the study, said: 'Our research showed that older women's top three reasons for attending club nights were the music itself, friendships and a sense of community.'

'These motivations are similar to those reported by younger age

groups.' However, some older women said they felt conspicuous or worried they were 'too old' to be there, while others faced unwanted attention or worries about safety.

Sadly, 7.3 per cent of the women surveyed said they had experienced negative comments about their age from others while clubbing. And 21 per cent said

they felt they shouldn't go clubbing at all because of their age.

'In the survey, women talked about their sense of belonging in EDM (electronic dance music) spaces, dressing down to avoid attracting attention to themselves, and some concerns around safety,' Professor Greasley said.

'However, participants reported adopting strategies to navigate

their experiences to make sure they could enjoy their night - balancing the tiredness the next day with the energising effect that going out dancing gives them.'

Co-author Professor Alice O'Grady said: 'We're seeing the rise of day raves and retro nights, but older people don't just want to hark back to the past. They want to participate in a culture where there's new music and innovation.'

'The night-time industry needs to respond to the fact that older people want to participate in mainstream clubbing culture, and not exclude them from these spaces.' The findings appear in the journal Psychology of Music.

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Page 4

Case went 'outside the ordinary and reasonable conduct of civil proceedings' rules privacy judge

Continued from Page One

wife Meghan are moving back to Britain, six years after they left for the US.

The Mail's publisher was forced to spend £34.3million over four years defending innocent journalists against false and serious criminal accusations made by Harry—who theatrically proclaimed he was 'slaying dragons'—and the other famous claimants. They also included Sir Elton's husband David Purnish, actresses Elizabeth Hurley and Sadie Frost, and former Lib Dem minister Sir Simon Hughes.

In a landmark ruling on July 7, Mr Justice Nicklin exonerated the Mail's journalists, throwing out in full allegations they hacked, bugged and blagged to get stories.

After the devastating defeat, Harry's side urged the judge to 'cap' the costs.

But yesterday he refused, saying: 'The claims—and the manner in which they were brought, pleaded, pursued, maintained and publicly advanced—involved a combination of circumstances and conduct which took the litigation out-

'Unreasonable to a high degree'

side the ordinary and reasonable conduct of civil proceedings.

'The cumulative effect of these matters takes the case well outside the norm. The conduct was unreasonable to a high degree.'

It is a costly blow to the seven claimants, whose insurance policy covers them for only £16.2million. And it does not include their own legal costs, which are thought likely to be at least £20million, although it is understood their lawyers acted, at least in part, on a 'no-win, no-fee' basis.

The Mail's costs will still need to be considered by a specialist costs judge, but yesterday's ruling means a much larger proportion will be recovered. An 'indemnity order' is usually granted only in cases where a judge believes there has been bad conduct.

A spokesman for the Mail's publisher, Associated Newspapers, said the judgment was 'a devastating critique of an attempt to destroy a newspaper and the reputations of its journalists, editors and executives'.

When they first launched their shocking allegations in October 2022, Harry, Baroness Lawrence and the others accused award-winning journalists of criminality, including the Mail's crime expert Stephen Wright.

They backed a 'highly charged'

press release alleging 'abhorrent criminal activity, crimes, and terrible and reprehensible covert acts', which was reported around the world.

Yesterday the judge said the grave claims were 'speculative' from the start and had been maintained for years and even to the end of the trial, despite it long having become clear the evidence was 'inadequate'.

Mr Justice Nicklin said 'allegations of the utmost seriousness' had been brought 'before the evidential foundation for many had been established', remarking this was 'a high-risk strategy'.

He said the claimants should have 'reassessed' whether to maintain these allegations when it became clear the evidence was limited, but 'they did not do so'.

They also ploughed on with their case despite knowing private investigator Gavin Burrows had withdrawn his cooperation.

During the trial, Mr Burrows—the claimants' supposed star witness—said his supposed 'confession' statement was 'a pack of lies'

HOW THE NUMBERS ADD UP

34 Months since claimants started their legal action in March 2022

46

Days of trial in 2026

34 Number of witnesses for claimants

48

Journalists and executives who were witnesses for publisher

£121,000

Money known to have been paid by claimants' researchers to people who became witnesses

4.6

Pages of Mr Justice Nicklin's ruling completely exonerating Mail

97

Times the claimants alleged unlawful activity in their pleaded case

£9.5m

Initial part of the Mail's legal costs that claimants must pay within a week

written by others and complete with a forgery for his signature.

The most serious accusations of criminal conduct against innocent Mail journalists—including bugging, live-call interception, hardwire tapping and phone hacking—were all based on claims involving Mr Burrows, who was paid substantial sums of money by the claimants' lead researcher, convicted phone hacker Graham Johnson.

The judge said the allegations

'A high-risk strategy'

concerning Mr Burrows had been 'among the gravest', including bugging, live-call interception, hardwire tapping and phone hacking.

Yet the claimants knew the claims were falling apart before they launched their legal action.

Despite this, said the judge, the allegations concerning Mr Burrows were in the press release. He

9 Total number of claimants' allegations upheld by judge

6.50m

Estimated total costs of the case

£16m

Insurance cover the claimants took out

$34.5m

Amount Mail spent defending the case which it can now seek to claim back

Plaintiff: Prince Harry arrives at court during the trial in London in January

said: 'The continuing reliance on the Burrows material, particularly after it became clear that Mr Burrows would not cooperate, was unreasonable to a high degree.'

The judge listed a series of reasons why the claimants deserved to pay higher costs, including the 'continued pursuit of serious allegations, many of which lacked an adequate evidential foundation'.

In his ruling, Mr Justice Nicklin made clear that no claimant had been found dishonest.

He also said the Mail's overall costs were 'striking' and 'exceptionally high', but acknowledged there may be explanations for some of them.

The Mail spokesman said: 'From

well before the trial started, the claimants' lawyers knew their main witness had denied making the preposterous allegations on which the claims were based.

'Despite this collapse in evidence to support the extremely serious allegations of "abhorrent criminal activity, crimes and terrible and reprehensible covert acts" by the Mail, they were emblazoned in a lurid press release issued on behalf of Baroness Lawrence, Prince Harry and the other claimants, with the exception of Sir Simon Hughes.

'The allegations were not withdrawn, and were pursued until the bitter end of the trial.'

Comment - Page 16

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Page 5

POWERFUL people who don't like what newspapers write about them must not be permitted to destroy those newspapers.

That's the lesson I drew from the judgment six weeks ago by Mr Justice Nicklin, when he dismissed every one of 97 claims made by Prince Harry, Sir Elton John, and five others against the Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday.

Yesterday this lesson was confirmed in a further judgment delivered by the same judge in the High Court in respect of the enormous costs of the case. The seven claimants will be required to pay £9,544,355 to the publisher of the two titles, Associated Newspapers, by next Friday.

But that won't be the end of it. Mr Justice Nicklin granted a rare 'indemnity order', which will oblige the claimants to bear the brunt of the costs of their misguided legal action. Such orders are usually only granted in cases where a judge believes there has been questionable conduct.

Associated Newspapers will now be free to seek a larger proportion of the £34.5million it spent to defend the two titles in the case spearheaded by Prince Harry, whose imminent return to our shores with Meghan has dominated the news for the past couple of days.

A larger payout would be a grave setback for the claimants, whose insurance policy is believed to cover them only for £18.2million.

They also have their own costs to consider, which are thought to be at least £20million, although it is under-

Harry often received praise in the Mail

stood that their lawyers acted, at least in part, on a 'no-win, no-fee' basis.

One way or another, Prince Harry and the others face a potentially gigantic bill. With one possible exception, I can't find it in my heart to feel sorry for them, since collectively they were part of a conspiracy to ruin and destroy this newspaper.

The exception is Baroness Lawrence, whose son, Stephen, was murdered by thugs in south London in 1993. Four years later, the Daily Mail began a long, lone campaign to bring her son's killers to justice.

For reasons that remain unfathomable, Lady Lawrence was dragged into this case by Harry and the others. I don't want to see her ruined. She has suffered a lot. One can only hope that the Prince, who has infinitely deeper pockets, will come to her aid.

But it's impossible to feel sympathy for any of the other claimants. It wasn't only that they attempted to bring down the Mail. They did so with hardly a scrap of evidence, and in a way that was deliberately calculated to besmirch the reputations of innocent journalists.

Don't just take my word for it. The judge wrote in yesterday's judgment that 'allegations of criminal or seriously improper conduct' were made against witnesses in some cases for the first time during their testimony, creating a 'real risk of reputational harm'.

Although Mr Justice Nicklin finds no evidence of dishonesty on the claimants' part, he states

Is it too much to hope that Prince Harry will accept that people who don't like the Press in this country won't be allowed to destroy it?

by Stephen Glover

that 'with limited exceptions [their case] was speculative at origin'. He adds that 'it was introduced and pursued in a way that went far beyond what was required'.

Yet their original Press release, the judge points out, 'used highly charged language', and referred to 'abhorrent criminal activity, crimes, and terrible and reprehensible covert acts'.

Judges seldom speak in such explicit terms. It is because the claimants' conduct was 'well outside the norm' and 'unreasonable to a high degree' that he has decided that costs will be

attributed on an indemnity basis, which is likely to be expensive for Harry and the rest of them.

What on earth drove the Prince, Baroness Lawrence, Elton John and his husband David Furnish—plus actresses Elizabeth Hurley and Sadie Frost and former Lib Dem minister Sir Simon Hughes—down such a calamitous path?

They probably hoped that Associated would capitulate, and there would be a handsome payout. I also believe that, like many celebrities, they couldn't bear appearing in anything but the most favourable light.

Prince Harry—who once

represented his campaign against the Press as 'slaying dragons'—provides the best example. Over the years he has been portrayed as enjoying a misspout youth and, latterly, as a self-serving critic of the Royal Family and his own country.

Yet I know for a fact that he has often received praise in the Mail. His tireless promotion of the Invictus Games for injured military personnel won many plaudits in this newspaper and elsewhere.

And, although he won't recognise it, he and Meghan received generally favourable coverage in

the Mail and other papers before their wedding, and for the following year or two.

It was only when they decamped to America, and proceeded to bite (if not devour) the hand that had fed them, that newspapers took a more critical line. I can see why Harry didn't like this, but surely the media should be free to make their own judgments.

Many celebrities (of whom Harry and Meghan are the prime examples) want uniformly positive coverage. If they don't get it, they are apt to cry foul.

Their attitude resembles, obviously in a milder form, the insistence of potentates that they should always be shown in a good light, and that any criticism should be forbidden. But we aren't in Russia yet.

There have, however, been calls this week for tighter controls on the media, following the tragic death of the academic Jason Arday. Green Party leader Zack Polanski, along with several

Media should be free to make own judgments

Labour MPs, demanded 'an immediate public inquiry into how to ensure a responsible Press'.

Polanski also responded to a piece in The Mail on Sunday, which celebrated this summer's hot weather, by saying: 'It's time we sorted out the Press.' He wants to bring the Press under State control—or at least to deprive it of its independence—for the apparent reason that it writes or broadcasts things he doesn't like.

Of course newspapers must operate within the law—as Mr Justice Nicklin has concluded that the Daily Mail did—and they should demonstrate mercy and good sense. But it is an essential ingredient of democracy that they should act without fear or favour.

Where does Prince Harry lie in all this? He has lost his case, and faces huge costs that he won't find easy to pay, particularly as he is looking for an agreeable new home in the country. Meghan's potential return to acting may prove opportune in more ways than one.

Harry could go on playing the curmudgeon. After the initial judgment six weeks ago, he and (I'm afraid) Baroness Lawrence lashed out at Mr Justice Nicklin, describing his ruling as 'a complete and obvious whitewash'. That was a dreadful and silly thing to say.

The Prince could continue to live in this vein, nurturing his sense of victimhood, and perpetuating his battle against the Press. If so, he is likely to make himself and a lot of people very unhappy.

Alternatively, he could accept that he has lost, having received justice. He could move on. If he behaves in a less confrontational way, and gives vent to his better nature, he may find that more nice things are said and written about him.

Is it too much to hope that he will accept that, at any rate until Zack Polanski occupies No 10, people who dislike the Press in this country won't be allowed to destroy it?

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Page 6

vi

Revealed, the full scale of illegal 'family voting' at the Birmingham polls

EXCLUSIVE

By Martin Beckford

and Cameron Roy

THE elections watchdog has been urged to investigate after the country's biggest town hall admitted the full scale of illegal 'family voting'.

Birmingham City Council revealed staff witnessed attempts to breach the secret ballot at 50 polling stations in May's local elections.

A list of incidents obtained by the Daily Mail showed presiding officers repeatedly had to tell voters it is against the law to enter a booth with someone else and tell them which candidate to pick - and received abuse in return.

In the city's Jewellery Quarter, voters 'became aggressive' with an officer after being told not to talk to each other in polling booths. A man in Balsall Heath was said to be 'trying continuously' to 'influence voters' - and when stopped he accused officials of fraud.

The presiding officer said he had been 'so stressed and under pressure' from the man, while another family 'was rude'. In another part of the inner-city area, a man was witnessed trying to 'influence voting' through 'Islamic gestures, blinking eyes, hand signals'.

A woman nearby 'was aggressive' when told not to talk or show her vote.

Elsewhere a father was seen holding 'all the poll cards' for his relatives and 'was advising' each one on how to vote'. The presiding officer in Garretts Green told them to go into separate booths but conceded: 'It was clear that votes were being influenced.'

In Handsworth, at the centre of a row over segregation last year, voters were said to 'just switch language' when told to 'stop collaborating'. The presiding officer wrote in a report: 'Conferring, did not listen when asked to stop, changed language when advised to vote independently.'

And in Hall Green South, one woman 'tried several times to

Abuse: Votes counted in Birmingham's council elections

talk to husband, showing him who to vote [sic]. She then tried to 'point where to vote', forcing the presiding officer to 'place my arm out to stop her'. In Quinton, a woman went into the booth

'Switch language when told to stop'

with her daughter and told staff 'she wanted to make sure' she 'voted correctly'.

One presiding officer said that when he told husbands and wives that talking in booths was a crim-

inal offence, most men were apologetic and it was 'mainly the women who took umbrage'.

This newspaper obtained the full list under freedom of information after the council initially provided only a brief summary.

Last night, Tory peer and leading pollster Lord Hayward, who introduced the 2023 law that makes it an offence to attempt to influence voting in polling booths, said: 'I hope the Electoral Commission will acknowledge that attempts at breaching the secret ballot clearly remain a problem and needs to be investigated.'

'I do not believe this is the

Winners: Reform candidates

only council where this was a problem and hope the Commission will identify where else this arose and whether the polling station officers were as active as they were in Birmingham.

It comes after a row over family voting at the Gorton and Denton by-election this year. Observers saw 'extremely high' levels but Greater Manchester Police said it had found 'no evidence'.

Democracy Volunteers observers said they saw 291 potential breaches of the secret ballot in the UK at the May elections.

The Electoral Commission said: 'We provide guidance and support... to help protect the integrity of elections, and work with police to ensure allegations of electoral abuse and intimidation are treated seriously. We are gathering evidence on the... May 2026 elections and will publish our findings in the coming weeks.'

A Birmingham City Council spokesman said last night: 'The Returning Officer has passed on all available observations of potential family voting to the police, and we understand the police have decided to take no further action.'

West Midlands Police were approached for comment.

Londoners facing 'Burnham penalty' on council tax bills as funds fall short

LONDONERS face a 'Burnham penalty' on their council tax as local authorities are forced to hike rates due to cuts in central funding, the Tories have claimed.

The leaders of Conservative-controlled Westminster, Wandsworth, and Kensington and Chelsea councils have written to Prime Minister Andy Burnham accusing him of 'devolving blame' for council tax hikes.

They say they are being forced to significantly increase tax - or slash services - to plug a hole left by cuts to cash from Whitehall.

It comes after the 'fair funding' review of council allocations resulted in a formula which redirects cash to more deprived areas.

Wandsworth council is preparing to increase bills by up to 160 per cent, which would be

By Greg Heffer

Political Correspondent

England's biggest ever council tax rise. It currently has one of the lowest council tax rates in the country. Local Tories have blamed a 40 per cent cut in Government funding and the spending plans of the council's previous Labour administration for the looming rise.

The Conservatives are calling for Local Government Secretary Angela Rayner to urgently review the funding changes which are 'set to worsen the lives of local residents across London and the South East'.

Tory local government spokesman James Cleverly said Londoners were facing a 'Burnham penalty on their council tax'. He added:

'The PM talks a lot about devolution. But by slashing funding for councils with lower tax rates, he is forcing them to raise taxes drastically or cut services severely. True devolution cannot mean imposing higher taxes across the board from on high.

'Burnham should direct Rayner to urgently review Labour's fiddled funding changes. Otherwise his commitment to make lives better in every postcode will be a dead letter.'

A spokesman for the Government said: 'We're fixing an outdated funding system so funding goes where need is greatest.'

'For too long, some of the wealthiest parts of the country have benefited from exceptionally high levels of government support while communities facing greater pressures lost out.'

Heiress: Constance Marten

Baby killer aristocrat can appeal jail sentence

By Simon Trump and

Ryan Hooper

ARISTOCRAT baby killer Constance Marten has been granted permission to appeal against her jail sentence.

The 39-year-old is serving a 14-year term for gross negligence manslaughter of her newborn daughter Victoria while on the run from authorities.

Marten and her convicted rapist partner Mark Gordon went into hiding to prevent their baby from being taken into care. This had already happened to the couple's other four children.

A seven-week nationwide manhunt was launched and they were arrested in Brighton in February 2023. Victoria's remains were found in a shopping bag in a shed nearby two days later. She died after they were sleeping in a tent in icy conditions.

Gordon and Marten were convicted at the Old Bailey last year.

Marten has now been granted permission to appeal against her sentence. She has also renewed an application for permission to appeal her conviction for gross negligence manslaughter.

It is not known what grounds the millionaire heiress is seeking to reduce her sentence or why she has restarted the process to have her conviction quashed.

Blood scandal families told to return payouts

BEREAVED spouses from the infected blood scandal have been told by the Government to pay back their compensation.

A dozen partners received a letter telling them that £10,000 paid out to them was an error.

The letter, seen by the Daily Mail, said their partners died more than six months prior to their applications and that 'this means you were not eligible for the bereavement lump sum'.

From the 1970s to 1990s some 3,000 people died from HIV and hepatitis after being given contaminated blood. There were 30,000 people infected.

The Hepatitis C Trust said the letter was 'unforgivable', while one widow told The Telegraph it 'just feels so callous'.

A No10 spokesman said the Department of Health and the Cabinet Office have told officials to suspend repayment orders.

---

VI

Page 7

Making a splash... it's Dua leaper!

DUA Lipa clearly leapt at the chance when her sister asked to take some holiday action shots from their yacht.

Wearing a leopard-print bikini, the 30-year-old singer turned a day off the coast of Formentera into an impromptu photoshoot, striking a series of poses while jumping off the multi-million-pound boat for her sibling, Rina, 25.

Most holidaymakers would be

By Dominique Hines

content with a quick dip and a few snaps, but the newlywed appeared to be determined to get the perfect shot. She repeatedly jumped into the Med before checking the results with Rina and their brother Gjin, 20.

Ms Lipa later wore a sarong that matched her swimsuit as the family

cruised off the Balearic Islands. The pop star was making the most of some downtime with her siblings following her wedding to actor Callum Turner, 36.

The couple married in London in May before celebrating with a lavish three-day reception in June in Sicily, which reportedly included a performance by Sir Elton John.

Turner has since opened up about

married life and his hopes to have children. Asked by Esquire UK whether starting a family is a priority, he said: 'Obviously, yeah, I'm 36. I'd like to have a family and raise some kids.'

Ms Lipa told British Vogue she would 'love to have kids one day', but wondered how it would fit in with her job.

'It's just one of those things that's going to happen when it happens.'

By Ciaran Foreman

Health Reporter

VULNERABLE Britons are being told to avoid runny eggs when eating out because of the deadly salmonella outbreak.

Those aged over 65, children under five, pregnant women and people with health conditions should avoid the eggs when eating in cafes, restaurants and takeaways, Food Standards Agency bosses say.

These groups should also avoid mayonnaise and hollandaise sauce. Well-cooked eggs remain safe to eat.

British eggs from supermarkets are not linked to the outbreak and are safe to consume.

One Briton has died and more than 200 have been struck down

Now over-65s and children warned to avoid runny eggs

with salmonella enteritidis food poisoning in what has been declared a national outbreak.

The spread is very likely driven by imported eggs, but the Government has not yet confirmed their country of origin.

The UK Health Security Agency has identified five unnamed food businesses which two or more victims had visited in the week before getting symptoms.

Experts told the Daily Mail that

UK-produced eggs, which have a British Lion mark, are safe. Ian Young, the Food Standards Agency's chief scientific adviser, said the current outbreak is 'unusually large and rapidly increasing'.

He said: 'If people are eating out or consuming eggs or egg-containing products from cafes and restaurants then for those people in particular who are young, elderly, pregnant or vulnerable, it's important to make sure that

any eggs or egg products that you consume in those settings have been very well cooked.'

The Government was previously warned of the dangers of imported eggs in a major report published earlier this year by industry experts. It highlighted 'significant' safety risks of importing eggs from countries including Poland and Ukraine.

Most eggs on supermarket shelves are produced in the UK,

but many overseas producers do not adhere to UK best-practice.

That includes mandatory flock vaccination against salmonella and a ban on battery cage usage.

Egg imports to the UK have risen by 80 per cent since 2021. Imports from Ukraine jumped by 65 per cent in the last year alone.

Salmonella typically causes a fever and vomiting which then clears in a few days. But in rare cases it can be fatal.

---

Page 8

Phillipson branded 'stupid' after claiming racism and sexism normal in Britain

BRIDGET Phillipson was branded 'stupid' by a top Conservative yesterday amid a furious racism row.

The former education secretary claimed racism and sex-

By Christian Calgie

Senior Political

Correspondent-at-Large

ism have become 'normal' in Britain thanks to social media. The minister for women and

equalities pointed to Reform UK's Robert Jenrick and Tory Nick Timothy as proof of this, accusing them of making 'racist' remarks in recent years.

Last October Mr Jenrick complained he 'didn't see another

white face' during a visit to an area of Birmingham, while Mr Timothy said that a mass Muslim prayer session in Trafalgar Square was an 'act of domination and division'.

Ms Phillipson told The Guardian: 'Apparently I'm calling him names when I say that's racist.

'I think it is fundamentally racist because I don't think he would say that about any other group.'

She added: 'I find it shocking that we hear that from Opposition spokespeople, in a way that I think even five, ten years ago they would have had a second thought about that. It's become normal.'

But Mr Timothy, Kemi Badenoch's justice spokesman, branded the Cabinet minister 'stupid'.

He said: 'If Phillipson can identify the racial groups to whom I was racist, she can call me racist. If

'Shows limitations of her own mind'

she can't, she'll go on sounding stupid. And I'll go on saying mass Muslim prayer in public spaces is an act of domination.'

He later told the Daily Mail that Ms Phillipson's comments serve as a further warning about Labour's proposals to introduce a new official definition of 'Islamophobia'.

It will not be set in law, but free speech campaigners have warned it will lead to a clampdown on freedom of expression.

Mr Timothy said Ms Phillipson had 'unwittingly demonstrated exactly what we have warned about since Labour first promised

Accusations: Bridget Phillipson

an 'Islamophobia' definition'. He added: 'There is a world of difference between racial identity and religious beliefs.

'You can't help being the race you are, but you choose the beliefs you hold. And religious beliefs – like any other ideas – should be scrutinised and challenged and satirised freely.

'If she can identify the racial groups to whom I have been racist, she is entitled to call me a racist.

'If she can't, and just shouts 'racist' at political opponents instead of debating them, she is not only proving the limitations of her own mind [but] is proving beyond doubt that this 'Islamophobia' definition is wrong, dangerous and must be scrapped.

Mr Timothy added: 'I will go on saying exactly what I think – and so should everyone else.'

Ms Phillipson, who was demoted from her previous role as education secretary in new Prime Minister Andy Burnham's reshuffle, added that she is worried 'about our sons and what they're being exposed to, especially online and the extent to which we have this whole industry that's been built up on exploiting grievance'.

She added: 'Things that not very long ago felt totally unacceptable are becoming normal.

'And I think we're seeing that in terms of attitudes towards women, and I think we see that in terms of attitudes around racism.'

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Tories only electable party, claims tycoon

LABOUR'S most prominent billionaire donor now believes Kemi Badenoch is leading the 'only electable party'.

Former Tory supporter John Caudwell, who founded the firm Phones 4u and is worth more than £1.5billion, switched his allegiance to Labour ahead of the 2024 general election.

The Brexiteer said he was backing Sir Keir Starmer because the Tories' had left him in 'despair'.

However, just two years later he is considering a U-turn.

He said he had been 'very

'Death by 1,000 cuts'

disappointed' by Labour's Budget tax raids, adding: 'The only electable party to me seems to be the Conservatives again.'

Branding Andy Burnham's policies 'piffle', he added: 'I do not think Labour is electable.'

In 2019, he gave £500,000 to Boris Johnson to prevent 'the dis-

By Senior Political Correspondent-at-Large

aster that would have been Jeremy Corbyn in Downing Street'.

But he defected to Labour, citing the 'failures' of three Tory prime ministers, and Labour's 'transformation' under Sir Keir's leadership. He urged voters to elect a 'very strong Labour government... that can take extremely bold decisions'.

But by July 2025 he warned that he was 'nervous' about the direction the Government was taking.

This June, he was one of more than 100 business leaders who signed a letter to the Government warning that Labour's changes to National Insurance, capital gains tax and business relief amounted to a 'death by 1,000 cuts' for firms.

Despite suggesting that he may support the Tories again, the environmentally conscious billionaire said it would be conditional on Mrs Badenoch changing her position on Net Zero – a target the Tories have ditched.

---

Page 9

Florence Pugh: I need to slow down and recharge

SHE'S had the biggest year of her career, filming blockbusters such as Spider-Man and Dune: Part Three.

But it is taking its toll on Florence Pugh, who reveals she has burnt herself out.

'For a long time I've said that I needed to slow down but the reality is that I never did. In the end, I was exhausting myself,' says Oxford-born Florence, 30.

'Now I'm making more space for my family and friends. I need to recharge so I can continue taking on roles that demand so much.'

Florence, who will star in a Netflix adaptation of John Steinbeck's East of Eden later this year, also tells the magazine ELLE Spain: 'For me, success means having learned to stop.'

She added last year that in some roles she's 'given too much and been broken for a long time afterwards'.

She is dating Peaky Blinders star Finn Cole, also 30, and has told of wanting children. 'I've always been

By Dominique Hines Showbusiness Reporter

thinking about starting a family,' she said. 'I love the idea of a big family - I'm from a big family.'

Now she is focusing on a new role as ambassador for Max Mara Le Parfum and is pictured in ELLE wearing a series of Max Mara looks, including oversized coats and suede boots.

Cover girl: Florence Pugh

Sir Anthony loves taking a scroll down memory lane

By Patrick Harrington

MANY of us enjoy reminiscing about our younger days. But for Sir Anthony Hopkins, it is less a stroll and more a scroll down memory line.

The Oscar-winning actor, 88, has admitted to regularly navigating the streets of his native Port Talbot on Google Maps.

Speaking after the release of his first album, which is inspired by his formative years, LA resident Sir Anthony told ITV News:

Reminiscing: Sir Anthony

'I love going back to the streets. Now time is running out. I wish I could just get out and walk around but I'm getting a bit too old for that.'

'I use Google Maps and then move up the street. I look at photographs of my street in Wales or anywhere really.'

Sir Anthony, who has released a 12-track album of classical music, was born in the Port Talbot suburb of Margam on New Year's Eve in 1937.

He moved to London in his early twenties to study at RADA, going on to Hollywood in the late 1970s.

The actor returned to London in the late 1980s for a spell, but became a US citizen in 2000.

Daily Mail Reporter

THE number of men living with prostate cancer in the UK has surged by 100,000 since 2020, according to the latest figures.

More than 68,000 cases are diagnosed each year - the equivalent of one every eight minutes, says Macmillan Cancer Support.

The charity's estimates show there are now around 400,000 men living with prostate cancer, compared with about 500,000 six years ago.

It said prostate is the most common cancer in Britain and has warned that 'myths' surrounding the disease could be preventing men from getting checked.

Dr Anthony Cunliffe, lead medical adviser at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: 'One of the biggest misunderstandings I hear is that feeling well means you cannot have prostate cancer.'

'Many people are surprised to learn that, in reality, prostate cancer often develops without symptoms in its early stages, which is why it's important to have a conversation with your GP if you're worried.'

The charity said some men with the disease will not see symptoms for many years and they usually occur when the cancer is large enough to press on the

One man every eight minutes diagnosed with prostate cancer

Daily Mail CAMPAIGN

END NEEDLESS PROSTATE DEATHS

urethra - the tube which passes urine. Symptoms typically include difficulty urinating; needing to urinate more often than usual, especially at night; a feeling that the bladder has not been completely emptied; an urgency when needing the toilet; and

blood in urine or semen. The charity said it is important for men to speak to their GP if they have any of these symptoms.

Dr Cunliffe added: 'Prostate cancer generally occurs in men over 50 but it can develop earlier in some groups, including black men and men with a family history of prostate cancer.'

'As a GP, after discussing testing with a patient, we decide together to go ahead, then we often use a blood test called a PSA [prostate-specific antigen].'

'Some GPs may suggest an examination of the prostate, because it might give them more information, but this isn't always

necessary and declining one won't be a barrier to having a blood test. So whether someone with a prostate has symptoms or not, we would always encourage speaking to the GP for more

'No symptoms in early stages'

information about prostate cancer and getting tested.'

In May, the UK National Screening Committee recommended against screening all men using the PSA blood test, saying it is 'likely to cause more harm than

good'. Former PM Lord Cameron, who was treated for the disease after taking a test, called the move a 'backwards step'.

Experts did recommend that a few thousand high-risk men with a certain gene mutation should be screened for the disease.

Officials also announced that a screening trial will be expanded so that all eligible black men will be invited to take part.

The Daily Mail is campaigning to end needless prostate deaths and wants screening for all men at high risk of the disease. Our campaign is backed by Sir Chris Hoy and Sir Stephen Fry, who have been treated for the disease.

---

Page 10

Code red...

Melania's not-so-subtle message to Trump's beloved aide

By John Michael Raasch

MELANIA Trump has made her first public appearance with her husband in over a month as rumours continue to swirl around his personal aide Natalie Harp.

'I heard you missed me. Here I am,' Mrs Trump told her audience as she and the President put on a united front at the White House.

She wore a vivid red Dior pencil skirt, blue Michael Kors

'She doesn't like these things'

shirt and red Manolo Blahnik heels for their appearance on Thursday, the first time they had been seen together in public since the World Cup final in New Jersey on July 19.

It came after days of headlines about Mr Trump's executive assistant Ms Harp, 35, sparked by Democratic senator Jon Ossoff's comment that the President would rather 'build his (White House) ballroom and travel with Natalie' than do his job.

Ms Harp has been labelled the

President's aide: Natalie Harp

'human printer' for her habit of carrying a portable printer to make copies of articles and social media posts flattering of the President, which she hand delivers to him.

She is known to type his social media posts after he dictates them to her and reportedly takes little time off, often travelling with the President.

She has sent him affectionate handwritten notes, with one proclaiming that 'you are all that matters to me', and has even ridden in the boot of a vehicle in a motorcade to maintain her proximity to him when she did not have an assigned seat.

A cancer survivor, Ms Harp credits Mr Trump's legislation allowing sick patients access to drugs not approved by the US

Making a statement: Melania and Donald Trump at White House

Food and Drugs Administration with saving her life.

She is constantly seen in the Oval Office, boarding Air Force One, spending weekends with the President at his clubs and at his speaking engagements.

Reports have indicated that Mrs Trump has been upset by the coverage of Ms Harp. 'The

First Lady doesn't like these types of things,' a source close to the White House told news website Semafor.

Mr and Mrs Trump were in the White House Rose Garden to promote her Fostering The Future initiative, which aims to help children from foster care to go to university.

50th data leak for Afghans who risked lives for UK

By David Williams and Sam Greenhill

AFGHANS who risked their lives alongside British troops have been hit by another personal data breach - the 50th in five years, the Daily Mail can reveal.

The leak involved the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) which deals with cases of Afghans and their families approved for sanctuary in the UK.

Described as 'serious', it took place during the transfer of data of Afghans waiting to fly from Pakistan. Those affected are now safely in the UK.

The Daily Mail's award-winning Betrayal of the Brave campaign reported that leaks

'Betrayal of our trust'

of those applying for sanctuary had taken place within a month of the ending of the RAF's evacuation of 15,000 people from Kabul in August 2021.

The breaches, which were first discovered in August 2023, were kept secret by a super-injunction which was only lifted after a long court battle. It then emerged that data had been compromised 49 times - some because of human error and others to cyber hacking.

One former frontline interpreter, in hiding in Afghanistan, called the latest leak 'a betrayal of our trust'. An ex-Afghan Special Forces soldier, who is also unable to escape, warned that 'mistakes risk lives'.

A government spokesman said it was a 'limited incident', adding: 'The risk to individuals is low and we have worked proactively with the IOM to ensure appropriate measures were in place and that those affected were informed.'

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Page 11

RETURN OF THE PRODIGAL PRINCE

Day out: William, Kate and (above right) the King leave Balmoral yesterday for the grouse shoot

Royals enjoy their break at Balmoral

THE King, Prince William and Kate were spotted on their Balmoral summer holiday yesterday – the first time they had been seen since news broke of Harry and Meghan's return.

They were travelling between Balmoral Castle and Corgarff Castle, where sources said they had enjoyed a session of grouse shooting. The day out will have

been a welcome reprieve after the getaway turned into a 'Sussex summit', as the family deliberated over how to manage Harry's relocation.

Charles was seen behind the wheel of a Range Rover, while William and Kate were in a Land Rover, Princess Anne, Zara and Mike Tindall and Prince Edward were also in the convoy.

Meghan 'in talks for a role in Guy Ritchie's The Gentlemen'

THE DUCHESS of Sussex has had 'preliminary conversations' to join the cast of Guy Ritchie's The Gentlemen, it was claimed last night.

It is believed filming for the third series of the Netflix action comedy will begin in the autumn, with the cast in the process of being confirmed.

A source told US entertainment website Deadline that talks with Meghan were in their 'very early stages' and added that a role has not yet been identified.

The Gentlemen, which stars Theo James as an army officer turned drug baron, became one of Netflix's biggest hits of 2024, drawing 44million views in the first four weeks of its debut. It also stars Vinnie Jones and Kaya Scodelario as the daughter of Ray Winstone's crime boss character.

The second series premieres on Netflix on September 3.

It follows the 2019 film of the same name, starring Matthew McConaughey, Michelle Dockery and Hugh Grant.

That was also a hit, grossing just over $115million at the box office, against a reported budget of $22million. In the film version, McConaughey plays a drug lord who tries to sell off his profitable marijuana business to a dynasty of billionaires.

It came as sources also claimed the duchess will be eyeing up a major part in a West End show when she moves back to Britain with Prince Harry next few weeks.

A former friend told the Daily Mail that she has 'desperately wanted to be in a West End' production for many years and 'will certainly be speaking to people about a role'.

Another source in Theatreland

By Mark Duell and Martin Robinson

said there were deafening rumours the former Suits actress wants to land a serious stage role in London upon her UK return.

The duchess – a former National Theatre patron – is known to be a fan of the theatre, attending several West End shows with Harry while living in Britain, including Hamilton, Tina: The Musical and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

After her last episode of Suits aired in 2018 and she joined the Royal Family, the 45-year-old duchess paused her acting career and has not had any parts since.

Sources have, however, told

BORIS

READ HIS COLUMN ON PAGE 19

Australian outlet News.com.au that Meghan has been offered a part in an unnamed upcoming project based in the UK. Bronte Coy, the reporter behind the story, said Meghan being offered the role in the 'top secret' UK production had played a key part in the family's decision to return.

She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'This is such a key part of the puzzle. I think when we all heard that news that Harry and Meghan were moving here, and within a matter of days, and the kids were enrolled in school, everyone was asking, what is Meghan going to be doing?'

Ms Coy added that the project is 'significant' and Meghan – who has a small part in the upcoming US film Close Personal Friends, making a cameo appearance as

Bags packed: The Sussexes' waxworks at Madame Tussauds

herself alongside Lily Collins and Brie Larson – is 'very excited', adding that more details will be released 'relatively soon'.

Later, the journalist told ITV News: 'We don't know exactly what the project is, but it's clearly significant enough and one that's got her excited enough to be... pushed back to a country that I really think most of us didn't expect she'd return to in any sort of permanent capacity.' Sources

close to the duchess did not deny the reports. Nearly a decade ago, Meghan said in a joint interview with Harry after their engagement in 2017 that she was happy to pause her acting career.

She said at the time: 'I don't see it as giving anything up. I just see it as a change. It's a new chapter.'

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WAXWORKS of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been kitted out with suitcases and placed next to a royal guard ahead of their return to the UK.

Madame Tussauds separated Harry and Meghan's figures from the rest of the Royal Family in 2020 when they stepped back as senior royals. Since then, they had been on the red carpet in the 'Awards Party' zone of the wax museum.

Since the news of their return broke, Meghan has been flogging her new sparkling wine. The Napa Valley Reserve Brut, from her As Ever brand, goes on sale on September 3, days after the Sussexes are expected to arrive in the Cotswolds.

and 150/1 on Coronation Street. Meanwhile, the journalist closest to the couple, Omid Scobie, claimed they have been 'slowly and methodically' planning their move back to Britain.

The British journalist said clues about the Sussexes leaving America after six years 'have been there all along' – including how they had reduced the size of their US office and rebranded their Archewell Foundation to Archewell Philanthropies.

Mr Scobie told ABC News: 'This is definitely a couple that have been looking to make changes, for sure.'

---

Page 12

RETURN OF THE PRODIGAL PRINCE

SAY what you like about Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex – and, of course, people do – she is well-practised when it comes to presenting a highly-polished image as a member of the super-wealthy global elite.

Attending a charity event in Canada earlier this month she wore a £1,400 one-shouldered dress, teamed with diamond pave earrings which used to belong to her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana.

Indeed, her wardrobe is so envy-inducing, she cashes in on it, first selling items on the site ShopMy and now on retail site OneOff, inviting fans of her style to snap up the exact silk shirt she wore, for $775 ($371) or her Cartier love bangle for $7,950 ($5,860).

On Instagram, where she has 4.7million followers, she offers glimpses of the $14.65million (£11.1million) mansion where, for the past six years, she has been living with Prince Harry, Archie and Lilibet in Montecito, California, and its enormous, enviable gardens where she picks berries and arranges charcuterie boards.

It has all become part of the lifestyle she is selling, one jar of jam and bottle of rose at a time, via her brand As Ever.

Which makes it all the stranger that one of the recurring questions about the Sussexes is: how much money do they actually have?

The question has become even more significant this week after the couple's shock announcement that they are moving back to the UK.

One close associate suggests there may be financial reasons for their urgent attempts to succeed in business and build bridges back in Blighty, Dan Wakeford, formerly the editor of Meghan's favoured celebrity magazine People, has gone further and suggested that they are facing a financial crunch in the next five years.

One source jokes: 'I wonder which billionaire they are going to find to pay their bills next?'

Their team deny that the pair are under serious financial pressure and say that the desire to mend relationships with the Royal Family are heartfelt.

THEY will now, though, need to find – or borrow – enough money to set themselves up again in the UK. Friends say that they are searching for a large, new 'forever home' in a part of the country that cannot be specified for security reasons but will require a budget 'probably north of £8million'.

And all the while they will have to continue to fund the upkeep of the Montecito mansion, from which Meghan intends to continue running her business.

It cannot be denied that the Californian lifestyle they chose after leaving the UK in 2020 has been an enormously expensive one. Security costs alone are said to have cost at least $3million (£2.2million) a year, plus there are said to be two mortgages on the property. Add swinging local taxes, private school fees and all the rest that goes with such a high-end lifestyle, and you might conclude that the funds they bring in are stretched rather thin.

In fact, there are several signs which seem to indicate they aren't quite as flush with cash as that glossy image would suggest.

Take the couple's apparently thriving private jet habit. I'm told that although Harry has a favoured private jet broker, who flew them from their new holiday home in Portugal back to Britain last month, they also rely on the kindness of wealthy friends.

George Clooney's lawyer wife Amal Bannady gave Meghan a lift over from London to New York and back for her baby shower in

They're keeping their Montecito mansion and villa in Portugal – and are looking for a 'forever home' in the Cotswolds. But as seasoned observers say the Sussexes could face a financial crunch...

Is there enough jam in the pot for Harry and Meghan's new life in Britain?

by Alison Boshoff

EDITOR AT LARGE

2019. This represented a significant gift: transatlantic private jet travel starts from £44,000 one way. In recent years, the cosmetics mogul Victoria Jackson is understood to have loaned them her plane to hop from Montecito to LA and from LA to New York to attend charitable and social events including the 70th birthday party for Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner last year.

Meghan and Harry are also thought to frequently use Jackson's homes in LA and New York – thus saving money on hotels and security. Holidays are sometimes taken at the private homes of wealthy friends, too, again making further savings.

Then there's the question of how their quasi-royal tours are funded.

Harry and Meghan have stated that they 'personally covered' the costs of their 2024 trip to Colombia. However, reports – including in author Tom Bower's latest royal biography, Betrayal: Power, Deceit and the Fight for the Future of the Royal Family, which was published earlier this year – have suggested that billionaire George Soros may have funded approximately $3.8million (£2.8million) of the expenses associated with the visit via his charity.

Their trip earlier this year to Australia was said by the Sussex office to be 'privately funded'. But again it's not clear if this means by them or by someone else, or a combination of the two.

It may be significant that they both undertook lucrative speaking engagements alongside their philanthropic appointments Down Under, which will have helped edge the balance sheet towards the black where the visit was concerned.

And then there's the question of the £1.1million donation to a BBC Children in Need project in

Nottingham, which was announced on September 9, 2025, and targeted at grassroots organisations tackling youth violence and knife crime. Prince Harry stated the money came from his own funds rather than the Archewell Foundation – the charity which he and Meghan set up.

However, UK Charity Commission records later revealed the money was actually disbursed by the Glen Beg Foundation, a legacy charity funded by Princess Diana's estate. The money came, then, from funds to which he had access, but many would think it a stretch to describe it as his 'own pocket'.

It is worth considering at this point the sad fate of their charity, Archewell, which was essentially wound down in December last year, with all staff leaving. The only remaining employee, Shauna Ney, is retained on a consultant basis as the charity transitions to a new status.

Now called Archewell Philanthropies, it is no longer an independent charity but follows a 'fiscal sponsorship model',

meaning that another entity will take over its administration. This will likely be done on a commercial basis, I'm told. In other words, a company will run the show for them, for a price.

Archewell Foundation costs were notably high, and records show that donations to it were dwindling, as were its own donations to good causes.

The good news in all this is that Prince Harry donated a portion of the whopping profits from his tell-all book, Spare, to Sentebale, the charity supporting vulnerable children and young people in southern Africa, but from which he has since stepped away.

HE'S said to have given Sentebale $1.5million (£1.1million) and £300,000 to WellChild, a UK charity for seriously ill children. In all, the book reportedly made him more than $22 million (£16million) and is one of the biggest sources of revenue the couple have

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Polished look: Prince Harry and Meghan attend a charity event in Canada earlier this month

enjoyed. Broadly, though, the Sussexes' wealth is not of the scale which would allow them to make repeated significant charitable gifts out of their own pocket in the manner of, say, Bill Gates.

So what money has come in for Harry and Meghan – and when?

When they were first married in 2018, their lives were funded very comfortably by Harry's family. The couple were provided with a home, first Nottingham Cottage in the grounds of Kensington Palace (which Meghan found small) and later Frogmore Cottage at Windsor, which was completely revamped for them but where they lived for just eight months. They later repaid the taxpayers' money used to fund these renovations.

Harry's father, then Prince Charles, funded all the costs of running their 'office' – administration and communications staff who took care of their patronages and charitable activities. Security

was taken care of by the Home Office. In total, Charles was spending around £4million a year on William and Harry's needs at this time, with that amount also incidentally including a clothing allowance for Meghan and Catherine, then the Duchess of Cambridge, because as working royals, it was not the done thing to accept gifts.

At that time I was told of the clothes: 'It is all paid for privately, and it is all paid for, which means no freebies.'

In addition, Harry was a wealthy young man thanks to legacies from his family. First, there was a trust fund which had been set up by his great-grandmother, the Queen Mother. She set aside an estimated £19million in 1994 for her great-grandchildren – the bulk of it was reportedly ring-fenced for William and Harry.

Harry apparently was given the lion's share of that amount, to

reflect the fact that his older brother, William, would be inheriting the Duchy of Cornwall estate eventually, and Harry would not.

The money was divided into two instalments, one given aged 21 and one aged 40 (meaning Harry received the second tranche recently). If his share was around £10million, and if he has managed to resist the urge to dip into the capital, this could be bringing him £500,000 a year.

An equal annual amount should also be sloshing into his account thanks to his late mother. He inherited around £6.5million from Princess Diana's estate when she died in 1997 and received portions from the age of 25, with the full amount available to him from his 30th birthday. With interest and investment, this ought to have grown to around £10million, again giving him £500,000 a year.

Following Megxit in 2020, those legacies continued and royal

California dream: The Sussexes' £1million Montecito mansion where the couple have lived for six years

aides later clarified that funding from the Bank of Dad had also continued for a period during the couple's transition to financial independence, despite Harry's bitter outburst on the Oprah interview that: 'My family literally cut me off financially.'

There was, though, a new imperative to make money. Five months after Megxit in February 2020, the Sussexes bought their house in Montecito. The purchase seems to have fired the starting gun on their commercial endeavours.

In that tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, Harry reflected on their money-making activities to date, saying their deals with Netflix (signed in September 2020, reported as $100million, or £74million, over five years) and Spotify (signed in December 2020, reported at $20million, or £14.7million) had been driven by financial necessity. At that point, he said he still had the money left to him by his late mother.

'Without that, we wouldn't have been able to do this,' he said, referring to the move to California. 'To buy their house, the couple are widely reported to have taken out a mortgage, with repayments apparently standing at $480,000 (£354,000) a year.'

Property tax will be a further $68,000 (£50,000) a year. Utilities are estimated at $24,000 (£17,700) a year, staffing costs $250,000 (£184,000) and then comes that multi-million-pound bill for security. It all adds up to them needing to clear around $4million (£3million) a year after tax, which is quite a task.

Sources also indicate that the price Harry and Meghan pay for the running of their own media company – Archewell Productions – is significant, probably another $3million (£2.2million) a year.

If Harry and Meghan had really been getting $100million over five years from Netflix at a steady rate of $20million a year, then you could consider it taken care of.

BUT a source who knows details of the Netflix deal says it's never worked out like that. They said: 'From speaking to someone with knowledge of the deal, it looks like they've probably managed to maybe keep $10-15million (£7.4-11million) or a touch more purely for themselves over the nearly five years – not bad business, but that kind of money doesn't last long with their lifestyle.'

'Netflix paid for the production of [the tell-all hit documentary series] Harry & Meghan [in 2022], which would have included a big fee for them. I'd guess [the money Netflix spent on it] works out at $20million (£14.7million) all-in.'

'Netflix haven't done too badly out of the relationship in as much as they've probably only gone out of pocket to the tune of around

$40million (£29million) or thereabouts, and they did at least get a huge hit documentary out of the investment, and a less successful show in With Love, Meghan. The whole arrangement was basically a trade-off for Netflix getting the Harry & Meghan documentary.'

That deal is now over, downgraded to a 'first look' at Sussex projects, which means that Netflix won't be funding their development costs going forward. The Spotify deal is over.

MEGHAN has a lesser deal with podcast network Lemonada Media, which resulted in a single season of Confessions Of A Female Founder in 2025.

'It's difficult to see the [Sussexes' own Archewell] production company making money at this point. Although there are numerous projects in development, they won't make real money until one of them actually starts filming, and then obviously will need to fund the production and their own staff costs and overheads before declaring any profit.'

Harry has two part-time consultancy jobs – with BetterUp, a business coaching firm, and Travelyst, a non-profit company he set up himself to make the travel industry more sustainable, which apparently doesn't pay him. His pay for BetterUp has never been revealed but is said to be $1million (£738,000) a year.

Which leaves us with Meghan's efforts to make money. Linking to affiliate selling sites like ShopMy might bring in a low five-figure sum a month. Netflix show With Love, Meghan was a flop and the network declined on the documentary Cookie Queens.

It has since stepped away from their investment in her lifestyle brand As Ever, with sources telling me that there was 'just all this jam' and they had hoped there would be more to it than that.

As disclosed in the Daily Mail, the indications are that there is indeed a huge amount of unsold jam, and that this is going to start going out of date at the end of next summer. She is potentially facing large losses of $5million (£3.7million) or more.

Financial details for As Ever, in terms of its sales of wines, jams and sprinkles, have never been disclosed so the overall picture is not clear. Officially, her team say the business is doing very well, for a start-up. Meghan says that she stepped away from a 'desire' to make more television so that she could go all-in with her brand.

'I love that there's so much excitement and desire for another season, but I need to focus on my business. And at a certain point, the only thing I want spread thin is my jam.'

The question remains, however, no matter how thinly it's spread, is there enough jam in the pot now?

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RETURN OF THE PRODIGAL PRINCE

by Nile Gardiner

WHY precisely are Meghan and Harry returning to Britain? Through their representatives, they have let it be known that their sudden and dramatic move has been 'driven by the couple's desire to spend time in Europe, [to be] nearer Harry's family and wanting to educate their children in the UK'.

That may be so. But - to use the jargon of the immigration system - could there have been 'push' factors as well as the 'pull' ones they describe?

In other words, could Meghan and Harry be running away from something, just as much as they are running towards something else?

Specifically, huge and pertinent questions remain surrounding Harry's US visa, the document that has until now entitled him to reside there. It is worth stressing that his marriage to a US citizen does not automatically grant Harry the right to live, let alone work, in America.

In 2025, the Heritage Foundation, of which I am a director, sued both the United States Department of Homeland Security (2020) and the State Department for the release of the Duke's immigration records, in what has become the most high-profile immigration-related case in decades.

Anyone applying to live and work in America has to respond truthfully to the question: 'Have you ever violated, or engaged in a conspiracy to violate, any law relating to controlled substances?'

I regularly answered it myself until I became a US citizen more than a decade ago.

It is unknown how Harry answered the question, assuming it was put to him. But we know his truthful response, whatever he wrote on his form.

In his highly destructive and unpleasant memoir Spare, Harry boasted in extensive detail of having ingested a bizarre range of illegal drugs, from cocaine and psychedelic mushrooms to the dissociative veterinary anaesthetic ketamine and, predictably, cannabis.

NEEDLESS to say, this is a pattern of criminality that would normally bar someone from entering the United States at all, let alone living there.

It is frankly extraordinary that Harry was so brazenly stupid as to have published and promoted a book detailing his enthusiasm for banned narcotics while seeking to live in the US as a foreign alien.

Spare not only displayed deep-seated scorn for Harry's own family, including his father the King and his brother the Prince of Wales. It also made a series of admissions of law-breaking on British soil.

Harry and Meghan's sudden decision to abandon any further attempts at making a success of themselves in America and to scuttle back across the Atlantic to try to

Is Harry's return linked to how he answered questions for U.S. visa about drug usage?

Boasts: Harry, above in 2006, admits taking drugs

regain the affection of the British people does not halt my Foundation's ongoing legal action. Far from it.

In fact the latest developments will only lead to calls for even greater scrutiny of Harry's US visa application by the American people and members of Congress. We remain determined to see Harry's immigration records released in a spirit of openness, transparency and accountability. That is the American way.

The stakes are incredibly high for the Duke, who has admitted that his drug use lasted until at least 2020.

If any wrongdoing by Harry is revealed in relation to his visa application, that would under normal circumstances prevent him from returning to America for the rest of his life.

It is important to mention that the Duke's team has always insisted that he told the truth. However, the point is that until his application is disclosed, the American public won't know the full picture, whatever it might be. This is about transparency.

If Harry were found to have committed an immigration offence while on US soil, he could face up to five years in

federal prison, followed by summary deportation.

As a direct result of our Freedom of Information case, the US State Department is reviewing no fewer than 289 documents relating to Harry's visa application, running to almost 2,500 pages. (Some initial documents have been withheld.)

I have separately urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump to release these documents to the American people.

No one in America should escape legal scrutiny, including - or perhaps especially, given the republic's foundational history - foreign royals.

Daily Mail readers will be well aware that President Trump has made immigration enforcement and border security a top priority. In fact no US administration in modern times has done more to take decisive action to defend America's borders and restore the country's sovereignty than the present one.

IF HARRY has nothing to hide about the information he supplied on his US immigration application - and if he answered any questions about his prior enthusiasm for illegal drugs truthfully - he should support the application's release, as well as that of all documents relating to it. I regard his failure to have done so as an insult.

What's more, the Sussexes - and this is particularly outrageous given the inherently apolitical nature of the British monarchy - have never hidden their Left-wing leanings in general and their sympathy for the Democratic Party in particular.

Even their favoured amanuensis, the celebrity little-lattle magazine People, admitted recently that 'they have made no secret of their disillusionment with the current White House', while Katie Miller, the wife of White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, has said: 'They are moving back to

Britain because they don't like President Trump.'

Last February, the President himself was asked whether he would deport Harry over the Prince's extensive drug use. Trump replied: 'I don't want to do that. I'll leave him alone. He's got enough problems with his wife. She's terrible.'

Earlier this year, Trump exclaimed to the Daily Mail's Robert Hardman: 'Boy, what she's done to that guy!'

And it is certainly striking just how sudden his and Meghan Markle's decision to flee America has been.

Even the King was allegedly unaware of his son's plans until just a few days ago, while William was blindsided and is said to be furious.

The move is all the more surprising given that Harry and Meghan have spent years relentlessly attacking the Crown, in print and on television, as an unwelcoming and racist institution, while simultaneously moaning about the British media, castigating various members of the Royal Family and complaining about much else in the UK.

Meghan in particular mocked the way she had to curtse to the beloved late Queen Elizabeth. The Duchess seems to have no fondness whatsoever for the rainy North Atlantic island she quit very quickly after she had found her second husband there.

We deserve to know the truth. We have the right to know whether or not a senior British royal included false information on his immigration documents, whether he received some kind of special treatment, and whether or not his unlikely return to his ancestral country is related to the information he supplied on his visa application.

And I firmly believe that, before long, we will all know the truth.

■ NILE GARDINER is a former aide to Margaret Thatcher, and Director of The Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom of The Heritage Foundation in Washington DC.

by Richard Kay

SENIOR EDITOR-AT-LARGE

EVERYWHERE you look the influence of one figure overshadows Prince Harry's shock homecoming to Britain. It is there in both the element of surprise and in its breathtaking chutzpah. And it is there in Harry's certainty that, whatever the consequences, it was the right thing to do.

That figure, of course, is Princess Diana whose memory has become a lodestar for Harry. Indeed, as the decades have passed - next year Harry (and let's not forget Prince William) will be marking the 30th anniversary of her tragic death.

But for Harry, rather than diminishing with time, his mother's influence is growing. The audacity of the announcement and the timing was guaranteed to grab the attention of the country and to shake his own family out of their high summer drowsiness at Balmoral.

How reminiscent it was of Diana's revelation that she had secretly recorded a television interview with BBC's Panorama programme, a broadcast that even now 31 years later, continues to reverberate with the Royal Family.

Harry gave his father three days' notice of his and Meghan's intentions to relocate from California. Diana announced news of her interview eight days after it had been shot and a week before its screening. It blindsided everyone.

For both mother and son, each announcement was a fait accompli, not subjects for discussion but matters of fact.

Here, too, Harry, like Diana, has made another calculation - but in the Duke of Sussex's case it is infinitely riskier. It is the

'Diana did not attack other family members'

issue of forgiveness and that for all his past mistakes he can rely on the British public's sense of fair play - or at least mercy.

Diana escaped unscathed from the Panorama fiasco, despite massive establishment anger over her airing of dirty laundry in general and her criticism of her then husband Prince Charles's ability to become an effective monarch.

It barely denied her image, and her popularity - especially among women - soared with a public who identified with her dramatic account of how her marriage had been destroyed by the presence of Mrs Camilla Parker Bowler, now the Queen.

Like Harry, the princess also collaborated with a tell-all book, about the unhappiness of her life with Charles and difficulties with being a member of the Royal Family. Again, whatever the truth of the matter, the public sided with a young woman they judged had been cruelly treated by cold and hostile in-laws.

There are, however, some essential differences that Harry would be wise to consider. Diana never broke with the royals and, whatever her frustrations about public duty, continued to be a much-valued and effective working member of the family.

Harry quit and was scathing about the country and institution he walked away from. His and Meghan's departure was littered with accusations of racism and resentment with attacks that blighted the last months of the lives of both of the prince's grandparents, the Queen and Prince Philip.

Was Harry's head turned during his brief visit to Britain in July when he impressed during engagements with a public that was briefly swayed by his natural charm, a reminder of the carefree pre-Meghan days? Until this point,

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Harry has cast himself as an aggrieved royal outsider like Diana...

In the spotlight: Diana's famous interview with Martin Bashir on Panorama in 1995 and Harry and Meghan talking to Oprah in 2021

But there are vital differences between him and his mother he'd be wise to consider

both his and Meghan's popularity had been on the floor, with approval ratings only marginally better than the disgraced former Prince Andrew.

Remember too, that however deep her dissatisfaction with the royals, Diana did not make ad hominem attacks on wider family members as Harry has.

The rift between Harry and William is deeper and strategically more damaging for the monarchy than any of Diana's quarrels, which largely were patched up.

One other key factor is the lack of any sign of regret from Harry. He may see himself as the returning prodigal son but without any measure of repentance, that return looks distinctly shaky.

For her part, Diana did have regrets and admitted mistakes. She acknowledged she went too far in some of her remarks to reporter Martin Bashir, an interview, remember, that we now know she was tricked into.

It is not just the confessional of the book and broadcasting where Harry is following his mother's

footsteps, but also in her unpredictability. The princess had an uncanny ability to divine the public mood on matters of national importance. Her decision to attend a Remembrance Sunday service in Rensselaer, Northern Ireland, six years after the IRA's Poppy Day bomb killed 11 people, was just such a moment.

She and Charles had visited the town in the aftermath of the 1987 attack, and she kept up a long correspondence with the families of the victims of terror and of other tragedies. And she chose unfashionable causes to champion.

But while this guaranteed her huge support, it did not make her popular within the Royal Family, whom she was repeatedly accused of upstaging. This eventually was to chip away at her confidence.

I understand that Harry has told friends he feels his late mother's presence, that she is guiding him and that she comes to him.

This undoubtedly is affecting. Diana's death has cast a long shadow over Harry's life and the poignancy of him following the

coffin at her funeral, aged 12, is seared into the national memory.

But Harry is not the sole custodian of the princess's legacy. It is shared with William. He too, overwhelmed by sadness, was part of that funeral party. Both brothers have acknowledged their mother

'Unlike her, Harry seems to lack any regret'

in aspects of their lives. Their daughters Charlotte and Lilibet share Diana as a middle name; their wives wear her jewellery; and their Spencer family cousins are woven into their lives as godmothers to their children.

Weddings and christenings have included references to the mother they lost. And both princes continue to cite her influence. But

Harry is far more public about it and has sought ownership of that legacy in a way William never has.

Should Harry now attempt to stake further claims on his mother's inheritance it is unlikely to be welcomed by William.

Rumours abound that part of the reason for Harry coming home concern his plans - thought to be well advanced - to make a documentary about Diana for screening next year. Friends and family have been approached but it is not clear whether they include William or indeed whether he would even consider it.

Ten years ago, the brothers joined forces to contribute to two documentaries on their mother for the 20th anniversary of her death. The idea of co-operating together on such a project today seems scarcely credible.

So, can there ever be a reconciliation? William was outraged by the claims of racism which, according to Harry and Meghan, had sprung from family discussions about the likely skin colour of their unborn son Archie. Claims which were

broadcast to the world in the Sussexes' Oprah interview. The brothers are not thought to have spoken for four years. When they were forced to come together - with Catherine and Meghan - to meet wellwishers at Windsor after Queen Elizabeth's death, the Princess of Wales confided to a family member that it was the 'hardest thing' she'd ever had to do.

No wonder William looked grim-faced as he emerged at the wheel of a car at Balmoral yesterday. If anyone has been blindsided, it is him and Kate. With talk of a rival court emerging around his brother, William has every reason to fear that all the work he has done to stabilise the monarchy in the wake of both Megxit and the Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor scandal may be disrupted.

Can he rely on assurances that there will be no gradual return to public duties by the Sussexes? And what about red carpet events? With Meghan apparently set on resuming her acting career, there will surely be glamorous public-facing engagements that could diminish coverage of his and Kate's working lives.

Then there is the crucial issue of trust. William needs to be certain that private family matters are not leaked to US networks and Sussex-friendly magazines. Despite the public notion of a

'Charles finds the row sad and exhausting'

Royal Family doing everything together, they lead largely separate, self-contained lives, only coming together on set-piece occasions.

And one is already looming. What will happen at Christmas? Having been deprived of the company of his Sussex grandchildren for years, the King will surely want them at Sandringham. Don't be surprised if William exercises his right to spend this Christmas with his Middleton in-laws.

At the same time, Harry may be inclined to take another page out of his mother's playbook. After her separation from Charles, Diana spent the bare minimum of time with the Royal Family at such gatherings, arriving late on Christmas Eve and leaving after church on Christmas Day. Time - just - for her to see the joy on her sons' faces when they opened their presents.

For Charles, Harry's homecoming may be mixed: thrilled to have his entire family back in Britain but wary too. He has found the family broach sad and exhausting. As he told a friend: 'My mother had 70 years to look after her family, I don't have that luxury.'

No one knows more about the vicariousness of popularity than the King. As Prince of Wales, he was mercilessly criticised for his treatment of Diana and lampooned for his cranky views. But as King he has become a much-loved figure.

'He will have told Harry that we in Britain will forgive and forget,' says one close figure. 'Don't forget he too wrote a book criticising his parents, made a television programme, and admitted adultery. All that now is in the past.'

Whether the public will extend that same courtesy to his son remains to be seen.

It's true that the monarchy has survived other family crises. But the reintegration of Harry and Meghan may be its toughest test yet.

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Daily Mail

COMMENT

Sorry masquerade staged at huge cost

IN Shakespeare's Othello, lieutenant Cassio observes how his reputation is the 'immortal part of myself'.

The disastrous legal action brought by Prince Harry and other litigants levelled pernicious, unfounded slurs against the repute of the Daily Mail and its journalists. Some were wrongly accused of crimes.

Now, rightly, those baseless allegations have been powerfully dismissed and the claimants are facing the mammoth financial consequences of their folly.

It would have been better all round if this sorry masquerade had never taken place.

The litigation was, ultimately, politically motivated and marshalled behind the scenes by figures who have a deep-seated hatred of this country's free Press.

The claimants' case went 'outside the ordinary and reasonable conduct of civil proceedings', Mr Justice Nicklin ruled yesterday, and the way the claim was pursued was 'unreasonable to a high degree'.

Crucially, the judge also recognised that it was a part of a 'co-ordinated media and litigation campaign' designed to challenge evidence the Daily Mail had previously given to the Leveson Inquiry.

This whole sorry episode, then, was an example of what is referred to as 'lawfare' - when the courts are used as a weapon.

It is a matter of deepest regret to the Daily Mail that Baroness Lawrence was enticed into this charade, particularly after this newspaper vigorously took up the cause of her son Stephen's racist murder.

By backing Lady Lawrence and her family, this newspaper placed itself in legal jeopardy, particularly with our historic front page story in February 1997 which named five suspects as 'Murderers'.

Years later, lamentably, this ardent support seemed to have counted for nothing as far as Lady Lawrence was concerned. In that, she was misguided.

Now it is to be hoped that the Duke of Sussex adheres to promises he has reportedly made to ensure Lady Lawrence is not left out of pocket.

As for the other claimants, it is their reputations - rather than this newspaper's - which have been indelibly tarnished by their involvement in these claims.

And in the long term, that may come at an even higher cost than the multi-million-pound sum the court has now ordered them to stump up.

Benefits Britain

THE true consequences of Labour's addiction to benefits are starting to become horribly clear.

Spending on welfare and the state pension surged to £29.5 billion last month - just under a staggering £1 billion a day.

Although economists had predicted a break-even month for the Treasury, this spendthrift Government pushed public borrowing still higher.

It means that Chancellor John Healey has been left with 'razor thin' financial headroom ahead of his autumn Budget.

The whole mess makes it more likely that he will ramp up taxes to pay for Prime Minister Andy Burnham's ever-expanding list of spending commitments.

All this was avoidable, but Labour has no wish to cut welfare handouts. Quite the reverse. Cabinet minister Pat McFadden has even admitted that at 'every meeting', members of the Parliamentary Labour Party asked: 'Who can we tax in order to pay benefits to others?'

This profligate Government has a deliberate, shameful policy of requiring the diligent and hard-working people of Britain to pay for the indolent.

EVERY family has its bad apples. But the Royal Family is becoming overrun with them.

The execrable Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, soon likely to face another raft of misconduct allegations, is the worst of them.

But even if he is treated as a special case, the King is beset by others - a whole lot of them, with the return next month of his younger son Prince Harry and wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex.

They join Andrew's daughters, the princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, around whom rumours swirl connecting them to their father's paedophile close pal, the billionaire financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Their mother Sarah Ferguson, Andrew's ex-wife, though not in any way a royal, is also a lingering presence impossible to ignore, unseen but forever there, like a foul odour.

The question is no longer how the monarchy deals with its wayward family members, but whether it can survive being beset by so many of them. This is now a crisis unprecedented in the modern history of the Royal Family, stretching back to its reinvention almost 200 years ago by Queen Victoria and her Consort, Prince Albert.

One way to establish which of them presents the greatest threat is to ask which has most to gain from the current chaos. And the answer to that is self-evident. It is the Sussexes.

Harry's return may be occasioned by a desire to be closer to a father who may not have long to live but it may also be opportunistic - to get his feet under the royal table while his father is in power and before his brother removes his titles and those of his children, Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five.

If the Sussex brand is to grow, it is imperative that Archie and Lilibet remain a prince and princess. The monetary value of those titles is incalculable. It might be argued that, even if the future King William V were to banish them, the children could continue to insist on their royal handles. But the titles would be devalued.

JUST as the demoted princes and princesses of Russia and Eastern Europe, from whose ranks Prince Philip came, were regarded as second-class royalty, Archie and Lilibet would never enjoy the glamour that is the birthright of their cousins, Princes George and Louis, and Princess Charlotte.

That would be gall and wormwood to the Duke and Duchess - assuming they still were a duke and duchess. They have evidently realised this, and decided that they need to return to the fold.

And the King seems to have accepted this. We are told Charles was informed of the move only on Sunday and will be pleased to have the chance of spending more time with grandchildren he has hardly seen.

This is the culmination of Project Thaw, entrusted to the King's assistant private secretary Theo Rycroft, to bring Harry back into the fold.

If it's true the timing of the Sussexes' return was a complete surprise to the monarch - and it is well to regard all Palace communications with a measure of scepticism - this suggests it has come as a shock to Archie and Lilibet as well. After all, it seems unthinkable that Meghan and Harry will have told the children in advance but forbidden them to breathe a word, even to their grandfather, whom they saw at Highgrove only six weeks ago.

The King's stamp of approval on the plan is crucial for Harry and Meghan. And it seems certain to be given, not least because there are advantages for Charles himself. Of course he wanted to reconcile with his younger son, but the news will also distract from the awkward

Trouble: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor with his ex-wife Sarah and daughters Beatrice and Eugenie and, below, Harry and Meghan

questions currently being asked about what he knew of Andrew's business dealings, as well as wider issues about royal privilege, accountability and governance.

For the next few months, at least, all the talk will be of Harry and Meghan. No one will be looking at the other royal miscreants, unless Andrew becomes the focus of more revelations about Epstein or his former role as the UK's Special Representa-

tive for International Trade and Investment.

Princess Eugenie, who is still on very amicable terms with the Sussexes, and Princess Beatrice will appreciate the shift of focus away from them. So, doubtless, will their mother, who for practically the first time in her life has been keeping a low profile - not even attending the funeral of her ex-lover and sugar daddy, Formula One tycoon Paddy McNally. But if

the assorted villains of the family, some less petty than others, are glad of the distraction, the Prince of Wales has been confronted with an unenviable and unexpected dilemma.

William detests his brother so deeply that it is said he refuses to have Harry's name spoken in his presence.

Yet how will he be able to strip the Sussexes of all their baubles when he becomes King, if their father has pub-

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Page 17

The question is no longer how the Monarchy deals with its bad apples, but whether it can survive so many of them

SATURDAY ESSAY by Andrew Lownie

licly forgiven them? Perhaps the greatest test will come at Christmas. By then, Harry, Meghan and their children will have been back in the UK for three months.

Will the couple join the Royal Family at Sandringham? William has made it clear he and his family will not tolerate the presence of the former Prince Andrew, let alone his ex-wife. I strongly suspect he will take the same hard line with his brother.

This places the King and Queen in an appalling position. Do they tell Harry that he isn't welcome at Christmas? Or do they insist that forgiveness means forgiveness, and that all the Sussexes will be caroling round the Sandringham

tree with them? In that case, William and Catherine may well feel that Christmas with the Middletons, the Princess of Wales's family, is the only bearable option. That risks driving a wedge between the heir to the throne and his father, and will certainly cause Charles untold grief.

Such are the problems caused by the bad apples. The rest of the family must manoeuvre constantly to accommodate them. There are no good solutions, only bad compromises.

It appears that Harry and Meghan Markle have achieved all this without issuing an apology for their heinous behaviour, which included accusing the Royal Fam-

ily of racism and denouncing them on a US chat show.

They have also won the 'half in, half out' strategy for which they argued six years ago and were refused by Queen Elizabeth. It is thought Harry will focus on next year's Invictus Games and charity work, while his wife has reportedly been offered an acting role in Britain and will continue to oversee her lifestyle brand, As Ever.

The couple's hope is that they may be called to fill in at garden parties as the Palace tests the public mood and that eventually they may return to partial royal duties. This is a cynical and hypocritical reinvention, but creating new narratives has never worried

them. This is how such characters operate, by refusing to be ashamed of anything they do. The others strive to do nothing that will compromise their reputations. How much easier for the ones without conscience, who can behave as they like and kick out at anyone who dares criticise them for it.

There have been signs for the past year that Harry was keen to set up his own alternative royal court in Britain. The Daily Mail's royal commentator Richard Eden revealed Project Thaw last December, outlining how it involved not only the King but also government officials. This was confirmed by US journalist

Rob Shuter who quoted a royal insider as saying: 'Harry wants legitimacy. He wants to operate in the UK on his own terms - meetings, charitable work, high-level engagements - without being treated as a guest in his own country.'

It would be dangerous to assume he is willing to settle for life on the edge of the Royal Family, as his uncle Andrew has been forced to do. He wants pride of place, with his wife and children beside him.

And he may well get it. However egregious and selfish his behaviour, he is protected by a natural charisma. Harry is easy to loathe but difficult to dislike. It's little surprise that his approval rating rose six points in the last year, with 33 per cent of the British public viewing him favourably according to YouGov polling last month.

Meghan will have more difficulty in winning over the public, many of whom retain an affection for her husband despite his actions over the past five years. Last month's poll showed around 22 per cent of respondents viewed her favourably.

But the couple have a formidable PR machine, and must hope that attitudes within the family and country will eventually change, perhaps helped by a wave of sympathy with the 30th anniversary of Princess Diana's death next August.

ALL the sympathy for now is with those who lose most by making room for the bad apples. The biggest losers are the Prince and Princess of Wales. They have done their duty while coping with Kate's cancer diagnosis and will feel betrayed and humiliated.

The news has also undermined the other working royals. Just as Diana used to upstage Charles, Harry and Meghan's activities are more likely to be reported than the latest charitable work by Princess Anne or Prince Edward.

Royal annals offer just one precedent. In the late 1940s, as King George VI's health deteriorated, his older brother the Duke of Windsor, formerly King Edward VIII, harboured ambitions of a return to England.

For more than a decade, after renouncing the throne to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson, he had lived in exile abroad.

But his niece Elizabeth was regarded by many as too young and inexperienced to succeed her father. The Duke began dropping hints that he might be prepared to return to Britain and act as Regent, if needed. He gave up this conceited notion when he was told he would not have the tax free status he enjoyed in France.

It might be that, ultimately, the expense of living in the UK will drive away the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, especially if they are required to shoulder the expense of their own security arrangements, put at up to £5 million a year.

They will also face a drain on their finances if they decide not to sell their mansion in Montecito, California - or if they cannot sell it without suffering a serious loss.

As other royal troublemakers have discovered before them, being a bad apple comes at a heavy cost.

■ ENTITLED: The Rise And Fall Of The House Of York, the biography of Andrew

Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson, by Andrew Lownie, is published by William Collins

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Page 18

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Page 19

IT IS an astonishing anthropological experience to stand in a row of people waiting to greet a member of the Royal Family. If you ever get the chance, you should look carefully at your neighbours.

You will spot someone that you know for a fact is a rabid Leflae – a card-carrying socialist and egalitarian. There are so many Leflaes these days that it is, I am afraid, a statistical inevitability.

As the royal personage draws ever nearer, shaking hands as they go, I suggest that you scrutinise your Left-wing acquaintance carefully – because it doesn't matter what they generally say about the royals or how critical they may be.

They may deplore their lavatorial sense of humour; they may sneer at their O-levels in home economics; they may wax indignant at their lust for bloodsports and their peculiar

'No institution has the magnetic pull of the royals'

and so far unsubstantiated requirement that a special equerry should always be on hand, wherever they go, to warm the seat of their loo.

You may be standing next to someone who is, in principle, an out-and-out republican who would happily sell off Buckingham Palace for social housing and turn Sandringham into allotments for asylum seekers.

But by heaven, I tell you this, with the confidence of someone who has seen it happen many times: when the moment finally comes for the royal gaze to light upon that Left-wing republican, when they are bathed in the dazzle of the royal dentition, you will notice a sudden change in their demeanour.

They hold their breath. They stiffen their spines. They perform the bow or curtay that they have practised all morning. And after they have held a brief, stammering but wholly cordial conversation with that member of the royal tribe they will remember it for the rest of their lives, and repeat it with forgivable embellishment until their dying day.

That is because there is no institution in the world that has the magnetic pull of the British Royal Family.

There is something about it that speaks to the depths of the British soul – the idea of a monarchy that genetically personifies the very history of the country, and that somehow represents the best of the

The day a royal aide let slip to me the secret strategy that is key to Harry and Meghan being embraced by The Firm

national spirit in a way that transcends the Left and Right of politics.

Millions of people in this country have by now had that royal experience – of first-hand eyeball-to-eyeball contact with a real, live, dinkum member of The Firm; and yet the sad truth is that there are many millions more who have not, and who long to do so, and who perhaps never will, for the simple reason that there just aren't enough of them to go around.

All of which, of course, makes it fundamentally excellent news that Harry and Meghan have decided to call time on their sojourn in America – where it seems to me that, apart from selling an incredible quantity of jam (or not), they were slightly under-appreciated – and to come back to this country.

It is time for the courtiers to get a grip on events, to make the most of it, and to go back to the secret strategy that they came up with a few years ago. It was called

'The Big Six', a reference to the big beasts of the African savannah, the ones the tourist absolutely must see (let's call them lion, elephant, chino, giraffe, leopard, buffalo).

I remember I was standing in some giant Commonwealth reception at Buckingham Palace, right next to the author of the strategy when I first heard about it. I will protect his name, but in the old days he would have been called something like Sir Alan Fitzgibb.

'Look,' said Fitzgibb suddenly, in an Attenborough whisper. 'The Big Six!'

And there they were – all together – coming through the crowd in a kind of phalanx: the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, followed by the then Prince and Princess of Wales (aka Charles and Camilla), followed by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (William and Kate).

They were causing a sensation as they went – not surprisingly. How would you feel if you saw –

under the same baobab tree – a collection of six large mammals made up of lion, elephant, chino, giraffe, leopard, buffalo?

You'd think it was mind-blowing, astonishing, because each of those alone is worth travelling to Africa to see. That was the essence of the Big Six strategy – to focus on those members of the family that the public really wanted to see more than anyone else.

That was not to deprecate the work of the other royals, notably Princess Anne. They were and are loved and appreciated. They did great stuff (I think this was before Prince Andrew blew up). But the Big Six strategy was about maximising and co-ordinating the impact of the core team.

Well, my friends, you can see where this argument is going. Since that strategy was devised, we have sadly lost both the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. There are fewer big beasts around the waterhole, and

you could argue that the Big Six has in fact been reduced to four.

So it is of great interest that two of the most charismatic megafaunas are coming back to the Pride Lands because, whatever you may say about Harry and Meghan, they are certainly capable of making up the numbers. Look at the yards of coverage that is being devoted to their return!

As beasts go, they are the kind that will definitely cause a ring of Land Rovers to form around them with whirring telephotos; and that matters.

Think how this country works. Every day there are great campaigns being launched, or important public buildings being opened – projects on which people have worked hard, and where the presence of a senior member of the Royal Family would give those people a sense that their efforts are appreciated.

I know that Harry and Meghan could do it again. I have seen them in action. I am also aware that there is a tide of feeling against them, for all sorts of historic reasons. It is time for the Palace to go decisively against

'Time to forgive for the good of the country'

that tide and bring them back into the fold.

This is no moment for half measures. They can't be semi-detached members of the Royal Family, and they certainly can't set up some rival operation – an alternative court – that isn't properly co-ordinated with the others.

They have a huge amount to offer. Think of the innocent pleasure they could bring to people around the country, simply by coming to thank them for what they have done for their community – and of course bringing the cameras with them.

Whatever hard words have been exchanged in the past – and like most readers, I have no idea of the details – this is the time for forgiveness. The whole lot of them need to let bygones be bygones, and bring them back in, for the good of the family, and the country as a whole.

Harry needs to get over whatever insults he perceives that he and his wife have endured and recognise that the work of The Firm is important, and that very few can do it. He should get stuck in.

As for his long-suffering father, it's time to remember the parable of the Prodigal Son. Bring back the Big Six.

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Page 20

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Page 21

Platell's People

How could Harry fail to tell his ailing father about his return?

ALL of us were stunned by the news that the Sussexes are returning to the UK.

But isn't it incredible that King Charles was also blind-sided, learning just three days earlier – on Sunday night – that Harry and Meghan would soon be on their way?

What kind of son does that to an ailing father? Why did they not tell the King when they saw him at Highgrove in July? Did Harry and Meghan relish their thunderbolt?

It is appallingly selfish behaviour given their imminent arrival will have such consequences, reopening deep unhealed wounds between the Sussexes and the Prince and Princess of Wales.

Dropping the bombshell just before William and Kate travelled to Balmoral, where the Royal Family is on their summer break, must have turned the holiday into a crisis summit.

The move was clearly long in the planning. How else could Harry and Meghan have found another home in England and enrolled their children Archie,

■ INSIDERS believe Meghan wants to be in a West End play on her return to the UK. I suggest One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest playing Nurse Ratched, who dealt with lobotomised patients. With such a dim-witted husband, she'd know what to do.

seven, and Lilibet, five, in British schools? But this kind of secrecy is typical of the Sussexes. Remember how they flounced off across the Atlantic with hardly a warning to the Queen?

And what must the King think? Sources close to Harry say he hopes to win back Charles' trust, but how could the King or Queen – or William and Kate – ever trust him again after this operation?

At least Charles has insisted that the institution of the monarchy won't change, that William and his family will always come first because he is the heir to the throne, and there will be no half-in half-out status for the Sussexes.

But the drama must have hurt him. And while his loving heart may welcome the prodigal son's return, his head will surely be filled with foreboding.

Tragic Hayden

TWO weeks before she died of a suspected overdose aged 36, troubled actress Hayden Panettiere posed for a campaign for animal charity PETA in a bath, saying: 'Imagine spending your entire life in a bathtub.' She was calling for an end to the

cruel practice of keeping whales and dolphins at theme parks, and added: 'Can you imagine their frustration, their trauma, their depression?' It left me wondering if that was how the tragic former child star had felt her entire life?

☐ CALL me a cynic but, in my book, the loved-up holiday selfies of Lewis Hamilton and his latest squeeze Kim Kardashian don't pass the sniff test. Yes, he has a long list of rich and famous women he's supposedly squired, including

Nicole Scheringer, Rita Ora and Rihanna, and all of those relationships sparked internet speculation that has kept him in the headlines. But I'm not sure the diminutive fashion icon has ever quite made it to the winner's podium of true love.

++Westminster wars++

■ AFTER she was forced to leave the Cabinet in a row over stamp duty, Angela Rayner earned £170,000 as a backbencher, mostly from speaking engagements. Yes, the same honest Ange, now on a salary of £166,104, who once said: 'Being an MP isn't a second job. It is the job. Labour will put an end to it.' But not to her hypocrisy.

■ ANDY Burnham defends pamphlets for asylum seekers, telling them not to rape women and girls, nor to hit their wives. Will it make any difference given that most illegal migrants are from countries such as Pakistan, Eritrea and Iran – which have records of appalling treatment of women.

WE Beatles fans cried Help! in sheer disbelief on seeing early images from Sam Mendes' four-film biopic of the Fab Four. John, Paul, Ringo and George were crossing Abbey Road looking nothing like the smart, suited stars who appeared on their album of the same name but as if they'd had a very hard day's night. They were led by a John Lennon (above left) with

a weird orange beard and hair, who looked like a cross between Game Of Thrones' Tormund (Kristofer Hivju, right) and Charles Manson.

I salute Emma

THE BBC's Today programme presenter Emma Barnett reveals she's reluctantly had a hysterectomy aged 41, having endured the pain of endometriosis for years. Like the rest of the 1.5million UK women who've suffered from this condition, I salute you, Emma. I fled to Aussie for my hysterectomy also aged 41, knowing I'd be able to recover there in peace with my family. When I came back to London much thinner, my friends all assumed I'd had a facelift!

Air-sea rescue for lucky Reg

HAPPY ending of the week. A barn owl who lost his way and flew 80 miles off the Norfolk coast collapsed into an Army boat taking part in a race. He is now in the care of the Barn Owl Trust.

In Hindu tradition barn owls symbolise good luck. And Reg, the name given to him by the soldiers who saved him, certainly benefited from it that day.

STRICTLY pro dancer Vito Coppola has a food book coming out, Love, Vito. Sorry Vito, the only book we fans want is Giovanni Pernice's Gio: Taking The Lead, serialised in today's

Daily Mail. He reveals his truth about being kicked off Strictly following bullying claims by Amanda Abbington – after she was recorded crying to Gio: 'I know I'm a nightmare.'

☐ OH, I do love a good Tinder Swindler scandal! The latest involves Joseph Gibson, 35, who conned £68,000 from gullible women – two of whom he met on the Tinder app – after pretending he was a multi-millionaire with a yacht. He told one he had cancer and needed emergency money for treatment. Rule one regarding any man you meet online: the moment he asks for cash, report him to the police and include his screenshot and mobile number. Gibson was given three years. No doubt he's updating his Tinder profile in jail.

■ AMONG the avalanche of Instagram images Victoria Beckham posted from her family's holiday – including a snap of her with her favourite prawn salad – up pops one of her looking so thin that her collar bones are poking out as she sunbathes. Perhaps it was just bad lighting or maybe Vic, S2, needs to throw a few more prawns on the barbie.

Pride of place for Lions

AMAZING reviews for the new Disney+ series Lion, which traces a pride in Kenya for four years. It's a cross between The Lion King and Attenborough. What a relief from

most offerings these days, not least Ridley Scott's new movie The Dog Stars, which is set in a post-apocalyptic world after a virus wipes out most of humanity. Yawn.

Follow me on X@amanda|platell Email: amanda.platell@dailymail.co.uk

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Page 22

Ethel, world's oldest person at 117, has seen 6 monarchs, 28 PMs... and is looking forward to next year!

SHE has lived during the reigns of six monarchs – even holding hands with the present King – and seen 28 prime ministers in No10.

Now Ethel Caterham, the world's oldest person who turned 117 yesterday, says: 'I look forward to seeing what next year brings.'

The supercentenarian, who credits her longevity to taking everything in her stride, spent her birthday at her care home in Surrey with family and friends.

After receiving celebratory messages, she said: 'Thank you for all of the kind birthday wishes. Even at 117, I've had many firsts this year, from stroking a llama to holding hands with the King.'

By Robert Folker

Mrs Caterham was born the seventh of eight children on August 21, 1909, in Shipton Bellinger in Hampshire, before being raised in nearby Tidworth in Wiltshire.

Her birth came nine years before women were given the

'I listen and I do what I like'

vote. Her long life has also taken in two world wars, the Cuban missile crisis, the first Moon landings, and the fall of the Berlin Wall – while she only stopped driving at the age of 97 and survived Covid in 2020. She became the oldest living person in 2025

after the death of Brazilian nun Inah Canabarro Lucas at 116.

Mrs Caterham was visited by the King, who held her hand as he introduced himself, in September last year, just after her 116th birthday. She recalled his 1969 investiture as Prince of Wales when he was 20, adding: 'All the girls were in love with you and wanted to marry you.'

She is the last surviving subject of Edward VII, who died in 1910, before George V then took the throne, followed by Edward VIII, George VI, Elizabeth II and most recently Charles III. Her prime ministers span Herbert Henry Asquith to Andy Burnham.

While celebrating her 115th birthday in 2024, she said her longevity was down to 'never arguing with anyone, I listen and I do what

Royal memories: Mrs Caterham and the King at her care home

I like'. Speaking in 2020 in the year she survived Covid, Mrs Caterham said: 'I've taken everything in my stride, the highs and lows. I've been all over the world, and I've ended up in this lovely home.'

Mrs Caterham, who lives at the Hallmark Lakeview Care Home in Lightwater, near Bagshot, was 18 when she travelled alone by ship for three weeks to work as an air pair to a military family in India.

She returned to Britain in 1931, where she met future husband Norman Caterham at a dinner party and they married at Salis-

bury Cathedral in 1933. He became a lieutenant colonel in the Royal Army Pay Corps and the couple lived near Salisbury before being stationed in Hong Kong and then Gibraltar, where their daughters were born.

They returned to the UK to raise their girls and later moved to Surrey. Her husband died in 1976 and their daughters Gem and Anne have also passed away.

The oldest person ever was French woman Jeanne Calment, who lived to 122 years 164 days, and died in 1997.

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Page 23

ANDREW BONE

THE US national debt reached an historic, unprecedented $40trillion on Tuesday, a sum so enormous even folks who know about such matters struggle to grasp its scale or import.

So let me put it this way: it's 124 per cent (using IMF stats) of America's gargantuan GDP, which is by far the world's biggest.

It follows that even if the US used every cent of this year's GDP to pay off its accumulated borrowings, it would still remain many trillions in the red. Put another way, it's ten times the UK's annual GDP, which is quite the staggering statistic, since we're still the fifth or sixth largest economy in the world. Not that we can gloat.

We are on the brink of passing our own milestone for fiscal profligacy: Britain's national debt is now just a whisker shy of £3trillion which (on an IMF basis) is just over 100 per cent of our GDP.

But what marks out America's national debt isn't just the scale – it's the pace at which the US is adding to it. While other major economies, including Britain, try to stop their national debt from ballooning still further by squeezing their annual budget deficits,

'Nobody has the guts to take away the punchbowl'

the US blithely borrows more and more. America is adding to its already massive debt at the fastest rate of any major market economy.

This year the US will borrow another $2trillion – almost 6 per cent of its GDP – and, according to official forecasts, will continue to borrow around 6 per cent a year well into the next decade. Include state and local government borrowing as well as federal and the US will be borrowing closer to 7.5 per cent of its GDP in 2026.

This matters hugely to the rest of us – for America's insatiable appetite for debt pushes up the cost of borrowing for everybody. It was noticeable this week that, as the global bond markets (where governments go to borrow) grew noticeably twitchy at America's growing addiction to debt, the cost of borrowing for other major economies – Britain, Germany, France – started to rise too.

This is especially bad news for the UK because we already pay more to borrow than any other member of the G7 club of the world's biggest market economies. Indeed, the interest rates on our bonds are now the highest of any developed market economy in the world, bar Poland (which at least has had the sense to use its borrowings to rearm on a scale that shames Britain).

The interest on government bonds (or yield as it's technically known) might seem far removed from your daily struggle to make ends meet. But these rates set the rate for other lending, including mortgages and business loans. If you're hoping for some relief on either of these fronts then prepare to be disappointed.

The global economy is facing a perfect storm, but the ignoramuses that rule us in Britain have no idea of the pain that's coming

High interest rates are here to stay. Indeed, I expect them to get higher. The more governments borrow, the more it costs us – not just in annual debt service charges ($1trillion in America this year, over £118billion in the UK) – but in higher interest rates all round.

It's not just America to blame. Every major economy is in hock to the bond markets. France's national debt is 116 per cent of its GDP. Italy's 137 per cent, and Japan tops them all with 204 per cent. Like Britain, they're all still running substantial budget deficits, which add to the debt pile. Only Germany can lay claim to be relatively frugal with a national debt that's 63 per cent of GDP (though it's now borrowing more to rearm).

Until recently, America thought it could borrow as much as it wanted. The immense strength of the US economy and the dollar's status as the world's reserve currency meant global investors queued up to hold dollars and

dollar-denominated assets, including US Treasury bonds. That conferred on America a 'safe haven' status which kept borrowing costs low.

The combination of reckless tax cuts and spending rises under Donald Trump and Joe Biden since 2016 have tested that proposition as never before – and found it wanting. Lenders have concluded America is no longer as safe as they thought. Nor are its institutions as trustworthy or reliable.

They've watched Trump try to interfere with the independence of the Federal Reserve, the keystone of US monetary policy.

They've seen Trump sow economic chaos with his madcap use of tariffs. They've seen the US Treasury Department, under the uncertain hand of Scott Bessent, try this very week to manipulate bond yields (and fail – 'like using a water pistol to put out a wildfire', observed one bond trader).

So lenders are doing what they always do when they perceive ris-

ing risks: they demand higher returns for their money, even from America. Which pushes up risk premiums for the rest of us. But there's something even more fundamental at work.

The bond markets have concluded, rightly in my view, that politicians on both sides of the Atlantic have given up the ghost of ever getting to grips with debt and deficits. Nobody has the guts to take away the punchbowl.

The political culture on the Left and even on much of the Right promises rearmament and welfare, more defence and bigger pensions, guns and butter, swords and ploughshares.

Voters lap this up – it's easier than asking the hard questions or steeling themselves for tough choices. At some stage, of course, there will be a terrible reckoning. There always is. It will be all the more terrible because it's not just governments borrowing on a grand scale.

America's four biggest AI hyper-scalers will invest $745billion this

year, a big chunk of it borrowed. Between now and the end of the decade, they plan to invest several trillion dollars, pushing up interest rates for everybody, including governments.

A confluence of events in the public and private sectors is conspiring to flood the world with debt. Geopolitical instability makes that all the more dangerous. The ongoing wars in the Gulf and Ukraine – in neither is the end in sight – will continue to push up the price of energy and food, heralding a new cost of living crisis this winter.

More inflation, more uncertainty – more reasons for lenders to demand higher returns for their cash from those who want to borrow. For a world awash in debt it's close to the perfect storm.

And few developed countries are as vulnerable as Britain. Be in no doubt: in these times of bond market turbulence, we are in the crossstairs. The elevated costs we already pay to borrow are proof enough of that. So time, you might think, to batten down the hatches and prepare as best we can for what is coming.

But not a bit of it. We have a

'Given up the ghost of getting a grip on debt'

Labour governing class, in office and on the backbenches, that has no understanding of what is brewing and believes it's still business as usual.

It exhibits a level of ignorance to rival Angela Rayner's grasp of property taxes, led by a former mayor whose response to the gathering storm is to drop into another bus station. This week, Labour MPs cheered when Andy Burnham's spin machine jet it be known he was keen to restore spending on international aid to 6.7 per cent of GDP.

That's another £13billion a year on top of an extra £18billion for social care and many billions more for various wheezes to extend public ownership. And let's fiddle these fiscal rules while we're at it. Well, why not? We're rolling in money, aren't we?

Those whom the gods would make mad are first made to serve an apprenticeship in Labour's soft Left. Looking back, when the last great financial crisis hit in 2008, we were actually in pretty good shape to handle it. The economy was strong, growth was good, debt was less than 40 per cent of GDP, tax and spend were at reasonable levels.

Today, things could not be more different. I can't imagine us in worse shape. A precarious fiscal position, record debt, little growth, tax and spend at historic highs, ruled by ignoramuses who don't know what's coming and will have no idea what to do when it hits them.

Far from being well-prepared, we're pretty much defenceless.

'Burnham's response to the gathering crisis is to drop into another bus station'

---

Page 24

Under pressure: Giovanni's relationship with girlfriend Molly Brown suffered

HUNCHED on the sofa in my London flat, I scrolled through my phone as story after story brought bad news, plunging me deeper into depression. Is it worth it? I asked myself. What would happen if I wasn't here any more? Who would care?

Tomorrow, I pledged, I would end it all. My life was over and the emotional pain was becoming unbearable.

Just a few months before, I had been on top of the world. I had lifted Strictly Come Dancing's Glitterball trophy with my partner, Rose Ayling-Ellis, in the show's most memorable and celebrated final. I had won a BAFTA with Rose and embarked on a hit travel show with my close friend Anton Du Beke.

Off-screen, I was doing two sell-out tours a year and had an army of adoring fans. After a lifetime of working tirelessly to be the best dancer I could be, I felt I had it all.

But just a month later, a storm blew up that would bring my world crashing down, leaving me a burnt-out shell.

Perhaps, if I'd had a crystal ball rather than a glitterball, I might have seen the carnage that was about to enter my life...

FOR the 2023 series of BBC's Strictly Come Dancing, I was paired with the actress Amanda Abbington. Amanda, then 51 - and famous for starring in Sherlock alongside her now ex-husband Martin Freeman - had said: 'I want to dance with Giovanni.'

I'd been a pro-dancer on the show for eight years - making the final four times. I reckoned Amanda had plenty of potential.

I communicated with all of my partners on Strictly in different ways, depending on each celebrity's persona and sense of humour.

In Amanda's case, I felt she quickly set the tone. In a text message on my 33rd birthday, she called me 'k**b head'. Our banter involved bad language, jokingly calling each other the 'C' word.

If somebody calls me rude names and makes rude gestures, including a Nazi salute (which Amanda did), it means our banter is at that level. In fact, a BBC producer who saw a video of us calling each other the 'C' word asked Amanda: 'Are you OK with that?' She replied: 'Yeah, of course. I started it.'

On the first day of rehearsals,

everything was fine. I always explain to my partner that they must commit 100 per cent and that training is mentally and physically exhausting. Conversely, I think the producers play down how tough it is and accentuate the 'fun' side of the show.

Some celebrities think they can rehearse for only three or four hours a day. But that achieves nothing. I'm Sicilian. I push as much as I can. It's like when you go to the gym and the personal trainer says: 'Come on, push, push, work harder.'

With Amanda, I was instantly impressed. I thought, oh, she's going to be a great dancer and I could work some magic with her.

After our first day of practice she sent me a thank you message, praising my teaching and saying she couldn't wait to do more.

But it didn't take long before the wheels started to come off.

Our first dance was the Viennese Waltz. I thought everything was going well. Then, just three days in, I felt the ding, ding, ding of a

warning bell. Another celebrity on the Strictly WhatsApp group for new recruits confided: 'Amanda said in a group chat that she wants to quit because you are too much.'

I was stunned. Why would she send nice, encouraging messages to me but then tell another group chat she wanted to quit?

I realised in that moment that I needed to protect myself, I started filming our rehearsals on

'I thought she was going to be a great dancer'

my phone. When the production team found out, they offered to do it for me, setting up cameras in the rehearsal room. They also gave us a chaperone.

Amanda later said she had

complained about me to BBC producers after three or four days.

If true, she hadn't raised any concerns with me. In fact, when a story appeared in the Press about us 'falling out' over my 'militant' training, she posted a video online saying it was all 'b*', calling people who were spreading those rumours 'tts' and telling them, 'It's nonsense, and you know it's nonsense, so jog on.'

She also shared an Instagram post of us both, captioned, 'The smile you give your pro partner at the end of the camera rehearsal when you know you are in safe and hugely talented hands. Giovanni Pernice ya legend, see you all tomorrow.'

She added: 'I'm having so much fun. He's amazing.'

And so I tried to set any worries aside and we carried on.

It soon became clear she didn't really want to put in the necessary work, but at the same time she was very hard on herself.

She frequently said she couldn't master the steps, became upset and left the room. Then she'd

What really happened between me and Amanda

He'd already won the Strictly Glitterball when he was paired with Sherlock actress Amanda Abbington... and all hell broke loose. Now, in his new memoir, Giovanni reveals the inside story of the psychodrama that saw him cast out — and left suicidal

BY GIOVANNI PERNICE

return and say, 'I'm sorry. Let's start again.'

There were moments of tension, but never any arguments. I wanted the best from Amanda and I'd say things like, 'Come on, why are you not getting this?'

I felt supportive, trying to encourage her, but her behaviour was often confusing. We would happily be in the middle of a routine and then, with no prompting, she would pull away and say how awful she was. She told me she had a habit of 'self-sabotaging'. I tried to comfort and encourage her, but I am not a therapist and I found it difficult to handle.

Despite everything, when she danced that Saturday night, she was really good.

From Week One, Strictly fans were gushing in their comments. One observed: 'Giovanni always brings out the best in his students. These two should go far.'

So, the talent and potential were never in question. But I felt frustrated that Amanda was not putting in the effort. The expected

---

Page 25

The following day, we were called to a production meeting, where

training hours on Strictly are from 10am to 5pm, though some people do more. Sometimes Amanda would leave at 1pm.

During Week Two, which included many lifts, Amanda popped a rib, which was very painful. The following day I messaged to see how she was and she replied that she was feeling sore but was going to see a physio. I suggested the lifts were to blame. She joked that it could have been caused by 'laughing too much'.

Though I felt we had been getting along and improving all the time, I remained concerned that Amanda was not putting in enough time and effort. So, I spoke to the show's executives who said: 'We know that Amanda is not having a good time.'

Yes, we were training hard, but it was nothing I hadn't experienced in my previous eight seasons on Strictly. 'I am just doing my job,' I said. 'I want to make Amanda look good but she doesn't want to put in the work.'

The producers, who clearly sensed a problem, replied: 'We just want her to have a good time.'

I said: 'So, you're asking me not to do my job properly? What's the point of me being here?'

I was unhappy - feeling that I was being asked to pull back on my teaching simply because Amanda didn't want to work hard.

Why did she sign up to Strictly if she didn't want to give everything she had to learn to dance properly?

I felt that the BBC was asking me not to be a teacher but a friend. Of course, I realise it is important for the celebrities on Strictly to be happy, but I didn't feel what I was doing was wrong.

In fact, Amanda's attitude seemed to confirm that. During production meetings, she'd say: 'It's not his fault, it's my fault.' At the same time, I made an effort to pull back the pressure.

Our WhatsApps to one another felt consistently positive, with me encouraging her and Amanda thanking me for the sessions or saying she'd had a great day.

Often, I would say to Amanda: 'Am I too much? Tell me if I am being too hard on you.' She would tell me she

'Amanda was tearful but didn't say why'

wanted to do well and that I had to push her hard.

Then she would say the issue was her, not me, and say things like: 'If I were you, Gio, I would want to push me off a cliff because I am such a nightmare.'

In one text, I asked what I could do to make her experience better and she replied that there was nothing, because I was 'patient' and 'kind'.

In Week Four, we were dancing the Foxtrot and rehearsals weren't going well. Frustrated, I told her: 'You have such talent and you're not using it,' which I regard as fair comment from a coach, but it's a phrase that came back to haunt me.

I offered to cut some of the more difficult moves to make the routine simpler, but she begged me not to.

In less than 24 hours we were due for a run-through in the TV studio, so the pressure was on and I was pushing her hard.

footage of the rehearsal was discussed. I was told to relax in my training approach, but I was struggling to find the best way to teach Amanda because of her mixed messages. I told the production team I didn't know what she wanted from me.

Amanda was asked how my training methods made her feel and, in a response that no one expected, she sat on my lap and hugged me.

This suggested she didn't have a problem with me. Yes, she had issues, she had her ups and downs, but when someone sits on my lap and says, 'We are fine,' it's natural to feel, 'Let's move on.'

The following night, Amanda danced a beautiful Foxtrot, putting us third on the leaderboard. Afterwards, she messaged me, saying she had 'Loved!' her experience.

But this turned out to be the calm before the storm.

FOR Week Five, we had a Cha Cha Cha - one of the trickiest dances - and it proved to be the most difficult week yet. By the Thursday, I was trying to push as much as I could. I was probably being a bit harsh, but I needed to get the dance over the line.

Amanda was tearful, though she didn't say why, and then she suddenly left the room and the chaperone followed her. Next, they returned and said: 'Amanda's leaving now. She is going to hospital and we can't tell you why.'

I had no idea what was happening. Over the next 24 hours I texted Amanda. 'What's going on?' She said she was worried about lumps she had found and she wanted to check everything was all right. I messaged her, saying, 'Please prioritise your health. It's more important than the show. Please keep me posted.'

She replied, calling me lovely and thanking me.

The next morning I received a message from the Strictly production team saying Amanda didn't want to carry on that week. I sent another message: 'Hope everything is OK. Keep me posted.' She didn't reply.

What I didn't know then was that Amanda had asked the producers if she could dance with a different pro dancer. At that point, my agent and I met with the producers - and things took a very odd turn.

We were told Amanda was refusing to come back to the show unless she swapped partners. Obviously, we didn't want that to happen, so the producers tried to find a solution.

I'm told that this was discussed at high level at the BBC and Amanda was informed she could not swap partners. It was after this that she decided to leave the show.

The BBC then released a statement saying she was 'unable to continue'. Amanda countered with her own, saying she 'did not come to this decision easily or lightly, but for personal reasons' she was 'unable to continue'. She praised her fellow contestants, the production team and 'everyone on Strictly who looked after me and who are so kind and caring', describing them as 'a wonderful bunch of people'.

There was no mention of me. This felt pointed out I replied to her post, with genuine feeling, saying: 'I am so sad we can't continue but I am proud of what we achieved and I am sending you so much love.'

My main emotion was disappointment because I thought we could have gone all the way to the final. Equally, though, I got the impression the producers were relieved. I think they were worried the situation could have escalated. Their attitude towards me was, 'Don't worry, it's better for you like this'.

But they couldn't have foreseen

Calm before the storm: Giovanni and Amanda were partnered for the 2023 season of Strictly

TURN TO NEXT PAGE

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Page 26

FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

how disastrous this whole thing was going to become.

FOR several weeks, everything was fine. But then a newspaper reported that Amanda was 'fuming' after being left out of the Strictly live tour.

It seemed natural to me that anyone who quit the show after four weeks would not be on the tour but, if true, this may have been one of the reasons she subsequently kicked off and made claims against me publicly.

In the meantime, I was busy with various dance shows to keep me focused.

Normally, celebrities who leave the show are asked to return to the final for a group dance. However, given the situation with Amanda, she was not invited. At that point,

I felt the BBC was on my side. Indeed, after the live final, a BBC executive said to me: 'I'm so sorry about what happened to you and about what you had to go through.'

A few weeks later, the first trickle of stories about Amanda's exit surfaced in the newspapers - and it wouldn't be too long before the floodgates opened.

It began with a report that Amanda had requested the rehearsal tapes from the BBC and was taking legal advice.

Then she said she had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. My initial thought was, what the hell's going on? It all made me uncomfortable because I suddenly thought, 'She's coming for me.'

Debbie McGee (widow of magician Paul Daniels who was my Strictly partner six years previously) was first to jump to my defence, while the Strictly judges also quickly lent support.

Head Judge Shirley Ballas said: 'My only

ever experience with Giovanni is he is an absolute gentleman,' adding: 'Strictly and shows like that are tough, so you know when you sign up for that kind of thing.'

During what I assumed would be a routine meeting with producers about the next series, I was asked if I wanted to come back. Though I said 'yes', they told me that after all the 'negative publicity' surrounding Amanda, it could be 'hard' to find me a partner.

I felt there was something going on that the producers weren't telling me. Was I paying the price for being paired with Amanda when perhaps she shouldn't have been booked for Strictly in the first place?

On many reality TV shows, participants are given psychological assessments before being signed. But to my knowledge, none was carried out on the Strictly celebrity contestants to ensure they were mentally able to cope with the challenge.

This is a big mistake by the BBC and it puts the celebrities and the producers at risk. Put simply, I think the Corporation failed us.

Before joining Strictly, Amanda had openly spoken about having struggled with her mental health. Why weren't there processes in place to check whether she could still be fragile?

Although Amanda hadn't made an official complaint, I think BBC bosses were worried about what she might do, given newspapers were reporting that she was holding 'emotional summits' with my previous Strictly partners, the Irish model Laura Whitmore and TV presenter Rannir Singh.

Looking back, while the BBC didn't want to fire me, they were perhaps nervous at the reaction they might face if I returned to the show. I was asked to meet with BBC executives. They told me there had been complaints of 'bullying and harassment' against me.

There would be an official investigation and I could not join the next

'It came to the point where I couldn't go out'

Strictly series. Ridiculously, they didn't mention Amanda Abbington's name, despite there being no doubt who they were talking about.

Of course, I passionately disputed the allegations. I knew I had done nothing wrong. I was devastated. I felt this could end my career.

Next, Amanda's version of events started to appear in the media. Despite the BBC not having told me what the allegations consisted of, The Sun detailed them to my agent.

I was accused of being a bully, abusive and physically violent - having deliberately 'stamped' on Amanda's foot. Such a claim was outrageous. I issued a brief statement rejecting the allegations.

After that, countless stories appeared in newspapers with more claims thrown at me. There was,

Last dance: Giovanni and Amanda performing the Foxtrot

though, one small bright spot in the darkness.

The Daily Mail journalist Katie Hind wrote an article that Amanda disagreed with. Amanda rang her in a rage and screamed down the phone at her, called her a 'bitchy bully', threatening legal action and ranting that she was now 'out to get her' and had the 'memory of a f***e elephant'.

The months of inquiry rolled on - and I had still not officially seen any of the allegations against me.

It became increasingly difficult to read all the bile that was flowing in my direction, I had engaged a firm of lawyers. The strain began to show on my relationship with my then girlfriend, model Molly Brown.

We had only been together a few months, but Molly was very understanding and supportive.

She could see that I was spiralling and she was there to talk to me when I was down. She would try to cheer me up by saying, 'I'm sorry this is happening to you, let's try to do something to take our minds off it. Let's go out for dinner.' But when we went out for dinner, there would be paparazzi everywhere.

It came to the point where we couldn't go out. For Molly, who was just 24 and used to posting her glamorous life on Instagram, this wasn't ideal.

There were certainly times I would have killed myself if Molly hadn't been there.

But my first dance teacher used to say, 'Never give up', and that mantra has stuck with me throughout my life. Even when I reached the brink of despair, that little voice told me not to give in.

■ADAPTED from Gio: Taking The Lead by Giovanni Pernice (Headline £23), to be published on August 27. © Giovanni Pernice 2026. To order a copy for £18.80 (offer valid until September 5, 2026; UK P&P free on orders over £25), go to mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3176 2937.

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IN TOMORROW'S

The Hail ON GLINDAGE

It felt as if Amanda was out to destroy me

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Page 27

By Liz Hull

A 'BEAUTIFUL' teenager due to start her dream career as a British Airways stewardess was killed when a distracted truck driver ploughed into the back of a car on a motorway.

Chloe Williams, 19, was on her way to a concert with two friends when Daniel Barlow, 30, smashed into their VW Polo while going 55mph on the M6 in Cheshire, a court heard.

The delivery driver failed to react when the Polo in front of him stopped in heavy traffic on the northbound carriageway at Sandbach.

Miss Williams, who was a passenger in the Polo, suffered serious injuries and died later in hospital.

Chester Crown Court heard the male driver of the Polo and a male passenger suffered life-changing injuries, including broken legs and a fractured skull, which have led to memory loss and long-lasting pain.

The trio from Birmingham had been on their way to a concert in Manchester when the accident happened just after 5pm on December 2, 2022.

Barlow had been travelling at 55mph in the large delivery lorry along the carriageway and failed to react until half a second before the collision despite having a clear view of the traffic ahead, it was found.

He was arrested and questioned by police but could not explain his actions.

Following a three-day trial Barlow, of Whitworth, Lancashire, was found guilty of causing a death by dangerous driving and two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He is due to be sentenced on

'Beautiful' teen killed when truck ploughed into back of car on M-way

September 25. In a statement following her death, Miss Williams' family said: 'We have lost our beautiful girl in the most tragic way. She was about to start her

'Entirely preventable'

dream career and has now had all that taken away.'

Following the verdict, Inspector Andrew Dennison, of Cheshire Police, said: 'Chloe was a bright young woman who was just about

to embark on her dream career with British Airways, but her life was cut short because of the actions of Barlow.

'Our investigation showed that Chloe's death was entirely preventable, Barlow had ample time to react and slow down. However, he was clearly not concentrating on his driving, and his vehicle became a deadly weapon.

'This case demonstrates the importance of ensuring that all road users pay full attention when driving on our roads, as just one lapse really can mean the difference between life and death.'

Crash victim: Chloe Williams

One in seven first-class letters don't arrive on time

Daily Mail Reporter

ROYAL Mail has fallen well short of its delivery targets yet again despite scrapping second-class post on Saturdays.

The group said it delivered 85 per cent of first-class deliveries the next day and 91.4 per cent of second-class mail within three working days during the first quarter of the year.

At the time, the delivery target for first class was 93 per cent and second class 98.5 per cent. Since April 1, these have been lowered to 90 per cent and 95 per cent.

But Royal Mail insisted it had seen an improvement from 2015, when first-quarter figures showed just 76 per cent of first-class and 89.3 per cent of second-class post arrived on time.

Last July, it was announced that second-class letters would be delivered on alternate weekdays only, with no Saturday deliveries. Under the plan, a second-class letter posted on a Wednesday only needs to be delivered by the following Monday to meet targets.

In October Royal Mail was fined a record £2million by Ofcom for missing targets in 2024-25.

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ABTA ABTA MILITARY

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Page 28

ON A spring evening four years ago, the peace of a Bristol cul-de-sac was shattered by what a judge would later describe as 'shouts and screams of a horrifying nature'.

Neighbours looked out to see a full-scale battle being fought between rival Albanian gangs over control of a cannabis factory in what had only recently been a respectable £400,000 family home.

Witnesses described a scene of 'extreme violence' in which one man was stabbed in the back and another smashed around the head with a metal bar.

The carnage ended with the murder of a 32-year-old man who bled to death at the roadside from multiple knife wounds.

Detective Chief Inspector Phil Walker later explained that the 'incredibly frightening' incident over a £100,000 cannabis operation or 'grow' was down to the burgeoning trend of organised crime gangs using residential houses to 'ply their exploitative trade under the radar'.

His words were to prove prophetic. The murder in May 2022, committed by two Albanians who had only just arrived in the UK, came at the beginning of a surge in small-boat immigration to Britain from the Balkan state.

And the Albanian gangs' business model for cannabis farms has exploded in the four years since then.

Today, following a forensic, six-month investigation, the Daily Mail can reveal the terrifying true scale of this industry that has become the cornerstone of the £2.6 billion annual UK cannabis trade.

We have discovered there are at least 450 Albanian cannabis farms operating across the country, although the figure is likely to be very much higher.

Our calculation is based on a detailed examination of police records and Press reports, both local and national, that show an average of two new cannabis farms have been raided or uncovered every week for the past four years, a trend that shows no sign of diminishing.

In an undercover operation as part of the investigation, we have also, for the first time, infiltrated the highly sophisticated ancillary industries servicing these cannabis factories – illicit operations that produce fake documents the criminals use to rent properties as well as specialised 'cannabis factory clean-up companies' that help cover the gangs' tracks when they move on.

And we can reveal that at least 70 per cent of the 620 Albanians convicted for working in the drugs dens uncovered in these past four years were illegal immigrants running grows that produced hundreds of millions of pounds worth of the drug each year.

Yet these figures represent just the tip of the iceberg because

Huge factories even found in empty banks

many convictions were never reported and the majority of the criminals involved in the trade have never been caught.

What we do know is that more than two thirds of the 450 Albanian-run cannabis factories we identified operated in residential homes stretching the length of the UK, from Cornwall to the Scottish Highlands.

Grows producing multi-millions of pounds worth of cannabis have also been set up in abandoned primary schools, college campuses, care homes, register offices, nightclubs, cinemas, abattoirs,

The Mail's identified HUNDREDS of illicit sites across the country – and most are in residential homes. As our six-month investigation reveals staggering scale of the industry...

Is there an

Albanian

cannabis farm

in your street?

SPECIAL REPORT

by Tom Kelly

INVESTIGATIONS EDITOR

local newspaper offices, social clubs, pubs and municipal swimming pools.

The collapse of the High Street has presented Albanian mafias with a major opportunity, too, and huge factories have been found in empty WHSmith branches, Barclays and NatWest banks, long-serving department stores, shopping centres, fancy dress shops and, in one case, empty offices above a Jobcentre Plus.

The industry is a driver of illegal migration into the UK – one Albanian gang even runs its own small-boat Channel crossings to bring in scores of new workers and their families for its £1.6 million farming operation in Oxford.

It also leads to an illegal migration merry-go-round which has seen multiple cases of Albanians deported after convictions for running cannabis farms – sometimes several times – only for them to sneak straight back into the country to resume their

criminality. One was found running a major drugs den a year after he was released early from jail having told the Home Office he wanted to go home as quickly as possible!

Another convicted grower dodged deportation after finishing his sentence by claiming asylum – and immediately went on to start a new cannabis factory that flooded his area with the drug.

An Albanian murderer deported from the UK after serving his sentence was also able to return and start a massive farm – while some illegal immigrants found running UK cannabis factories had previously been convicted of murder and heroin trafficking in European countries.

As for the Albanian-run network of subsidiary operations that provide support logistics, they have become a specialised branch of the dark economy.

To rent a property to set up a cannabis factory requires showing

letting agents extensive documentation that the drug gangs usually do not have. UK Papers is an operation advertising itself on TikTok using pictures of London buses and Albanian and Union flags. It also advertises 'documents needed to rent a house', sometimes with specific slang references to cannabis factories.

The business offers an array of fake documents including UK passports ('books') for £1,900; driving licences for £80; three months of bank statements for £35; utility bills and paystips for £35; and immigration documents.

When an undercover Daily Mail reporter posing as someone hoping to rent a property to set up a cannabis factory asked an operator at the firm to supply fake documents, he was happy to help.

A few days later, at a meeting on a Nottingham street corner, the grinning boss known as Ramiz took our £200 in cash as he handed us a fake driving licence, bank statements and paystips.

Numerous cases in the past four years have shown how false IDs have been used to rent properties for cannabis houses.

Brothers Sokol and Amarildo Branci used a 'staggering' number of fake documents including bank statements to rent 13 homes across Yorkshire and the East Midlands to produce 'mind-blowing'

amounts of cannabis worth almost £1 million. Judge Steven Coupland said as he jailed them at Nottingham Crown Court in January 2024.

Five Albanian illegal immigrants were jailed in 2022 for using fake documents to rent houses for a network of cannabis factories in Bradford, Leeds, Keighley and Barnsley. Their illicit farms were hidden in spaces accessed via trapdoors under washing

Four harvests then gangs move on

machines, behind secret panels and in lofts reached 'like Narnia' through wardrobe doors.

Albanian Afrim Krasniqi was jailed last year after using a fake ID to pose as an Italian looking for family accommodation to rent 12 properties across Scotland that were used as cannabis factories producing £3.8 million of the drug.

Albanians have previously funnelled £5.5 million of profits from a nationwide network of grows to crime boss Besnik Hoxha via a bank account his wife opened with

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Page 29

Fake IDs: Ramiz took £200 from investigators to supply documents so that a cannabis farm, such as the one on the left, could potentially be set up

there to pay off a £50,000 debt. Getjon Agalliu, who arrived in the UK on the back of the lorry, used his proceeds from the £146,000 cannabis farm he ran in Mansfield to try to buy asylum documents for £25,000. Much of the rest went on prostitutes.

The cost to local communities of these enterprises in residential areas comes in the form of violence and terror – guns, knives and machetes have often been found in factories.

A year before that cul-de-sac murder in Bristol in 2022, three Albanians were jailed after beating to death a thief who raided the produce of their £120,000 cannabis factory in Cardiff and dumping his body in a nearby street.

The gangs' farms also put neighbouring families' lives at risk from fires and explosions caused by the

a fake Greek ID card. She funded shopping trips to House of Fraser, nail bars and beauty salons with the drugs money.

After renting a property, gangs usually complete two to four harvests – each of which can take around three months – then move to a new location to avoid landlord inspections and police investigations. Before handing the keys back to the letting agent, organisers attempt to restore the property to its original condition, removing any visible signs of cannabis production and potential forensic evidence such as DNA traces or fingerprints that could later identify them.

It is to meet this demand that an entire industry of 'cannabis factory clean-up' firms has sprung up. One, called House Cleaning Jobs with a Union Jack and Albanian flag logo and the tagline 'we take care of every detail', has posted footage on social media of workers cleaning scores of cannabis houses around the country, including in Maidenhead, Manchester, Leeds, Bedford, London, Doncaster and Leicester.

Contacted by an undercover Daily Mail reporter, the owner laughed as he described how he has been running the business for three years after getting the idea when he was running his own cannabis factory in Leicester.

Giving his name as Tanushi, he promised his team could clean two houses in five days to ensure all

DNA and fingerprints were scrubbed with 'no problem' from police or landlords. He asked to see the house before quoting.

When Tanushi was later contacted by the Daily Mail for comment, he denied doing anything illegal. He said he did it because 'you don't give me any other chance to work' and this was an 'easy way' to earn money for his family. 'They call me, I go, I clean up, I paint,' he said.

He said he did not recall the phone call with the undercover reporter where he described previously running a cannabis factory and denied doing it. Another site,

They remove all DNA traces or fingerprints

Repairs And Cleaning UK, which includes cannabis plant emojis in its biography and boasts 'no job too big or small', offers an extensive price list scaled according to the property size. Costs start at £3,500 for a three-bedroom house, rising to £4,500 for a five bedroom and £6,500 for a pub.

The service includes painting and decorating, carpet cleaning and rubbish removal.

Others variously advertise with

pictures of police officers in riot gear captioned 'when they come and break, we come and fix', boasting of serving 'all over England 24/7' and leaving houses 'beautifully clean... like entering a pharmacy' and responding to 'emergencies... at any time of the day or night confidentially'.

One shows footage of gangs fly-tipping scores of disused cannabis plant pots.

Another has a sideline selling on equipment used in cannabis factories for other makers, with adverts offering grow buckets, cables, lights, air filters and electric motors from its apparent headquarters in Huddersfield.

Most brazenly, an Albanian site called House Cleaning UK, with 61,000 followers, includes a post captioned: 'We managed to put off the uncles' (Albanian slang for police) accompanied by a string of laughing emojis.

It features a cleaner filming himself joking with two police officers outside a property.

Having convinced the visitors that nothing untoward is going on, one of the officers tells him: 'I'm quite happy with everything so thank you very much. We'll let you get back on with your work.'

After shaking hands with the departing police, the cleaner walks back into the house to reveal he is dismantling a cannabis factory.

TikTok, where the cannabis factory support services were

advertised, previously banned the fake documents page and took action against the 'clean up' companies after being alerted to them by the Daily Mail.

With such an extensive system in place, it is any wonder that so many Albanians come to the UK to work on cannabis grows?

And it's not just hardened criminals. Those convicted include a former Albanian police officer, who was jailed for his part in an £800,000 cannabis factory, and a biochemistry graduate who worked for the Albanian Ministry of Defence before taking a job at a £105,000 factory in a residential street in Tyne and Wear.

Another, Xhafer Furriku, came to the UK to get free dental work on the NHS – then stayed to work in a cannabis factory.

The rewards can be huge. The leaders of a gang in Leeds enjoyed 'vast personal wealth' from their £3million chain of five cannabis farms across West Yorkshire with a Range Rover, Porsche, £150,000 Mercedes G-Wagon and Rolexes.

Even lower level workers enjoy luxuries. One cannabis factory was found in Southampton in 2022 with a fully stocked kitchen and gym for workers, while designer aftershave bottles were found in the living quarters of a pair working in a £400,000 Swansea grow.

Rigles Ndreka was found with a £400 pair of trainers at the Bluefield cannabis factory he ran. He told police he was only working

Boy of 7 died in blast from drug production

way they illegally bypass the electricity mains and tamper with meters to avoid high bills and evade detection.

There have been at least 640 fires at cannabis farms between 2019 and mid 2024; they have caused three deaths including that of a seven-year-old boy in 2024 who was sleeping innocently with his family in a block of flats in Newcastle where a neighbour was producing the drug.

In a separate case, Kastriot Prendi, who was in the UK illegally, initially refused to open the door to firefighters into a residential maisonette where he was running a cannabis factory even as smoke billowed from the windows.

Fire crews eventually forced entry into the property in Pife but even then Prendi initially refused to let them check all the rooms during the blaze in March 2024.

Only when police were called did he relent and officers discovered the £342,000 cannabis factory. Prendi, who had overstayed his visa, was jailed for two years. When

TURN TO NEXT PAGE

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Page 30

Low score: Burythorpe House

By Joshua Haining

A HOTEL owned by Eric Clapton requires 'major improvements' after it received a one-star food hygiene rating.

Inspectors found problems with food safety management at the four-star Burythorpe

Clapton's boutique hotel gets just one star for food hygiene

House, bought by the guitarist and singer in 2013. Officials also said food handling at the hotel near Malton, North Yorkshire, required attention, although its cleanliness and condition was deemed 'generally

satisfactory'. General manager Alison Gaskell said most of the changes were implemented with 'immediate' effect following last month's inspection.

'We were given notice of work that should be completed, in

particular the floor and the storage cupboards - although the majority was completed in time,' she added. 'Unfortunately, we could not get the required tradesmen needed for such a large area, time's passed and I admittedly let too much time slip.'

All food premises must display their hygiene rating, graded from zero to five by the Food Standards Agency. Ms Gaskell said the work

Sour note: Singer Eric Clapton

solo career and time as guitarist in the 1960s supergroup Cream, bought Burythorpe House for an undisclosed sum 13 years ago.

The 18th century hotel has 14 rooms and a restaurant, and can host events for up to 150 guests.

Despite the one-star food hygiene rating, the hotel has 4.5 stars on Tripadvisor from more than 750 reviews and a rating of 4.7 on Google. Clapton has been approached for comment.

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'Needs major improvements'

had now been carried out ahead of another inspection next week.

'We are very much looking forward to our re-inspection and hopefully restoring our previous rating of four - or even better, the maximum score of five,' she said.

Mr Clapton, best known for his

alternative'. He added: 'The reason you could be preyed on in this way is you are all Albanian nationals, seeking to stay in this country lawfully but caught up in a system which takes years for such applications to be considered, and little or no opportunity to earn income while that is done.'

Perhaps most depressing is the case of Khoni Leka, who was jailed for 40 months in September 2020 after being found running a cannabis farm packed with 1,300 plants in Whitehaven, Cumbria. He was also caught in possession of class B drugs with intent to supply.

Most foreign criminals are booted out of the country as soon as their sentence is finished. But not Leka, who fought a lengthy legal battle to remain and this year successfully appealed against deportation by claiming it would breach his rights under the European Convention on Human Rights.

Upper immigration tribunal judges Fiona Lindsley and Mark Symes ruled deportation would be 'unduly harsh' on his four-year-old daughter as it would leave her without a male role model.

Meanwhile, Albanian cannabis factories keep on producing the drug.

This month alone, busts have included a 'sophisticated and substantial' cannabis factory in a Nottinghamshire home (only found because of a fire which was narrowly saved from spreading to neighbours); a Wiltshire grow where £1.5million of electricity had been stolen from the National Grid; a £1.5million factory in Aston, Birmingham, detected after it caused a power outage because electricity had been illegally diverted for lights and fans; and a 'huge' grow worth £1.7million run by a suspected organised crime gang in Doncaster - where guns were also found.

With the rewards so great and the punishments so light, the industry and its millions of plants are flourishing as never before. investigations@dailymail.co.uk

Buy now at music2you.co.uk/love

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Page 31

Pictures: NEALE HARNES/SOPHIE BUNKER

by Helena Nicklin

ESSEX and fine wine are not usually words you'll see together in a sentence.

But as a female wine professional who grew up in Essex during the 60s and 90s, my formative years punctuated by misogynistic jokes about girls from my part of the world, nothing's more pleasing than being able to say this much-maligned county is currently the most exciting region for fine wine on the planet. The only way is Essex. Fact.

It's no secret that England is a serious player in the wine industry nowadays, thanks to the posh sparkling wines from the Champagne-alike soils of Kent, Hampshire, Sussex and beyond.

But as far as the next frontier goes, and certainly when it comes to fine, still wines, all eyes are on Essex. And for good reason, too. Results just in from this year's WineGB Awards - the top national competition for English and Welsh wine - confirm a genuine shift.

For the second year running, the ultimate national trophies have been dominated by wines made with grapes grown in Essex. Indeed, there are now more than 55 vineyards in the county, making Essex one of the biggest wine-producing regions behind Sussex and Kent.

So, where exactly is this exciting wine production happening, and why is it different from elsewhere in England?

Of the three emerging sub-regions of Essex, it is the Crouch Valley on the Dengie Peninsula, which lies to the east of Chelmsford and south of the River Blackwater, that's currently getting the most attention from wine buffs.

None other than Jancis Robinson, the world's most famous wine writer, has described it as 'England's Côte d'Or', thanks to the rich, complex, 'Burgundian' style still wines coming out of it made with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes.

BURGUNDY itself has also got the memo, with producers from the famous French villages of Gevrey-Chambertin and Chassagne-Montrachet announcing joint ventures with two of Crouch Valley's top players: Danbury Ridge and Missing Gate Vineyard. It did, after all, hit 40 degrees in 'cool climate' Burgundy this summer, which fine wine grapes struggle with. The peak temperature on the Dengie Peninsula has been a relatively pleasant 32 degrees.

It's not just the French eyeing up Essex though: Jackson Family Wines, a major Californian-based wine company, founded Marbury - another Crouch Valley operation - in 2023, persuading celebrated English winemaker Charlie Holland to jump ship from Gusbourne in Kent to build a portfolio of still wines in Essex.

'I first noticed the wines coming out of the Crouch Valley in 2018,' Charlie tells me. 'Some were a significant step up from anything I had tasted in the UK before.

Now I'm winemaking here, being able to consistently ripen grapes to above 13% alcohol by volume (ABV) naturally, even in a difficult year, is a game changer.

'Elsewhere, they struggle to get about 11%, which is fine for sparkling - but I firmly believe this is the best place to grow grapes for still wine in this country.'

Being able to ripen grapes fully is more important for still wines. Riper grapes have more sugar which means more alcohol, fruitiness and body.

Sparkling wines, by contrast, actually need grapes to be less ripe, as they are more about crisp

Forget fake tans and TOWIE, the county is now producing stellar vino, says this oenophile Essex girl

acidity than voluptuous ripe fruit. For riper grapes, parts of Essex have the trump card compared to other places in the UK.

In the Crouch Valley, it's all about the soils; the heat-retaining London Clay to be precise, as well as a warmer, drier microclimate, keeping frost at bay and helping ripen grapes to make still wines that aren't weedy and acidic.

North-west Essex around Saffron Walden and out towards Colchester, between the Colne and Stour Valleys, are the two other hotspots for fine Essex wine, though here the focus is on sparkling vino and aromatic grapes like Bacchus and Pinot Gris.

Saffron Grange is one to watch, having just won three awards for its sparkling wines at WineGB East 2026, with Bromley Brook, located near Manningtree, taking home 'Best Pinot Noir' at the same competition. Essex knows it's got a good thing going and happily for its growing number of international visitors, it's understood the importance of wine tourism too, with numerous

wineries opening up restaurants and tasting rooms on site.

Wine educator Paul Laurie, who is known as Essex Wine Man and is an ambassador for New Hall Estate in Purleigh near Maldon, is excited for what's coming next.

'We've hosted big corporate events with brands like BMW and Porsche recently,' he reveals, 'and with new Essex Wine Tour companies setting up as we speak, it's all only going to get bigger.'

Thirsty yet? Get a taste of Essex with these eight top tipples:

Blackbook Winery, NightJar Pinot Noir 2024, £30, blackbookwinery.com

MADE by the brilliant Battersea urban winery Blackbook using grapes from Clayhill Vineyard in Crouch Valley, this is a silky pinot with concentrated red and dark cherry, bramble fruit and a peppery spiciness. One for lamb or grilled beef and a superb choice to confuse the posh wines in your life when you serve it blind. They'll think it's French.

On the up: Helena enjoys wines including (from far left) Blackbook Winery NightJar Pinot Noir, Marbury Pinot Noir, Bromley Brook Bacchus and Danbury Ridge Chardonnay

Marbury Pinot Noir 2024, £44, elementarywine.co.uk

SOFT and velvety with concentrated notes of dark cherry, baking spice and plum compote, this is an accomplished English Pinot. It's like Burgundy but bolder and will love a leg of lamb or duck pancakes. It will age beautifully too.

Bromley Brook, Bacchus 2023, £20, bromleybrookvineyard.com A FANTASTIC example of wine made with the Bacchus grape from an award-winning vineyard out near Stour Valley, with notes of grass, forest floor and citrus. One for Sauvignon Blanc fans, and it will make a great pairing for goat's cheese and most types of salad. A good choice for a lunch-time tipple.

Danbury Ridge Chardonnay 2023, £39, thewinesociety.com TEXTURED, complex and creamy, with a lemon peel tang and a pinch of spice, this is a truly knockout Chardonnay, sitting somewhere style-wise between a fine Burgundy and coastal Californian. Pair with nutty cheese, chicken or a posh monkfish dish. You might want to decant it too.

New Hall Single Estate Pinot Précoce Rose 2025, £14.95, thewinesociety.com

MADE by the Crouch Valley's oldest winery, founded in 1969, this uses Pinot Précoce, an earlier-ripening relative of Pinot Noir, and is a wonderfully crisp

and crunchy, rosehip-scented pink. Sip as an aperitif or pair it with prawns. Well-priced and interesting, a great wine to start your Essex wine journey with.

Riversview Pinot Noir Rose 2025, £25, thegoodwineshop.co.uk

MADE with 100 per cent Pinot Noir, this is a laser-focused, pure and lean pink with vibrant ripe berry fruit. Wonderful with smoked or baked salmon and a nice treat with cold cuts, this could also hold its own with lightly spiced Asian food. Try the still Chardonnays and Pinots too, once they're back in stock!

London Clay Brut NV, £18.50, crushedandcured.co.uk

PRODUCER London Clay makes delightfully fruity, easy-drinking fizzes, which are made like Prosecco but with Champagne grapes. This is an unpretentious and very modern tipple that's ideal when paired with simple, salty nuts and snacks. A good choice for intimate gatherings with friends.

Saffron Grange, The Rebel, Blanc de Gris Sparkling 2023, £30, saffrongrange.com

A FUN new wine from multi-award-winning Saffron Grange, this is a generous, traditional-method Pinot Gris/Chardonnay blend with notes of melon, pear and brioche. A bit different and great for gifting thanks to its funky packaging and star-on-the-rise story. Pair it with pastry-based snacks and it can take a little chilli spice.

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Page 32

THERE was a notable lack of food for the hard-working BBC sport production staff in their shiny new studio at their Salford HQ during the World Cup this summer.

Sustenance would have been expected without question for both on-screen staff and those grafting behind the scenes, during the unsociable hours they were required to work as the tournament was broadcast from the other side of the Atlantic.

The decision not to feed behind-the-scenes staff, made by the BBC's director of sport Alex Kay-Jelski, infuriated those left hungry. Their anger was compounded, say sources at the broadcaster, by the fact that Kay-Jelski

could be seen unashamedly tucking into his own meals, brought to his desk by Deliveroo (and paid for by him, the corporation insists). Factor into this that Kay-Jelski, 41, earns between £275,000 to £279,999 - a significant

rise on the £245,000 for which his role was advertised two years ago - and it's perhaps understandable why he has become 'extremely despised' by many at the corporation. 'There are many working on BBC

sport who simply do not like how Alex is behaving,' says just one disgruntled insider. 'It was pretty much impossible to get food at 1am in Salford during the World Cup.

'There are suggestions that he has had some huge pay rises since he has been in the job and it has really irked a lot of people.'

The ill-feeling towards Kay-Jelski, who joined the corporation in June 2024, replacing the long-serving Barbara Slater, is now threatening to derail BBC Sport's crown jewel, Match of the Day, back tonight for the start of the football season.

Sources tell me a 'civil war' has broken out on the programme as both its presenting and punditry teams and those working behind the cameras have been left 'at the end of their tether' over what they consider to be their boss's ambition to take the BBC's sports coverage in a different direction.

'The view inside Match of the Day is that Alex's ego has grown out of control,' says my insider. 'His decisions and attitude have left a lot of people very angry and upset. He has never worked in television before and had turned up here wanting to make changes while earning an absolute fortune.

'Some are convinced he wants to change BBC sport from a traditional, terrestrial model into something more YouTube-like. It has caused an internal mutiny.'

WHEN approached by the Daily Mail, a BBC spokesman said: 'We do not believe this to be true.'

Murmurs of unrest at Match of the Day appeared earlier this week and were quickly shut down by Kay-Jelski and the BBC's PR team.

Despite their protestations, his staff have been coming forward in their droves to brief against Kay-Jelski in their bid to 'save' the BBC's sports coverage.

Meanwhile, I can reveal that he and his longest serving pundit, Alan Shearer, have had a huge fall-out which has culminated in the former England striker cutting back on his Match of the Day appearances to just one a month - or even less.

Their row began at the end of April when Shearer was enraged Kay-Jelski didn't tell him Match of the Day was nominated for the Sports Journalism Awards. Shearer demanded to know why he wasn't told the show he had worked on for 20 years had been shortlisted (he only found out after the ceremony that it had won programme of the year), nor was he invited.

He was further irritated that not one of Kay-Jelski's management team called or texted to congratulate him.

Kay-Jelski, I'm told, hit back at Shearer, insisting very few people attended due to cost cutting.

Shearer was also spitting feathers that during their row, Kay-Jelski accused him of 'whining'.

'Alan was staggered that Alex behaved like this,' says my Match of the Day insider. 'It wasn't just about

INSIDE SHOWBIZ!

By Katie Hind

CONSULTANT EDITOR SHOWBUSINESS

him, but others too who he feels should have been involved in such an achievement.

'The whining remark really got to Alan, he didn't like it at all. He took the view, and still does, that he and other members of the team should have been told about the show's success. Alan understands cost-cutting, but a WhatsApp would have cost nothing to send.

'While Alan and Alex agreed to move on from the row, Alan is no fan of Alex's. Now he doesn't really want to be on the show as much as he did previously.'

Alan, say sources, isn't alone. Fellow pundit Micah Richards has also requested to reduce his appearances to 'the bare minimum'. One idea was that he did only FA Cup games, but it's not yet known if that has been agreed to.

While the BBC confirmed Shearer and Richards would be cutting back their hours, a spokesman said it had nothing to do with any issues between them and Kay-Jelski.

They would not comment, however, on any fall-out with Shearer.

Mark 'Chappers' Chapman is also reportedly not a fan of Kay-Jelski either, while the ever-professional Gabby Logan, 'keeps her head down and tries to keep the peace'.

The third host, Kelly Cates, is said to be much admired by Kay-Jelski and therefore there is no animosity on her part.

There are also fears that a couple of senior production staff are so unhappy they might walk away.

'We are talking about highly experienced staff who have dedicated their lives to Match of the Day,' says the source.

'There is one adored employee who is on the cusp of quitting over all of this and if that happens it would be absolutely devastating.'

It was Kay-Jelski who put together the new-look Match of the Day last year after Gary Lineker left following controversy over an anti-Semitic social media post.

He was certainly a wild-card choice to replace television veteran Barbara Slater.

Educated at the fee-paying University College School in Hampstead, north London, he began his journalism career at the Daily Mail as a trainee sub-editor. He later moved to The Times where he created a stir with his vocal pro stance on trans athletes in women's sport.

Six years later he arrived at the BBC where he has won a reputation among his colleagues as 'woke'.

He was also behind the deeply unpopular decision to cull Football Focus, the legendary Saturday lunchtime show which has been running for 48 years.

Kay-Jelski's more junior colleagues

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Page 33

MATCH OF THE DAY

Dispute: Alan Shearer has reduced his appearances to just one a month

in the Women's Super League, was culled after 13 years, leaving many inside the corporation furious.

Instead there are rumours that a new project will be created for iPlayer made by former the production company of Alex Scott, former Lioness and host of the now defunct Football Focus.

'Alex [Kay-Jelski] seems to want to take it all in a direction of social media and YouTube,' says my source. 'It's as if he has a vision away from television. And it is terrifying for the older viewers.'

In response to this point, a BBC spokesman said: 'The strategy isn't broadcast versus digital – it's both. We're protecting the quality and distinctiveness of our flagship programmes, with Match of the Day at the heart of that, while also making sure they reach audiences wherever and however they choose to consume sport.'

The iconic BBC show returns tonight. But behind the scenes, its controversial boss has clashed with top pundit Alan Shearer, while staff fear his revamp plans will alienate its devoted fans

are also somewhat bewildered that, unlike so many behind-the-scenes staff who have to work full-time in Salford – and therefore live there – he commutes from London and is said to be there for around three days per week.

His popularity waned further earlier this year also when he took the controversial decision to

cover the initial rounds of the World Cup, held in the US, Canada and Mexico, from Salford.

This meant Gabby, Mark and Kelly were presenting against fake backdrops of the cities where matches were being played. Their rivals at ITV hired a stunning studio with views of Manhattan and Brooklyn bridge in the back-

ground. Lineker, meanwhile, also had a lavish loft apartment in Manhattan to host his podcast The Rest is Football, which was screened on Netflix.

Talking of Lineker, sources tell me he is being 'very supportive' of his former colleagues at Match of the Day, 'meddling' that will surely enrage Kay-Jelski, who

oversaw his departure from the show. 'Say what you like about Gary and his politics, but he does care about his old colleagues,' says the insider. 'Gary isn't Alex's biggest fan, as you can imagine.'

Neither are those involved in the women's football world.

The Women's Football show, which airs highlights of matches

ANOTHER source tells me there is much chatter that a decision to cast the UK's most watched sports YouTuber John Nellis on the forthcoming series of Strictly could be part of a long-term plan to lure him into the BBC sport family – along with his 20million followers.

Then there was the matter of a legal complaint from Oasis after Kay-Jelski ordered a celebrity version of their hit Wonderwall, featuring the likes of Claudia Winkleman, which was played during the World Cup.

However, the rights were not secured, leading to the band's lawyers demanding it was removed. 'Alex dug his heels in and didn't want to take it down,' a source says. 'It caused a lot of issues before finally it was removed.'

Instead of the usual excitement this weekend at the return of Match of the Day, there is, I'm told, dread among staff.

'The beginning of the football season was always something so special,' says a show source. 'This year it all feels very miserable.'

And as for any food for behind-the-scenes staff... well, again, there won't be any.

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Page 34

Is Jamie planning a big wedding feast?

THERE was joyful news this month for Jamie Oliver and his wife, Jools, when their eldest daughter, Poppy, 24, got engaged – the first of the couple's five children to do so.

Jamie shouldn't struggle to lay on a show-stopping wedding.

He and Jools have treated themselves to a £1.5million dividend from his private company, Jamie Oliver Group, according to documents filed at Companies House.

Enough for a psaka knees-up at Spains Hall, the Elizabethan pile in Essex they acquired for £6million in 2019.

Eden

Jude makes grand plans to please his children's nanny

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HE AND his first wife, Sadie Frost, led lives which seemed enviably given over to adult pleasures. But whereas some look back at their past and wince in self-recriminatory horror, Jude Law stares it squarely in the face.

Indeed, The Talented Mr Ripley star, 53, who has seven children from two marriages and two less formal partnerships, seems comfortable in his skin as he embraces middle age.

Proof comes in the form of the painstaking plans he and his second wife, psychologist Phillipa Coan, 41, are making for the London house they bought for £7.25million in 2022 but which Law described, two years later, as not 'actually habitable'.

Reached by a long drive, it's far from Law's old stamping grounds in north London – first, with Sadie and their three children in Primrose Hill, where Law, Frost and chums were referred to as the 'Primrose Hill Set', and later in Highgate where Law bought a Georgian terrace house in 2010 for £8million when engaged, for the second time, to Sienna Miller.

To minimise unexpected visitors, Law and Coan are seeking permission to install new gates with an 'integrated package drop-off compartment'. Those who do make it inside the grounds will be treated to a 'sun garden' and a 'sun terrace'.

But it's their plans for their two young children which arguably indicate that Law is, as he claimed in 2024, 'very happy ageing' – and that Coan is the woman who has the measure of him.

A new extension will have a play-room, 'homework area' and children's garden. Details for a cottage,

Second marriage: Law with his psychologist wife Phillipa in 2024

just yards from the house, are more telling. There will be a ground-floor gym – Law is said to keep in 'formidable shape' with boxing and martial arts routines – and a steam room for post-workout recovery.

Up above, the entire floor – almost 500 sq ft – is given over to a bedroom and living room. For whom might this be? 'Nanny bed,' state plans submitted to the local authority, and 'nanny living room'.

Enough to cause Sienna Miller a flashback of anguish or disbelief? She and Law were first engaged in 2004, after filming the re-make of romantic comedy Alfie. But Sienna lost out to the 'weekend nanny', who accompanied Law and his children to America for his next film. Details of their affair – 'it was amazing', the nanny recalled, summarising Law as 'a masterful lover' – appeared in a seven-page red-top expose.

Law had his fourth child in 2009, after a week-long fling with New York waitress Samantha Burke, and a fifth in 2015 by singer Cat Cavelli, whom he met in a bar in Soho. Coan has given him two more – so far.

The smart set's talking about...

How Beatrice's pal is a keeper of secrets

PRINCESS Beatrice's close friend Alice Naylor-Leyland has revealed why her pals turn to her with their most closely guarded secrets.

The socialite, 40, whose coterie also includes model Poppy Delevingne, says her discretion has even earned her a special moniker.

'My nickname is The Vault,' Alice explains.

'I know that people are going to be pregnant before they know themselves.'

'I know that they're

getting divorced... when your husband's had an affair.'

The tablescape designer, who is married to Tom Naylor-Leyland, the heir to the historic Fitzwilliam estates, adds: 'I don't know why people tell me stuff, but they do.'

'Maybe I'm not fun. If somebody needs to have a dance, have a drink, you're not going to call Alice.'

'But if you're secretly pregnant...'

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Page 35

Confidential

Follow me on X @richardaeden and on Instagram @edenconfidential richard.eden@dailymail.co.uk

Not quite regalia: The piece on Lady Lola and on Central Cee

Lady Lola's souvenir from Ibiza? Rapper's $400k diamond chain

PICK up any souvenirs on your holidays? A fridge magnet or straw donkey, perhaps?

Well, Lady Lola Crichton-Stuart appears to have acquired something altogether more valuable, courtesy of an intriguing summer friendship in Ibiza.

Lady Lola, 27, a daughter of the late Marquess of Bute, racing driver Johnny Dumfries, has been pictured wearing a £400,000 diamond chain owned by one of Britain's biggest rap stars, Central Cee, 28.

The pair have started following each other on social media so they can exchange private messages after reveling on the Spanish party island. The

chain, which bears a pendant of Queen Elizabeth II's profile, was created by jeweller Abtin Abbasi, whose spokesman confirms that only one was made. Central Cee, whose real name is Oakley Neil Caesar-Su, has been single since splitting from London-based TikTok influencer Madeline Argy, 26, in 2024. Lady Lola was said to have broken up with her Dutch model boyfriend, Parker Van Noord, earlier this year.

Perhaps the rapper will pay tribute in verse to his new chum? One of Central Cee's best-known lyrics referred to a bisexual former girlfriend, of whom he said: 'How can I be homophobic? My b*** is gay.'

(Very) modern manners

HAVING stepped down as a judge on The Great British Bake Off after nine seasons, Dame Prue Leith has discovered a thrilling new pastime.

'I couldn't do skiing - then I discovered the joys of sit-skiing,' says the chef, 86.

'You sit in a kind of wheelbarrow with a champion skier, skiing with you down a mountain, holding the handles.'

She adds: 'You get all the excitement and exhilaration, but not the terror. You can't do anything about it because you're not in charge. I adored it.'

■ THE recent heatwave may be over, but Jack Osbourne is convinced summer will continue to sizzle.

For that reason, the reality television star and son of late rocker Ozzy has put his vasectomy on hold.

'I am waiting for summer to be over because I want to

be active and don't want to be laid out with an ice pack on my groin,' he explains.

Jack, 40, who has five daughters, is content to go without a boy.

'Everybody I know that has sons (says they) are little caveman troll creatures that break everything,' he says.

■ THE Celebrity Traitors winner Alan Carr shot to television fame after the success of his 2005 stand-up show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. But the 50-year-old comedian and chat-show host fears that the Fringe no longer serves as a launchpad to stardom. 'You don't get discovered there any more,' he says of the world's largest

performing arts festival. Instead, performers make their name online.

'Because of social media, people know (about you),' says Carr. 'You never get that surprise act; no one ever gets word of mouth, and that's a shame.' After being spotted by Channel 4 executives at the festival, he went on to host shows including The Friday Night Project and Chaty Man.

SHEPHERDESS Amanda Owen is flummoxed by 'all sorts of funny requests' she receives from television viewers.

'People want to buy my socks,' reveals Amanda, 51, who starred in the Channel 5 show Our Yorkshire Farm.

'I don't think they realise what they'll get,' she says. 'It wouldn't be a sexual thing for them... My socks have probably got bits of hay and an insect or two in them.'

'Police' to swarm Westminster this weekend

HERE'S a cast-iron prediction.

Loiter around the Palace of Westminster this weekend - this afternoon and tomorrow from 8am until 3pm, to be precise - and you'll hear a symphony of sirens as armed police swarm from specialist vehicles, with further commotion as the Thames foams under the bows of speeding police launches.

The standard response, you might think, to someone tweeting something the powers-that-be-deem 'offensive'? That would be a fair guess.

In fact, Parliament's being turned into a film set. The production company involved is called Bad Wolf, which sounds appropriate.

Queen of Pop's crown chaos

Flower power: Madonna's birthday look

QUEEN of Pop Madonna nearly lost her birthday crown after the floral headpieces she had planned to wear at her party in Greece were stranded at an airport.

The Material Girl singer celebrated turning 68 in Corfu this week, wearing a pink sequinned Dolce & Gabbana gown and a £660 flower headband from London-based fashion designer Julia Chancey.

But the eight original designs she had planned to send to Madonna were held up in customs in Miami.

'UPS messed up and left them at the airport,' Julia says of the delivery service. She then raced to create seven new designs to send from London to Greece.

'I had a deadline to get them in on Saturday by a certain time,' she tells me. 'I sewed right through the night, making different pieces. So it's all a little bit of a blur.'

Julia says Madonna, who has worn some of her trademark kaftans in the past, is a 'fair' customer who supports independent brands.

'She always pays. You get some artists that want everything gifted,' adds Julia.

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Page 36

vi

After five young thugs were killed speeding in the wrong direction on a motorway, GUY ADAMS asks why social media platforms host their videos — and discovers police aren't even allowed to pursue them

from Guy Adams

IN CARLOW, IRELAND

TWO very different tribes gathered in Carlow, a market town just over an hour's drive south of Dublin, last night.

One was there to mourn Alex McCarthy, a 16-year-old member of a Traveller family, who was one of five young men killed in a car crash in the early hours of Sunday morning. He was being laid to rest at St Mary's cemetery, opposite the local Gaelic Athletic Club.

The other group was attending an evening vigil at St Clare's Church, in the town centre, to pray for three women and a young child who were seriously injured in the same incident.

Each wore contrasting uniforms. McCarthy's clan, dressed to the nines, followed a white, horse-drawn carriage carrying his grey and silver coffin.

The crowd at St Clare's was more understated. They held candles and arrived by foot. This divide was more than simply aesthetic. For the two groups are on opposite sides of an increasingly furious public debate.

It follows what happened at 3.04am on Sunday, when McCarthy and four teenage friends decided to drive a high-performance BMW at 75mph southwards on the north-bound lane of the M9, near the eastern outskirts of Carlow.

Tragedy ensued. The group in the BMW, who were trying to flee the Gardai (the Irish police), were involved in a head-on collision with a Hyundai, which was carrying three sisters — Ella and Niamh Hendricken and Alma Kinsella — along with Alma's seven-year-old son Yemi.

All five of the teenage boys, aged between 15 and 18, who were wearing black balaclavas, died at the scene. The four passengers in the Hyundai, who had been driving to the airport to attend a wedding in Britain, were taken to hospitals in Dublin. They remain critically ill.

It was a terrible waste of life. But in the ensuing days, the tragedy has become an international talking point.

At issue are the deeply unsettling circumstances in which it came to pass and the thorny question of who is to blame. And to appreciate why, one must first understand that McCarthy and his associates were not your everyday hoodlums. Instead, they were 'content creators'.

SPECIFICALLY, they were members of the Lucky Dip Gang, a group of between 60 and 100 Irish youths who have achieved a dystopian sort of social media fame through the reckless driving which led to their deaths. The gang, made up of teenagers and first identified by police in 2022, drive extremely dangerously in stolen vehicles then post the footage on TikTok and Snapchat.

The more reckless their behaviour, the more clicks it tends to generate and the greater kudos they enjoy. So-called 'Lucky Dippers' are said to be responsible for at least 300 crimes in the past year, including burglaries and car thefts.

They and a growing number of copycat groups are thought to be partly responsible for a rising crimewave — the number of vehicle thefts in Ireland has almost doubled since 2021, from 3,951 to 7,893 cases per year. According to

leaked law enforcement figures, the 11 most active gang members, whose average age is 16, have now been arrested and charged with a total of 427 crimes. That is an average of 39 charges each.

Yet almost none of them have been imprisoned — and their sense of impunity seems astonishing. In the minutes leading up to Sunday's tragedy, for example,

McCarthy and his chums filmed themselves driving at high speed away from Gardai patrol vehicles, with blue emergency lights flashing in the background.

Several clips of these exploits are now doing the rounds online, having been posted by associates by way of a grotesque tribute. One bears the message: 'Ur last spin boys. To hear your voices in

this boys has me in a pain that can't be described.'

Another shows a man in a black balaclava in the BMW's passenger seat, along with the caption 'I love ya brother' and 'Gonna be missed boys'.

A third, addressed to McCarthy's 18-year-old fellow passenger Kamil Pustkowski shows a man performing dangerous manoeuvres in a

vehicle with the comment 'This one's for you, Kamil'.

Most of these grisly tributes offer no sympathy at all to the four innocent victims of the gang's criminal behaviour. In fact, they appear to celebrate it. And that has sparked public anger.

On Tuesday, a funeral director's online tribute page for McCarthy was taken down after it was

Victims: Ella and Niamh Hendricken and Alma Kinsella were driving to the airport when their car was hit

THE TIKTOK JURIDERS CAUSING CARNAGE FOR CLICKS

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11

Page 37

bombarded with critical posts. Facebook tributes from family members of the dead youths met with hostile responses, many of them criticising the Traveller community from which some of them – but not all – hailed.

The reaction has also sparked violence. Video footage on X purports to show a female relative of one of the five teenagers confronting an online critic in the street this week.

Family members film her grabbing the middle-aged woman's hair and throwing punches.

Other online videos from the Lucky Dip gang focus on glamorising dangerous driving. Most depict youths driving the wrong way down a motorway, an activity regarded in this warped world as daring and entertaining.

One, filmed on Dublin's M50, shows a driver making a U-turn at night-time before hurtling against the flow of traffic.

As lorries and terrified car drivers flash their headlights, the vehicle swerves from the fast lane into the hard shoulder. Another shows a car careering down the wrong side of a busy carriageway in Cork, narrowly avoiding a head-on collision with two lorries.

A third, filmed in the day in heavy traffic, shows a gang member speeding down the hard shoulder. Each video has clocked up millions of views online.

Creating such content is a full-time job and last week's tragedy seems to have done little to discourage copycats.

In the early hours of Thursday, a car drove the wrong way up the M50 and N3 before crashing in the Dublin suburb of Ashtown.

Staggeringly, it was at least the

fourth such incident logged by the authorities in Dublin in little more than a week.

And some have ended in devastating injuries. Earlier this month, eight teenagers – one of whom was just 13 – suffered serious injuries in a head-on crash after they drove the wrong way down the M50.

And last Tuesday, in Finglas, Dublin, a high-powered car with five teenagers in it rammed a Gardai vehicle, flipping it on to its roof. Video footage, filmed inside the stolen car, soon emerged on social media.

In other words, this is a criminal class which feels entitled to behave with absolute freedom from any form of punishment. And that is sparking heated political debate.

According to the Irish government, the main villains of this tale – aside from the youths themselves – are not lawmakers, the courts or even the police for failing to stamp out this behaviour, but the rapacious social media companies who have allowed footage of illegal driving to be shared on their platforms.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin declared that Sunday's tragedy was the result of 'an irresponsible and dangerous act' which was 'being done for likes on social media'. While enterprise minister Peter Burke said TikTok had allowed 'very extreme [footage] – to sit there for protracted periods of time', adding that this was 'not good enough'.

Government sources are now floating the idea that TikTok could be fined as much as

Lucky Dip Gang: A TikTok video posted by Kamil Pustkowski, top and above

1.5billion euros [£1.28billion], or 6 per cent of its global revenue.

Yet since Ireland's economy hinges on its status as an accommodating tax haven for Silicon Valley firms, few believe the platform will be properly held to account.

TikTok, in particular, seems to regard itself as beyond reproach. It has turned down an invitation to explain itself before the Irish parliament's media committee next week, claiming that such scrutiny would not be 'appropriate'.

Cynics also point out that the Dublin government is on a sticky wicket when it comes to road safety, with two backbenchers from ruling party Fianna Fáil facing recent scandals.

In January, Michael Cahill was convicted of driving at 124mph and suspended from driving for two years; Malcolm Byrne has admitted failing a roadside alcohol test but is yet to go on trial. Neither has lost the whip.

In any case, politicians seeking to blame US tech firms for a breakdown in law and order should look

closer to home. Take the Gardai. It has cut the number of traffic enforcement officers from 1,046 to 645 since 2009 and no longer employs a single officer who has completed 'pursuit training'.

Health and safety rules also mean the force now has a policy of never following vehicles travelling the wrong way down a motorway – a rule which joyriders are happy to exploit.

This appears to date back to 2021, when three gangsters died in a head-on crash while being pursued down the N1. The officer pursuing them was controversially prosecuted for 'endangerment of life'.

On Monday, John O'Connell, head of the country's policing union, says: 'Our members are not going to follow [them]. We're damned if you do and damned if you don't.'

Even if young joyriders are eventually caught, the chances of them being imprisoned are almost zero – thanks to Ireland's ultra-liberal law and order policies.

Ireland's 2001 Children's Act says that 'a period of detention should be imposed [on any juvenile] only as a measure of last resort', meaning many can clock up dozens of offences before being given a custodial sentence. And even then, there will almost certainly not be space in prison to accommodate them.

Sinn Fein's Matt Carthy, the justice committee's chairman, tells me that this country of more than five million citizens has just one young offenders' institution – the Oberstown Children Detention Campus. And it only has room for 46 inmates.

While Mr Carthy's Left-leaning party champions prevention

alongside imprisonment, he says that 'people who pose a threat to communities are undoubtedly now at large because of cuts to budgets'.

Hermann Kelly, a former aide to Nigel Farage, who leads the Irish Freedom Party, takes a more old-fashioned view. 'These criminal scrotes need less bail, and more jail,' he tells me. 'We also need to make parents of repeat offenders take proper responsibility for their children.'

Historically, young hoodlums who had committed petty crimes in Ireland's working-class neighbourhoods would have been 'sorted out' by members of the IRA, Mr Kelly adds.

They no longer hold significant sway. Meanwhile, he argues, parliament's proportional representation system – which makes it virtually impossible for one party to secure an overall majority – has for years forced centrist parties to form coalitions with Left-wing groups which champion liberal justice policies.

Mr Kelly is particularly scathing about powerful government-funded NGOs (non-governmental organisations) which also lobby for a soft touch approach to young offenders.

They include the Irish Penal Reform Trust, which receives more than half of its annual budget of 500,000 euros from the taxpayer.

He says: 'I was looking at their website and it shows that they have seven employees, all of whom appear to be middle-class white women. It's not these people's communities who are affected by

TURN TO PAGE 39

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Page 38

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Page 39

Four years in jail for tutor, 26, who had sex with GCSE boy

A TEACHER who had sex with a teenage boy she was tutoring for his GCSEs was jailed yesterday for four and a half years.

Emily Drury, 26, even left him a note saying: 'I enjoy every piece of you.'

Lincoln Crown Court heard how Drury had sex with the 15-year-old several times while acting as his private tutor between May and June last year.

Amber Hobson, prosecuting, said that following the final incident Drury whispered: 'You can't tell anyone about this.' Ms Hobson said the boy agreed

By Andy Dolan

not to, but told two of his friends and sent them a picture of Drury which sent 'rumours running'.

When word reached the boy's school, staff contacted police. The boy showed officers a text

'She was obsessed with me'

from Drury referring to a note she left for him along with £20.

The note said: 'I enjoy every piece of you. I don't know how to stop, or what this is. Here's £20 just in case... Your Em xoxo.'

Drury dabbed her eyes in the dock as Ms Hobson read a victim-impact statement in which the boy said Drury told him that 'her and her husband didn't really talk, they weren't having sex and marriage wasn't what she expected'. He added: 'She told me she was obsessed with me.'

'I realised I had been manipulated. I was put into a situation where I was experiencing emotions and situations no child should have to experience.'

Drury was arrested in June last year, and admitted five counts of sexual activity with a child last month. Jeremy Janes, defending, said she had embarked on a

Obsessed: Teacher Emily Drury

'uncharacteristic, fantastical and unreal relationship' with the boy.

Judge James House KC said she had abused a position of trust, and her offending was so serious that only a jail sentence was appropriate.

He added: 'She was the adult, he was the child.'

Drury, of Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire, was supported in court by her husband, Detective Constable Julie Jode, of Lincolnshire Police, called her actions 'despicable'.

Drury was placed on the sex offenders' register for life and was given a five-year sexual-harm prevention order and a five-year restraining order.

Law change could stub out cigar shops

CIGARS could soon disappear from shop shelves under plans to expand anti-smoking laws, critics claim.

Health ministers are considering proposals to insist they come in plain packaging bearing graphic images, as cigarettes are required to.

But stockists say the cost of repackaging imported cigars would put them out of business.

The rules are being considered in light of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill introduced by Rishi Sunak.

Daniel Freeman, director of James J Fox, the 140-year-old cigar shop in London, said: 'From the day it comes in, we will become unprofitable.' He said the onus to repackage cigars would fall on businesses and render the products unviable.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will also ban anyone born after 2009 from buying tobacco products.

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FROM PAGE 37

the lawlessness their liberal policies lead to, it's the working-class ones.'

By way of example, while I was driving to the scene of Sunday's crash, I heard a resident of one such community, named Joanne, on a radio phone-in. She was a neighbour of one of the five boys involved and said that he and his siblings were prolific criminals who had terrorised the local streets for years.

'When we moved into the estate in Carlow, they were smashing in our windows within the first 30 minutes of moving in,' Joanne said. 'He was allowed out on to the estate to do whatever he wanted along with the rest of the family.' Commenting on his death, she added: 'I've no sympathy, none whatsoever.'

The track record of the five youths certainly beggars belief. At least three had previously bragged online about driving the wrong way down motorways, with some posting videos of themselves driving at more

than 120mph. Others had posted news articles and social media appeals from victims of car thefts, alongside pictures of themselves standing on top of the stolen cars.

Only last month, McCarthy was quizzed by Gardai over a hit-and-run in Carlow on July 8. A motorcyclist suffered life-changing injuries after being hit by a stolen black Ford Ranger pick-up. Joey Carthy, who also died in Sunday's crash, was also called in for questioning over the incident.

This week, a relative posted a tribute to Carthy which showed his other favourite hobby: filming himself carrying out burglaries then uploading footage to TikTok. Next to footage of him in the bedroom of a sleeping 87-year-old was the caption: 'You didn't care Joey, u walk in on top of people while there [sic] asleep [laughing emoji] you really wore the wild one rest easy living legend.'

Another alleged 'legend' was Pustkowski, who had a TikTok account showing himself driving stolen cars and vans. In one, he is seen driving

the wrong way down a motorway with police lights in the background: 'Tyre gone still smoked,' reads the caption.

Pustkowski was facing multiple charges for theft and motoring offences. As part of his bail conditions, he was not supposed to leave Limerick at any time - an instruction he had ignored.

Jack Kennedy, the fourth teenager to die on Sunday, was arrested in July on suspicion of car theft after an incident in which a vehicle was driven the wrong way down the M50. He was yet to face charges.

The fifth youth, Jeremy O'Brien, was a suspect in a dangerous driving incident which took place in April.

While they will no longer be joyriding, there seems to be a limitless number of admirers who are willing to take their place.

And given the heroic status they are being accorded by fans, few would bet against this social media crimewave which has terrified Ireland eventually spreading to Britain.

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Page 40

V

The SUPERMODEL

A NYONE who happened to have been near the striking baroque Church of Saint-Roch in Paris in April 2024 may have spotted a number of high-profile figures emerging from a funeral service there.

Among those attending were the former French First Lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy – 58-year-old wife of ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy – film director Luc Besson and Anthony Delon, son of the renowned late actor Alain Delon.

Also present at what is known as the 'artists' church' in the impeccably smart 1st arrondissement that day – but perhaps less recognisable – were the statuesque former Dutch supermodel Karen Mulder, accompanied by her then 17-year-old daughter, Anna.

They were gathered to say goodbye to Karen's former partner and longstanding friend, the property developer and publisher Jean-Yves Le Fur, who had died aged 59 the previous month after a battle with cancer.

With their manes of blonde hair and clad head to toe in black, mother and daughter cut a striking pair, although perhaps more striking was the fact that, outside her close-knit circle and the upmarket boutiques and cafes near her Paris home, this was the first time the woman who'd once graced hundreds of magazine covers had been filmed in a public setting for nearly quarter of a century.

For while she had undertaken one brief catwalk appearance in 2007, Karen's last foray into public life was thought to have sounded a death knell for her career.

It's hard to overstate how shocking it was. In 2001, appearing on the French TV chat show Tout Le Monde En Paris (Everybody's Talking About It), the then 32-year-old made a series of devastating claims that she had been subjected to systemic abuse while working as a model – being drugged and raped by multiple powerful men, including politicians and police officers.

The interview was so shocking it was never broadcast, and the recording was then deleted after

'All I wanted was for the bad things to stop'

the show's host called it a 'paranoid delirium'. But the contents were leaked, making the findings all too public.

Shortly afterwards, Karen's younger sister Saskia took her to a psychiatric clinic, from where the model emerged after a five-month stay firmly retracting her claims, referring to them as a 'cry for help'. She has barely been heard from since, and the desperate episode appeared destined to vanish into the ether along with the lingering question as to whether there had ever been any truth to her claims.

It has taken 25 years to answer that question: this week, Karen, now 57, unexpectedly broke her silence in an interview with German Vogue – which unveiled her as its surprise cover star, clad in red satin and posing alongside a sports car – claiming she had been speaking the truth all along.

'I was forced to say I had made it

by Kathryn Knight

all up,' she told the publication, adding that she was exposed to 'horrible, inhumane things' during her time in the spotlight.

'I thought that because I'm famous, people would believe me,' she added. 'All I wanted was for all these bad things to stop, for men to stop thinking they could do whatever they wanted.'

It is a bombshell claim, one which is certain to reignite troubling questions as to whether, far from being the ramblings of a young woman who had had a psychiatric breakdown, Karen's statements all those years ago were a devastating – and present – insight into sexual exploitation in the entertainment industry at a time when, long before the rise of #MeToo, the world was not ready to hear them.

That, certainly, is the belief of the prominent Dutch celebrity photographer William Rutten, who worked with Karen just a few months after she left hospital and has stayed in touch.

This week he spoke of his belief that the model had been emboldened to speak out again by more recent exposures of the dark underbelly of the modelling industry and the outcry that had greeted the release of the government files relating to the sex-trafficking ring of disgraced paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

'Let's not forget that this woman was the first woman to address abuse in the modelling industry, and because of this was forcibly committed and silenced,' Rutten told Dutch TV.

'She was declared to be crazy, and she was literally admitted to a psychiatric hospital, and she has paid a very, very heavy price for this. I didn't see it coming.'

'I do think that she was strengthened by the whole Epstein files, that women are taken more seriously when they utter these kind of accusations.'

To understand just how extraordinary that reassessment is, however, it is necessary to go back to the beginning of Karen's remarkable rise – and subsequent fall.

Golden girls: (from left) Karen Mulder, Carla Bruni, Nadja Auermann, Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Claudia Schiffer and Helena Christensen with designer Karl Lagerfeld in 1994

She was the first catwalk icon to lay bare sexual abuse in the modelling industry. Then Karen Mulder spent months in a psychiatric hospital – and disappeared from public life for 25 years. Now she's broken cover to say: I was forced into silence

Raised alongside Saskia – now a talent agent based in London – by parents Ben, a tax inspector, and Marijke, a secretary, in the small Dutch town of Voorburg, she was discovered aged just 15 after responding to a newspaper advert for the model agency Elite while on holiday in France in 1985 and sending in a photo.

Signed almost instantly, by the late 1980s her willowy lift 10in figure was appearing on catwalks for designers from Yves Saint Laurent to Valentino and Versace.

Throughout the 1990s – by now a fully anointed supermodel alongside other industry giants such as

Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington and Naomi Campbell – she appeared on hundreds of magazine covers including Vogue and the renowned Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. Her best friend was fellow model Carla Bruni.

In a notoriously fickle industry, the 'blonde with class', as she became known, had a reputation for level-headedness.

'She was very grounded and charming,' the then Mail on Sunday fashion editor Brenda Polan recalled in 2001 in the wake of Karen's hospitalisation, expressing surprise that it should be her, of all the models she'd met, who'd

succumbed to this poignant fate. Later, Ms Polan remembered how Karen, unlike some of the other 'supers', had turned up on time for interviews and been 'utterly charming, with no sign of a hangover and no evidence of bad habits of any kind'.

Nonetheless, when Karen retired from modelling in 2000, aged 31, she hinted all was not well. 'I didn't know who I was as a person,' she said in an interview. 'Inside I felt worse from day to day.'

Then, in October 2001, came those astonishing allegations.

Invited on to the French chat show to talk about whether the

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Page 41

WHO VANISHED

Comeback: Karen in 1995, left, and on Vogue cover this week

modelling industry exploited young girls. Karen claimed she'd been repeatedly drugged and raped by former members of Elite, and forced to sleep with people against her will in order to secure better contracts.

Among those named was a senior member of European royalty. Her agent was Elite owner Gerald Marie, former husband of Linda Evangelista – who today faces multiple accusations of rape and human trafficking. He has denied all the accusations.

The claims were so explosive – and Karen's appearance so fragile – that the programme producers felt they could not transmit the show and, fearful for the model's emotional state, they contacted her family.

Within days, Saskia had taken her sister to that psychiatric hospital, and her distraught

Her father gave an emotional interview

parents travelled to Paris, from where a clearly anxious and emotional Ben gave an interview to a Dutch journalist in which he suggested multiple factors – among them depression and cocaine use – had led to his daughter's breakdown.

'We had already begun to suspect something when we searched her house in Paris,' he said, revealing that his daughter had contacted the police with her claims the previous month.

'Everywhere there were exercise books and notepads full of notes in which she had written down the confused thoughts and delusions she was experiencing at the time. It was terrible, what we read there. She accused everyone and everything.'

Describing his daughter as 'completely burnt out, not only mentally but physically' by life at the top of the modelling world, he also suggested that her sessions with a psychiatrist had worsened, not helped, his daughter's state of mind.

'The treatment didn't help her; instead, it sent her into a downward spiral,' he said.

Those sentiments were subsequently echoed by Karen herself when, after leaving hospital, she gave an interview referring to her claims as a cry for help.

'It seemed to me that the whole world was against me and I was trying to make myself heard,' she told the respected French magazine Paris Match.

'Yet her troubles did not end there: a year later, it was reported that Karen had attempted to take her own life, although Saskia insisted that media reports had been overblown. 'Karen is doing OK,' she told a British newspaper. 'She is not unconscious and she's not in a coma. We've been in contact. I have spoken to her a lot on the phone, and we have all been supporting her 100 per cent.'

Either way, it would mark the start of a gradual retreat from the spotlight for Karen.

Although she released the eponymous pop album Karen Mulder in 2004 – which failed to make a significant impact on the mainstream music charts – she made only one surprise return to the Paris catwalk in 2007, modelling for the haute couture French fashion house Dior to mark its 60th anniversary.

Around the same time she was photographed on a yacht in the Mediterranean, holidaying with British model Kate Moss and her then boyfriend, the musician Jamie Hince.

Aside from Le Fur's funeral in 2024, her only other excursion into the spotlight was unintentional, when in 2009 it emerged she had spent a night in police custody following an accusation of harassment by her female aesthetic surgeon.

Karen – then 39 – was said to have directed 'vicious telephone calls' at the medic, who has not been named, as well as sending text messages calling her the 'anti-Christ'. It is understood that the calls referred to a cosmetic procedure about which she was unhappy and wanted it to be reversed.

Karen was eventually released under caution, although no further action was taken.

Since then she has kept a remarkably low profile, although she's a regular sight at the upmarket cafes and restaurants in the 'Triangle d'Or' (Golden Triangle) of Paris, an expensive area around the Avenue des Champs-Elysées, where she owns a 19th-century apartment.

Her romantic life, meanwhile, has also remained largely under

wraps. After a long-term relationship with Le Fur in the 1990s – the two remained close friends until his death – she embarked on relationships with financier Julio Santo Domingo, and then a music video director identified only as Martin.

She has never publicly named Anna's father, stating after her daughter's birth in 2006 that she wanted to bring her up away from media scrutiny.

Despite inheriting her mother's striking good looks, Anna apparently has no interest in following in her footsteps.

'The funny thing is that she says that her daughter, who is 19 and beautiful and looks just like her mother, absolutely wants nothing to do with the photography and modelling industry,' Rutten said this week in the same TV interview in which he discussed his old friend's Vogue cover and interview. 'She won't do it for sure.'

Today Karen remains close to Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, as well as film director Besson and the French actress Emmanuelle Seigner. 'Karen is classily low-profile, but she's still very much on the social and media scene in Paris,' a source told the Daily Mail.

'She has lots of celebrity friends, and enjoys spending

Decision to go public may be an opening salvo

time with them, just as she has always done.'

Quite what's prompted her to break cover so spectacularly this month remains a puzzle. She is unlikely to need the money – alongside her home in Paris, she owns property in the South of France, as well as stakes in a property management firm.

Notably though, last November, she set up a new media content and publishing company called KM Development, leading to speculation that Karen's decision to go public in Vogue could be the opening salvo in an ongoing campaign to call out wrongdoing in the modelling and entertainment industry.

'There are those among us wondering whether she is going to write a book,' one senior publishing insider in France told the Daily Mail this week.

Either way, whatever she intended, Karen's decision to become a cover girl again at the age of 57 seems unlikely to be an isolated episode.

'I don't know if she sees it as a comeback,' Rutten said. 'But it is also possible that it gave her a taster, and that she will be back for more.'

■ ADDITIONAL reporting by Peter Allen in Paris.

PS/CHART: KEITH WALES/GAME: GAMES: RAPID VALGETTY IMAGES

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V2

Daily Mail, Saturday, August 30, 2026

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BEL

DEAR BEL,

MY FAMILY was close and religious - no confusion about how life was supposed to unfold. You worked hard, respected your parents, built a career and married someone who shared your faith and values. Relationships before marriage weren't in the conversation.

My parents are good people. They've sacrificed an enormous amount for my brothers and me, and everything they've done has come from love. That's why I find this so difficult. It would be much easier if I felt angry with them.

Last year, I graduated and moved to London for my first proper job. It was the first time I'd lived away from home and, although excited, I also felt guilty. My mum still rings most evenings to ask whether I've eaten properly and whether I'm getting enough sleep.

Six months ago, I met someone at work. He's kind, listens more than he talks and has never once laughed when I've tried to explain why I'm hesitant over things other couples probably wouldn't think twice about.

He's never pressured me. If anything, he's been more patient than I deserve. Part of me wants to let the relationship develop naturally.

Another part hears my mother's voice reminding me that some choices can't

easily be taken back. Sometimes he reaches for my hand and, for a split second, I feel wonderfully happy. Then almost immediately I feel guilty. It's exhausting.

I've become good at lying by omission. If Mum rings while we're together, I tell her I'm out with colleagues. If she asks what I did at the weekend, I mention a museum but not who I went with. Every lie is small, yet afterwards I feel I've betrayed someone. Because I also feel I'm being unfair to him.

He's dating someone who can't invite him to meet her family, who sometimes pulls away because she's worrying about everything.

A few weeks ago, he told me he wasn't asking me to choose between him and my family. He simply hoped that one day, I wouldn't feel I had to choose between different parts of myself.

I don't want to lose my faith because it has shaped who I am. I don't want to lose my family because they're the people I love most in the world.

But I also don't want to walk away from someone who has shown me nothing but patience and kindness. I'm falling in love with him and know he feels the same, but I don't know what to do.

AISHA

THIS is such a touching letter and I feel such sympathy for your painful dilemma. You did not specify which faith it is that you were brought up to practise and yet I recognised your name as Arabic, concluded you must be Muslim but thought it advisable to check.

As a result of that message you've explained that you cover your head when at home because your loving parents expect it, but when out and about at work and with your boyfriend you don't - and actually love experimenting with different styles.

That fact alone is a vivid proof of why you feel so caught between two cultures - and anybody must be able to see how painful it is. Your boyfriend's remark that he 'hoped that one day, I wouldn't feel I had to choose between different parts of myself' is extremely perceptive and wise. The trouble is, you know in your heart and in your head that such a choice is already upon you.

You have met a lovely guy who is kind, patient and understanding, and wonderful company too. It's clear you have a lot in common, so it's no wonder that you are falling in love.

The trouble is, your religion is a huge

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Page 43

MOONEY

WWW.BELMOONEY.CO.UK

Yeah, we all could use a little mercy now; I know we don't deserve it but we need it anyhow; We hang in the balance - dangle 'tween hell and hallowed ground - every single one of us could use some mercy now.

From the song Mercy Now by Mary Gauthier (American singer-songwriter, born 1962)

How do I tell devout parents about my boyfriend?

(some people might say indivisible) part of who you are. Your love for your family is also not in question and it seems clear you would do anything to avoid hurting them.

What else is this already but an emotional and spiritual choice which puts you on the rack?

It's perfectly normal for parents deeply involved with religion - whether Jewish, Sikh, Muslim, Hindu, Roman Catholic, Evangelical or whatever - to hope their offspring form lasting unions

within the faith. That happiness affirms everybody's reality, with few complications.

But of course, the serious objection we would all make is when coercion is involved. Your boyfriend is, sadly, forced to listen to you fibbing to your mother on the phone, as if he were something to be ashamed of.

Of course, that's not how you feel at all but I fear it will become worse for him as time passes.

And your agonising feelings of guilt can only increase, as you are

aware of betraying both sides at the same time.

I realise these words aren't exactly helpful but it would be lazy of me to make soothing noises and say it'll all be fine.

It seems to me you have no option but to talk honestly with your mother. It would be wrong for the lying to continue, because the strain could make you ill.

My wish is that she will listen and try to understand, and your father and siblings can gradually be informed about what is

happening. My hope is that you will be heard with generosity and love - although I realise that may not be the case.

Looking ahead, it might be possible, if this love continues and deepens, that your boyfriend would consider converting, a process acceptable within your faith, as long as it is truly sincere.

Whatever lies ahead, I don't think you can avoid the conversations for very much longer. I pray it may be possible to inhabit two worlds, loving both. Inshallah.

Discussing emotions is just too difficult

DEAR BEL,

MY PROBLEM is probably going to sound stupid but I can't help it. In a nutshell, I find it very hard to talk about feelings.

We seem to live in a world where everybody's emoting all the time. There's no end to it - celebrities on about their mental health and giving away the most private emotions.

Sometimes, I read stuff in the Daily Mail which I can't help feeling shouldn't even be there - I mean the 'tell-all' emotional pieces about sex and marriage and parenthood. Like we're all inside some giant confessional with no-holds barred.

I often wonder if those people aren't embarrassed to face their friends after admitting how often

they have sex with their partners. Of course, my wife reads all that stuff.

You'll say I'm a buttoned-up male - maybe you're right - but I know it's not good. My wife doesn't exactly say I'm letting her down but I know she feels it.

When she shares her feelings about, say, a family member's problem, saying how upsetting she finds it, I want to change the subject. Because what can I do about it? Nothing.

Sometimes, I wish you'd just tell people to pull themselves together. Don't you get sick of the complaining? Do you think the idea of the 'stiff upper lip' should be brought back? But what can I do when people want to share?

JASON

YOU don't like talking about feelings but clearly feel that's problematic, so you're writing to me about feelings instead of talking with feeling to your wife. OK!

But seriously, I do think this issue affects more men than women - and because it can certainly get in the way of good relationships, it's worth considering here.

At the end, you thrust three questions at me, so let's deal with each one in turn. You say you're often embarrassed by 'confessional' articles, but if I assure you that a great many readers love them, especially women, then you'll understand why they're there.

Our newspaper is read by a wide range of people, and the Daily Mail has especially appealed to women since it was founded in 1896.

Asking me whether I get fed up with 'moaning' is understandable. No. If I did, I'd be totally unsuited to this job, whereas in fact I become increasingly pragmatic and sad about human nature as the years pass. Otherwise I

might suggest you just 'man up' and listen to your wife. I believe there is a time for a 'stiff upper lip' and agree that our society encourages too much agonising over personal problems, which may or may not be real.

I wish parents and schools encouraged resilience instead of a conviction that ordinary sadness is a mental health issue that needs therapy.

We baby boomers had to learn to 'get on with it' and I wish there was more of that in the young.

So what can you do when people want to share feelings with unwilling you? Bruce yourself, Jason - you have to start to learn how to listen.

Your big mistake is thinking you are expected to 'do anything' and therefore wanting to run a mile if, say, a friend confides that he's worried about a wayward son. All you have to do is hear him out with sympathy. It will make you a better, bigger person.

As for your wife... come on! You know perfectly well what you have to do. Listen, make sympathetic noises, tell her she's wonderfully kind and has a lot to teach you - then give her a massive hug. It really isn't that hard.

AND FINALLY

Music IS the food of love... so play on

IT OFTEN amazes me how much time, effort and money academics put into researching pretty pointless stuff. This week I read that scientists at a Swiss university had concluded that a shared taste in music can reveal far more about a couple's compatibility than personality traits. Fancy! If you're wild about Wagner and he's into hip-hop, there may be trouble ahead.

There's some obvious common sense there, but can't we relish difference? Don't aspects of personality - such as deep values - count for more than whether you think Clapton is God? Anyway, when you're in love your musical tastes, even if very different, can gradually shift.

When my second husband and I married in 2007 we merged our precious collections of vinyl LPs, as well as CDs. The classical music was mine - but so was Gene Vincent, Bill Haley, Elvis, the Beatles, the Stones, Fairport Convention and the girl groups of the 1980s.

Robin brought Talking Heads, Ian Dury, The Stranglers, Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Hendrix etc. We had in common jazz, reggae and the blues, not to mention Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and Carole King. Phew! A week ago we enjoyed Carmen at 'If Opera' in Wiltshire.

Over the time that we have been sharing our variety of music, I have received hundred of letters from couples whose marriages have gone stale. In a rut, they seem to have accepted that conversation is limited to exchanges about what to eat and what to watch on TV.

They're bored and it's sad. So why not re-discover music together? Go to the pub where a young guitarist is playing. Dig out a disc taking you back to when you were young - and maybe your hearts will lift. Look at listings and try booking something totally new. Make all music your food of love.

■ BELL answers readers' questions on emotional and relationship problems each week. Write to Bel Mooney, Daily Mail, 9 Derry Street, London W8 5HY, or email bel.mooney@dailymail.co.uk. Names are changed to protect identities. Bel reads all letters but regrets she cannot enter into personal correspondence.

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Page 44

LAURA Johnson was just six when it dawned on her that her mother might be a bad person.

Lisa Hayden-Johnson was feted as the nation's most devoted parent, a woman fighting tooth and nail to manage the litany of life-threatening conditions that afflicted Laura's younger brother Matthew.

Accompanied by Matthew in his little wheelchair, she appeared on TV: GMTV with Fiona Phillips and The X Factor with Simon Cowell, and had breakfast at Downing Street with then Prime Minister Tony Blair. Matthew, dubbed Britain's sickest child, was also given a Children Of Courage award by Camilla, then Duchess of Cornwall.

But at the family home in Brixham, Devon, it was clear to Laura that her mother's claims – that Matthew had cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, anaemia, was allergic to almost all foods and unable to walk, eat or even breathe unaided – were simply not true.

'Out in public he would be really poorly,' recalls the now 27-year-old in an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail this week.

'Then we'd get home and he would be normal. We'd play outside together, eat normal food together. He didn't need the wheelchair or the oxygen. It didn't make any sense to me.'

Eventually it also didn't make sense to the doctors who – fooled by his mother's lies and faked test results – had treated Matthew for years.

In reality the little boy was physically healthy and, following a two-year police investigation, Hayden-Johnson was jailed for three years at Exeter Crown Court in January 2010 after admitting child cruelty and perverting the course of justice.

But the horrific saga of the woman back then dubbed 'Britain's most evil mother' didn't end there. This week, Laura revealed her fears that she may also have been targeted by Hayden-Johnson as a child.

HAVING begun to look back over her own medical records in recent years, she now questions if she was a 'test subject' for her mother.

'She was claiming I was having seizures and I was being put on very strong medication for it until I was six or seven. I was attending lots of appointments. There is mention of safeguarding concerns,' says Laura, who has no memory of this time but has not suffered seizures since.

Speaking to family members, Laura has also discovered that her mother's claim that she had a twin who died in ulero was false.

She told the Daily Mail how she and Matthew, now 25, are still coming to terms with their past and how their attempts to reconcile with their mother after her release from prison in 2011 ended in further heartache.

The siblings first decided to speak out by taking part in a three-part Channel 4 documentary, Love You To Death, which aired this week.

They wanted to raise awareness of what it was like to be on the receiving end of what was referred to at Hayden-Johnson's trial as Munchausen syndrome by proxy but is today called by medics 'fabricated or induced illness' (FII). Both terms refer to behaviour where a relative or carer makes up a person's illness to get attention and win emotional sympathy. The C4 programme also featured their estranged mother.

Partially obscured from the cameras to conceal her identity – and still in pathological denial about her crimes – the now 52-year-old made the astonishing claim that pleading guilty was 'my

As a documentary examines the story of how Lisa Hayden-Johnson tricked doctors into thinking her son was suffering a litany of life-threatening illnesses, his older sister reveals...

I was the

GATHER

victim of 'Britain's most evil mother'

by Barbara Davies

biggest mistake' and she didn't actually do anything wrong. 'How can I be Britain's most evil mother? I just did my best, that's all I did,' she says in one jaw-dropping moment. And in another: 'I never smacked my children. I never did anything like that. I never hurt them in any way.'

Her children do not share her assessment – quite the opposite, in fact.

'I've had a very long time to process everything that happened,' Laura told the Daily Mail. 'Now I want people to understand FII from a child's perspective and how it destroys lives.'

While her brother's suffering, she says, was heavily talked about, she was given little opportunity to speak about the mental cruelty inflicted on her. Her fondest memories of her childhood are of the time she spent with her father while her mother dedicated herself to Matthew's 'care'.

But there were happy mother and daughter shopping trips during which they would try on make-up and spray tester perfumes. She recalls trips to the cinema and outings to the zoo.

'Apart from the medical stuff we had such a good family and a lovely home,' she says.

Yet it was the 'medical stuff' that took centre stage in their lives after Matthew's birth, nine weeks prematurely, in 2001.

PLACED on a ventilator in a special care baby unit, his mother was lavished with attention by sympathetic staff, friends and relatives, something she was clearly reluctant to give up when he was discharged.

She called out ambulances in the night and told doctors he couldn't keep his food down.

Over six years Hayden-Johnson, who was born in Croydon and said she had nursing qualifications, managed to banibazole doctors into performing unnecessary surgical procedures.

They believed her claims that Matthew couldn't swallow and, when he was four, fitted him with a nasogastric feeding tube. By the time he was six he'd had four invasive operations and nine general anaesthetics. His mother even spiked his urine samples with

glucose to support her claim that he had diabetes.

Her lies also proved to be highly lucrative. Aside from thousands raised by local charities, she garnered £130,000 in disability living allowance claims and a car from Motability, as well as gifts and free holidays.

Laura, who was three when Matthew was born, was taught early on that she needed to look after her supposedly sick little brother.

'From a very young age I was carrying his oxygen tanks up and down the stairs,' she told the Daily Mail. 'I think back now to all

those times and how I didn't need to go through any of it because none of it was true.'

Her father was a supermarket manager and his shifts meant that her mother attended the majority of Matthew's appointments. At the time of the investigation, police said they viewed him as another victim, persuaded by his manipulative wife that she knew what was best for their son.

'All these things were happening while he was at work so he wouldn't question it,' Laura says. 'He didn't want to believe that anything was wrong.' The

penny dropped for her, she says, around the age of six when Matthew was in hospital having just had an operation.

'We were meant to be going on a cruise that had been donated to us, and Matthew and I were really excited. But the doctors said there was no way he could go; he needed to go home and rest.'

'We were both in tears and my mum said: 'Look, we are going to go, but when the doctors come back in, keep crying so it looks like we're not going.'

'I knew that lying wasn't right but I loved my mum. I wasn't old

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Page 45

enough to understand that it wasn't OK and wasn't normal.' Hayden-Johnson's deception was uncovered in 2007, when increasingly suspicious doctors suggested measuring Matthew's blood sugar levels over three days in hospital. No doubt realising she was about to be rumbled, Hayden-Johnson failed to take her son to the appointment.

She claimed she had been sexually assaulted after stopping her car to help a motorcyclist and faked injuries by cutting herself. When police told her they were about to arrest a man for the crime, she panicked and confessed to making up the story.

After her arrest, officers searching her home described Matthew's bedroom as 'like a scene out of TV's Casualty'. Beside a specialist bed were dozens of boxes of equipment and medication. They found bags of glucose, used to tamper with his blood and urine samples, stashed in a wardrobe. Downstairs they came

across photos and videos showing Matthew running along a beach without his wheelchair and tucking into a pub roast dinner.

Having pleaded guilty just before she was due to stand trial, Judge Stephen Wildblood described her behaviour as 'cruel, manipulative, perverse, disordered and pitiful'.

Laura was 11 when her mother went to jail. 'Instead of grieving for her I went straight to anger,' she told the Daily Mail. 'I felt betrayed. It was a very, very, very difficult time.'

Her father divorced Hayden-Johnson and took Laura and her brother to live in Sheffield, a move which Matthew has described as the moment 'I feel like my life started' and which 'gave me the same to kind of thrive'.

Not so for Laura, who missed her friends in Devon and was bullied at her new school.

She and Matthew wrote to their mother in prison but there was never any acknowledgment in her

replies that she had done anything wrong. 'She would just ask how we were getting on at school or say that she'd stuck the drawings we'd sent her up on her wall,' says Laura.

When Hayden-Johnson was released 19 months into her 39-month sentence, arrangements were made by Social Services for the children to see her under supervision.

'I was scared to go into the room,' recalls Laura, by then 13. 'I was still very angry. I sat away from her. It was very awkward. I remember her saying she was sorry but I was too young to ask what exactly she was sorry for.'

Over the next three years, one-hour visits in a contact centre evolved into monthly trips out with their mother and a social worker. Laura flipped between hating her mother and longing for her love.

After finishing her GCSEs and struggling badly with depression, Laura was invited by Hayden-Johnson to move in. While

Pictures: PAUL LEWIS/CHANNEL 4

Tiny victims: Left, Laura and Matthew with his nasogastric feeding tube; above, Matthew with mum Lisa Hayden-Johnson

her father was unhappy about the development, Laura was 16 and free to make her own decisions. 'It felt really good to start with,' she says. 'She bought me a whole new wardrobe of clothes. She helped me enrol in college. I had my first boyfriend at that time and she was giving me motherly advice. I didn't think anything bad could come of it.'

Within six months, however, things changed.

Hayden-Johnson started complaining of her own health problems, telling Laura that misdiagnosed diabetes had left her with nerve damage in her hands and feet. She started wearing splints on her arms and getting Laura to take her to physiotherapy sessions.

'She'd get screws stuck in her foot and they'd pull them out at appointments and she'd say she couldn't feel them,' Laura recalls. 'I don't know if she was putting them there herself.'

BEFORE long, Laura was pushing her mother around in a wheelchair as if she was her carer.

Laura says Hayden-Johnson also claimed she had a regression disorder which saw her behave like a five-year-old whenever she had what she referred to as one of her 'blips.'

'She would be watching Peppa Pig and trying to self-harm and then she would snap out of it. She would go out barefoot in her pyjamas and I'd end up calling the police.'

Eventually Laura could take no more and went to live with her boyfriend. It was then that she 'saw what a normal family is'.

At that point, she says, her mother's medical conditions magically disappeared.

Three years ago she cut ties with her mother in a text message she shared with the Daily Mail.

She wrote: 'I can't forgive you for what you caused Matthew when he was a child and also what you have done to me in the past and more recently. I appreciate everything you did for me when I came to live with you but that was met with a lot of unnecessary hurt too. I've tried to help you but you won't accept you need help.'

That was abundantly clear from Hayden-Johnson's appearance on the 63 documentary, during which she appeared to be sitting in a

wheelchair. Having married for a second time, she is living under a new name in Devon. She denies ever having FII, saying: 'I don't fit that category,' and adding, 'I didn't do that sort of stuff to Matthew.'

Her only admission of wrongdoing is that on one occasion she used her own urine instead of her son's so she could get him out of hospital. In reality, dozens of tests were tampered with.

Asked if she thought she might benefit from therapy, she smiles and replies: 'No, I'm happy. I have an amazing life. I've married the most amazing guy and I'm really, really happy. Life is very good.'

Laura believes her mother should have got a longer sentence but that she should have spent it in a psychiatric unit where she might have received help.

'As far as I'm aware she did have some mental health support in prison but the way she talked about it, it was clear it didn't have any impact on her,' she says. 'The crime was addressed but not the issue.'

Indeed, Hayden-Johnson refers to the time she spent behind bars as 'my holiday'.

A former neighbour in Brixham says that after her release from prison she moved back to the family house with a new partner.

'You would have thought she would have kept her head down and tried to show some humility but she started partying like there was no tomorrow,' the neighbour told the Daily Mail.

'She and her partner were drinking, shouting and playing stupidly loud music all hours of the day. People begged her to keep it down but she wasn't bothered.'

The house was eventually repossessed and she and her boyfriend moved to Plymouth.

The landlord of another property rented by Hayden-Johnson says he received abusive late night phone calls and threats of physical violence from her and her boyfriend and that bailiffs came looking for her after she left. 'She is constantly on the move so that people can't find her,' he says.

'She wasn't a very nice person.'

Today, despite everything she has been through, Laura displays an extraordinary ability to show compassion towards her mother.

'I'm so angry at her for the past and what she put us through,' she says. 'But I still want her to get better and accept she has a problem before she hurts anyone else.'

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Page 46

THE headline was a single word: VIOLENCE.

Below it, the Daily Mail's report of the so-called 'Torture Gang' trial at the Old Bailey in 1967 detailed some of the most horrific and sadistic crimes ever described in a British court.

Last week, Eddie Richardson, the only survivor of the Torture Gang, died from pneumonia, aged 90.

On social media, he was saluted by many as the last prince of a vanished breed: the London mobsters of the Swinging Sixties feted as celebrities in all their dangerous glamour.

Richardson, a contemporary of the Great Train Robbers and the Kray Twins, was treated almost as a flawed national treasure. Despite his reputation for brutality and long prison record, he was remembered as an entertaining raconteur, after-dinner speaker and a talented, self-taught painter whose portraits were exhibited in West End galleries.

It was as though the former drug smuggler, porn baron and racketeer was a character from a Guy Ritchie film, whose lifetime of thuggery was no more than racy fiction. He spent his later years after being released from prison wallowing in his notoriety, boasting of his crimes in two autobiographies and posing as a benefactor to the community he once terrorised.

Once asked by a Mail on Sunday reporter if he enjoyed inflicting pain, he replied: 'If I'm perfectly honest, yes, I did. I won't say I loved hurting people. It was more about proving my manhood. It does make you feel powerful.'

RICHARDSON and his older brother Charlie stood trial in 1967 with five other gangsters, including 'Mad Frankie' Fraser, charged over a criminal reign more violent than London had ever known.

Queen's Counsel Mr Sebag Shaw repeatedly dinned that one word 'violence' into the ears of the jury. The case, he said, was, 'about violence and threats of violence, not sudden violence committed on the spur of the moment, but brutal violence, systematically carried out with utter and callous ruthlessness'.

The Richardson brothers terrorised the capital's underworld throughout the 1960s using their metal business and fruit machine company as fronts for a criminal empire involving gambling, pornography, drug dealing and protection and extortion rackets.

The pair were especially feared across south London for the mock trials they staged before inflicting barbaric punishments on anyone who crossed them.

Their victims would be lured to the basement of a drinking club in their south London 'manor', stripped naked, then tied up with rope or electrical flex, and beaten with hammers or lengths of wood, before being subjected to a kangaroo court hearing.

Eddie wore a judge's wig and stolen robes, while Charlie acted the part of prosecutor. Both would be high on 'purple hearts' amphetamines. When a verdict was reached, the violence began in earnest. Fraser, playing the role of executioner, used pliers to break fingers and toes, pull off fingernails and toenails, or remove teeth - sometimes tearing away lumps of gum, or snapping the tooth in two.

Some were pinned to the wooden floor with a knife through a hand or foot and left in agony for hours. As the victim pleaded for mercy, the gang would take it in turns to urinate on him and

The ruthless leader of the Richardson gang who brutalised his enemies in a torture dungeon, found wholly lead with the Krays - then became Leggie's table tennis partner in jail.

by Christopher Stevens

stub out cigarettes on his body. Razors were used to inflict cuts on the face, the ears and the feet. Then came the most agonising torture of all.

Bulldog clips were applied to nipples or genitals, with wires trailing back to a black box. Inside was a generator, made from an old hand-cranked telephone, with a handle that turned like the starter on a vintage car.

Fraser or one of the brothers would turn the handle, creating a searing electrical current that inflicted agonising burns.

The sessions went on for so long

that the gang would sometimes send out for fish and chips. After that, they would stage a discussion in the victim's hearing, debating where to dump his body - in the Kent marshes, or at sea. Then, with a pretence of magnanimity, Charlie would hand the victim a clean shirt to replace his bloodied clothes and turn him on to the street, half-dead.

These torture sessions were spoken of in whispers around Camberwell, where the Richardson gang had their base. Those who survived were said to have 'taken a shirt from Charlie'.

EDDIE was 30 at the time of the trial, with his occupation listed as 'wholesale chemist'. In fact, though the jury were not told this, he was already serving five years for violent affray after a lifetime of criminal brutality began to catch up with him.

Eddie Richardson was born in January 1936, the second of four children, and grew up in a tobac-

conist's run by his mother and grandmother. He liked to claim that he could barely read or write as a child. 'I left school with hardly any education. Unlike some of Prince Charles's friends, I never had a lot of avenues open to me,' he bragged, aged 70.

'Yet I have eaten in some of the best restaurants in the world, I've met people from all walks of life and held my own with all of them. For a south London lad, I can't complain, can I?'

This myth of the working-class hero made good against the odds was nonsense. The truth was he started school very early, aged three, sitting in class at Comber Grove infants' school beside Charlie who was two years older. But both boys quickly discovered that violence was a surer route to immediate success than studying.

After leaving school at 15, he was dismissed from a series of training schemes and jobs, and earned himself a reputation with his fists as 'King of the Teddy Boys' in south London.

Using boxing skills he learned at his secondary modern school,

he became a bare-knuckle fighter: 'I was full of aggression and very quick to get into a fight, but it was also over quickly.'

Called up to do National Service, he feigned learning difficulties and was exempted. After Charlie was dishonorably discharged from the Army for assaulting a medical officer, the brothers went into business as scrap metal merchants. Tensions mounted between them after younger brother Alan drowned on a speedboat trip up the Thames with Charlie.

'Charlie was being flash,' Eddie wrote more than 50 years later. 'He wasn't able to control the speedboat and it hit the wash of one of those pleasure cruise boats and flipped. Alan had no chance. Until the day she died, our mother never truly got over it. We buried her in the same grave as Alan.'

The scrap metal business quickly branched out into extortion and protection, as well as fruit machines and porn, which under Eddie's control was lucrative but comparatively low-key.

Charlie's vision was different: a

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Page 47

Brothers in arms: Charlie and Eddie Richardson. Above: Eddie with 'Mad Frankie' Fraser. Left: Reggie and Ronnie Kray

Pictures: CORBIG VAN GETTY IMAGES, 1996

fantasist with delusions of grandeur, he imagined himself as an international business mogul and a spy. Becoming entangled in a South African plot against Britain's Labour government, he claimed to be hatching a plan to bug prime minister Harold Wilson's phone. He also set up offices in Park Lane, announcing that the Richardsons were now running Mayfair and west London.

Both brothers resented the power of the police to curtail their operations. Charlie described the Met as 'the most lucrative, powerful protection racket ever to exist'. To extend their reach, they started a systematic campaign of bribery, lavishing gifts and money on senior officers but also keeping dozens from the junior ranks in their pay.

By the mid-1960s, they controlled so much crime in London

that they had to bribe petty villains to commit offences under the noses of constables, simply to prevent the numbers of arrests from dipping suspiciously low.

Then came the trouble with the Krays.

The influence the Richardsons wielded made enemies across the river in the East End and though twins Ronnie and Reggie Kray ran a smaller operation in the 60s, they were spoiling for a fight. And all it took was one incident to spark a gangland war - a war that would end with all of them in prison. 'All Ron wanted to do was play soldiers and have a war with the Richardsons,' Eddie wrote.

'The Krays never had the brains to run their own clubs and businesses. They had to employ other people to do it.'

In 1966, while Charlie was in South Africa, Eddie decided to

take over the 'security' and slot machines for a nightclub called Mr Smith's in Catford - a popular drinking den among officers from the Met's Blackheath Road Section House. A lunchtime meeting to discuss the arrangements turned into a 12-hour drinking session, with an atmosphere of paranoia hanging over the club.

ONE of the locals, Billy Haward, was having an affair with a friend's wife. During the evening, a professional killer and IRA hitman named Jimmy Moody walked in, and Haward began to panic that the Irishman was there to kill him. Haward 'sent out for tools', as Richardson described it - ordering an associate to bring him a saw-off shotgun, and a .45 pistol for his

mate Dickie Hart. They carried on drinking until 2am when Richardson, in his new role as head of security, suggested they leave. Haward started yelling. One of Richardson's henchmen stepped in and Hart opened fire with the pistol, hitting him in the arm. The bullet severed an artery.

'Mad Frankie' Fraser leapt on Hart and was shot in the leg. In the melee, Hart was shot dead, and Haward let off a double blast with his shotgun, wounding Richardson in the buttocks and the back of one leg.

In hospital, Richardson and his associates were arrested and charged with affray. 'As I saw it, we were the victims,' he said. 'We'd gone to the club unarmed and now we were shot up.'

While he was remanded in Brixton, Charlie was abroad and Fraser was in the high-security

hospital wing of Wandsworth prison, the Krays made their move. Richardson claimed Ronnie Kray was 'so excited' at the prospect of gang warfare, he armed his men with grenades and bayonets as well as guns. Their first target was George Cornell, an old Kray foe who had become a member of the Richardson gang.

Cornell's speciality was the 'long firm' scam. The gang bought a respectable business, built up a good credit rating with banks, and applied for a loan to purchase goods. It then sold the stock on the black market and abandoned the business.

Two nights after the shooting at Mr Smith's, Ronnie Kray walked into a pub in Whitechapel called the Blind Beggar where Cornell was drinking. 'Look what the dog's dragged in,' sneered Cornell, and Kray shot him in the head.

When Richardson heard, he said: 'I was still in hospital and suddenly quite chuffed there were coppers guarding me.' He spent the next nine years in prison, serving some of his time in Leicester prison alongside Reggie Kray, who became his table tennis partner. On his release he went back into his old

lines of business - scrap dealing and nightclubs, as well as pornography.

At the start of the 1980s, he began importing cocaine, which was incalculably more profitable.

H

E lived the high life for a decade,

though it cost him his marriage to Maureen. They had wed in 1955 when he was 19, and had two daughters, but Richardson was never faithful. 'I was a woman - is it came on a plate to me - and Maureen shut her eyes to it. But the family never, ever went without.' Charlie escaped from an open prison in 1980 and spent almost a year on the run, before he was re-arrested at one of the family porn shops in Earl's Court.

The two men ceased talking for good after Eddie was arrested over a $40million cocaine haul in 1989. Sentenced to 25 years, he discovered that Charlie was stealing from the business in his absence.

'I never knew it, but Charlie was jealous of me,' he said. 'I've had good mates all my life. People trust me and ask my advice. Charlie doesn't hang on to friends. He's too self-interested, he just takes people to Promise-land.'

'Even my mum told me to steer clear of him. She loved him but knew what he was like. Anyway, I'll never deal with him again.' Charlie died in 2012.

Befriended by prison reformer Lord Longford, whose portrait he painted, Richardson was released in 2001 after serving less than half his sentence.

He remained unrepentant to the last. 'Do I regret my life?' he said. 'Who doesn't regret something? I've seen some bad things, but I've also enjoyed the best things the world has to offer.'

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Page 48

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Page 49

Escape

HOW A WAREHOUSE TOUR BECAME A TOP DAY OUT PAGE 50

Pictures: SHUTTERSTOCK

GAO, ITALY!

It has something for everyone, but picking an Italian holiday to suit your style is harder than you'd think. Our insider's guide is your key to the dolce vita...

MOUNTAINS, lakes and rolling hills. Medieval cities stuffed with Renaissance artworks. World-class food and wine and nearly 5,000 miles of coastline. No wonder Italy's nickname is Bel Paese: beautiful country.

And while I'm biased - my grandfather came from Liguria and I've lived in Venice, Sicily and Marche - for me, no country can match Italy's diversity.

The flipside, of course, is that I'm not

by JULIA BUCKLEY

alone. Everyone loves Italy, meaning the main sites can be unbearably overcrowded, particularly in the high season.

But that doesn't mean you should deny yourself a stroll through the Colosseum's bowels, a gondola ride, or a gawk at Michelangelo's David. Getting the best from this well-loved country means

travelling smarter; give yourself a few days of breathing room for a crowded destination, and pair a big hitter with a lesser-visited spot.

Here are my all-time favourite Italian destinations - plus a few to miss.

VIRTUOSO VENETO

WHILE everyone should enjoy the charm of Venice's canal-lined streets and historic churches at least once, leave time on your visit to the city for the wider Veneto region, home to some of Italy's most beautiful towns. In buzzy Padova there's the Scrovegni

TURN TO NEXT PAGE

Spectacular: A pretty clifftop village in Cinque Terre. Inset, Florence's Duomo

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Page 50

Escape

Bloom town: Colourful plants adorn an alley in the ancient town of Spello

FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Chapel, frescoed from floor-to-starlit-ceiling by Giotto, Verona's pink-stone amphitheatre is just one of its many Roman ruins; and elegant Vicenza is a catwalk of Renaissance palaces. The Prosecco Hills (AKA the home of bubbles) are ravishingly beautiful – and most wineries do tastings.

MY TIP: Break up your sightseeings with a beach day – Jesolo's miles-long sands are some of the Adriatic's finest.

BOOK IT: A seven-night walking holiday in Veneto costs from £1,699pp, including flights, half-board accommodation in Padova, transfers and luggage (involvedholidays.com).

SIZZLING SICILY

THE Med's biggest island is having a well-overdue moment. Sicily has everything: beaches (the Zingaro reserve is spectacular), ancient history (Syracuse and Agrigento have incredible Greek remains, while the Villa Romana del Casale is carpeted with the famous 'bikini girls' mosaics), and incredible architecture, from Norman castles to Baroque palaces.

Gutsy capital Palermo is a showstopping mix of it all. Then, of course, there's the ever-active Etna. What's not to love?

MY TIP: Head inland on the island for spectacular landscapes and hilltop towns such as Enna, or the Baroque beauty of Noto.

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NAPLES

BOOK IT: An eight-day escorted tour around Sicily, including Palermo, Agrigento and Villa Romana del Casale costs from £1,339pp including flights, transport and guides (cosmos.co.uk).

ETERNAL ROME

THE Eternal City is ever-changing – new museums, hotels, popes – but what stays constant is its immense cultural weight; I'll never tire of ancient Rome.

Once you've seen the city-centre sights, though, don't miss a wander along the 2,000-year-old Appian Way, bordered by tombs, catacombs and the fabulous Villa dei Quintili ancient estate.

Renaissance Rome is also spectacular – Palazzo Barberini and Villa Borghese both have extraordinary art collections.

MY TIP: See the Roman Forum before the Colosseum – the ticket is for both sites, but the Forum queues are far shorter.

BOOK IT: A seven-night Rome and Florence twin-centre holiday cost from £979pp B&B, including flights to Rome and back from Florence, private transfers, and first-class train travel between the two (tropicalsky.co.uk).

TUSCAN DREAM

THAT dreamy landscape of rolling hills and cypress avenues that screams 'Italy'? It's Val d'Orcia, in southern Tuscany. Start in Siena – which rivals Florence for its Renaissance art – and rent a car to weave through the undulating Crete Senesi landscape and into Val d'Orcia, where jewel box towns Montalcino, San Quirico and Pienza crown the hilltops.

MY TIP: Descend into Montepulciano's 'cathedral of wine' – vintners' cellars dug into the hillside. Part of the De' Ricci vineyard, it really could be a church.

BOOK IT: Seven nights at Borgo Tre Rose, in a vineyard 20 minutes from Montepulciano, from £645 including flights (citizila.com).

BEACHSIDE PUCLIA

THE stiletto heel of Italy's boot is a popular beach destination for good reason – but most visitors head to the wrong

TUSCANY

Grand designs: The sprawl of Naples.

side. Avoid the rocky shores of the Adriatic coast, and instead pivot west on the sizzling Salento peninsula for sandy beaches (I like Porto Cesareo) and sleepy towns built in the frilly Pugliese Baroque style (try Nardò). Fishing town Gallipoli, thrusting out into the Ionian Sea, is a must.

MY TIP: Add an overnight at UNESCO World Heritage site Matera, across the border in Basilicata, and sleep in a 'cave hotel' dug into the cliffside of this ancient stone city.

BOOK IT: Three nights' B&B at Tenuta La Baronessa Resort in Gallipoli from £328pp B&B including flights and coach transfers (fnt.co.uk).

POWERHOUSE POMPEII

NO MATTER how many times I visit, walking the streets of this city trapped in time gives me shivers.

At Pompeii, you can stroll into people's houses, visit the baths, and even see the Roman equivalent of McDonald's.

Another must-see is nearby Herculaneum, which was also destroyed by the 78AD eruption of Vesuvius.

Indeed, while Pompeii is beautiful for its vastness, the ruins of Herculaneum – once a seaside resort for wealthy Romans – are teeming with incredible detail, such as mosaics and preserved door frames. Both sites are about a 30-minute drive from

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Page 51

Picture: GETTY/SHUTTERSTOCK

Inset, a room at Borgo Tre Rose hotel in Tuscany and Palazzo Ducale in Urbino

Naples, which makes for a lively city break by the sea – and is home to the distinctive (and delicious) Neapolitan pizza.

MY TIP: Take the free Artebus shuttle from Pompeii to nearby ancient sites, including the ravishing Roman villas at Oplontis and Castellammare di Stabia.

BOOK IT: A seven-night twin-centre break between Sorrento and Capri costs from £1,599pp including flights, transfers, hydro-foll to Capri, two nights' B&B accommodation in Capri and five nights' half-board at the four-star Jaccarino hotel, in the mountains behind Sorrento, from where you can get the train to Pompeii (citalia.com).

LAKESIDE LOVELIES

HUGGED by the Alps and warmed by the sun, northern Italy's glacial lakes have been drawing sightseers since Roman times, each with its own atmosphere.

If money's no object, I like Como for five-star sprawling in the magnificent lakeside villas-turned-hotels.

For a more active holiday, you can't beat Garda: road trip or cycle round the pretty waterside villages, see Roman remains at Sirmione or head into the nearby Valpolicella wine country.

MY TIP: If you're visiting Como and Garda, stop off at Lake Iseo, in between. Small and peaceful, this is the Goldilocks of the lakes.

BOOK IT: Seven nights at the La Paul hotel in Lake Garda from £485pp room only,

including flights and private transfers (easyjet.com/holidays).

DRAMATIC DOLOMITES

I'M no mountaineer or skier, but the Dolomites, in north-east Italy, are sheer magic, with toothy peaks, rolling hills and spectacular plateaus that are a joy to behold – especially when shrouded in rosy-pink sunsets.

To me, they're at their most beautiful in summer, when you can road trip, walk, or simply take the cable cars to mountaintop rifugi to drink high-altitude wine as you bask in the sun.

The area between Cortina d'Ampezzo and Ortisei is the most spectacular, but I love laid-back Alta Badia as a base.

MY TIP: For some of Italy's most breathtaking views (plus easy walks), try the Alpe di Sluis plateau above Ortisei.

BOOK IT: A seven-night summer stay in the Alta Badia area costs from £1,533pp including flights, transfers and half-board accommodation at Sporthotel Panorama (insphams.co.uk).

FOODIE BOLOGNA

FOODIES should make straight for Italy's capital of cucina, where delicate tortellini come drowned in cream and tagliatelle al ragù knocks spag bol into a cocked hat. But don't let that fabulous food blind

...and the busy spots to avoid

ITALY is a victim of its own success. Some destinations are so popular that they've become sweaty, overcrowded cliches selling the same mass-produced fat.

For me, Amalfi, Sorrento, San Gimignano and Taormina have been hollowed out by tourism and are now skippable.

Similarly, Pisa isn't worth it if you're only going for the Leaning Tower.

And while this may be heresy to say, overcrowding is a serious issue, so unless you've time to really see Rome, Florence and Venice (or are on a repeat visit) I'd rethink. Never do a day-trip to the big three.

you to Bologna's other charms: its 25 miles of porticoes, tipsily leaning 'twin' medieval towers and history of female Renaissance artists – still visible in its churches and museums – are worthy ways to walk off the city's culinary delights. Modena and Parma are easy foodie day trips, too.

MY TIP: Take a day trip to nearby Ravenna, the final capital of the Western Roman Empire, and see glittering Byzantine mosaics – the finest in the world.

BOOK IT: A seven-night trip to Bologna, Parma and Ravenna costs from £1,688pp, including flights, airport transfers, train tickets between cities, and a walking tour in Bologna (kirkerholidays.com).

LIGURIAN IDYLL

I'M biased, as this is where my great-grandmother grew up, but for me, the coastline from La Spezia to Levanto is Italy's finest. Cinque Terre – five chocolate-box fishing villages spilling down the cliffs – is spectacular. Nearby Portovenere is also stunning, while Lerici, where Percy and Mary Shelley lived, has a quiet, beautiful bay and a medieval castle.

MY TIP: Avoid weekends and Italian holidays, when the area is rammed.

BOOK IT: Three nights at Grand Hotel Portovenere from £1,298pp B&B including flights and transfers (kirkerholidays.com).

AEOLIAN ISLAND-HOPPING

THE Odyssey has sent the crowds to the Egadi Islands (filmmaker Christopher Nolan's Ithaca) this year, so it's the perfect time to visit Sicily's other archipelago, the Aeolians: seven volcanic islands erupting from the water. Don't miss picture-perfect Salina, chi-chi Panarea, and black-sanded Stromboli, an active volcano that puffs away every 15 minutes.

MY TIP: Central Lipari makes the best island-hopping base.

BOOK IT: Seven nights at Hotel Mea on Lipari from £1,185pp B&B including flights, private transfers from Catania and the hydrofoil (ksomi.co.uk).

MAGICAL MARCHE

BORDERING the Adriatic, the Marche region is everything you want – and expect – from Italy: rolling hills, medieval towns

and wonderful beaches. From the resorts of Fano and Pesaro to the wild Riviera del Conero, where the Spiaggia delle Due Sorelle is one of Italy's best wild beaches, this is the Bel Paese at its peak.

The Renaissance city of Urbino is the main draw, but I also love the towns further south, such as hilltop Treia and

Ascoli Piceno, whose travertine streets shimmer in the sun.

MY TIP: Add in a day trip to San Marino, the fifth-smallest country in the world, a 70-minute drive through the hills from Urbino.

BOOK IT: Three nights at Gallery, inland from beach town Senigallia, from

£598pp B&B including flights and car hire (kirkerholidays.com).

SPIRITUAL UMBRIA

INSTEAD of a coastline, Italy's 'green heart' has rippling hills rising into emerald mountains and medieval hill towns, such as Spello, blazing with Renaissance art.

See Raphael and Perugino in laidback capital Perugia, taste sagrantino wine in Montefalco, and channel Umbria's sacred serenity in Assisi, the home of St Francis, where Giotto changed art history with his frescoes in the basilica.

MY TIP: Don't miss Umbria's under-visited sites, from the Roman town of Caruslae to the fossilised forest at Dunarobba – one of just three in the world.

BOOK IT: Four nights at Borgobrufa Spa Resort outside Assisi from £853pp B&B including flights from Heathrow (ba.com/holidays).

ARTY FLORENCE

FOR art lovers, nowhere on the planet holds a candle to Florence, the riverside city where the Renaissance began. Where to start?

The Uffizi and the Accademia, of course, but Florence's lesser-visited museums are more atmospheric. The Bargello, Orsanmichele and Casa Buonarroti – home to tiny sculptures and models by Michelangelo – are my favourites.

MY TIP: Skip the interior of the Duomo (the cathedral), but do climb up to the rooftop, through Brunelleschi's famous dome.

BOOK IT: Three nights at Palazzo Lorenzo Hotel Boutique and Spa from £329pp B&B including flights from Gatwick (easyjet.com/holidays).

SOLO TRAVELLERS! UK + EUROPE + WORLDWIDE + CRUISES ONE 2027 HOLIDAYS ON SALE NOW! Prices from £1,110 ✓ Solo travel specialist for the over 55s ✓ Never left on your own unless you so choose ✓ Fully escorted by a dedicated Tour Manager ✓ Double rooms for sole occupancy in quality hotels ✓ All flights, transportation & excursions included August your 2027 holiday brochure today! Which? Recommended Provider ABTA Full Book/First/First/First 01768 722 811 onetraveller.co.uk

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Page 52

Escape

It sounds bizarre, but day trippers are flocking to the delivery giant's warehouse

Journey into the amazon

IT'S OK.

WHEN YOU'RE WITH THE

We attend more breakdowns than any other major UK breakdown provider

Join from £5.49 a month* theAA.com

*Equivalent daily price calculated from £5.49 a month. 10% of new AA customers paid £5.49 a month for vehicle breakdown cover bought through theAA.com from 1 April 2026 to 30 June 2026. Introductory price for new customers only. Renewal prices are likely to be higher. Cover subject to policy terms, conditions and exclusions. See policy terms. More attended breakdowns: Based on published annual breakdown attendance figures. For more detail, see theAA.com/why New customers only. Ts&Cs apply. All information correct at time of print August 2026.

Prime spot: The high-tech centre in Kent which Nigel, inset, toured

AT THE LCY3 Fulfilment Centre in Dartford, Kent, we are standing before a screen showing a welcome video. 'We usually come to your place, so it's nice that you've come to ours,' quips the voiceover.

Kitted out with lanyards and headsets, 25 of us - including children and teenagers - have gathered in the canteen for a free 90-minute walking tour of one of the largest and most advanced Amazon warehouses in Europe.

Four storeys high and the size of seven football pitches, this logistics leviathan just south of the Thames houses more than 3,000 workers,

20 miles of conveyor belts and - the star of this show - a thousands-strong army of robots that shift everything around 24/7.

Sean, our genial tour leader, warms us up with a fun fact: Amazon has more than 170 of these mammoth distribution centres globally and they're all named after their nearest international airport - in this case, London City.

These visits are astonishingly popular. 'We're getting 250 guests a week,' Sean tells me, with no-shows rare.

TOURS, which began just over a decade ago, are available at another five locations across England from Gateshead to Swindon, and it requires determination to bag one (tip: new dates are released mid-month).

Chaperoned by three 'tour ambassadors' in hi-viz, we follow pathways mapped out in blue to observe where incoming goods arrive into 150 delivery bays.

Everything handled here must fit into 18.5in black plastic boxes that whizz around on conveyor belts so that Amazon employees, who are known as 'associates', can unpack, sort and repack what amounts to a million-plus items a year.

Our group is impressively relentless with its questions. 'What's the most expensive thing on Amazon?' an eight-year-old boy asks. 'Ooh, maybe a robot?' Sean guesses.

'What's the pay?' wonders a woman. 'From £15.40 an hour',

by NIGEL TISDALL

Sean says - above the minimum wage with plenty of benefits too.

The work is clearly repetitive, though, and in a noisy environment that feels a long way from daylight. This is one of the rewards of taking what is effectively a factory tour - it makes us appreciate the effort that goes into everyday things we take for granted.

On the next level up, we watch blue Hercules robots laden with tall yellow 'pods' stuffed with goods being shifted back and forth.

The wow factor shoots up when Sean tells us that if anything goes wrong, LCY3 has a crack team of

'amnesty responders' who go into the robot zone wearing AI-endowed vests that create forcefields to keep the machines at bay.

Equally captivating is an FSRI, a long-armed robot with vacuum fingers that stops flat-pack parcels getting in a mess.

Watching these machines at work is strangely enjoyable and every step in this sorting dance is

orchestrated using barcodes, scanners and cameras, although it is a surprise to learn that goods are not put into individual sections such as health and gardening.

Instead the company follows a principle of 'random stow' which is, of course, what many of us have been practising at home for years. Sean reminds us that Amazon started in 1995 as an online bookstore based in a garage near Seattle, and its stock was arranged alphabetically by author surname.

Then came the craze for Harry Potter which created bottlenecks of pickers around the letter 'R' - for J. K. Rowling - so a new system of 'put it anywhere' was introduced that is still in use today.

Sean invites us to guess LCY3's most popular item for next-day delivery. 'PS5!' exclaims the eight-year-old boy. 'Washing-up liquid?' suggests another.

While pimple patches, electrolyte tablets and baby wipes ride high, the answer is, pitifully, mega-size packs of loo roll - a sure sign of how Amazon deliveries have us covered from top to bottom.

■ BOOK online, minimum age six, at amazontours.com/uk.

---

Escape How to get a free stopover holiday

by ERIN DEBORAH WAKS

SOME people love them, some people hate them. Connections on long-haul flights divide opinion.

Many enjoy the chance to stretch their legs, indulge in a little duty-free shopping. Others just see hanging around for a few hours in an airport as a waste of time.

So airlines have come up with a cunning plan: to entice people to stay over a day or two in the stopover country.

Many have introduced what have been dubbed "stopover programmes" – often including hotels – designed to entice even the most unadventurous of travellers with deals, discounts and, even, freebies.

The carriers getting involved are the "hub airlines" for the country you are connecting through, which have strong contacts with local tourist boards keen to bolster visitor numbers.

"Hub airlines have worked out that a layover is a sales opportunity... and there's real demand," says Emmanuel Debeer, founder of Flight Hacks, an airline deals specialist.

Statistics bear this out. Portugal's TAP Airline, for instance, recorded 193,800 stopover programme users in the first half of 2025, up 74 per cent on the previous year. But exiting the airport often feels like a hassle – so are these stopover programmes worth it?

Debeer is convinced: "Almost always, if you're flying long-haul anyway. You see a second country for close to zero extra airfare, and frequent flyers can do even better, since some programmes let you add a stopover to a points booking for next to nothing."

The perks available range from discounts on activities and attractions all the way up to free accommodation – and some airlines boast impressive offerings.

So, which are the best on the market?

TOP-CHOICE TAP

TAP Air's Portugal stopover programme is often lauded as one of the best.

Under the scheme, you can include a free stopover in Lisbon or Porto on your booking. And if you're feeling particularly adventurous, you can explore a second region of the country with a 25 per cent discount on any flight within Portugal (flylap.com).

TURKISH DELIGHTS

TURKISH Airlines' stopover in Istanbul programme offers passengers connecting via Istanbul Airport layovers of at least 20 hours and up to seven days and free accommodation in partner hotels. Economy-class passengers are entitled to one night in a four-star hotel, while business-class passengers receive two nights in a five-star or boutique hotel. Only flights to and from select countries are covered (turkishairlines.com).

GUNNING IN QATAR

IF your stopover is in Doha, Qatar, and between 12 and 96 hours, you can get up to four nights in a four or five-star hotel with Qatar Airways for extremely low prices. Standard packages offer hotels from just $14 ($10.30) per person per night, and go all the way up to luxury

packages for four nights from $348 ($255) each (qatar airways.com).

ENTICING ETIHAD

PASSENGERS travelling on Etihad Airlines and connecting through Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are offered up to two nights in a hotel free.

If you book one of these stopovers, you will also receive a complimentary pass that will let you save up to 15 per cent on tickets to major attractions including the National Aquarium, Ferrari World theme park and the Qasr Al Watan, the presidential palace where exhibitions and performances highlight Emirati culture (etihad.com).

FREE DUBAI HOTEL

IF you're flying through Dubai on Emirates, as long as there are no better connection times to choose from for your itinerary, Emirates will provide free accommodation if your stopover is between six and 26 hours – whether you're in economy, business or first class. If extra time appeals but you don't qualify, you can still pay for a stopover – a great option if you fancy a shopping spree in the city (emirates.com).

EXPLORE SINGAPORE

THERE are a number of stopover deals with Singapore Airlines to explore the city-state – including discounts on hotel stays and a free two-and-a-half hour guided bus tour. You'll be able to visit some of the main highlights, including Chinatown and Marina Bay Sands (singaporeair.com).

ICELANIC INSPIRATION

ICELANDAIR'S stopover programme was one of the first to be introduced. You can stay for up to seven days. While no hotels are included, you won't pay extra for your extended stay. There are plenty of things to do: take a whale-watching boat trip from Reykjavik, explore the volcano of the Snæfellands peninsula or hunt for the Northern Lights (icelandair.com).

Taking off: Enjoy a deal in hotspots such as Istanbul, Turkey. Inset, Abu Dhabi

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Pictures: GOTVILAMY

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Page 54

Escape

Share a villa? NO WAY!

by SYBILLA HART

WATCHING Two Weeks In August, a TV series about a group of friends on holiday in Greece, made me feel so anxious I'd rather stay at home.

Arguing over whose turn it is to unload the dishwasher, cook and shop for dinner or buy the loo roll is not my idea of fun.

Witnessing the show's married couple Zoe and Dan sourcing and cooking dinner on the first night made my skin crawl. They have no choice but to buy some manky old frozen fish as they cannot afford the fresh seabass. Then they proceed to burn it to a crisp.

In our family, we have a rule that we never cook on holiday. Call me spoilt but to me it's just not a break if I have to think about catering.

I won't allow a saucepan near our holiday cottage and always book one without a dishwasher.

If anyone appears with so much as a lemon they will be barred.

Only wine and tea are permitted on the premises! No expensive holiday kitty. No opportunity to fall out over a rogue expensive Swiss cheese or an illicit lipstick that's been sneaked into the trolley at the local Carrefour.

Nothing sours the mood more than domesticity on holiday, which is how we have come to the perfect formula over the

years - and it isn't a shared villa or holiday house.

We go to Blakeney in North Norfolk, which comprises a collection of hotels and small fishermen's cottages, some of which can be rented, but none is really big enough for a group.

Here, we can meet friends and family who have booked at the same time, but everyone has their own place to stay.

No need to deal with someone

else's teenager about missing their curfew, vaping, or returning blind drunk. No listening to another couple arguing about whose turn it is to get up with the toddler at 5am.

On another matter: I am delighted to see anyone during the day on holiday but not before midday. And certainly not in the kitchen, bleary-eyed, first thing.

Another favourite place to stay for a separate-but-together break is the pretty village of Burnham Market, also in Norfolk.

Our favourite spot is the Hoste Arms, a pub-with-rooms that feels more like a friend's smart townhouse. The village also has small rental cottages.

We can meet during the day for meals and outings at our leisure and on our terms. This way no one falls out over cooking and whoever wants an afternoon snooze can curl up in peace in a cosy armchair after that long coastal walk - no toddler, nor dog, belonging to someone else waking them up.

They say you never know anyone properly until you have lived with them. This is true.

So, why would you want to put a perfectly good friendship under strain by sharing a holiday home?

Dining at the excellent Wiveton Bell, a gastropub, or eating fish and chips at the Hoste Arms is a treat. Then,

we go back to someone's cottage and have a few drinks.

After that, it's back to your own place or hotel. To me, this is surely hitting the shared holiday jackpot.

ABTA

Cruise Club UK is a subsidiary of Tonshield International MCL. Cruise Club UK acts as ATOL holiday/superior financial protection. Please note that local city, tourist or accommodation taxes may apply to hotel stays and, unless otherwise stated, must be paid directly to the hotel by guests. * Prices are based on twin share per person and subject to availability and currency fluctuations. Prices subject to change without notice, until transaction is confirmed. ABTA NUMBER: 590915 | ATOL NUMBER: 590915 For full terms and conditions: cruiseclubuk.com/terms-condemnated

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Page 55

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Page 56

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Thailand Triple

11 nights from £1,399( ^{6} )

Flights, 3 nights 4★ Bangkok hotel, 3 nights 4★ Chiang Mai hotel, 5 nights Phuket beach resort, breakfast and private transfers

• Explore the glittering temples of Bangkok • Take in the culture of Chiang Mai • Relax on Phuket's beaches TF EXCLUSIVE 4 FREE nights
• saving over £300 per couple

THE ORIGINAL FLIGHT EXPERTS

WHEREVER AND WHENEVER... TRUST TRAILFINDERS TO TAKE CARE OF YOU

	ECONOMY	BUSINESS		ECONOMY	BUSINESS
LONDON KENSINGTON	020 7938 2929	020 7938 2444	NEWCASTLE	0191 261 2345	0191 261 7344
LONDON CITY	020 7638 7528	020 7638 2445	NORMICK	01602 216 216	01602 216 244
LONDON CANARY WHARF	020 7147 5300	020 7147 5344	NOTTINGHAM	0113 948 7700	0113 948 7744
LONDON WEST END	020 7408 9000	020 7408 9044	OXFORD	01863 261 000	01863 261 044
LONDON EASTS	020 8799 0400	020 8799 0447	READING	0118 534 6300	0118 534 6344
LONDON ROANOKO	020 8799 0444	020 8799 0445	SHEFFIELD	0114 349 9300	0114 349 9191
LONDON KINGSTON	0204 613 6000	0204 613 6044	DOUBLE	0121 716 9000	0121 716 8999
ABERDEEN	01254 578 600	01254 578 644	SOUTHAMPTON	0230 351 4930	0230 351 4940
BATH	01253 724 000	01253 724 044	ST ALMANS	01737 807 700	01737 807 744
BEAUT	028 9057 1888	028 9057 1844	TURBROOK WELLS	01892 567 180	01892 567 200
BIRMINGHAM	0121 236 1254	0121 236 3444	WINCHESTER	01962 798 500	01962 798 444
BOLPHINMOUTH	01202 611 400	01202 611 444	WINCHESTER	01752 397 400	01752 397 444
BRIGHTON	01273 715 500	01273 715 544	WORCESTER	01902 349 355	01902 349 400
BRISTOL	0117 939 9000	0117 939 1026	YORK	01904 942 900	01904 942 899
CAMBRIDGE	01223 461 600	01223 448 188
CHINESE	01227 865 700	01227 865 744
CARDIFF	02920 736 600	02920 736 644
CARDIFF	01228 471 100	01228 471 244
CHESHAPERD	01245 961 400	01245 961 361
CHESTERMAN	01343 407 375	01343 407 384
CHESTER	01344 886 777	01344 886 744
EDINBURGH	0131 363 3800	0131 363 3844
ESTER	01393 458 300	01393 458 344
GLASGOW	0141 353 2234	0141 353 3400
GLASFORD	01483 478 400	01483 478 444
GREIS	0113 346 2200	0113 346 2344
GRISFORD	0151 221 9500	0151 221 9544
MANCHESTER	0161 839 6969	0161 839 2424
MOTON KEYNES	01908 348 400	01908 348 348

SPECIALIST TEAMS

CRUISE SPECIALISTS	020 7084 6502
CORPORATE TRAVEL	020 7368 1499
GROUP TRAVEL	020 7938 3858
TRAVEL INSURANCE	020 7408 9005
VISA & PASSPORT SERVICE	020 7368 1504
WEDDINGS & HONEYMOONS	020 7408 9008
GAP YEAR & STUDENT TRAVEL	020 7084 6530
PRIVATE TOURING	020 7084 6504

Calls may be recorded for accuracy & training

NO.1 FOR FLIGHTS ON TRUSTPILOT - HERE'S WHAT YOU'VE BEEN SAYING

“(Louren was so helpful in getting us a better price for our flights by moving our dates around. Saved us over £1,000! Great service.”)

★★★★

• All flights include at least 20kg of baggage. - 24/7/365 support from a person based in the UK, not a chat-bot. Often solving problems before you knew they existed. • The average booking is impacted by 2 schedule changes. We address this without stress or cost to you.

More Flight Offers & Information

	Economy	Business
Bangkok	£459-	£1,898-
Sri Lanka	£549†	£1,999†
Los Angeles	£592-	£3,099‡
New York	£594#	£2,599-
Maldives	£598§	£2,399§
Vietnam	£599#	£2,049†
Cape Town	£688#	£2,499#
Sydney	£699-	£3,099-
Auckland	£763†	£3,978-
Vancouver	£775-	£3,179-

CALL FOR ANY DESTINATION OR ROUTING

NO ONE LOOKS AFTER YOU BETTER

Prices are per person based on twin share including flights from London (call for details), are subject to availability & valid for selected departures in the next 6 weeks except 826 Sep - 31 Oct - 1 Nov - 15 Dec 26 17 Jan - 31 Mar 27 11 Apr - 30 Jun 27 9 Nov - Dec 27. Hotel, cruise, tour and flight prices are dynamic, fluctuating in real time according to consumer demand and the season of travel. Prices exclude any applicable local taxes and fees. All information correct at time of going to point on 31 Aug 26.

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Page 59

THE SOVEREIGN

CRUISE CLUB

The Luxury Cruise Experts since 1998

CUNARD

WHY CRUISE, WHEN YOU

CAN CUNARD?

FLASH SALE! A FURTHER UP TO 10% OFF FOR CUNARD PAST PASSENGERS! ON MANY 2027 & 2030 CRUISES!

CALL FOR DETAILS. 18 NIGHTS GRAND MEDITERRANEAN £1643 & 21 NIGHTS CANARIES & CAPE VERDE £2346

THE 5* HAMBURG & ZEEBRUGGE

18 October 2026, 5 Nights, RMS Queen Mary 2

Southampton > Hamburg > Zeebrugge (Bruges) >

Southampton (M626D)

IC Inside £676

Oceanview WAITLISTED

DC Balcony £897

Grill Suite WAITLISTED

Limited Space

THE 5* SPAIN & FRANCE

25 October 2026, 7 Nights, Queen Anne

Southampton > Getxo (Bilbao) > Santander > Gijon >

Chunbourg > Southampton (H627)

ID Inside £859

Oceanview WAITLISTED

BE Balcony £1216

Q6 Grill Suite £3359

Limited Space

Including onboard spend of up to $360

THE 5* AZORES, PORTUGAL & SPAIN

1 November 2026, 12 Nights, Queen Anne

Southampton > Ponta Delgada (overnight) > Madeira > Lisbon >

Vigo > Southampton (H628)

IC Inside £1062

Oceanview WAITLISTED

CB Balcony £1670

Grill Suite £3812

Limited Space

Including Balcony & above onboard spend of up to $240

THE 5* SPAIN, MOROCCO & PORTUGAL

11 November 2026, 16 Nights, Queen Victoria

Southampton > Madeira > Tenerife > Lanzarote > Agadir >

Casablanca > Tangier > Lisbon > Southampton (V623)

Inside £1497

Oceanview £1574

BF Balcony £2250

Grill Suite £6905

Limited Space

Including Grill Suite onboard spend of up to $430

THE 5* SOUTH AMERICAN DISCOVERY

10 January 2027, 82 Nights, Queen Anne

Southampton > 7 Days at Sea > Hamilton, Bermuda > Port Canaveral > Fort Lauderdale > Grand Turk > Barbados > Fortaleza > Salvador > Buenos > Rio de Janeiro (overnight) > Santos (tours to Sao Paulo) > Montevideo > Buenos Aires (overnight) > Puerto Madryn > Ushuaia > Cape Horn (Sail By) > Punta Arenas > Amalia Glacier (scenic cruising) > PIO X Glacier (scenic cruising) > Puerto Montt > San Antonio (overnight - tours to Santiago) > Coquimbo > Ariza > Callao (overnight - tours to Lima) > Fuerte Amador (overnight - tours to Panama City) > Transit the Panama Canal > Anaba > Fort Lauderdale > Port Canaveral (overnight) > 7 Days at Sea > Praia da Vitoria > Southampton (H703B)

Inside £7401

EC Oceanview £10,335

Balcony £11,020

Grill Suite £24,885

DEALS OF THE WEEK & Including Grill Suite onboard spend of up to $1700

THE 5* MEDITERRANEAN

7 April 2027, 14 Nights, Queen Anne

Southampton > Vigo > Barcelona > Algiero > Cagliari > Malaga >

Gibraltar > Southampton (H710)

IE Inside £1333

EE Oceanview £1545

CB Balcony £1796

Grill Suite £3583

Including Grill Suite onboard spend of up to $600

THE 5* GRAND MEDITERRANEAN

7 May 2027, 18 Nights, Queen Anne

Southampton > Lisbon > Alicante > Barcelona > Civitavecchia (Rome) > Naples > Messina > Cagliari > Malaga > Cadiz > Southampton (H713)

IE Inside £1643

EE Oceanview £2222

Balcony £2251

Grill Suite £4856

DEALS OF THE WEEK & Including Grill Suite onboard spend of up to $755

THE 5* NORWEGIAN FJORDS

20 June 2027, 7 Nights, Queen Anne

Southampton > Olden > Skjolden > Haugesund >

Southampton (H717)

Inside £772

EC Oceanview £965

CB Balcony £1254

Grill Suite £2299

Including Grill Suite onboard spend of up to $400

THE 5* SCANDINAVIA & NORWAY

4 July 2027, 7 Nights, Queen Anne

Southampton > Skagen > Copenhagen (overnight) > Kristiansand > Southampton (H718P)

IE Inside £829

EE Oceanview £839

Balcony £1071

Grill Suite £1997

It's time to upgrade to Sovereign! If your luxury agent doesn't answer 95% of all calls within three rings, with no automated phone answering and offer you the finest service, renowned expertise, guaranteed best prices & full ABTA/ATOL protection. Call us today!

THE 5* CANARIES & MADEIRA

4 December 2026, 12 Nights, Queen Victoria

Southampton > Madeira > La Palma > Tenerife > Lanzarote >

Lisbon > Southampton (V625)

Inside £918

Oceanview £1014

BF Balcony £1207

Grill Suite £3712

Limited Space

Including Grill Suite onboard spend of up to $340

THE 5* CHRISTMAS MARKETS

5 December 2026, 7 Nights, RMS Queen Mary 2

Southampton > Le Havre > Zeebrugge (Bruges) > Rotterdam (overnight) > Southampton (M633)

Inside £580

Oceanview WAITLISTED

BZ Balcony £677

Grill Suite £1183

Limited Space

Including Grill Suite onboard spend of up to $260

THE 5* CHRISTMAS CANARIES

20 December 2026, 14 Nights, Queen Anne

Southampton > Madeira > Lanzarote > Fuerteventura > Tenerife > La Palma > Lisbon (overnight) > Southampton (H701)

ID Inside £1796

EC Oceanview £2896

Balcony £2973

Grill Suite £5120

Limited Space

Including Grill Suite onboard spend of up to $390

THE 5* CANARIES & MOROCCO

19 January 2027, 16 Nights, Queen Elizabeth

Southampton > Lanzarote > Tenerife > Gran Canaria > Agadir > Casablanca > Tangier > Lisbon > Southampton (Q703N)

ID Inside £1787

Oceanview £1816

Balcony WAITLISTED

Grill Suite £5028

Limited Space

Including Grill Suite onboard spend of up to $660

THE 5* CANARIES & LISBON

4 February 2027, 12 Nights, Queen Elizabeth

Southampton > Tenerife > La Palma > Gran Canaria > Lanzarote > Lisbon > Southampton (Q704N)

Free upgrade Oceanview Inside to Oceanview £1256

BF Balcony £1642

Grill Suite WAITLISTED

DEALS OF THE WEEK

THE 5* SPAIN & PORTUGAL

14 February 2027, 7 Nights, RMS Queen Mary 2

Southampton > Vigo > Lisbon (overnight) > Southampton (M704)

Inside £628

Oceanview £724

BY Balcony £792

Q5 Grill Suite £2413

Including Grill Suite onboard spend of up to $550

THE 5* CANARIES & CAPE VERDE

21 February 2027, 21 Nights, RMS Queen Mary 2

Southampton > Ferrol > Madeira (overnight) > Dakar > Mindelo (overnight) > Tenerife > Lanzarote > Lisbon > Southampton (M705)

IC Inside £2346

EF Oceanview £2703

BV Balcony £3282

Grill Suite WAITLISTED

DEALS OF THE WEEK

THE 5* NORWEGIAN FJORDS

4 April 2027, 7 Nights, Queen Elizabeth

Southampton > Stavanger > Skjolden > Alesund > Haugesund > Southampton (Q709P)

ID Inside £830

Oceanview £897

BE Balcony £1283

Grill Suite £2301

THE 5* NORWEGIAN FJORDS

25 July 2027, 7 Nights, Queen Anne

Southampton > Stavanger > Olden > Alesund > Haugesund > Southampton (H720)

Inside £897

EE Oceanview £1003

CB Balcony £1187

Grill Suite £1841

THE 5* NORWEGIAN FJORDS

8 August 2027, 7 Nights, Queen Anne

Southampton > Bergen > Alesund > Stavanger > Southampton (H722N)

Inside £772

Oceanview £810

Balcony £868

Grill Suite £1924

THE 5* WORLD CRUISE

11 January 2028, 111 Nights, Queen Anne

Southampton > Ponta Delgada > Port Canaveral > Miami > Cartagena > Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala > Manzanillo > Los Angeles (overnight) > Kona > Honolulu > Lautoka > Sydney (overnight) > Brisbane > Airlie Beach > Yorkeys Knob, Cairns > Bitung > Manila > Hong Kong (overnight) > Laem Chabang (Bangkok) > Ko Samui > Singapore (overnight) > Port Klang > Penang > Port Louis, Mauritius > Le Port, Reunion > Durban > Goeberha, Port Elizabeth (overnight) > Cape Town (overnight) > Mindelo > Gran Canaria > Madeira > Southampton (H803D)

Inside £10,244

Oceanview £12,849

Balcony £15,069

Grill Suite £27,452

DEALS OF THE WEEK & Including Grill onboard spend of up to $2400 & Hotel & Dining Charges

0808 304 1872

LOCAL RATE TELEPHONE NUMBER

OVER 11,350 LUXURY OFFERS AVAILABLE ONLINE

sovereigncruise.co.uk

THE SOME OF LUXURY CRUISING

Rated Excellent

Trustpilot

★★★★★

ABTA

ABTA No L4182

OPEN: MON - SAT 9AM TO 6PM & SUN 10AM TO 6PM. Please see our website for terms and conditions.

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Page 60

EXPLORATIONS

W MOONKEGAN

HURRY! BOOK NOW. OFFER ENDS 31 AUGUST

Indian Ocean Exploration

Cape Town to Dubai in 2027

INCLUDING OVER £2796 BONUS VALUE

One-of-a-Blind-voyage

Hotel Stay

Return Flights

All Inclusive Drinks

Specialty Dining

Excursion Credit

Gratuities & WiFi

EXCLUSIVE TO

Cruise club

26 Night Fly, Stay & Exploration Cruise

Flights from the UK to Cape Town and returning from Dubai

BONUS 2 Night Premium Hotel Stay to explore Cape Town with daily breakfast included

21 Night Cruise onboard Regatta from Cape Town to Dubai All-inclusive onboard freestyle dining

BONUS All-inclusive onboard beverage package - worth £662( ^{PP} )

BONUS Onboard Specialty Dining & WIFI package - worth £544

BONUS USD $50 Onshore Exploration credit per port* - worth £260

BONUS Onboard prepaid gratuities- worth £334( ^{PP} )

Still & Sparkling Water replenished daily in your stateroom

Onboard entertainment including live music and performances

BONUS 2 Night Premium Hotel Stay to explore Dubai with daily breakfast included

BONUS Transfers in Cape Town and Dubai included

Fly to your regional airport - Please contact for details

Gatwick - Manchester - Birmingham - Edinburgh - Newcastle - Glasgow Prices based on Heathrow departures

FROM

£4790*

INTERIOR STATEROOM

PER PERSON | TWIN SHARE

DATE 18 NOVEMBER 2027 | DEAL CODE CX-37726

VIEW PACKAGE

IRRESISTIBLE UPGRADES AVAILABLE

OCEANVIEW, BALCONY AND PENTHOUSE SUITE

CALL FOR DETAILS

Cruiseclub UK

ABTA & ATOL FABRICATED | ESTABLISHED IN 1984

cruiseclubuk.com | FREE PHONE 0808 253 5856

★★★★★ feelo( ^{TM} )

SPEAK TO AN EXPERT OPEN 7 DAYS

Mon - Fri: 9am - 6pm | Sat & Sun 8am - 5pm

©

ABTA

Per Cabin View Required. Cruise Club UK is a subsidiary of Travelworld International MCR. Cruise Club UK acts as ATOL holder/agent for financial protection. Prices are based on twin-share per person and subject to availability and currency fluctuations. Prices subject to change without notice, until reservation is confirmed. ABTA NUMBER 340915 | ATOL NUMBER 3673. For full terms and conditions, cruiseclubuk.com/terms conditions printed

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Page 61

SILVERSEA

THE SOVEREIGN

CRUISE CLUB

PRESENTING SOVEREIGN'S EXCLUSIVE SALE WITH UP TO 55% OFF ULTRA LUXURY SILVERSEA CRUISES.WHAT COULD BE BETTER?

All Suite Accommodation with buster service. No More than 758 Cessies on board. All-Inclusive champagne, fine wines, spirits, cola drinks and tips. Up to Nine Dining Venues.

THE LUXURY MEDITERRANEAN

8 NOVEMBER 2026, 18 NIGHTS, SILVER RAY

Barcelona > Marseille > Palma de Mallorca (overnight) > Gibraltar > Malaga > Cartagena > Valencia > Barcelona

£3769

SUPERIOR VERANDA SUITE

£5919

MEDALLION SUITE

£8269

SILVER SUITE

Cruise only, please call us for packaged fares.

THE LUXURY CHRISTMAS COSTA RICA & CARIBBEAN

21 DECEMBER 2026, 18 NIGHTS, SILVER DAWN

Miami > Cartagena (overnight) > Puntarenas > Puerto Quetzal >

Puerto Vallarta > San Diego > Los Angeles

£7379

VIEW SUITE

£7959

CLASSIC VERANDA SUITE

£14,359

SILVER SUITE

THE LUXURY CARIBBEAN

18 FEBRUARY 2027, 10 NIGHTS, SILVER SPIRIT

Bridgetown > Beguia > Grenada > Krakendijk > Willemstad > St. Kitts > St. Lucia > Canouan, St. Vincent > Bridgetown

£3859

CLASSIC VERANDA SUITE

£6649

MEDALLION SUITE

£8569

SILVER SUITE

THE LUXURY ITALY & THE ADRIATIC

17 JULY 2027, 7 NIGHTS, SILVER RAY

Civitavecchia (Rome) > Sorrento > Kotor > Split > Zadar > Koper > Fusina (Venice)

£3179

CLASSIC VERANDA SUITE

£5369

MEDALLION SUITE

£7749

SILVER SUITE

28 AUGUST 2027, 7 NIGHTS, SILVER RAY

Civitavecchia (Rome) > Sorrento > Agropoli > Dubrovnik > Split > Piran > Fusina (Venice)

£3209

CLASSIC VERANDA SUITE

£5469

MEDALLION SUITE

£7999

SILVER SUITE

THE LUXURY MEDITERRANEAN

7 NOVEMBER 2027, 7 NIGHTS, SILVER NOVA

Civitavecchia (Rome) > Livorno > Genoa > Toulon > Cartagena >

Valencia > Barcelona

£2279

CLASSIC VERANDA SUITE

£4659

MEDALLION SUITE

£7149

SILVER SUITE

THE LUXURY CANARIES, CAPE VERDE & TRANSATLANTIC

2 DECEMBER 2027, 15 NIGHTS, SILVER SPIRIT

Lisbon > Agadir > Arrecife > Las Palmas > La Palma > Mindelo > Praia > Five Days at Sea > Bridgetown

£3069

CLASSIC VERANDA SUITE

£5549

MEDALLION SUITE

£7719

SILVER SUITE

Sovereign Flash Sale! Up to 10% off All P&O Cruises!

P&O CRUISES 14 Nights Spain, Portugal & Canaries £859, 18 Nights Spain, Portugal & Cape Verde £1173

The Norwegian Fjords

5, 12, 19, 26 Sep 2026 | 7 Nights | Iona

Southampton - Stavanger - Olden -

Haugesund - Kristiansand -

Southampton

Inside £752

Seaview £1,109

GF Balcony £1,399

Suite £2,894

The Christmas Canaries & Madeira Inside £1,760

19 December 2026 | 16 Nights | Iona Seaview £2,255

Southampton - Madeira - Tenerife - Fuerteventura

• Gran Canaria - Lanzarote - Cadiz - Lisbon - Balcony £2,426

La Coruna - Southampton (G440) Copyright £3,587

DEALS OF THE WEEK - Including unbound spend of £1,500 up to £500

The Canaries & Madeira

16 October 2026 | 14 Nights | Britannia

Southampton - Madeira - La Palma - Tenerife

• Gran Canaria - Lanzarote - Cadiz - Lisbon

Southampton (B625)

Inside £1,255

JE Balcony £1,641

HF Balcony £1,689

Deluxe Balcony £2,413

Limited Space

The Canaries & Madeira

17 November 2026 | 12 Nights | Ventura

Southampton - Madeira - Tenerife

Gran Canaria - Lanzarote - Lisbon -

Southampton (N635)

Inside £869

MF Seaview £946

Balcony £1,206

Deluxe Balcony £1,399

Limited Space

Spain, Portugal & Cape Verde

3 December 2026 | 18 Nights | Ventura

Southampton - Madeira - Praia - St. Vincent

• Lanzarote - Gran Canaria - Cadiz - Lisbon -

Southampton (N6329)

Inside £1,173

Seaview £1,218

HE Balcony £1,524

Deluxe Balcony £2,010

DEALS OF THE WEEK - Including unbound spend of £180 up to £480

The New Year Caribbean

1 January 2027 | 14 Nights | Arvia

Fly UK (Bridgetown (overnight) - Martinique

• St. Kitts & Nevis - Tortola - St. Maarten - Antigua (overnight) - Grenada - St. Lucia - Bridgetown/Fly UK (K701)

Bridgetown/Fly UK (K701)

Inside £1,533

Seaview £2,073

Balcony £2,136

Calibra Balcony

CY Conservatory Mini Suite £2,811

Including Flights & Transfers

Spain & France

18 January 2027 | 7 Nights | Ventura

Southampton - Cherbourg - Vigo -

La Coruna - Getxo (Bilbao)

Southampton (N701P)

Inside £451

Seaview £496

Balcony £541

DD Deluxe Balcony £703

Spain, Portugal & Canary Islands

25 January 2027 | 14 Nights | Ventura

Southampton - Madeira (overnight) - La Palma

• Gran Canaria - Arrecife de Lanzarote - Cadiz - Lisbon - Southampton (N701Q)

Lisbon - Southampton (N701Q)

Inside £859

Seaview £1,039

Balcony £1,264

Deluxe Balcony £1,534

DEALS OF THE WEEK

Belgium, France & The Netherlands

8 February 2027 | 5 Nights | Iona

Southampton - Zeebrugge (Bruges) -

Rotterdam - Cherbourg -

Southampton (G702)

Inside £389

Seaview £434

GF Balcony £452

CY Conservatory Mini Suite £632

CD Deluxe Balcony £2,617

The Grand Mediterranean

26 February 2027 | 21 Nights | Ventura

Southampton - Cartagena - La Guadona - Valletta

• Piraeus (Athens) - Naples - Civitavecchia (Rome)

• Barcelona - Alicante - Cadiz - Lisbon - Southampton (N704)

Inside £1,537

Seaview £1,699

Balcony £2,077

DD Deluxe Balcony £2,617

DD Deluxe Balcony £2,617

Portugal & The Canary Islands

19 March 2027 | 12 Nights | Ventura

Gran Canaria - Arrecife de Lanzarote -

Lisbon - Southampton (N705)

Inside £859

Seaview £949

Balcony £1,219

Deluxe Balcony £1,534

Deluxe Balcony £1,534

The Mediterranean & Greece

20 November 2027 | 19 Nights | Arcadia

Southampton - Malaga - Palermo - Piraeus

(Athens) - Kusadasi - Rhodes - Heraklion

Gibraltar - Southampton (J717)

Inside £1,352

Seaview £1,448

Balcony £2,124

Balcony £2,124

Mini Suite £3,861

0808 304 1872

LOCAL RATE TELEPHONE NUMBER

sovereigncruise.co.uk

THE HOME OF LUXURY CRUISING

Rated Excellent

Trustpilot

★★★★★

ABTA

ABTA No L4182

---

Page 62

BOOK WITH THE TOP PARTNER FOR

AMBASSADOR® CRUISE LINE

✓ 5+ SERVICE, WE'RE HERE WHEN YOU NEED US ✓ ABTA & ATO! PROTECTED

✓ THE UK'S NO.1 INDEPENDENT CRUISE SPECIALIST ✓ UNBEATABLE VALUE

TRUSTED FOR OVER 30 YEARS

THE NO-FLY CARIBBEAN TREASURES PRICE DROP

FROM ONLY £92PP PER NIGHT

ADULTS-ONLY, TRADITIONAL BRITISH CRUISING

FREE ON BOARD SPEND OF UP TO £800*

FREE BOTTLE OF CARIBBEAN RUM WHEN YOU BOOK BY 8PM 31ST AUGUST 2026*

44 NIGHTS DEPARTING 6TH JANUARY 2028

JANUARY 2028

Thu 6 Embark Ambience and depart London Tilbury

Tue 11 Ponta Delgada, Azores

Mon 17 St. John's, Antigua

Tue 18 Philipsburg, Saint Maarten

Thu 20 Samaná, Dominican Republic ★Maiden Port★

The Samaná Peninsula is a tropical paradise filled with lush rainforests, glorious golden beaches and coconut plantations framed by rolling mountains. Every year 2,500 humpback whales visit its bay, making it one of the world's finest locations for whale-watching

Fri 21 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Sun 23 Ocho Rios, Jamaica

Tue 25 - Cozumel, Mexico (overnight)

Wed 26

Thu 27 Belize City, Belize

Sun 30 Puerto Limón, Costa Rica

Mon 31 Panama City (from Colón), Panama

FEBRUARY 2028

Wed 2 Santa Marta, Colombia

Fri 4 Oranjestad, Aruba

Sun 6 Castries, St. Lucia

Set between emerald peaks and bright harbours, Castries offers a gateway to St. Lucia's beauty. From bustling craft markets to nearby waterfalls and beaches, this port combines the island's French-Creole spirit with unforgettable tropical scenery

Sun 13 Praia da Vitoria, Azores

Mon 14 Horta, Azores

Sat 19 Arrive in London Tilbury

WHAT'S INCLUDED

✓ Full-board adults-only cruising on board Ambience including**:

• FREE on board spend of up to £800 for all bookings*
• Sumptuous full-board cuisine including breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea & dinner and late night snacks
• A wide range of entertainment, including evening shows, plays, cabarets & live music
• Use of gym, swimming pool and hot tubs as well as spa access
• Porterage of luggage between the port and cabin
• The currency on board is pound sterling, so you won't be affected by any foreign exchange rate fluctuation

✓ PLUS, BOOK an Ocean View cabin or above by 8pm 31st August 2026 to receive a FREE Bottle of Caribbean Rum*

✓ SAVE EVERY TIME YOU BOOK - EARN EXCLUSIVE CRUISE MILES*

worth up to £179 off your next booking**

ROL CRUISE FARE FROM (PP)

CABIN	SALE FARE
Inside	£4,049
Ocean View†	£4,619
Balcony	£7,539
Suite	£8,979

SOLO BALCONY CABINS are available from £10,779

rolcruise.co.uk/dailymail

TRAVEL WITH CONFIDENCE

@ABTA www.aba.com

0808 239 9664

QUOTE OFFER REF 644789

WE ARE OPEN 7

DAYS A WEEK

FROM 8:30AM – 8PM

Trustpilot

Fulfillment Treatment Services Account Health

Prices and availability cannot at time of age off (21.09.2026), on board or two adults sharing receipt single-cabins, and may increase or be withdrawn at any time. Offer applies to new bookings only. Devoited on obstructed view. †On-board spend is per cabin. Gestation of up to £6.00 per person per night are automatically added to guests on-board account. Subject to cruise line TBCs. +$95 is based on one per booking for UK mainland addresses only. †Cruise Miles TBCs apply. Ambassador TBCs apply. $805

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Page 63

OCEANIA

CRUISES

15 NIGHT FLY, STAY & LUXURY CRUISE HOLIDAY

JOURNEY TO BORNEO,

PHILIPPINES & TAIWAN

INCLUDING OVER £3176 BONUS VALUE

EXCLUSIVE TO

Explore Singapore, Borneo, the Philippines, Taiwan and Hong Kong aboard Oceania Riviera, combining vibrant destinations with relaxing days at sea.

Flights from UK to Singapore returning from Hong Kong

BONUS 1 Night Premium Hotel Stay to explore Singapore with breakfast

12 Night Cruise onboard Oceania Riviera from Singapore to Hong Kong

Onboard entertainment, experiences & live performances

Indulge in The Finest Cuisine at Sea* with dining at gourmet specialty restaurants

Enjoy selected complimentary beverages, including soft drinks, specialty coffees and teas, still and sparkling Vero Water®

Enrich your journey with onboard activities and entertainment

BONUS House Beverage Package: Sip on a selection of beers and wines by the glass during lunch and dinner

BONUS Stay connected throughout your voyage with unlimited Starlink wifi

Access to fitness center and wellness classes

Port charges & Gratuities included

Fly from your regional airport - Please contact for details

FROM

£3290*

INTERIOR STATEROOM

PER PERSON | TWIN SHARE

DATE 02 JANUARY 2028 | DEAL CODE CC-41392

VIEW PACKAGE

OCEANVIEW, VERANDA, CONCIERGE & PENTHOUSE SUITE

CALL FOR DETAILS

ABTA & ATOL PROTECTED | ESTABLISHED IN 1984

cruiseclubuk.com | FREE PHONE 0808 253 4518

★★★★★ feeto

Mon - Fri: 9am - 6pm | Sat & Sun 9am - 5pm

ABTA

Cruise Club UK is a subsidiary of Travelworld International MCR. Cruise Club UK acts as ATOL holder/agent for financial protection. Please note that local city, tourist or accommodation taxes may apply to hotel attached, unless otherwise stated, must be paid directly to the hotel by guests. *Prices are based on two-shore per person and subject to availability and currency fluctuations. Prices subject to change without notice, until man-value is confirmed. ABTA NUMBER: 59095 | ATOL NUMBER: 5673. For full terms and conditions: cruiseclubuk.com/terms-conditions.phtml

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Page 64

5★LUXURY For Less!

Up to £1,500pp off As part of the new Explorer Fare!

Offer must end 31st August 2026*

Exclusive

OCEANIA CRUISES

NAUTICA COLLECTION 2027

Adults only 5★ cruises from Southampton

Exclusively brought to you by

cruise.co.uk

No Fly Grand Iberian & Morocco Tapestry

12 nights 27 July 2027

from 2999to 2899pp

Your Exclusive sanctuary at sea includes:

FREE House drinks package → FREE unlimited Wi-Fi → ALL onboard gratuities

Plus:

• ■ Adult only guests
• ■ Includes soft drinks, speciality coffees & teas, Vero water, juices, smoothies & gourmet ice cream
• ■ Experience the Finest Cuisine At Sea across multiple onboard dining venues

Your Itinerary:

DAY 1 - Embark Oceania Nautica in Southampton, UK Your luxury journey starts today. Travel to Southampton and board Oceania Nautica for a mesmerising 12-night Iberian cruise.

DAY 2 - Day At Sea

Enjoy a day at sea onboard the luxurious Oceania Nautica. Spend the day enjoying the Finest Cuisine At Sea, soaking up the sun on deck, or sip on a glass of wine as part of your House Drinks package, included onboard your voyage (drinks available at select times across all bars and lounges).

DAY 3 - La Coruna, Spain

Experience the authentic beauty of La Coruna, Spain's sea on the Atlantic coast. Discover the Tower of Hercules, stroll along the beach promenade, and taste delicious Galician cuisine.

DAY 4 - Porto, Portugal

Explore Porto's colourful and vibrant streets which lead to stunning historic sites, picturesque cafes, and world-renowned port wine cellars.

DAY 5 - Lisbon, Portugal

Discover the soul of Portugal in Lisbon, including its iconic fresh seafood and ornate local landmarks.

DAY 6 - Portimao, Portugal

Welcome to Portimao, a picturesque coastal town with its own golden beaches and bustling marina.

DAY 7 - Seville, Spain

Let Seville steal your heart with its stunning architecture, winding streets, and lively atmosphere.

DAY 8 - Tangier, Morocco

Be spellbound by Tangier's taste-bud tingling cuisine, incredible markets, and storied history.

DAY 9 & 10 - Days At Sea

After savouring the sights of Portugal and Spain, unwind with opulent days and nights onboard Oceania Nautica at your leisure.

DAY 11 - Le Verdon-sur-Mer, France

Perched where the Gironde meets the Atlantic, sandy Le Verdon-sur-Mer is the ideal gateway to exploring the world-renowned vineyards of Bordeaux.

DAY 12 - Final Day At Sea

Relax and unwind on your final day onboard Oceania Nautica, indulging in gastronomic delights, unlimited onboard Wi-Fi and drinks, part of your included House Drinks package.

DAY 13 - Disembark Oceania Nautica in Southampton, UK

It's time to head home. After disembarking Oceania Nautica in Southampton, you will make your own way home.

ENQUIRE NOW

LIMITED-TIME PRICES -

DO NOT MISS OUT! BOOK BY 31st AUGUST 2026

Cabru/From Epp	Grade	WAS	NOW
Inside	G	2999	2899
Inside	F	3149	2999
Outside	D	3299	3199
Outside	C2	3499	3449
Outside	C1	3699	3599
Veranda	B2	4099	3999
Veranda	B1	4249	4199
Concierge	A3	4599	4399
Concierge	A2	4699	4499
Concierge	A1	4799	4599
Penthouse	PH3	5899	5399
Penthouse	PH2	6399	5899
Penthouse	PH1	6699	6599
Vista Suite	VS	12299	12099
Owners Suite	OS	14999	13499

*All prices based on two people sharing.

Secure Fully protected ABTA & ATOL bonded

Established We are the Real Cruise People - Cruise experts for over 40 years

Personal Deal with a dedicated cruise.co.uk expert cruise consultant

TALK TO ONE OF OUR FRIENDLY CRUISE CONSULTANTS TODAY

0800 073 9272

TO GET THIS OFFER QUOTE CODE MAIL-OCEANIA

Opening Hours: Monday - Saturday: 9am - 9pm | Sunday: 10am - 8pm

SCAN TO SEE THE FULL COLLECTION

All fees are per person and based on two adults sharing. All flights are based from London airports, regional airports may be available at a supplement. 'Live Deposit & Interest-Free Payments is applicable to selected 2026, 2027 & 2028 ceilings only, excluding World Cruises. Your monthly payment schedule will be advised by your Cruise Consultant. If you make any changes to your booking your monthly payments may increase, if you cancel your booking you will still be liable to pay the remainder of the full deposit amount. The full standard deposit amount is the minimum cancellation charge please see Cruise.co.uk for full terms & conditions. Some of our packages include elements that are natural occurrences, such as wildlife evenings. However, your viewing of such elements cannot be guaranteed and is subject to change based on weather conditions, climate change, and Wildlife sightings. Please see Cruise.co.uk for full terms and conditions. Calls are recorded for Marketing & Training purposes. £1,500 per person saving based on 27th July 2027 Oceania Nautica cruise Owner's Suite grade, other amounts on alternative cabin grades and ceilings included on 26th July 2027, 27th July 2027, 8th August 2027 and 14th August 2027 vary. Offer not available on 23rd August 2027 and 15th July 2027 Oceania Nautica cruises, buy one get one free Oceania cruises, offi Oceania cruises, or any other cruise.co.uk promotions. Luxury has Less offer enair on 31 August 2026. Money off is available as part of Explorer Fare, and as part of this fare offer Cruise.co.uk can choose the customer's cabin numbers on booking. Cruise.co.uk reserves the right to amend or change the terms of this promotion without prior notice or announcement. Please see cruise.co.uk for full terms and conditions. Calls are recorded for marketing and training purposes. E&OE

---

Page 65

IMAGINE CRUISING®

SALE

SAVE UP TO

£1,200

PER COUPLE*

OFFER EXTENDED $1.08.26

BLOSSOMING

Shores

CRUISE • HOTEL STAY • FLIGHTS

INCLUDES TWO-NIGHT TOKYO HOTEL STAY

EXPERIENCE SPRINGTIME IN JAPAN

BOOK AN OCEANVIEW OR ABOVE AND RECEIVE A TOUR OF MT FUJI & BULLET TRAIN JOURNEY*

Book with Confidence

✓ Trusted Worldwide

✓ Financial Protection

✓ 15 Years of Experience

SPRINGTIME IN JAPAN: TOKYO ESCAPE & PRINCESS CRUISES ASIA VOYAGE

Interior from*

£2,699pp

13 - 16 Nights | Mar - Apr 2027

PRINCESS

Your Holiday Includes

11 night full-board cruise on board Sapphire Princess®

Visiting: Tokyo, Toba, Kōchi, Busan, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Matsuyama, Miyazaki, Kobe, Tokyo

Two-night four-star hotel stay at the Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba

All flights (London departure) and transfers

Upgrades Available:

Book an Oceanview or above and receive reserved seat on the Bullet Train, views over Oishi Park with Mount Fuji, Owakudani Valley tour*

Enhance your experience on board Sapphire Princess® with Princess Plus® from £50pp per day

INTERIOR*

£2,699pp

BALCONY*

£3,699pp

OCEANVIEW*

£3,199pp

MINI-SUITE*

£4,499pp

HOLIDAY CODE: ASAB589

Prices, duration and itinerary shown are based on 3 March 2027 departure. Prices shown include discount and savings based on two passengers sharing, departing 3 March 2027, booking directly with Imagine Cruising. *Only available when booking an Oceanview cabin or above.

Scan the QR code for more

IMAGINE CRUISING®

Call us on

01793 575 239

Mon - Sun, 9am - 8pm

Visit us online

imaginecruising.co.uk

For full terms and conditions please visit www.imaginecruising.co.uk. Imagine Cruising are fully ABTA and ATOL bonded. Prices are correct at the time of print and are subject to change. Prices are per person based on two adults sharing a cruise cabin or suite and include flights from London (regional flights available at a supplement). Holiday duration includes overnight flights when applicable and is subject to change. The cherry blossom season is subject to changes based on weather conditions that may accelerate, delay or shorten the cherry blossom season.

---

Page 66

CRUISE IN ALL-INCLUSIVE, UNRIVALLED LUXURY™

UNLIMITED SHORE EXCURSIONS | SPECIALITY DINING | UNLIMITED DRINKS

PRE-PAID GRATUITIES | UNLIMITED ACCESS TO SRA FACILITIES | UNLIMITED WIFI

VALET LAUNDRY SERVICE | 24-HOUR IN-SUITE DINING and more

*For applicable sailings, latest fares and full terms and conditions, visit RSSC.COM CARIBBEAN EDITION KUA_01_2026/022_Caribbean_Edition_Scalable_HP

THE CARIBBEAN EDITION

UP TO 45% OFF*

Select sailings in 2026 & 2027

The treasures of the Caribbean and Central America are the perfect complement to the unrivalled luxury of a Regent Seven Seas Cruises® voyage. Drink in the region's vibrant sights, cultures and flavours, and relax into a revitalising tropical escape of rare ease and beauty aboard The World's Most Luxurious Fleet®.

FEATURED SAILING

WEST COAST RETREAT

Seven Seas Grandeur®

ROUNDTRIP LOS ANGELES

14 JAN 2027 | 10 NIGHTS | 42 EXCURSIONS

ALL-INCLUSIVE CRUISE FARE WAS NOW

DELUXE VERANDA from...£5,699pp £3,705pp*

ULTIMATE ALL-INCLUSIVE FARE...FROM 143,743pp RETURN FLIGHTS & TRANSFERS INCLUDED

TO FIND OUT MORE CALL 023 8082 1351

VISIT RSSC.COM/DAILY-MAIL

OR CONTACT YOUR TRAVEL ADVISOR

OCEANIA

CRUISES®

Magical Mediterranean

ROME TO TRIESTE

7 Days | 11 June 2027 | Oceania Allura

Veranda Stateroom Fares per guest from*

WAS £2,489 | NOW £1,992

ALWAYS INCLUDES

ALL SPECIALITY DINING, SHIPBOARD GRATUITIES & COMPLIMENTARY WIFI

PLUS CHOICE OF WINE & BEER BY THE GLASS OR SHORE EXCURSION CREDIT

UP TO 50% OFF

ULTIMATE EXPLORATION

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 023 8010 2341,

VISIT OCEANIACRUISES.COM OR CONTACT YOUR TRAVEL ADVISOR

Scan this QR code with your

smartphone to view additional

Ultimate Exploration voyages

Oceania Regents, Oceania Angeles, Oceania Redondo, Oceania Fresno, Oceania Monte, Oceania Palos, Oceania Vela, Oceania Alhaya, Oceania Seaside & Oceania & online are registered marks of Oceania & other U.S.

TERMS & CONDITIONS: *Offers, fares and frascaries are as countries of 17 August 2025 and are subject to changes with federal/official state notice. Advertised fares may fluctuate and are subject to change. Ultimate Exploration Offer is valid until 8 September 2026. Savings of up to 50% off are available on select colleges for on select colleges, subject to change and capacity controlled. Savings amount may per sailing and category, and are per person. AUDITABLE voyage features 50% savings on select categories. Member Scale 12. Certain exclusions apply. Void where Oceania/Sea are over for current pricing. All fares are per person in PepsiCo Sterling, valid for residents of the Oceania region, based on double occupancy systems otherwise noted. Oceania/Sea are reserved for right to correct errors or omissions and to change any and all fares, fares, prerequisites and use changes at any time. Complete Terms and Conditions may be found at www.OceaniaSea.org, over/legal.

---

Page 67

PRINCESS

✓ 5+ SERVICE, WE'RE HERE WHEN YOU NEED US ✓ ABTA & ATOL PROTECTED

ROL

CRUISE

30

TRUSTED FOR OVER 30 YEARS

THE NO-FLY

ALL-INCLUSIVE

7 DAY

FLASH SALE

No-Fly Mediterranean Explorer

14 NIGHTS DEPARTING 29TH MARCH, 7TH, 28TH AUGUST 2027 ON BOARD SKY PRINCESS*

STATERBORNE/SUITE	SALE FARE FROM (PP)
Inside*	£1,979
Ocean View	£2,169
Balcony	£2,199
Deluxe Balcony	£2,329
Mini-Suite*	£2,369
Suite (2 left)	£5,369

Solo fares are available from £3,329

Itinerary, fares and availability are based on 29th March 2027 departure and may vary on other dates

No-Fly Baltic Heritage

14 NIGHTS DEPARTING 24TH APRIL, 29TH MAY & 11TH SEPTEMBER 2027 ON BOARD SKY PRINCESS*

STATERBORNE/SUITE	SALE FARE FROM (PP)
Inside*	£2,319
Ocean View	£3,999
Balcony	£4,129
Deluxe Balcony	£4,699
Mini-Suite*	£5,329
Suite	SOLD OUT

Solo fares are available from £4,019

Itinerary, fares and availability are based on 29th May 2027 departure and may vary on other dates

EXCLUSIVE LOW DEPOSIT

FROM ONLY £50PP

DRINKS, WI-FI & GRATUITIES

INCLUDED**

FREE

ON BOARD SPEND OF UP TO $400*

PROMOTION ENDS 8PM

28TH AUGUST 2026

WHAT'S INCLUDED

EXCLUSIVE LOW DEPOSIT FROM ONLY £50PP - ONLY AVAILABLE WITH ROL CRUISE UNTIL 8PM 28TH AUGUST 2026

FREE ON BOARD SPEND OF UP TO $400 FOR ALL BOOKINGS*

• All-inclusive premium cruising on board Sky Princess including*:

• Drinks Package - with sodas, speciality coffees and teas, cocktails, wine and beer up to $15

• Gratuities
• Single device unlimited Wi-Fi - stay connected to whatever you need with the best Wi-Fi at sea
• COMPLIMENTARY dining options including Dire My Way™, 24-hour buffet, 24-hour International Café, poolside grill, ice cream bar, pizzeria and afternoon tea
• Movies Under the Stars' at the poolside theatre with FREE Popcorn

SAVE EVERY TIME YOU BOOK - EARN EXCLUSIVE CRUISE MILES*

Worth up to £125 off your next booking††

No-Fly Canary Islands

12 NIGHTS DEPARTING 12TH APRIL 2027 ON BOARD SKY PRINCESS*

STATERBORNE/SUITE	SALE FARE FROM (PP)
Inside*	£1,949
Ocean View	£2,659
Balcony	£2,699
Deluxe Balcony	£2,789
Mini-Suite	£3,649
Suite	SOLD OUT

Solo fares are available from £3,359

No-Fly Iceland & Norway

14 NIGHTS DEPARTING 24TH JUNE 2028 ON BOARD SKY PRINCESS*

STATERBORNE/SUITE	SALE FARE FROM (PP)
Inside*	£2,449
Ocean View	£3,279

FREE UPGRADE TO A BALCONY*

Deluxe Balcony	£3,479
Mini-Suite*	£3,879
Suite	£6,299

Solo fares are available from £3,949

rolcruise.co.uk/dailymail

TRAVEL WITH CONFERENCE

Agent to ATOL Indoor Princess Graves 0236

ABTA www.rolcruise.co.uk

0808 239 7998

QUOTE OFFER REF 644777

WE ARE OPEN 7

DAYS A WEEK

FROM 8:30AM - 8PM

Trustpilot

Paddock Trustpilot Service Award 100% equity

Pricing and availability correct at time of sign off 20/06/2026. Fares are based on two adults sharing and may increase of be withdrawn at any time. Offers apply to new bookings only. Subject to availability. †On a guarantee basis. On board spend is per classroom/suite and is tiered depending on voyage/ grade booked. ††Subject to the cruise line's T&Cs. Cruise Miles' T&Cs apply. Princess' T&Cs apply. S&OE.

---

Page 68

cruise.co.uk

THE REAL CRUISE PEOPLE

BRAND NEW

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

OCEANIA

CRUISES

BETTER THAN 2 FOR 1

5★ CRUISES!

EXCLUSIVE OFFER

ALL 2 FOR 1

CRUISES INCLUDE...

✓ Unique beverage package with complimentary champagne, wine & beer during lunch & dinner ✓ Soft drinks, speciality coffees & teas ✓ All gratuities ✓ Unlimited Wi-Fi ✓ Complimentary 24-hour room service ✓ 4★ pre-cruise hotel stay ✓ Return London flights

5★ OCEANIA 2 FOR 1

MEDITERRANEAN MOSAIC: FROM ATHENS TO ROME WITH PIALTA

DAY 1: FLY UK TO ATHENS, GREECE Regional Departure Airports Available* 1-night 4★ hotel stay

DAY 2: EMBARK 5★ OCEANIA ALLURA IN ATHENS, GREECE

DAY 3: MILOS, GREECE

DAY 4: KATAKOLON, GREECE

DAY 5: CATANIA, ITALY

DAY 6: VALLETTA, MALTA

DAY 7: PALERMO (SICILY), ITALY

DAY 8: SALERNO, ITALY

DAY 9: DISEMBARK IN ROME (CIVITAVECCHIA), ITALY & FLY TO UK Regional Arrival Airports Available*

06 May 2027 - 8 Nights - Oceania Allura

Cabin (From £pp)	French Balcony
Oceania & forest structure Price Passenger 1	4479
cruise... Price Passenger 1	4479
Oceania Cruises Brochure Price Passenger 2	4479
cruise... Price Passenger 2	FREE

5★ OCEANIA 2 FOR 1

VALLETTA & SICILY SERENADE WITH THE SPREKIELES

DAY 1: FLY UK TO ISTANBUL, TURKEY & EMBARK 5★ OCEANIA SIRENA Regional Departures Available*

DAY 2: ISTANBUL, TURKEY

DAY 3: MITILINI (LESBOS), GREECE

DAY 4: KUSADASI, TURKEY

DAY 5: MILOS, GREECE

DAY 6: KATAKOLON, GREECE

DAY 7: CATANIA, ITALY

DAY 8: AMALFI/POSITANO, ITALY

DAY 9: SARDINIA, ITALY

DAY 10: DISEMBARK IN ROME (CIVITAVECCHIA), ITALY & FLY TO UK Regional Arrival Airports Available*

15 May 2027 - 10 Nights - Oceania Sirena

Cabin (From £pp)	Inside	Veranda
Oceania & forest structure Price Passenger 1	3549	4729
cruise... Price Passenger 1	3549	4729
Oceania Cruises Brochure Price Passenger 2	3549	4729
cruise... Price Passenger 2	FREE	FREE

5★ OCEANIA 2 FOR 1

ITALIAN RIVIERA WITH CROATIA & MONTENEGRO

DAY 1: FLY UK TO VENICE, ITALY Regional Departures Available* 1-night 4★ hotel stay

DAY 2: EMBARK 5★ OCEANIA SIRENA IN VENICE, ITALY

DAY 3: SPLIT, CROATIA

DAY 4: KOTOR, MONTENEGRO

DAY 5: CORFU, GREECE

DAY 6: MESSINA (SICILY), ITALY

DAY 7: SALERNO, ITALY

DAY 8: ROME (CIVITAVECCHIA), ITALY DAY 9: CINQUE TERRE (LA SPEZIA), ITALY

DAY 10: TOULON, FRANCE

DAY 11: DISEMBARK IN BARCELONA, SPAIN & FLY TO UK

Regional Arrival Airports Available*

11 Jun 2027 - 10 Nights - Oceania Sirena

Cabin (From £pp)	Inside	Veranda
Oceania & forest structure Price Passenger 1	4019	5429
cruise... Price Passenger 1	3999	5429
Oceania Cruises Brochure Price Passenger 2	4019	5429
cruise... Price Passenger 2	FREE	FREE

5★ OCEANIA 2 FOR 1

ITALIAN & FRENCH RIVIERA WITH SE TROPEZ & MONTE CARLO

DAY 1: FLY UK TO ROME (CIVITAVECCHIA), ITALY Regional Departure Airports Available* 1-night 4★ hotel stay

DAY 2: EMBARK 5★ OCEANIA NAUTICA IN ROME, ITALY

DAY 3: CINQUE TERRE (LA SPEZIA), ITALY

DAY 4: MONTE CARLO, MONACO

DAY 5: SAINT-TROPEZ, FRANCE

DAY 6: PROVENCE (MARSEILLE), FRANCE

DAY 7: PALMA DE MALLORCA, SPAIN

DAY 8: DISEMBARK IN BARCELONA, SPAIN & FLY TO UK

25 Sep 2027 - 8 Nights - Oceania Nautica

Cabin (From £pp)	Inside	Veranda
Oceania & forest structure Price Passenger 1	3239	4439
cruise... Price Passenger 1	3239	4439
Oceania Cruises Brochure Price Passenger 2	3239	4439
cruise... Price Passenger 2	FREE	FREE

WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THIS TRIP OF A LIFETIME?

✓ 1-night 4★ pre-cruise hotel stay ✓ 5★ cruise with Oceania Cruises ✓ London flights, resort fees & destination taxes included ✓ Call for Manchester & Glasgow regional flights

✓ All gratuities & unlimited Wi-Fi ✓ Speciality dining restaurants ✓ Soft drinks, speciality coffees & teas, Vero water, juices, smoothies & gourmet ice cream ✓ Complimentary 24-hour room service

✓ Exclusive cruise & stay holiday ✓ Dedicated Cruise.co.uk expert cruise consultant ✓ Fully protected - your holiday is safe with us, we are fully ABTA & ATOL bonded

✓ We are the experts! For over 40 years we have been creating industry leading cruise & stay itineraries

TALK TO ONE OF OUR FRIENDLY CRUISE CONSULTANTS TODAY

BARBARA

LIVE!

BIGG

0800 073 9271

Opening Hours: Monday - Saturday: 9am - 9pm | Sunday 10am - 8pm

ABTA TRIPLE

TO GET THIS OFFER QUOTE CODE

MAIL-2FOR1

All fares are per person, based on two adults sharing and our subject to availability. Flights are based from London, regional flights will incur a supplement. Transfers are not included. Cabin Upgrades are subject to availability. Please see Cruise.co.uk for full terms & conditions. E&OE

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Page 69

cruise.co.uk | THE CRUISE & STAY EXPERTS

THE REAL CRUISE PEOPLE

Escorted Japan in Bloom

WITH RYOKANS, GEISHAS & SNOW MONKEYS

ESCORTED A WAY BURN OF JAPAN IN CHERRY BLOSSOM SEASON

BUCKET LIST

COLLECTION

STAND IN AWE

Dr Ryokans, Mr Fujii & Scenic Cruise Coi Lake Ashi

SPOT

The Morning Snow Monkeys of Jigokudani in The Hot Pools

13-NIGHT

Celebrity Millennium Cruise With Drinks & Wi-Fi

Experience the magic of Japan's cherry blossom season, staying in a traditional ryokan and exploring ancient streets. Witness the charming snow monkeys in their steamy hot spring retreats before setting sail on a breathtaking cruise along Japan's stunning coastline. A journey of culture nature, and unforgettable moments awaits!

DAY 1: FLY UK TO OSAKA, JAPAN Regional Departure Airports Available*

DAY 2: TRAVEL TO KYOTO, JAPAN From Osaka, you will be transferred to your 4★ Kyoto hotel for a 2-night stay.

DAY 3: KYOTO, JAPAN Included: Kyoto Full Day Tour Today, enjoy a full-day tour of Kyoto City, including stopping by Kinkaku-ji Temple, Ryoanji Temple and Kiyomizu Temple. Later, explore Gion, Kyoto's geisha district, before returning to your hotel. Breakfast Included

DAY 4: TRAVEL TO HIROSHIMA, JAPAN Included: Hiroshima Airfare Tour After travelling to Hiroshima via Bullet Train, set off on a sightseeing tour, including Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, the Atomic Bomb Dome and Hiroshima Castle. Afterwards, check into your hotel for a 2-night stay. Breakfast Included

DAY 5: HIROSHIMA, JAPAN Included: Hiroshima Airfare Tour This morning, take a ferry to Miyajima Island and also visit Itsukushima Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its "floating" hani gate. After your tour, return to Hiroshima and spend the evening at leisure. Breakfast Included

DAY 6: TRAVEL TO HAKONE, JAPAN Travel by Bullet Train to Odawara and, on arrival, transfer to your hotel in Hakone for a 1-night stay. Breakfast & Dinner Included

DAY 7: TRAVEL TO YUDANAKA, JAPAN Included: Hakone & Mount Fujii Air & Sightseeing Tour Take a relaxing cruise on Lake Ashi, visit Fujii 5th Station, indulge in an onsen hot spring bath and then check into your traditional Ryokan in Yudanaka for a 1-night stay. Breakfast & Dinner Included

DAY 8: TRAVEL TO TOKYO, JAPAN Included: Jigokudani Monkey Park Tour Included After a Japanese-style breakfast at your Ryokan, travel to Jigokudani Monkey Park, home to the famous Japanese Snow Monkeys. From the bus park, walk along snowy paths and up some steep steps to the main pool where the monkeys bathe. Afterwards, visit Obuse before transferring to Tokyo for a 2-night hotel stay. Breakfast Included

DAY 9: TOKYO, JAPAN Included: Full Day Tour Of Tokyo Experience Japan's capital, including Sensou (Tokyo's oldest temple), Nakamise shopping street, Imperial Palace Plaza, and the Ginza district. Breakfast Included

DAY 10: EMBARK CELEBRITY MILLENNIUM IN TOKYO, JAPAN This morning, transfer to the port and embark Celebrity Millennium for your 12-night cruise.

DAY 12-13: OSAKA, JAPAN

DAY 14: KOCHI, JAPAN

DAY 15: HIROSHIMA, JAPAN

DAY 16: BUSAN, SOUTH KOREA

DAY 17: JEJU-SI, SOUTH KOREA

DAY 18: FUKUOKA, JAPAN

DAY 19: NAGASAKI, JAPAN

DAY 20: KAGOSHIMA, JAPAN

DAY 22: SHIRIZU, JAPAN

DAY 23: DISEMBARK IN TOKYO, JAPAN & FLY TO UK Regional Arrival Airports Available* After disembarking your ship in Tokyo, transfer to the airport for your flight back to the UK.

DAY 24: ARRIVE UK Price & Itinerary based on 2, May 2026. Itinerary may vary on other dates

WHAT'S INCLUDED...

• ✓ No deposit & interest-free monthly payments
• ✓ Destination expert for help & guidance
• ✓ Escorted by expert local guides
• ✓ Cruise.co.uk exclusive escorted tour of Japan in Cherry Blossom season*
• ✓ Spot the bathing Snow Monkeys of Jigokudani in the hot pools
• ✓ 13-night Celebrity Millennium cruise with drinks & Wi-Fi
• ✓ Mount Fujii & scenic cruise on Lake Ashi
• ✓ Guided tour of Tokyo's temples
• ✓ Kyoto temple hopping tour with Geisha District
• ✓ Hotel stays in Tokyo, Hiroshima, Kyoto, Hakone
• ✓ 1-night stay in a traditional Ryokan in Yudanaka
• ✓ Travel onboard the famous Bullet Train
• ✓ Dedicated Cruise.co.uk expert cruise consultant
• ✓ Fully protected - your holiday is safe with us, we are fully ABTA & ATOL bonded
• ✓ We are the experts! For over 40 years we have been creating industry leading cruise & stay itineraries

AVAILABLE DATES
Local taxes included in cost
Also Available With Princess & Celebrity Cruises
Date / App	Inside	Ocean View	Balcony
10 Mar 2026	6799	6799	7799
13 Mar 2026	7199	7499	8299
19 Mar 2026	6999	7499	7799
26 Mar 2026	7299	7499	8099
Also Available Out Of Cherry Blossom Season
Date / App	Inside	Ocean View	Balcony
30 May 2027	7399	7899	8999
15 Sep 2027	CALL	8099	9499
16 Jun 2028	6799	6899	7399
29 Sep 2028	6699	6899	7399

Scan Me For All Dates & Prices: Monetary and business vary

Celebrity Cruises

No Deposit & Interest-Free Monthly Payments

0800 073 9293 Opening Hours: Monday - Saturday: 9am - 9pm | Sunday 10am - 8pm

ABTA STOCK

All taxes are per person based on her adult's sharing. No deposit & interest-free monthly payments to based on our interest-free monthly payments scheme which is applicable to sections 2011-2026. In cases where desired more than 6 months to continue or adding, please speak to your consultant to confirm the date of start for specified installments. Please speak to your consultant for more details. Unless a call is issued, the student cannot be charged. No terms of this procedure without prior notice or release thereof. Some of our packages include elements that are natural occurrences, such as frozen seasons and wildlife strategies. However, your ministry of such elements cannot be guaranteed and is subject to change based on weather conditions, climate change, and Wildlife sightings. Please use it once as air for full terms and conditions. Calls are recorded for Wednesday or Monday for good. T&N

TO GET THIS OFFER QUOTE CODE MAIL-JAPAN

---

Page 70

IMAGINE CRUISING

SALE

SAVE UP TO

£1,000

PER COUPLE*

OFFER ENDS 31.08.2026

TIMELESS

Luxury

FULL-BOARD CRUISE • LUXURY RAIL

ICONIC RAIL JOURNEY FROM VERONA TO PARIS

BOOK A GRILL SUITE & RECEIVE A SUITE UPGRADE ON BOARD THE VENICE SIMPLON-ORIENT-EXPRESS

Book with Confidence

✓ Trusted Worldwide

✓ Financial Protection

✓ 15 Years of Experience

LUXURY CUNARD MEDITERRANEAN VOYAGE WITH LAKE GARDA & VENICE SIMPLON-ORIENT-EXPRESS

Inside from

£5,999 pp

13 Nights | 10 June 2027

Your Holiday Includes

Seven-night full-board cruise on board Queen Elizabeth

Book a Grill Suite and receive a complimentary Suite upgrade on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

Two-day all-inclusive luxury Venice Simplon-Orient-Express journey from Verona to Paris in a Historic Cabin

One-night four-star stay in

Barcelona at the Leonardo Royal Hotel Barcelona Forum

One-night four-star stay in Florence at the Hoxton Florence

Complimentary three-night four- star hotel stay in Lake Garda at the Hotel Villa Garutí

All flights (London departure - regional flights available) and transfers

INSIDE

£5,999 pp

BALCONY

£6,999 pp

OCEANVIEW

£6,499 pp

GRILL SUITE

£10,499 pp

HOLIDAY CODE: EUR2292

Holiday duration includes overnight flights when applicable and is subject to change. *Prices shown include discount and savings based on two passengers sharing, booking directly with Imagine Cruising.

Scan the QR code for more

IMAGINE

CRUISING

Call us on

01793 575 239

Mon - Sun: 9am - 8pm

Visit us online

imaginecruising.co.uk

For full terms and conditions please visit www.imaginecruising.co.uk. Imagine Cruising are fully ABTA and ATOL bonded. Prices are correct at the time of print and are subject to change. Prices are per person based on two adults sharing a cruise cabin or suite and include flights to London (regional flights available at a supplement).

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Page 71

THE TOP PARTNER FOR

Fred.Olsen Cruise Lines

✓ THE UK'S NO.1 INDEPENDENT CRUISE SPECIALIST

✓ ABTA & AYOL PROTECTED ✓ UNBEATABLE VALUE

ROL CRUISE

30

TRUSTED FOR OVER 30 YEARS

THE UNMISSABLE

NO-FLY REMOTE

SCOTTISH ISLES

CRUISE SALE

CABINS

SELLING FAST

MONEY-BACK

GUARANTEE**

DRINKS &

GRATUITIES INCLUDED**

PROMOTION

ENDS 8PM 29TH AUGUST 2026

YOUR BREATHTAKING JOURNEY

This adventure closer to home invites you to explore the most remote corners of Scotland, where sweeping coastlines, rugged islands and dramatic sea cliffs set a spectacular scene. Time ashore offers the chance to wander among ancient stone circles, hike scenic coastal paths, spot puffins in the Hebridean wild, and join in lively ceilidhs – traditional gatherings alive with folk music, dancing and storytelling. At sea, you'll pass striking landmarks such as the towering Old Man of Hoy sea stack, Foula – the UK's remotest inhabited island – and the Isle of Arran, its eastern outline said to resemble a sleeping warrior. Throughout your journey, watch for seabirds, seals and other wildlife from out on deck with guidance from Ocean Wildlife Encounters experts.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

• MONEY-BACK SATISFACTION GUARANTEE**

• Fred. Olsen are so confident you'll love cruising with them, if within 48 hours of boarding you feel it isn't right for you, they'll fly you home from the next available port at their expense, and your cruise fare will be refunded in full.

No-fly cruising on board the 1,338-guest Bolette, including:

• INCLUDED DRINKS with lunch & dinner, including

house beer, wine and draught soft drinks

• INCLUDED Gratuities
• OCEANS MEMBERS SAVE 5%*
• On board currency is pound sterling
• All meals included

PLUS, book an Ocean View or above by 8pm 29th August 2026 to receive an EXCLUSIVE FREE Duo of Wine Gift*

EARN EXCLUSIVE CRUISE MILES worth £££s towards your next cruise with ROL Cruise*

9 NIGHTS DEPARTING 18TH MAY 2027

MAY 2027

Tue 18 Embark Bolette and depart Newcastle

Thu 20 Lerwick, Shetland Isles, Scotland

Fri 21 Cruise off Shetland, pass by Shack & view Foula

Sat 22 Oban, Scotland Cruising by Duart Castle

Sun 23 Cruising by Dutchman's Cap & Fingal's Cave, pass Ailsa Craig, view the Sleeping Warrior & Cruise by Mull of Kintyre

Mon 24 Portree, Isle of Skye, Scotland Portree is set within a natural harbour surrounded with brightly-coloured houses and rocky cliffs. Serving as gateway to the rock formations at Trotternish Ridge, the Tuscdale ruins and Dunvegan Castle. Close by is Loch Coruisk, home to puffins, golden eagles, oystercatchers and occasional sea eagles

Tue 25 Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Scotland

Wed 26 Cruising by Old Man of Hoy & Duncansby sea stacks

Thu 27 Arrive in Newcastle

Date not mentioned will be spent relaxing at sea.

YOUR EXCLUSIVE

ROL CRUISE SALE FARES FROM

INSIDE (PP)

OCEAN VIEW (PP)

TERRACE (PP)

SUITE (PP)

£1,499

£1,889

SOLD

£3,299

Solo cabins are available from £2,889

SECURE YOUR CABIN WITH A DEPOSIT

rolcruise.co.uk/dailymail

TRAVEL WITH CONFIDENCE

ABTA and Ayot

0808 258 3346

QUOTE OFFER REF 644778

WE ARE OPEN 7

DAYS A WEEK

FROM 8:30AM – 8PM

Trustpilot

Rothman Trustpilot Service Award Guide

Fares are based on two adults sharing and may increase or be withdrawn at any time. Offer applies to new bookings only. Pricing and availability correct at time of sign off 21/08/2026. Wildlife sightings are not guaranteed. eOceans members discount will be applied at the time of booking and T&Cs apply. **Subject to the cruise line's T&Cs. Fred. Olsen Satisfaction Guarantee T&Cs apply. +Gift is based on one per booking, for UK mainland addresses only. †Cruise Miles' T&Cs apply. Fred. Oban Cruise Lines T&Cs apply. £$0.00

---

Page 72

FOR SALE

Holiday homes

Perched on the Cornish coast, with sea views, a laidback atmosphere, excellent facilities and direct beach access.

☆ SUMMER SPECIAL OFFERS

From £44,995

PRAA SANDS

HOLIDAY PARK

Marry, offer ends 31 August

30%

INSTANT CASHBACK

no site fees and utility bills*

Enjoy full weeks, long weekends or short breaks with our 3-Year Rental Advance Agreement and receive 30% cashback* on your holiday home purchase price at Praa Sands Holiday Park.

SCAN FOR MORE INFO

Get in touch today | 0800 470 2039 | haulfrynholidays.co.uk

*Terms and conditions apply, see haulfrynholidays.co.uk/cashback for details

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Page 73

MEN'S | LADIES | HOME

FARAH

LUXURY FORMALS

CUSTOMER RATED

feefo

• WAIST SIZES FROM 32" UP TO 60"
• TWO CLASSIC STYLES
• AVAILABLE IN UP TO 7 COLOURS
• SHIRT GRIP WAIST
• provides extra closure helping the front sit flatter

FROGMOUTH POCKET (MT216)

SLANT POCKET (MT215)

Order MT215- Farah Slant Pocket Trousers

Inside Leg 27", 29", 31", 33"

Black & Navy in waist sizes 32" - 60"

Denim in waist sizes in 32" - 46"

Grey in waist sizes 32" - 48"

Olive, Soft Taupe & Taupe in waist sizes 32" - 46"

Inside Leg 27", 29", 31" only

WAIST SIZE	CAT PRICE	OFFER PRICE	YOU SURE
32, 34	£40	£35	£5
36, 38, 40	£46	£35	£8
42, 44, 46, 48	£52	£35	£9
50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60	£60	£40	£10

Order MT216 Farah Frogmouth Pocket Trousers

Inside Leg 27", 29", 31", 33"

Waist Sizes 32" - 48"

Navy, Black, Grey in waist sizes 32" - 48"

Denim, Taupe in waist sizes 32" - 46"

WAIST SIZE	CAT PRICE	OFFER PRICE	YOU SURE
32, 34	£40	£35	£5
36, 38, 40	£46	£35	£8
42, 44, 46, 48	£52	£35	£9

LEATHER BELTS BUY 2 FOR £16 BLACK or BROWN

1" wide with smart buckle and neat edge stitching.

Waist Size 32/34, 36/38, 40/42, 44/46, 48/50, 52/54. Order Style AA007

ORDER ONLINE NOW – IT'S FAST, SAFE & EASY – FREE RETURNS

SHOP AT CHUMS.CO.UK/OFFERS

OR CALL 08715 267 166

Calls cost 15p per minute plus network extras

FOR THESE GREAT OFFERS PLEASE QUOTE THIS SOURCE CODE 34DM26

Chums Ltd., (Dept. 34DM26), P.O. Box 94, St Helens, Merseyside WA10 1FG

Personal shoppers welcome at our showroom. Open Mon – Weds 10am – 4pm. M57 Junction 4, off School Lane,

Unity Grove, Knowsley Business Park, Liverpool L34 9AR.

FARAH PREMIUM QUALITY MEN'S TROUSERS IN SIZES TO FIT YOU

Crafted in the finest crease-resistant cloth with raised seams for a distinctive appearance, roomy cut for supreme comfort

WAIST SIZES FROM 32" UP TO 60"

SAVE UP TO £20

NOW FROM ONLY

£35 PER PAIR

FREE DELIVERY FREE RETURNS

ORDER DIRECT FROM CHUMS – ONE OF THE UK'S LEADING SUPPLIERS OF FAMOUS FARAH BRAND. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS SPECIAL PRESS

PROMOTION SAVING YOU UP TO £20 A PAIR! Tailored in quick drying, hard wearing polyester yarn that is crease and machine washable returning its distinctive good looks wash after wash. You can choose either style MT215 with 2 Slant front Pockets or style MT216 with 2 frogmouth front Pockets. Both styles are packed with premium features like straight leg styling, 2 back pockets with button fastening, an internal waist bearer providing additional closure helping the front to lay flat and preventing the fly from gaping over, a zip fly and hook bar fastening. Not to mention the Gripper waist band on the inside to hold your shirt in place.

Available whilst stocks lost in sizes to fit you, but hurry as prices won't stay this low forever!

SHOP AT HOME – FREE DELIVERY TO YOUR DOOR – FREE RETURNS

Chums Ltd., (Dept. 34DM26), P.O. Box 94, St Helens, Merseyside WA10 1FG.

Please send me item(s) indicated PLEASE USE BLOCK LETTERS

ORDER ITEM	COLOUR	SIZE	INSIDE LEG	QTY	PRICE

Order MT215 Farah Slant Pocket Trouser

Order MT216 Farah Frogmouth Pocket Trouser

Order AA007 Leather Belt

I enclose Cheques / POs made payable to Chums Ltd for £ ____. Please write your address (inc. post code) on reverse of cheque or charge my MasterCard/Visa Account No.

Sub Total

UK mainland P&P

Highlands & Islands P&P

Cheque No

FREE

Total

SEX	☐	Wife	☐	PLEASE TICK VERIFY AT NUMBER AS ACONISED
EXPIRY DATE: MONTH/YEAR							CVC _ Ever 3 high on back of card

Title _ Farename _

Surname _

Address _

Post Code _

Mobile/Tel No. _

Email _

We have you to pay for this item? If you have any questions about your order, please contact us at 1-800-555-1000. We are not responsible for any errors or omissions. We do not guarantee the accuracy of this item. We do not guarantee the accuracy of this item. We do not guarantee the accuracy of this item. We do not guarantee the accuracy of this item. We do not guarantee the accuracy of this item. We do not guarantee the accuracy of this item. We do not guarantee the accuracy of this item. We do not guarantee the accuracy of this item. We do not guarantee the accuracy of this item. We do not guarantee the accuracy of this item. We do not guarantee the accuracy of this item.

Chums would be in need you are a lot of information, but it will be used to provide you and their use. We would be responsible for your use of the best of your own and the best of your own. We would be responsible for your use of the best of your own. We would be responsible for your use of the best of your own. We would be responsible for your use of the best of your own. We would be responsible for your use of the best of your own. We would be responsible for your use of the best of your own. We would be responsible for your use of the best of your own. We would be responsible for your use of the best of your own.

Chums Ltd Co Reg No 1000014

---

Page 74

MOTORING

by Rob Hull

Motoring Editor

FOUR hundred and sixty-five thousand, seven hundred and seventy-five. That's a big number to spell out.

It's also how many Geely EX2 electric hatchbacks were delivered in China in 2025, making it the country's bestseller across all fuel types.

So, why has it been such a huge hit over there? Mostly because it's dirt cheap. Starting from the equivalent of around $7,000, the price tag has done much of the heavy lifting in its domestic market, thanks to state support from Beijing and its localised supply chain.

Unfortunately, that bargain-basement price tag doesn't travel particularly well. The EX2 arrives in Britain from just under £21,000. At that price, it has to compete on merit in one of the fiercest-contested EV segments.

And you immediately have to rule out the £20,990 version: the EX2 Pro's 81bhp electric motor, with a 35kWh battery, delivers an official range of just 155 miles - too short for most buyers in 2026.

The reality is, the EX2 starts from £23,490 - the price of the mid-level Max spec. This, and the top-of-the-line Ultra, get a larger 47kWh battery and punchier 114bhp e-motor, resulting in a more useful 214-mile range.

Viewed from almost any angle, the exterior design is inoffensive at best. Feather-inspired lights aim to inject some personality but, overall, it's as memorable as

China's best selling car has landed on UK roads

a magnolia-painted waiting room. But what it lacks in visual flair it makes up for in practicality.

At 4.1 metres long, it feels larger than most small hatchbacks. And there's an extraordinary amount of room inside; even six-footers will have little cause for complaint sitting in either row.

Storage is another strong suit. There's a 70-litre compartment under the bonnet, and the 375-litre boot is almost on par with a VW Golf.

Cabin quality is decent rather than dazzling, with a mixture of hard and soft-touch materials. It lacks the style and finish of a Renault 4, but everything feels solid and sensibly laid out.

Equipment levels are impressive, too. Even basic versions

come with climate control, keyless entry, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a reversing camera and a 14.6-inch infotainment screen.

Geely is in the same parent group as Lotus, and engineers at Hethel are said to have tuned the EX2 for European roads.

BEFORE you start imagining an electric Elise, though, let's inject some reality. Even in range-topping Ultra model I drove, there's a noticeable lack of urgency when pulling away. So leaving busy junctions requires more planning than expected.

Once you've gathered some momentum, the EX2 performs

Big hit: Geely sold nearly half-a-million EX2s in China last year

much better. It's perfectly comfortable at motorway speeds and refinement is generally good, aside from some wind noise buffeting from the door mirrors.

Around town, the light steering and black cab-like turning circle make it easy to manoeuvre.

But ride is an even bigger highlight. The EX2 does an impressive job of soaking up the worst surfaces I could throw at it. It's not luxury-car plush, but it's one of the best-cushioned small electric cars in this price bracket.

My big frustration comes from the active safety systems.

The lane-keeping assist frequently turned country-road drives into an unwanted tug-of-war with the steering wheel, while the driver-monitoring system

seemed determined to tell me off every time I glanced at the touchscreen or checked the near-side mirror. Thankfully, both can be switched off pretty easily.

WHAT'S THE VERDICT?

THE Geely EX2 majors on the things that matter most to families looking for a smaller EV: space, practicality and comfort.

But the short distances between charges compared to all its rivals is bound to be a sticking point for customers.

There's also very little charm to how it looks, feels inside, and drives. And in a segment bursting with characterful options, the EX2 without the lure of a big saving in price is too forgettable to stand out.

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Page 75

EASY

STORE

EASY

OPEN

EASY

LOCK

EASY

CLEAN

EASY

ASSEMBLY

Keep your things SAFE, DRY and TIDY

And Free up valuable space from the Garage, Shed or in the house!

Folding chairs, the barbecue, toys, gardening tools, potting compost... the stuff we use in the garden seems to increase all the time. In this super-durable 1170 litre-capacity Jumbo Utility Cabinet you've a place to stow it all - and free up space in the garage, shed or conservatory. For use indoors and outdoors its fully weather-proof, made with a steel frame and strong, sturdy plastic body. Features a hinged lid at the top and double doors at the front - so even heavy sacks or two wheelie bins are easily placed inside. Attractively finished in grey and beige, this Jumbo Utility Cabinet is designed for easy home assembly. Dimensions: (external) L140xW81.5xH125cm, (internal) L135.5xW77xH115-119cm. 1170 litre capacity.

easyLife

• Fully Weatherproof
• Generous 1170 Litre capacity
• Heavy duty steel frame
• Easily padlocks for security
• Easy home assembly
• Reinforced plastic body
• Measures L140 xW81 xH125cm

KEEP EVERYTHING TIDY, DRY AND SECURE! SAVE £150 TODAY! NOW ONLY £199.99

0800 055 7777

Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sat-Sun 9am-5pm

www.easylife.co.uk/jumbo

Post coupon to: Easylife (Dept TPE824) Walbrook West, Queenborough Road, Sheerness, Kent ME12 3XT.

Quote or enter OFFER CODE TPE824 when you order. Delivery is usually 2-3 days. Customers have 14-days from receipt of goods to approve purchase. If needed simply call us to arrange return of item(s) (condamaged and in original packaging) for a replacement or refund. Calls to 08/06 are free (mobile charges may vary). Easylife Ltd Registered Office 11-15 Kings Terrace, London NW1 6JP Registered in England. Company registration no. 05223842 VAT no. 760978435

QUOTE TPE824

If you are not totally delighted return within 14 days for a refund or replacement

FULLY OPENING FOR HASSLE-FREE STORING

Post coupon to: Easylife (Dept TPE824) Walbrook West, Queenborough Road, Sheerness, Kent ME12 3XT. Please send me:

	Item	Price	RRP	SAVE	Qty	Total
2730	Jumbo Utility Cabinet	£199.99	£349.99	£350
	Jumbo Utility Cabinet x 2	£349.98	£699.98	£350
	Standard Delivery				£7.99
		Express Delivery				£10.99
I enclose a cheque payable to 'Easylife/TPE824' for £ ____						Grand Total

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Page 76

HOTTER®

The everyday trainer with a twist

WONDER

An everyday leather trainer with smart quilted or perforated detailing, metallic accents and fatigue-reducing tech to support you through busy days.

NOW £55

More colours available online

Sage Perf Leather

Salsa Leather

3 FITS

HALF SIZES

LEATHER

ORDER TODAY AND SAVE £44 with code WN44PX

Call 01695 79 79 79 Mon-Sun, shop instore or visit hotter.com

This offer entitles the customer to purchase selected colours of Wonder at £55, a saving of £44 off RRP with code WN44PX, subject to availability. Offer valid until 21st September 2026. For full T&C's, visit hotter.com/page/terms-conditions

• British designed and manufactured
• Safely lowers and raises you at the click of a button
• Battery operated, no wiring or cables just recharge every 7-10 days
• Belt retracts into cassette for normal bath use for other family members
• Stud walls no problem
• Normally fitted in under an hour

Dolphin

bathing

For a FREE brochure call us on:

0800 011 4369

TRY IT OUT!

WITH A FREE 'DRY'

HOME DEMO

ALSO, ASK ABOUT OUR RANGE OF MOBILITY SCOOTERS AND STAIRLIFTS.

Dolphin, Britains household name in mobility

---

Page 77

Fast and reliable UK delivery service with easy returns order today at cottontraders.com 0844 844 1111

Enter product code, add to your basket and then add your promotional code to apply your savings online. 14 day money back guarantee if not completely satisfied.

Trustpilot

★★★★★

Sweet dreams

come in 100% cotton

HALF

PRICE

now £16

CORNFLOWER BLUE PACK

2 PACK JERSEY NIGHTDRESSES

£32 £16 HALF PRICE

A two-pack of 100% cotton nightdresses featuring one printed and one plain design, finished with pretty lettuce edge trims and gentle gathers to the neckline.

Sizes 10/12 14/16 18/20 22/24

Machine Washable

100% Cotton

Burgundy Cornflower Blue

AJ10926

Plus only £3.99 standard delivery

Post to: Cotton Traders, Neptune House, Pacific Court, Pacific Road, Altrincham, Cheshire WA14 5BJ

PRODUCT CODE	SIZE	1ST COLOUR CHOICE	2ND COLOUR CHOICE	QTY	TOTAL

Name

Address

Postcode

Telephone

Card Number

Expiry Date

Security Code*

UK STANDARD DELIVERY

TOTAL

£3.99

PLEASE USE THIS PROMOTIONAL CODE PLUS AML YOUR NEED

D409

Cheque payable to: Cotton Traders Limited

Payment taken at point of order. We aim to deliver within 3 working days from dispatch, stock subject to availability. We comply with Consumer Contract Regulations; you have the right to cancel your order no later than 14 days after the day on which you receive your goods. Inform us of your wish to cancel in writing, by letter or email. Returns are not free, full details are on your delivery note. Return goods within 28 days of cancellation. Calls to 0844 numbers will cost 7p per minute plus your phone company's access charge. £3.99 UK standard delivery. International delivery, see website for prices. Offer applies to purchases in GBP only. Exception is Ireland orders which will be charged in EUR at the net conversion rate. Prices quoted are correct at time of production but can vary. One promotion per order. Marketing and Promotions: We want to make sure you don't miss out on our great products and offers, so we will keep you informed by post. If you do not want to hear from us, please let us know. I do not want to be contacted by: Post : We take your privacy seriously. For details of our privacy policy and full terms and conditions visit cottontraders.com. *Last 3 digits on back of card. This is mandatory to process your order. Offer ends 31.12.2026

---

Page 78

Struggle to get in and out of your old bath? NO WORRIES!

BATH OUT - SHOWER IN - IN JUST ONE DAY!*

Designed to fit in the same space as your old bath, our Shower Module's unique construction enables it to be FITTED IN JUST ONE DAY* with NO MESS, NO FUSS and NO RE-TILING either!

• Hygienic easy clean tile effect panels
• no re-tiling or mouldy grout!
• Easy access - low step in
• Optional seat and grab rail
• Slip-resistant floor
• Built-in shelving

Trustpilot

Rated 'Excellent'

FITTED IN JUST ONE DAY*

FITS IN THE SAME SPACE AS YOUR OLD BATH

Time based on straightforward fitting. *Not in conjunction with any other offer.

FOR MORE DETAILS & FREE BROCHURE

FREEPHONE 0800 376 0110 ASK FOR EXT. 84023

VISIT WWW.AQUABILITY.COM

or return coupon to FREEPOST RRGY-AHAX-AHSX, Aquability UK Ltd, Farnborough, GU14 0NR

For more information and a FREE colour brochure return this coupon to FREEPOST RRGY-AHAX-AHSX, Aquability UK Ltd, Farnborough, GU14 0NR

84023

Name

Tel

Address

Postcode

Email

QuickSandy

YOUR CHAIR & SCOOTER SPECIALISTS

Trustpilot

Rated "Excellent" by over 4,500 customers

The lightest, most compact scooter ever!

PHOTOGRAPHY CO. UK

In partnership with world-renowned vascular surgeon Professor Stephen Black

Freephone 0800 043 7181

to order your FREE brochure today!

Meet a second chair or scooter half price who ordered together Ends 31st October 2026!

Quote code 'MAIL'

MASSIVE SALE

★★★ ELITE'S BEST-SELLING EASY FOLD WHEELCHAIR & SCOOTER ★★★

EML CARBON LITE POWER WHEELCHAIR

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Effortless Folding & Storage, Only 11kg

ELITE Mobility OVER 25 YEARS IN BUSINESS www.elitemobility.co.uk

0800 169 5910

CALL FOR FREE HOME DEMONSTRATION

---

Page 79

The normal size Walk-in Bath you can lie down or shower in!

• 100% watertight door - available either side of the bath
• Low threshold
• Optional powered seat
• Wide, roomy interior
• Thermostatic taps

FITTED IN A DAY*

Easy to use handset!

For a free brochure call

FREEPHONE 0800 316 9798

ASK FOR EXT. 66136

SALE UP TO 20% OFF*

Based on a straightforward fitting. *Not in conjunction with any other offer. Nationwide Mobility is a trading name of Aquability UK Ltd

Nationwide Mobility

Why have a stairlift? When you could have a real lift!

The UK's No.1 HomeLift

• Fits into any home
• Installed in one day
• Four cabin sizes, including a wheelchair model
• Runs quiet as a whisper
• 24/7 local service & support
• Free, no obligation home survey available
• 35000+ lifts installed
• Finance options available*

Trustpilot

0800 316 9798

Visit us online for details.

*Full air service for details.

Call for your free brochure and quotation

0808 256 2861 Stiltz

www.stiltz.co.uk

PETER CHRISTIAN

THE Jeano

only

£60

buy 2 for £110 SAVE £10

The perfect lightweight choice for jeans wearers, these Jeanos combine the cool comfort of chinos with the flattering cut of classic jeans. Fashioned from soft-touch cotton, enhanced with a hint of spandex for durability, these jeans are the ideal warm weather choice for discerning legs.

• 98% cotton / 2% spandex
• Strong YKK zip fly
• 5 pocket western cut with brass rivets Money Back Guarantee*

Colours: Pistachio, Toffee, Azure Sand, Navy, Nantucket, Ocean

Waist: 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52*

Leg: 28 30 32 34*

"Highly recommended. Very good quality product. The jeans are both comfortable and smart. Excellent customer service and quick delivery." Joy, Fife

Installed New

Toffee

Azure

Navy

Nantucket

Ocean

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Enter 3D34 at checkout

Readers Special Offer

Use code 3D34 to order Jeanos (MT33) with FREE P&P

peterchristian.co.uk | 01273 493 393

24hrs online assistance | Order by Phone Weekdays 9-5pm Weekends 10-3pm

Order by Post — Cheques payable to Peter Christian.

Quote 3D34 with your order and send to: Freepost PETER CHRISTIAN

Go Online or Call for a Free Catalogue

*Free UK delivery (normally £5). Offer ends midnight 22/09/26. £60 minimum spend applies. This offer may not be used in conjunction with any other offer. Free returns within the UK only and subject to items being in perfect condition, in their original packaging and returned within 30 days. See our full returns policy online. A Division of Hills of Bramley Ltd. Co Reg No 0479/802.

---

Page 80

Take tips from woodland edge

Here's how you can find hardy plants that thrive in sun and shade

GARDENING

CIAR BYRNE

WE CAN learn a lot from plants that grow at woodland edges. In summer, they compete with thirsty tree roots for moisture while, in winter, rainfall is restricted by the canopy, meaning most are tolerant of dry conditions.

The plants that grow there are in shade for much of the time, but are also exposed to the sun. Many of our gardens have similar conditions, whether it is under a large tree or shrub, or in the shade by a house.

As summers become drier, we are going to need to experiment with different plants to find out what grows well in these conditions and looking at these habitats is a great place to start. At Pelham Plants nursery

Worth the wait: Limelight hydrangea bushes in bloom in the late summer

in East Sussex, they grow unusual species from woodland edges around the world suitable for a variety of gardens.

The trick is finding plants that grow well in the soil and climate of your own garden.

'Shade can mean many different things,' says owner Paul Seaborne. 'For example, if you have a dappled shade cast by an overhanging tree, that's perfect for most shade-loving

species, but a bed can be in the shadow of the house for much of the year, then in summer the sun will get high enough to scorch foliage, so you need to find plants that can tolerate this.' One thing is for certain though: 'These plants don't want to be in full sun in the middle of the day,' he adds.

Seaborne, who is co-ordinator for the Plants Fair Roadshow - a group of independent

nurseries across Kent and Sussex - says buying from specialists means you can get tailored advice for your garden.

In general, the bigger the leaf, the more shade-tolerant the plant. Kirengesheoma palmata, known as yellow wax-bells, is a herbaceous perennial native to east Asia, where it grows in mountain woodlands. It has large green leaves and black stems contrasting with pale

yellow waxy bell-like flowers and can grow to over lift high.

While this has not been the best summer for hydrangeas, as they like plenty of moisture, some varieties are drought tolerant if grown in shade, including H. paniculata 'Mojito' with lime green flower clusters that take on pink tints as they age.

We think of begonias as tender perennials which die in winter unless brought indoors, but there are hardy types such as Begonia grandis 'Heron's Pirouette', which will survive in a shady spot outdoors.

Roscoeas are another group of exotic-looking woodland plants, with dark green foliage and orchid-like flowers appearing in early summer.

Many ferns are also content in these woodland conditions, including Polypodiums, which cope with drought by retreating into their rhizomes, only to reappear once the rains return.

Finding flowers in the shade in summer is tricky but rewarding. Persian shield (Stroblanthes atropurpurea) produces hooded purple flowers from late summer lasting into autumn.

The white wood aster (Eurybia disaricata) bears clusters of white flowers with pink centres at the summer's end. 'Spine Tingler' is a true woodlander, with spiny, waxy leaves.

MORE GARDENING:

Page 82

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Page 82

ACTION PLAN

CIAR BYRNE'S ESSENTIAL JOBS FOR YOUR GARDEN THIS WEEK

Join grow-your-own trend

IF YOU have grown your own fruit and vegetables this year, you are in good company; the RHS has seen sales of grow-your-own items increase by 7 per cent year on year.

The upwards trend can be seen across the range, from herbs and fruit trees to seeds and edible plants. Potted herbs proved popular, adding lots of flavour without taking up too much space, with sales up by 2.7 per cent on the previous year, and 1,164 additional units sold.

Sales of fruit trees were up by 21.9 per cent, with 2,009 extra sold, while soft fruit was a standout area, with strawberries, blueberries and raspberries – as well as rhubarb – all

firm favourites with RHS customers. Vegetable seeds were also flying off the shelves, with a 5.1 per cent rise in sales, and an additional 2,603 packs sold.

Tomatoes continue to be one of the bestsellers, with popular varieties including Red Cherry, Tumbling Tom, Gardener's Delight and Moneymaker. Easy salad leaves, chard and beet-root have also sold well.

All the RHS gardens offer grow your own inspiration, from the World Food Garden at Wisley in Surrey to the Potager at Rosemoor in North Devon and the Kitchen Gardens at Bridgewater in Greater Manchester and Harlow Carr in North Yorkshire.

PRUNE WISTERIA

NOW is the time

for summer

pruning your

wisteria. Trim long

whippy growth back to five or six leaves. This keeps the plant neat while encouraging next year's flower buds. It also prevents unwanted growth from getting into guttering. Wisteria needs a second prune in late winter when dormant.

KEEP PONDS CLEAR

PONDS will benefit from a clear-up now it has turned cooler. If you have any blanket weed,

scoop out and leave by the side to let small creatures emerge. Remove dead material from pond plants and cut back any that have grown too vigorously. Top up wildlife ponds with rainwater, or tap water left to stand overnight.

READER'S QUESTION

WHY are my fruit so small this year?

T. Perkins, Gloucester THE simple answer is the lack of groundwater.

Like everything in our garden, fruit trees have suffered from this summer's drought.

The near two months of hot weather means harvests have come

early, but many fruit look smaller than usual, and there seem to be fewer gluts – when trees bear a large amount of fruit.

Even before hosepipe bans came into place, it was difficult to replace groundwater.

Earlier in the season you can try spot-watering individual trees, but now the fruit has formed there is little you can do.

Plant of the week

KNOWN as 'whirling butterflies', for its delicate and graceful flowers, Oenothera Lindheimeri has pure white blooms atop long slender branching stems with willow-like

leaves. Formerly called Gaura, it is a great border plant for late summer, flowering from July to September, and is extremely dry tolerant.

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CRYPTIC CLUES

ACROSS

13 Accost former racing driver linked to fault (10)

14 Gradually reduce a shade of colour in demo at intervals (3,4)

15 Old man facing deck at sea that's completely full (6)

16 Make a hole in article about Republican (6)

17 Like a preliminary form of speech after being revised in centre of muddle (7)

18 Fifty joined by German in game of chance (5)

19 Whirlpool overwhelmed dyke? Not entirely (4)

20 Contradict brute when agitated (5)

21 Very large sweater person discarded having bad smell (5)

22 Power source needing to be repaired with day gone (6)

23 Play this trumpet avoiding extreme parts (5)

28 Liken in sound of host at an event (7)

30 Overshadow pieces of footage taken in middle of week (7)

33 Close down and sell a dell and quit sadly (9)

36 First sign of winteria by tiled ground in a droopy state (6)

38 Exclusive apparel itemised to an extent (5)

39 Disclose entry to local school (3,2)

40 Start to see parts of a bird in playground feature (6)

42 Very tiny khs intermittently for periods (5)

43 Boy and side in a mess refuse to comply (7)

44 Harry and another chap embracing Bob (6)

46 Refer to place in hearing (4)

49 Regulars in, say, suits are unchanged (2,2)

51 Like a victim of scammers with no end of tricks, suffering debt (2,4)

53 Claim from old fellow among reporters (7)

55 Greek character lacking confidence, describing some peas? (5)

59 Drive shown by painter, perhaps, in place (6)

60 Desire firm sort to care for animals (5)

61 Foolish way melee ends? (5)

62 Number we let out around five (6)

63 English found in unusually bad chart is open to dispute (9)

65 In agreement, like travellers in a ship? (2,5)

66 Group given largely dry liqueur (7)

70 Some anticipating looming misery (5)

71 A hut is designed for temporary pause (6)

73 Unadorned front of theatre in island (5)

75 Grating noise in inlet heard (5)

80 Tense comic is idiotic figure (4)

82 Seeds of cereal grass showing profit? About right (5)

83 Tuneful 1970s group kept by executive in charge (7)

84 Where some cruises go, reflecting a topic (6)

85 Penny gets to grip hedge shrub (6)

86 A poor vibe about American of an insulting nature (7)

87 Golf hut twice revamped? That's considerate (10)

DOWN

1 Flute I played without any purpose (6)

2 Move just pram for gymnastic exercise (4,4)

SATURDAY Mail Puzzles

GIANT CROSSWORD

CHOOSE cryptic or quick, answers are the same. SOLUTIONS ON MONDAY

FOR A CHANCE TO WIN £500: Solve crossword to reveal the word reading down the shaded boxes. HOW TO ENTER: Call 0901 293 6231 and leave six-letter answer and details, or TEXT 65700 with the word SWORD, your answer and name. Texts and calls cost £1 plus standard network charges. One winner chosen from all correct entries received between 00.01 today (Saturday) and 23.59 tomorrow (Sunday). UK residents aged 18+, excl NI. Full terms apply, see Page 42. NEED A CLUE? Text HINT to 65700 for six answers, or call 0901 293 6235. Texts and calls cost £1 plus standard network charges. Today's clues available from 00.01 Saturday to 23.30 on Sunday.

3 Fury from park employee losing head (5)

4 Court duke reduced relief print (7)

5 Smear British media chief with a posh book (6)

6 First person over plates on and off showing food with cheese on top (5)

7 Des got awfully heavy fare (6)

8 A diary has outwardly some similarity (7)

9 Dispute claim (10)

10 One could stir shortly around opening of prom (5)

11 Excellent point by journalist about Conservative as standard (8)

12 Money needed before complete repair (4)

24 Very nervy university professor's first lacking generosity (7)

25 Classify grey poster close to office (5)

26 Last character in Caribbean has need for treatment, being wrinkly (7)

27 Brief thing shown on screen over year (7)

29 Postponed, like a winter sports gala? (2,3)

31 Companion wearing ordinary khaki-coloured cloth (5)

32 At intervals, sour Luke gets to brood (4)

34 Sales worker given promotion is hard to stop? (6)

35 Part of nasty element in eye infection (4)

37 Adopts UK tapes when broadcast (5,2)

41 Cover clue in novel about end of period (7)

45 Unexpectedly Kate's daughter is given a job (6)

47 Wrongly advise military intelligence over suspect deals (7)

48 What a dressmaker might say to attempt something risky? (3,2,2)

50 Bizarre rule as formulated about river (7)

52 Rodent turning up among many vacationers (4)

54 Aptitude shown by learner in country event (5)

56 Former president, nothing less, gets to move nearby (5)

57 Surprise with rise in bananas (4)

58 Bring up components in thong (5) 60 How one could designate part of a week to stop working (4,2,1,3)

64 Failed convertible over a bit (8) 67 Pass through versatile team defended by French father (8)

68 Fail to keep an appointment with live performer (5-2)

69 Turn at odd points with, for example, extra agricultural vehicle (7)

72 Total with German in high-level meeting (6)

74 Romantic person's inclination until now? (2,4)

75 Amateur arena, maybe, in tree-lined road (6)

77 A place to enter field has valued stone (5)

78 Insects following fruit with no marks (5)

79 Fake label seen in walls of surgery (5)

81 Opposing points about Irish lead (4)

QUICK CLUES

ACROSS

13 Accost (10)

14 Gradually reduce (3,4)

15 Completely full (6)

16 Transfix (6)

17 Prepared (7)

18 Game of chance (5)

19 Whirlpool (4)

20 Contradict (5)

21 Giant (5)

22 Power source (6)

23 Play by brushing (5)

28 Liken (7)

30 Overshadow (7)

33 Dissolve (9)

36 In a droopy state (6)

38 Exclusive (5)

39 Disclose (3,2)

40 Playground feature (6)

42 Periods in a month (5)

43 Refuse to comply (7)

44 Harry (6)

46 Refer to (4)

49 Unchanged (2,2)

51 Suffering debt (2,4)

53 Claim (7)

59 Pulpy (5)

59 Drive (6)

60 Strongly desire (5)

61 Foolish (5)

62 Number (6)

63 Open to dispute (9)

65 In agreement (2,5)

66 Liqueur (7)

70 Misery (5)

71 Temporary pause (6)

73 Unadorned (5)

75 Grating sound (5)

80 Idiot (4)

82 Seeds of cereal grass (5)

83 Tuneful (7)

84 Reflecting a topic (6)

85 Hedge shrub (6)

86 Insulting (7)

87 Considerate (10)

DOWN

1 Pointless (6)

2 Gymnastic exercise (4,4)

3 Fury (5)

4 Relief print (7)

5 Smear (6)

6 Thaws (5)

7 Heavy food (6)

8 Similarity (7)

9 Strife (10)

10 Item of cutlery (5)

11 Standard (8)

12 Repair (4)

24 Very tense (7)

25 Classify (5)

26 Wrinkly (7)

27 Brief (7)

29 Postponed (2,3)

31 Khaki-coloured cloth (5)

32 Brood (4)

34 Die (6)

35 Eye infection (4)

37 Adopts (5,2)

41 Contain (7)

45 Given a job (6)

47 Advise wrongly (7)

48 Attempt something risky (3,2,2)

50 Bizarre (7)

52 South American rodent (4)

54 Aptitude (5)

56 Float (5)

57 Astonish (4)

58 Thong (5)

60 Stop working (4,2,1,3)

64 Failed (8)

67 Pass through (8)

68 Live comedian (5-2)

69 Agricultural vehicle (7)

72 High-level meeting (6)

74 Until now (2,4)

76 Tree-lined road (6)

77 Valued stone (5)

78 Insects (5)

79 Fake (5)

81 Metal carrying current (4)

SUDOKU

FILL in all squares in the grid so each row, column and each of the 3x3 squares contains all the digits from 1 to 9.

SOLUTION ON MONDAY

1	7		9
				7	6
	6			5	9
	5		8		6
	7		5	6	3 2
4	8				5
		2
5		1	6	4
6	3				1

SAKURO

PLACE 1 to 9 in the grid so the number in each white circle is equal to the sum of the four surrounding tiles, and tiles of the same colour add up to the number in the corresponding circle below.

SOLUTION ON MONDAY

SUGURU

A ONE-CELL outlined block contains the digit 1; a two-cell block contains 1 and 2; a three-cell block contains 1, 2 and 3; and so on. The same digit must not appear in neighbouring cells — NOT EVEN DIAGONALLY!

SOLUTION ON MONDAY

				5
4				2
	4
				3
1	4	1

---

Page 86

MORE PUZZLES IN WEEKEND

1 Who wrote the 1978 TV drama Pennies From Heaven? 2 In Greek mythology, which sorceress married Jason and bore his children? 3 The two official 1985 Live Aid concerts were held in London and which U.S. city? 4 Which poet wrote the radio play Under Milk Wood?

PUB QUIZ

5 Stanley is the capital of which group of Atlantic islands? 6 What is the atomic number of hydrogen? 7 Which British singer-songwriter released the album Diamond Dogs in 1974? 8 Which is the main acid produced in the

muscles during strenuous exercise? 9 Women in Love and Gothic were directed by which controversial British filmmaker? 10 How many people are needed to play the card game contract bridge?

ANSWERS BELOW

CODEWORD

EACH number in the grid represents a letter.

Today, 3 represents R, so fill in R every time 3 appears. One letter is given in the control grid to start you off. Enter it in the correct squares in the main grid. then use your knowledge of words to work out which letters should go in the missing squares. SOLUTION ON MONDAY

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

Yesterday's solution:

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

your standard network charges. One weekly winner chosen from all correct entries received between 00.01 Monday and 23.59 Saturday. Answers change daily at 00.01. UK residents aged 18+, excl NI. Full terms apply, see Page 42.

NEED A CLUE? Text the word CODEWORD to 65700 to receive four clues 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.

QUICK CROSSWORD

No 10,500

ACROSS

1 Prevailing cultural trend (10) 6 Peevisness (6) 7 Blood vessels (5) 9 Scandinavian seafarer (6) 10 Venomous snake (3) 11 Notion or concept (4) 14 Vend (4) 15 Place to train (3) 16 Go beyond (6) 17 Chosen way (5) 18 Happening (6) 20 From that time on (10)

DOWN

1 Orienteering aid (3) 2 Spain and Portugal (6) 3 Become fully understood (4,2) 4 Plunder (6) 5 Stirred (8) 6 Jerry ... chat show host (8)

8 Provides (8) 9 Wine flavoured with herbs (8) 12 Superficial appearance (6)

13 Medical condition (6) 14 Choose (6) 19 High hill (3)

SOLUTION ON MONDAY

FRIDAY'S SOLUTION — (No 10,499) ACROSS: 1 Patella, 7 Neaten, 8 Run into. 9 Tier: 10 Inch. 12 Resists. 14 Outdoor. 15 Hang. 18 Stye. 20 Eclipse. 21 Rumour. 22 Shallot. DOWN: 1 Portico, 2 Tonic, 3 Line, 4 Another. 5 Part with. 6 Cement. 11 Hedgehog. 12 Rosters. 13 Segment. 15 Untrue. 17 Appal. 19 Ella.

GASPIRILD

To order Garfield Home Cookin' by Jim Davis for £12.56, go to mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 378 2937. Free UK delivery on orders over £25.

ODD STREAK

Odd Streak 'Striving For Quantity' ebook, available for £3.99. Email info@strawyloons.com to purchase.

CHILD & CO

To order Chile & Co. Has Anyone Seen My Love Life? by Gray Juliffe for £14.39, go to mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 378 2937. Free UK delivery on orders over £25.

FIRE PASSES

To order the Fred Basset Yearbook 2026 by Alex Graham for £9.99, go to mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 378 2937. Free UK delivery on orders over £25.

ALEX GRAHAM LIMITED

THE DAILY MAIL offers readers the chance to re-establish contact with long-lost relatives and friends. Each week, MONICA PORTER

features the story of someone who is trying to find a missing loved one — and a tale of people reunited.

DENNIS Phillips writes: 'Way back in the 1950s and 1960s, I had a best friend in Hornsey, north London. His name was Bernard Smith. We grew up together, played, went fishing and spent many happy hours riding on our motorcycles. He later moved to Haverhill, Suffolk, to continue his job as a draughtsman. I got married in 1966, and moved to Stevenage in Hertfordshire. Sometime, we lost contact, and I didn't have the opportunity to see how he had progressed in life. 'He had an older brother, Geoffrey, and a cousin, Janet, who lived next door to him Hornsey. I did hear that Janet

MISSING...

married and moved to St Neots in Cambridgeshire. 'My photo was taken in the dining hall at Butlin's in Bognor Regis, and shows Bernard on the left, with me next to him. At the time, I was working as a Postal and Telegraph Officer, which was a posh name for a counter clerk when the Post Office was part of the Civil Service. Bernard was a trainee draughtsman. 'I am now in my 85th year, and Bernard might be a year or two younger. I live in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire. I hope someone

Bernard and Dennis

reading this might be able to put me in touch with Bernard, or that you'll be lucky in tracing him. It would be great to meet up again after so many years.'

Delia and Gareth Winters in New Zealand in 2010

... AND FOUND

INSPIRED by the reconnections made through this column, Delia Winters asked us to try to trace her cousin, Betty Leeming, in New Zealand. Delia and husband Gareth visited Betty near Wellington in 2010. But in recent years, Delia has been unable to reach Betty, who never

married and lived alone. This was a long shot for Missing & Found, but yours truly has an old friend in Wellington, who learnt that sadly, Betty passed away at the end of last year. 'I'm so sorry we didn't get to see her one last time,' says Delia, 'but thank you for solving the mystery for us.'

■ IF THERE is someone you'd like to trace, send an email to monica.porter@dailymail.co.uk, including your phone number. Alternatively, write

to Missing and Found, Letters Department, Daily Mail, 9 Derry Street, London W8 5HY. All communications answered as soon as possible.

FUTOSHIKI

FILL blank squares so every row and column contains 1 to 5 once only. Symbols between squares indicate if a number is larger (-) or smaller (<) than the number next to it.

PUB QUIZ ANSWERS:

1 Dennis Potter 2 Medea 3 Philadelphia 4 Dylan Thomas 5 The Falkland Islands 6 One 7 David Bowie 8 Lactic 9 Ken Russell 10 Four.

SOLUTION ON MONDAY

---

Page 87

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Page 88

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Each patch contains a blend of the following ingredients Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B6, Magnesium, Carnitine Tartrate, Zinc, Turmeric and Black Pepper. This patch contains 4 B-vitamins that contribute to the normal function of the nervous system. In addition to magnesium, from magnesium aspartate, which supports healthy nerves and nervous systems. Turmeric with active curcuminoids has been added to reduce inflammation and associated inflammatory pain.

Our Sciaticure Patches.

Each Sciaticure sciatica patch contains 9 active ingredients to support your health goals. Simply apply one patch a day to areas of pain to gain a range of health benefits.

SCIATICA DIAGNOSIS

Sciatica is the pain caused when the sciatic nerve is compressed or irritated and is usually felt in the lower back, buttocks and legs but can also affect the upper back and neck. The pain can be extremely severe leaving you with numbness in the feet and legs, tingling and fatigue to name but a few. Treatment will depend on the severity and underlying cause of the pain. Sciaticure Patches could be your non-invasive solution.

AGILITY

HEALTH SOLUTIONS

CUSTOMER REVIEW

WHY THE SKIN? WHY A PATCH?

First, they are generally easier to use for some and work just as quickly or even faster than pills. The skin is one of the best organs for administering drugs into the bloodstream, where the active ingredients are then distributed throughout the body. With oral medications, the active ingredient is metabolized (broken down) in the digestive tract, liver and kidneys, which can lead to side effects. While topicals also pass through the liver and kidneys, they don't go through the digestive tract.

Sciaticure Sciatic Nerve Patch:

• Reduce inflammation and associated inflammatory discomfort
• 9 active ingredients
• With Vits B1, B2, B3, B6
• With Turmeric & Piperine
• 30 Adhesive Dermal Patches

Exceptional – It was a bit sceptical, but not anymore brilliant, within a week there was such a difference. Before I started to use the patches, I couldn't move trying to get off the sofa and bed and was getting excruciating pain, walking was just as bad. These little patches are fantastic. Highly recommended.

Stella Davies – Buckinghamshire

I felt I had to write; I herniated my disc 3 years ago. I thought it had almost healed however last November it went again. I was in searing agonising pain! LA LS herniation with paracentral nerve compression, I need a discectomy. I'm waiting !!! In the meantime, I have gone through various pain meds and ended up on morphine patches. I still have weak legs, stiff joints, and some days I can't dress, walk or move. Last week in desperation I searched sciatic relief and fell on your patches online... I ordered some and Friday I put on my first patch.

What magic is this???? By Friday afternoon I was cleaning the house, cooking tea, and feeling like the old me! Saturday (we've just moved home) I unpacked clothes that have sat for weeks, ran to the shops, more cleaning...all day until 7pm!!! Yes, I ached and yes, I paid for over doing it on Sunday and worried they weren't working anymore... then today I'm up tidying, general housework and living!!

I'm by no means cured - but that searing pain is gone! I can cope, I can live again where I previously couldn't and at my darkest told my husband I couldn't do this anymore...

Thank You!!!

PS: My dog's groomer went home with one on the other day - she's now ordering some and I've just recommended these to 30k followers in my Facebook support group!!!

Thank you. Thank You, Thank You!!! - Natalie Kenney - West Yorkshire

WORKS FAST,

FROM ONLY

DISCOUNT COUPON VALUE

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CALL FREE ON 0800 288 8759

Pay a bank (10 cents a day) via bank! Carry in your mail. For payment on cash please call 0800 288 8759 at Sunday. Please visit them

Please Quote Product Code

BE599

MOBILE PHOTOCOPIABLE

Post to: Agility Health Ltd, 3 Leslie Avenue, Worcester, Worcestershire WR3 7DF

BE599 - 1 Month's Supply = £24.99 + £3.95 postage=TOTAL £28.94

BE599-2 - 2 Months' Supply = £39.98 + £3.95 postage=TOTAL £43.93 SAVE £10

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Delivery is totally within one week, but please allow to ship. If you do not wish to receive after interesting offers from our catalog sales tax partner appears into this box ☐ If you're not delighted with your Sciaticure Patches return for refund (see F&PL in its original condition and packaging to Agility Health Ltd, 3 Leslie Avenue, Worcester, Worcestershire WR3 7DF. Used items cannot be refunded or returned due to buggies.

---

Page 89

City Finance

City Editor: Alex Brummer

www.tlaismonkeycook

Business Editor: Hugo Duncan

Be bold to tackle surging debt

PITY John Healey. He has been Chancellor for only a month but he is close to being the first to preside over a whopping £3trillion of national debt.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics show the Government borrowed £1.8bn in July – an astonishing £700m more than a year ago.

What's more staggering is that the increase in borrowing came despite a higher tax take, because Labour spent £2bn more on welfare benefits compared with a year ago – taking the monthly bill to almost £300m.

So far this financial year Labour has borrowed £56.7bn, well ahead of the Office for Budget Responsibility's forecast of £54.4bn. That in turn takes the national debt to £2.99trillion – or 94pc of GDP, up some £960m on a year earlier.

Perhaps the most worrying figure is that

Healey spent £7.7bn on interest payments in July alone, nearly 10pc up on a year ago.

The bond markets didn't like these numbers one little bit: The yield on ten-year UK gilts is now more than 5pc – around the highest in nearly 20 years – while the yield on the 30-year gilt is hovering at 5.8pc.

Investors can see that Healey is not only close to breaching the so-called magic fiscal rules but is no longer in control of spending.

His headroom – more like a headache –

has fallen from £24bn at the Spring Statement to about £8bn today.

What, then, should Healey do in his first Budget on October 28?

The kite-flying suggests he will go for £25bn or so of tax hikes, coming down hard on business and investment again.

Yet raising taxes again would be utter insanity. As anyone with an ounce of nous knows, insanity is doing the same thing time and time again hoping for a different outcome.

IF ANDY Burnham, and Healey, believe raising taxes to balance the books is the solution, they are in proud cuckoo land. Heaven forbid, they could even listen to their advisers.

Economists such as Andy Haldane, head of the British Chambers of Commerce, argue another tax-hiking Budget will strangle whatever growth there is.

They must also look more closely at what's happening on the ground. The number of companies on the brink of

insolvency has risen 9pc in the past year to 53,756.

Housebuilding and construction is down, inflation is up and business confidence is in a state of stasis ahead of the Budget.

A timely report from the Institute of Economic Affairs free-market think-tank concludes the UK's horrendous tax system is probably the greatest threat to enterprise and initiative today than at any point in the past 35 years.

As the report points out, raising taxes on investment at moments of economic weakness – first after the 2008 financial crash and then after the pandemic – were major errors, with catastrophic impacts on growth. Doing so again would indeed be insanity.

Instead, Burnham and Healey have the opportunity to do what Sir Keir Starmer failed to do: Be brave enough to take on their backbenchers over welfare reform.

If that fails, be bold enough to take on the fight and go to the country.

By Hugo Duncan

PROPERTY guru Kirstie Allsopp has accused Labour of a 'massive own goal' after a tax raid on expensive properties triggered a 25pc slump in house prices.

The television presenter and Location, Location, Location star highlighted a report in the Mail this week showing homes in parts of London have seen close to £300,000 wiped off their value in the past year.

The collapse follows Labour's decision to raise stamp duty on more expensive homes and impose a surcharge on second homes, while introducing a 'mansion tax' of up to £7,500 a year on properties worth £2m-plus.

Responding to the Mail's report, Allsopp (pictured) posted on X: 'Massive own goal, they were warned, multiple times, but they knew better.'

It is feared worse is to come via tax hikes in the October Budget to fund Labour's lavish spending plans and expansion of the already-bloated state.

This could include a tax raid on middle-class homes as well as on the wealthy through capital gains tax and inheritance tax.

Official figures yesterday showed Government borrowing unexpectedly rose in July as spending outstripped tax receipts, highlighting challenges facing Chancellor John Healey.

A separate report from the Office for National Statistics this week showed the average value of a home in the UK rose 2pc in the year to June, to £272,000.

But while areas such as the northwest and north-east saw prices go up by more than 4pc, London suffered its tenth consecutive month of decline, with values down 2.5pc.

The worst-hit borough in the capital was the City of Westminster, where prices fell 20pc to £854,198.

That wiped £290,624 off their value. In Kensington and Chelsea, prices have fallen by more than £215,000, or nearly 15pc, from £1.5m to about £1.25m over the past 12 months.

Other large falls were recorded in the City of London – down 20pc – while the average house price in Tower Hamlets,

Property tarration 'massive own goal'

The £290,000 London house price slump

High-end homes in capital down as much as 25pc – but it's boom time in the North

Daily Mail, August 20

and Hammersmith and Fulham declined by 13pc.

The highest rate of standard stamp duty is 12pc on homes worth more than £1.5m but can rise to 19pc for overseas buyers of second properties.

Stacy Eden, head of real estate at tax consultancy RSM UK, called for reform of stamp duty 'to reduce penal rates at the top end' and 'provide a much-

Kirstie Allsopp

Massive own goal, they were warned, multiple times, but they knew better.

Kirstie Allsopp's response

needed boost'. The tax increases have come at a time when even well-off families are struggling to afford expensive homes in pricey areas due to elevated mortgage rates.

A clampdown on non-doms and the threat of further wealth taxes has seen an exodus of many affluent people and entrepreneurs, hitting demand for housing in the capital in particular.

Sterling climbs on sinking dollar

By John-Paul Ford Rojas

THE pound hit a six-month high against the dollar yesterday in a boost for holidaymakers heading stateside.

Sterling climbed to $1.3675, its highest level since February 11, after an intervention by the White House into bond markets weakened the greenback.

It left the pound heading for a fourth weekly rise in a row, after it dipped below $1.33 at the end of July.

The picture for those planning trips to French campsites or Spanish beaches was less rosy.

Sterling edged up to €1.17, but in mid-July it topped €1.18. It is still well ahead of lows earlier this year when it sank to €1.14, however.

The pound's rise was part of the global fall-out after US Treasury secretary Scott Bessent injected billions of dollars into US bonds, arresting a market rout but undermining the dollar and lifting crypto.

Bitcoin neared $80,000 from below $63,000 at the start of the week.

---

Page 90

TESCO and Sainsbury's are staple ingredients of a well-balanced portfolio.

But a new political row over supermarket pricing is sparking questions over their beneficial effect.

Following Prime Minister Andy Burnham's pledge to crack down on consumer rip-offs, Chancellor John Healey says the Government is 'watching closely for any suggestions customers are being taken for a ride at the pump or till'.

Concerns the Budget could contain measures to make a weekly shop more affordable have turned a spotlight on shares in Tesco, Sainsbury's and Marks & Spencer – the stock-market-quoted names in Britain's £190bn grocery market.

Should supermarkets be braced for Budget blows? Or can Tesco and Sainsbury's disprove claims they offer misleading discounts to their loyalty scheme clientele? Tesco's might is built on its Clubcard scheme, while Sainsbury's relies on its Nectar programme.

Price-gouging accusations come from Giles Hurley, UK chief executive of Aldi, the private German chain without a loyalty scheme.

The controversy has reignited on the fifth anniversary of the start of the cost-of-living crisis in August 2021 when the rate of inflation leapt to 3.2pc, peaking at 11pc in October 2022.

The current inflation rate is 2.9pc. Energy costs are going up, but food inflation stands at 1.3pc.

The long, hot summer may have boosted sales of drinks, ice cream and snacks. But drought in the UK and Europe is set to cause crop shortages that could raise prices on supermarket shelves.

Against this background, retail analyst Clive Black defends the listed supermarkets. They may be huge businesses, but profit margins are tiny.

Tesco's is just 4.3pc, a consequence of what Ken Murphy, its chief executive (pictured), calls an 'intensely competitive market'.

Aldi, Asda, Lidl, M&S, Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Tesco are engaged in a remorseless fight for customers. Currently, they support households by 'absorbing undoubted cost pressures', says Black, who thinks the Government should recognise that rather than being swindled by supermarkets, we are paying too little for our food.

Investing in the sector has long been consid-

ered a defensive strategy. But should the campaign against these household names, however ill-thought out, put us on our guard? Here's your guide.

ABUSE OF PRICING POWER?

INVESTORS can take some comfort from the 2023 Competition and Markets Authority investigation, which found no evidence of profiteering.

Susannah Streeter, of the Wealth Club, says that if the probe is reopened, the supermarkets' wafer-thin margins suggest the Government will struggle to find evidence of price-gouging.

More recently, the former chancellor Rachel Reeves was forced to step back from price caps on bread, eggs, milk and other staples in the wake of a backlash from the Bank of England and retailers.

Stuart Machin, chief

Your recipe for success?

Our expert spills the beans on investing in grocers

executive of M&S, declared the idea 'completely preposterous', adding that his chain lost money on items such as milk 'at a negative 7pc margin.'

But Streeter adds that Aldi may think it has nothing to lose from taking the moral high ground.

Tesco and Sainsbury's would have to defend discounts against the assertion that they artificially inflate prices and then lower them. If sufficient publicity surrounds such a war of words, customers could become suspicious which could be bad news for sales – and shares.

At the same time Lale Akoner, global strategist at eToro, says grocers will come under pressure

to keep prices down, even as energy, wages and overheads go up. But if you believe that the British trust in supermarkets may be greater than our confidence in any government, this is the outlook.

TESCO

THE £28.5bn titan of the grocery trade, with 28.5pc of the market. Its

SHARE PRICE PERFORMANCE

	TESCO	Sainsbury's	M&S
Past six months	7pc	6pc	4pc
One year	5pc	8pc	16pc
Five years	80pc	3pc	132pc

empire also encompasses food wholesaler Booker and 568 central European stores, although these may be sold off, spelling an end to global dominance ambitions.

Tesco shares stand at 457.2p, having fallen 7.4pc over the past six months amid apprehension over the national drought.

However, at the height of alarm over the 2014 accounting scandal that engulfed it, the shares slumped as low as 169p.

Today the average target price is 550p. Bank of America is a fan, citing its strong return on capital and reckoning it can take market share from 'structurally weaker' rivals... like Morrisons?

But Clive Black, although a long-term admirer, believes the shares are fairly valued at their current level.

I am a long-term holder of Tesco, as I impressed by so many aspects of the business. The

firm offers 'more-dash-than-cash' fashion under the F&F label, and its Finest premium private label range skilfully caters for households looking for restaurant-level cuisine – and it can rely on Booker.

This sway should ensure Tesco benefits from the best deals with food producers in months ahead.

SAINSBURY'S

BRITAIN'S number two supermarket has a 15.2pc market share. Asda, Aldi, Lidl and Morrisons have 11.5pc, 10.7pc, 8.8pc and 8.5pc respectively.

The £7.4bn business is selling off its Argos homeware arm in February to pursue a 'food-first' strategy.

That news gave a small lift to the shares – the City prefers supermarkets content to be humble grocers.

Currently, however, just two analysts that follow the shares

rate them a 'buy' at 333.5p. The rest consider Sainsbury's a 'hold'.

As Akoner explains, there remain questions as to whether it can sustain its recent market-share gain while protecting its margins in an increasingly price-sensitive environment.

It also seems brokers would like Sainsbury's chief executive Simon Roberts to snap up a competitor.

In 2018, the business was barred from acquiring Asda. But a potential target is the US private equity-owned Morrisons.

Worth staying on board to observe whether increased political scrutiny reshapes the sector.

MARKS & SPENCER

M&S is the fastest-growing name in grocery, controlling 4.5pc of the market following a 16pc bounce in sales in the four weeks to August 9, helped by its restyled Sparks loyalty programme and the popularity of its 'picky bits' – snacks for sultry summer evenings when it's too hot to cook.

Food is the 'outstanding performer' in the £8bn company's latest results.

The shares have risen 16pc this year to 382.9p. A majority of analysts rate them a 'buy', with an average target price of 437p.

Am I going to stay loyal to my M&S shares? Definitely.

I am hoping that analysts' projections prove reliable.

---

Page 91

Businesses in 'critical distress' pass 50,000

MORE than 50,000 British firms are now in 'critical financial distress' with 'no relief in sight' as the Chancellor plots a fresh avalanche of tax hikes in the Budget.

In a gloomy report, insolvency experts Begbies 'Traynor Group (BTG) said the number of companies on the brisk has risen 9pc in the past year to 53,700.

Consumer-facing businesses were the worst hit, with levels of 'critical distress' among leisure firms and hotels up more than 25pc.

Ric Traynor, executive chairman of BTG, expects 'shockwaves' to spread to other sectors as energy prices rise and confidence fades.

And managing partner Julie Palmer sounded the alarm ahead of the Budget amid speculation PM Andy Burnham and John Healey are preparing more tax hikes.

'Businesses and investors will be looking for support and clarity as soon as possible,' she said.

'As we have seen before, most

By Hugo Duncan

firms can navigate choppy waters if they have time to prepare.'

The companies came after Burnham adviser Andy Haldane urged ruling out further tax hikes and red tape. The new Labour leadership is under pressure not to repeat the damaging speculation of the 2024 and 2025 Budgets, resulting in anxiety and caution. Haldane, a

'Hat-trick of stalling Budgets'

former chief economist at the Bank of England, said: 'Another long bout of fiscal uncertainty would risk a hat-trick of growth-stalling Budgets and further panic in bond markets.'

Economists think Healey could announce €25bn of tax hikes – on top of the China Reeves imposed.

Business leaders fear they could

be the target, having been hammered by a £25bn national insurance tax raid and higher minimum wages and business rates. War in the Middle East has hurt, too.

Traynor said: 'Against a backdrop of geopolitical challenges, there appears to be no relief in sight for distressed UK businesses. With insolvency rates typically lagging economic distress, we could see increases in insolvencies in 2027.'

'Rising energy prices are likely to push inflation higher this autumn, squeezing consumers just as borrowing costs remain devoted. That would be a difficult backdrop for most sectors, but especially those reliant on discretionary spending, where confidence is fragile.'

Palmer said: 'The persistent rate of critical and significant financial distress is a clear sign businesses are walking a tightrope. While some may be getting used to operating in this challenging environment, it is highly unlikely that business leaders will be feeling optimistic.'

JAMIE'S £1.5M DIVIDEND

AMID FALLING PROFITS

JAMIE Oliver and his wife Jools have paid themselves a £1.5m dividend despite their empire's profits falling.

Jamie Oliver Holdings, which includes the celebrity chef's restaurants, TV shows, books and cookery schools, said profits slid to £1.3m last year from £2.4m in 2024. The

dividend fell from £2.5m as sales of £28.4m were £68,000 down on the year, while sales at restaurants rose 17pc to £4.3m.

Oliver is considering opening 40 more Jamie's Italian restaurants in the UK after the success of its London site in Leicester Square.

Ratcliffe's Ineos to snap up strategically vital chemicals firm

JIM Ratcliffe's Ineos group is to acquire a key chemicals business described as 'strategically critical' to the UK after its joint venture partner went bust.

The billionaire's empire stepped in after Yvnova Runcorn entered administration

last year. Ineos Inovyn, an arm of Ratcliffe's group, said it would buy the 50pc of Runcorn MCP it does not already own.

The Cheshire business processes brine into chiorne and caustic soda.

Ineos is also acquiring Vyno-

va's ethylene dichloride-making facilities. It said the deal, which is expected to complete this year, would 'strengthen the long-term future of the site and enhance security of supply for customers'.

Ineos added: 'About 98pc of

chlorine used in drinking water treatment is supplied by Runcorn, highlighting the site's critical importance to public health and national infrastructure.'

It said it was an 'important step' in safeguarding production of 'chlor-alkali' operations.

'These products are essential for water treatment and food manufacturing and support a range of industries,' it added.

'Strengthening the UK's chlor-alkali backbone is vital for strategic autonomy and national resilience.'

Actual				52 week		High		Low
Aeropics & Enfices
Adler Bialle	2000	+1	68	27
BMS Systems	2100	+19	2201	1000
Channing Co.	2700	+20	828	1000
Chromb	1400	+4	1711	1000
Wada Kipra	1800	+4	1711	1000
Zanah	2000	+1	27	1000
Banks
Barco Centurals	1570	+24	1103	1000
Bentley	1600	+24	1204	1000
HBSC Hldgs	1700	+24	1204	1000
Low Finance	1800	+23	1201	1000
Loyola Belling	1710	+1	1701	1000
Metro Corp.	1700	+1	1701	1000
Metro Group	1800	+1	1701	1000
Star Charlered	2100	+1	2000	1000
Star Charlered	2100	+1	2000	1000
Star Charlered	2100	+1	2000	1000
Beverages
Ben Mkt	1500	+1	1701	1000
China C&I/MSC	4500	+1	1701	1000
Chin	1710	+1	2101	1000
Chemicals
Cooke Hotel	2400	+28	2401	1000
Chemmons	1700	+1	1701	1000
Janssen Mkt	2100	+2	2100	1000
Chin	1700	+1	2101	1000
Construction & Materials
Alden Energy	1800	+1	1701	1000
Berndin	2000	+1	2101	1000
General Group	2000	+1	2101	1000
Guider Sp.	1500	+1	1601	1000
Institute	1800	+1	1701	1000
Inder Group	2000	+1	2101	1000
Kim Group	1700	+1	2101	1000
Kim Group	1700	+1	2101	1000
Electricity
One Up	1700	+1	1701	1000
UKE	2000	+1	2101	1000
Electronic & Electrical Equipment
Alphar	1800	+1	1701	1000
Morgan Advanced	2000	+1	2101	1000
General Instruments	2000	+1	2101	1000
Hermitage	2100	+1	2101	1000
Eater Instrument Equipment
St. Marquess	2000	+1	2101	1000
Alphar & Gen Co.	1700	+1	2101	1000
Alphar	1700	+1	2101	1000
Alphar & Gen Co.	1700	+1	2101	1000
Alphar & Gen Co.	1700	+1	2101	1000
Alphar & Gen Co.	1700	+1	2101	1

TOP RISERS	CLOSING PRICE	DAILY CHANGE
Gamma Comms	1082.00	+11.60%
Hechschild Mining	640.00	+7.02%
Atalaya Mining	1000.00	+6.44%
Hays	72.15	+6.10%
Pan African Resources	136.10	+5.59%

	52-week	High	Low
Scottel Mortgage	1.000	+1.00	1.00
Sequoia Econ Mkt	85.00	+1.00	1.00
Sequity	1.000	+1.00	1.00
Sequity	1.000	+1.00	1.00
Sequity	1.000	+1.00	1.00
Sequity	1.000	+1.00	1.00
Sequity	1.000	+1.00	1.00
Sequity	1.000	+1.00	1.00

	52-week	High	Low
Longview Space	1.000	+1.00	1.00
Temple Bay	1.000	+1.00	1.00
Wrighton	1.000	+1.00	1.00
Wrighton	1.000	+1.00	1.00
Wrighton	1.000	+1.00	1.00
Wrighton	1.000	+1.00	1.00
Wrighton	1.000	+1.00	1.00

TOP FALLERS	CLOSING PRICE	DAILY CHANGE
Hunting	405.00	+4.47%
Chemiting Gp	570.50	-3.47%
Watches of Switz	680.00	-3.41%
Pets at Home Gp	212.80	-1.39%
National Grid	1171.00	-1.31%

	52-week	High	Low
Brick Land	1.000	+1.00	1.00
Brickland	1.000	+1.00	1.00
Brickland	1.000	+1.00	1.00
Brickland	1.000	+1.00	1.00
Brickland	1.000	+1.00	1.00
Brickland	1.000	+1.00	1.00

1. 2017年，公司与上海浦东发展银行股份有限公司签订了《关于使用部分闲置募集资金进行现金管理的协议》。

---

Page 92

MailFinance

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Daily Mail

EQUITY RELEASE AND LATER-LIFE MORTGAGES GUIDE

WRITTEN BY MONEY EDITOR AT LARGE JEFF PRESTRIDGE

*Based on research by the Equity Release Council (11 March 2024) https://www.equityreleasecouncil.com/news/2-8-million-people-find-mortgages-stopping-themselves-in-more-to-later-life/ Associated Newspapers Limited, trading as Mail Finance, is an Introducer Appointed Representative of Royal London Equity Release Advisers. Royal London Equity Release Advisers is a trading style of Responsible Life Limited, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Royal London Group. Responsible Life Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and is entered on the Financial Services Register under reference 610205. Registered in England and Wales under company number 07162252. Registered office: Princess Court, 23 Princess Street, Plymouth PL1 2BX

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RUGBY UNION | Daily Mail Sport 93

ALEX BYWATER in Newcastle

IN the early 1990s, Dan McFarland was a semi-regular visitor to Kingston Park while studying classics at Newcastle University. He met his future wife, Danielle, in the city.

More than two decades on, he is back. And in many ways, the home of Newcastle's rugby side looks the same in 2026.

The reality, though, is that everything has changed, with McFarland now the man heading the team's Red Bull revolution.

'I didn't shower myself in glory as a student, but I made the most of it,' Newcastle's new head coach tells Daily Mail Sport. 'I had three brilliant years here. I'd stand for matches at the bottom of the terrace. I don't remember any specific games. There's probably a good reason... but we don't need to go into that!'

No longer pint in hand as a student spectator, McFarland has a serious job on his hands with Newcastle, who are going into their second season under the ownership of billionaire energy drinks giants Red Bull.

With that comes expectation, Red Bull are not a company that settle for mediocrity, as McFarland and his players have found out.

Red Bull's training base in Salzburg, Austria, is not a normal venue for a pre-season camp for a Prem side, but that is exactly where Newcastle spent a week earlier this month.

There, McFarland's squad — which contains 26 new players for the start of the 2026-27 campaign — were treated to the full Red Bull experience. It included carrying one of the organisation's iconic Formula 1 cars across a field as part of their fitness training.

They also trained and worked alongside other Red Bull-sponsored stars in surfer Andrew Cotton, mountain biker Danny MacAskill, fitness athlete Harry Lightfoot and HYROX star Jake Dearden.

Newcastle's rugby outfit is now seen as a key part of the Red Bull brand, alongside the organisation's raft of other sporting teams and superstars. It seems to have already rubbed off on the squad.

'Red Bull is a unique brand,' says Newcastle's New Zealand flanker Tom Christie. 'So, for us, as Red Bull athletes, to be part of their family was an incredible experience.'

Full back Josh Hodge adds: 'When you start to step into the Red Bull world, it's a real eye-opener. When Red Bull has got involved with any other sports, they've made the most exciting teams or exciting individuals in the world. That's what we're trying to do, too. We want to be the most exciting rugby team in the world.'

Red Bull's significant financial investment into Newcastle brings with it an expectation of improvement. Last season, the club finished bottom of the table for the fourth straight season, a year after Red Bull's takeover saved Newcastle from falling out of existence.

Now, after McFarland's

appointment, a complete squad overhaul and significant work behind the scenes, there is hope of a turnaround in fortunes.

It is unlikely, though not impossible, that the club will go from bottom to top immediately. But what the club has to be is more competitive. That is what Red Bull demand.

'I genuinely don't know what is achievable,' McFarland (below) says. 'We're owned by an energy drink company, so our game has to be high energy.'

'We've got to play with intensity and we're preparing to do that. We want to bring a brand of rugby people want to watch. Red Bull are famous for wanting to push boundaries. They're brave. Having a worldwide company owning a

rugby club in Europe is unusual. They're breaking new ground. I was certainly attracted by that.'

This time last year, then coach Steve Diamond took Newcastle on a camping trip to the Lake District. Salzburg, where the club's hotel was decked out with an F1 simulator and table tennis table — alongside the state-of-the-art training facilities — represented quite the upgrade.

Red Bull's fingerprints are now all over Newcastle. Their impact has not been subtle. A near £1 million investment into a new playing pitch was the start and there are plans for a new training centre.

Newcastle will not spend to the Prem's salary cap of 0.4m this term but will do so in the

coming years as they look to attract world-class talent.

The Red Bull training camp has already made players at other clubs across the globe envious. England coach Steve Borthwick has visited Newcastle during pre-season to get a feel of the environment.

'We are a start-up club, so there is a process that comes with that,' says McFarland, who has also coached with Connacht, Glasgow, Scotland, Ulster and Kobe Steelers. 'Everybody at Red Bull understands they're not in it for the short haul. This is a project that's going over years. My job is to try and get it off the ground.'

Red Bull's impact on Newcastle has been significant in all aspects. Off the field, their backing means staff now have free lunches alongside the players as well as having their pensions boosted. A raft of new employees have been hired, video and social

Give us a lift: Newcastle players carry a Red Bull F1 car across a pitch and (left) Tom Christie takes a hit

CHRISTOPHER OCEAN/RED BULL

media managers arriving via Red Bull's marketing programme. A video of two Newcastle players doing a kicking challenge in Austria was shared by Red Bull's main Instagram account and soon racked up millions of hits.

There are plans for Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad — the F1 drivers for Red Bull's second team Racing Bulls — to wear Newcastle shirts on the grid of an upcoming Grand Prix. Newcastle's players will also soon be on the front cover of Red Bull's global magazine. It all forms part of the brand's awareness piece. The message is clear. Be bold. Be brash. Be successful.

The club is also attempting to stay close to its community. Newcastle's squad is split into four mini-teams in a nod to the area's history, each named after its proud association with the coal mining, farming, ship-making and fishing industries.

'We're representing Red Bull and we take that seriously,' says Christie, who has thrown himself into his new life as an adopted Geordie with trips to watch Newcastle at St James' Park.

'The people are mad for the football team here. We've got some amazing fans who have stuck with us when it's been tough. Now we're in a position to play an exciting brand of rugby, reward our fans and hopefully bring in new ones.'

Scrum-half Raffi Quirke and Kiwi flanker Hoskins Sotutu are Newcastle's two big arrivals, though the latter is nursing a knee injury. McFarland faces a tough task in blending in so many new players so quickly.

But Newcastle are not just planning a quick fix. John Fletcher's role in bringing through young players will be crucial to their hopes for long-term success and in 17-year-old Scotland No 10 Jake Daniel, the club has one of British rugby's premier talents.

Red Bull's investment is no guarantee of success for Newcastle, but the club now has pockets deep enough to challenge the best and, in McFarland, a coach who has a connection to the city. Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend is an ongoing Red Bull consultant, too. Time will tell if Newcastle's huge turnaround can yield results in the season to come. But one thing is for sure — Red Bull's patience will not last long if they do not.

'This is a club that has been linked to glory,' McFarland says. 'It's also a club packed with resilience, toughness and grit — all things that make rugby a very special sport. That was a big attraction for me in coming back to Newcastle.'

---

94 Daily Mail! Sport

RACING

NETTING ROAD

1.0.0—WHAT'S WORLD (4) £30,000 added (2) (3,200) 20m 10% (6)

4.4.0 MAN'S GOOD AIR (6) 0.0 (4) (4) 5-11.0 Coxchok (6)

2.4.0 PLAYFUL FIVE (1) (5) (2) 0.0 (2) 0.0 (4) 4-14.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4

2.0.0—WHAT'S NEWMAN'S ROAD (8) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4)

2.0.0—WHAT'S NEWMAN'S ROAD (8) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4

2.0.0—WHAT'S NEWMAN'S ROAD (8) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4)

2.0.0—WHAT'S NEWMAN'S ROAD (8) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4

3.0.0—WHAT'S NEWMAN'S ROAD (8) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4)

3.0.0—WHAT'S NEWMAN'S ROAD (8) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4

3.0.0—WHAT'S NEWMAN'S ROAD (8) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4

3.0.0—WHAT'S NEWMAN'S ROAD (8) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4

3.0.0—WHAT'S NEWMAN'S ROAD (8) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4

3.0.0—WHAT'S NEWMAN'S ROAD (8) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4

3.0.0—WHAT'S NEWMAN'S ROAD (8) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4

3.0.0—WHAT'S NEWMAN'S ROAD (8) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4

RACING BRIGHTS

1.55. 0.0. 0.0. 1.00. 1.20. Ex-

426 72. 71. 25. 86. 71. 2014 25. 1

CSP. 180.58. 1056. 19. 1.00. 2m

2.00. Ex. 24. 1.30. 1.00. Ex. 1.00. Ex. 1.00. Ex. 1.00. Ex. 1.00. Ex. 1.00. Ex. 1.00. Ex. 1.00. Ex. 1.00. Ex. 1.00. Ex. 1.00. Ex. 1.00. Ex. 1.00. Ex. 1.00

Pleasant 1.40.00.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0

Pleasant 1.40.00.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0

Pleasant 1.40.00.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0

Pleasant 1.40.00.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0

Pleasant 1.40.00.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0

Pleasant 1.40.00.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0

Pleasant 1.40.00.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0

Pleasant 1.40.00

Pleasant 1.40.00

Pleasant 1.40.00

Pleasant 1.40.00.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0

Pleasant 1.40.00

Pleasant 1.40.00

Pleasant 1.40.00

Pleasant 1.40.00

Pleasant 1.40.00

Pleasant 1.40.00

Pleasant 1.40.00.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0

Pleasant 1.40.00

Pleasant 1.40.00

Pleasant 1.40.00

Pleasant 1.40.00

Pleasant 1.40.00.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0[{"box_

---

RACING | Daily Mail | Sport

95

CHESTER

2.0.0 - WHICH ACT SUPPORTS SAFE GAMBLING HANDICAPPING (4) 650,000 added (£30,924) (₹27yds (10))

1	(1) 10 1820 - THIS YOUNTHS 12 (CADIZON (8) / Pristane 1-10 ... A Nourney (1) 1/4 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)
2	(1) 14 1720 - FIVE WEEKS 22 (5) & Bading 2-10 ... Jason Watson (1) 1/4 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)
3	(1) 15 1720 - WEDNES 20 (5) & P. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H.
4	(1) 15 1720 - THE PEASAL RAVEN 24 (7) (5) / Osborne 4-10 ... M. Carver (1) 1/4 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)
5	(1) 15 1720 - AGARUS 21 (7) (5) / Osborne 4-10 ... J. Garland (1) 1/4 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)
6	(1) 15 1720 - GOLDMONTS 24 (7) (5) / James Owen 8-10 ... C. Shepherd (1) 1/4 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)
7	(1) 15 1720 - RINGFORD 25 (7) (5) / Osborne 4-10 ... J. Paterson (1) 1/4 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)
8	(1) 15 1720 - ROSE 26 (7) (5) / Osborne 4-10 ... J. Paterson (1) 1/4 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)
9	(1) 15 1720 - ROSE 27 (7) (5) / Osborne 4-10 ... J. Paterson (1) 1/4 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)
10	(1) 15 1720 - ROSE 28 (7) (5) / Osborne 4-10 ... J. Paterson (1) 1/4 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)
11	(1) 15 1720 - ROSE 29 (7) (5) / Osborne 4-10 ... J. Paterson (1) 1/4 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)
12	(1) 15 1720 - ROSE 30 (7) (5) / Osborne 4-10 ... J. Paterson (1) 1/4 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)
13	(1) 15 1720 - ROSE 31 (7) (5) / Osborne 4-10 ... J. Paterson (1) 1/4 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)
14	(1) 15 1720 - ROSE 32 (7) (5) / Osborne 4-10 ... J. Paterson (1) 1/4 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)
15	(1) 15 1720 - ROSE 33 (7) (5) / Osborne 4-10 ... J. Paterson (1) 1/4 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)
16	(1) 15 1720 - ROSE 34 (7) (5) / Osborne 4-10 ... J. Paterson (1) 1/4 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)
17	(1) 15 1720 - ROSE 35 (7) (5) / Osborne 4-10 ... J. Paterson (1) 1/4 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)
18	(1) 15 1720 - ROSE 36 (7) (5) / Osborne 4-10 ... J. Paterson (1) 1/4 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)
19	(1) 15 1720 - ROSE 37 (7) (5) / Osborne 4-10 ... J. Paterson (1) 1/4 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)
20	(1) 15 1720 - ROSE 38 (7) (5) / Osborne 4-10 ... J. Paterson (1) 1/4 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)
21	(1) 15 1720 - ROSE 39 (7) (5) / Osborne 4-10 ... J. Paterson (1) 1/4 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)
22	(1) 15 1720 - ROSE 40 (7) (5) / Osborne 4-10 ... J. Paterson (1) 1/4 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)
23	(1) 15 1720 - ROSE 41 (7) (5) / Osborne 4-10 ... J. Paterson (1) 1/4 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)
24	(1) 15 1720 - ROSE 42 (7) (5) / Osborne 4-10 ... J. Paterson (1) 1/4 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)
25	(1) 15 1720 - ROSE 43 (7) (5) / Osborne 4-10 ... J. Paterson (1) 1/4 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)
26	(1) 15 1720 - ROSE 44 (7) (5) / Osborne 4-10 ... J. Paterson (1) 1/4 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)
27	(1) 15 1720 - ROSE 45 (7) (5) / Osborne 4-10 ... J. Paterson (1) 1/4 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)
28	(1) 15 1720 - ROSE 46 (7) (5) / Osborne 4-10 ... J. Paterson (1) 1/4 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)
29	(1) 15 1720 - ROSE 47 (7) (5) / Osborne 4-10 ... J. Paterson (1) 1/4 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)
30	(1) 15 1720 - ROSE 48 (7) (5) / Osborne 4-10 ... J. Paterson (1) 1/4 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)
31	(1) 15 1720 - ROSE 49 (7) (5) / Osborne 4-10 ... J. Paterson (1) 1/4 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)

3.40 - WINDOR 500 TEE STARS (LISTED) (1) 650,000 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)

1	(1) 10 1820 - BATE 1-10 (1) 10 1820 - BATE 1-10 (1) 10 1820 - BATE 1-10 (1) 10 1820 - BATE 1-10 (1) 10 1820 - BATE 1-10 (1) 10 1820 - BATE 1-10 (1) 10 1820 - BATE 1-10 (1) 10 1
2	(1) 10 1820 - BATE 1-10 (1) 10 1820 - BATE 1-10 (1) 10 1820 - BATE 1-10 (1) 10 1820 - BATE 1-10 (1) 10 1820 - BATE 1-10 (1) 10 1820 - BATE 1-10 (1)
3	(1) 10 1820 - BATE 1-10 (1) 10 1820 - BATE 1-10 (1) 10 1820 - BATE 1-10 (1) 10 1820 - BATE 1-10 (1) 10 1820 - BATE 1-10 (1) 10 1820 - BATE 1-10 (1)

3.1.0 - WINNOL 10 TUE 2 0 11 (Douga Cooked) 0 10 Par C Appleby drawn (6) 5 run

3.1.0	(1) 10 1820 - BATE 1-10 (1) 10 1820 - BATE 1-10 (1) 10 1820 - BATE 1-10 (1) 10 1820 - BATE 1-10 (1) 10 1820 - BATE 1-10 (1) 10 1820 - BATE 1-10 (1)
3.1.0	(1) 10 1820 - BATE 1-10 (1) 10 1820 - BATE 1-10 (1) 10 1820 - BATE 1-10 (1) 10 1820 - BATE 1-10 (1) 10 1820 - BATE 1-10 (1)

3.1.0 - WINNOL 10 TUE 2 0 11 (Douga Cooked) 0 10 Par C Appleby drawn (6) 5 run

2.0.0 - WINTOR 500 TEE STARS (SPONSORED BY BLACKWELL (2) 1/4 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)

2.0.0 - WINNOL 10 TUE 2 0 11 (Douga Cooked) 0 10 Par C Appleby drawn (6) 5 run

2.0.0 - WINTOR 500W CUTING HANDICAP (4) £32,000 added (£1,250) (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)

BOBIN GOGDFELLOW GMCBACK

2.05	Whip Cracker	2.05	Asuka
2.45	Lacy Golf	2.45	Lady Porter
2.15	Sticky	2.15	Gladys Pugh
2.05	Rocky 1	2.05	Angel Cresses
2.05	Black Charleston	2.05	Alison
2.05	ROBUST DRAGON (map)	2.05	American Style
2.25	Greenham	2.25	Chimachem

4.25 - KOBE SYSTEMS HANDICAP (4) (3-10) (3) 1,000 added (£4,270) (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1)

2.0 - KOBE SYSTEMS HANDICAP (4) (3-10) (3) 1,000 added (£4,270) (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2

2.0 - KOBE SYSTEMS HANDICAP (4) (3-10) (3) 1,000 added (£4,270) (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1

2.0 - KOBE SYSTEMS HANDICAP (4) (3-10) (3) 1,000 added (£4,270) (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1

2.0 - KOBE SYSTEMS HANDICAP (4) (3-10) (3) 1,000 added (£4,270) (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1

2.0 - KOBE SYSTEMS HANDICAP (4) (3-10) (3) 1,000 added (£4,270) (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1

2.0 - KOBE SYSTEMS HANDICAP (4) (3-10) (3) 1,000 added (£4,270) (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1

2.0 - KOBE SYSTEMS HANDICAP (4) (3-10) (3) 1,000 added (£4,270) (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1/2 - 1/2 (1) 1

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96 Daily Mail Sport FOOTBALL

Reds preparing fresh Minteh bid as £60m rejected

LIVERPOOL have had a second bid of £60million for Yankuba Minteh rejected, with Brighton holding out for a fee in excess of £70m.

The Seagulls are keen to at least double their money on the £33m they paid for the Gambian winger in 2024.

Daily Mail Sport reported on Thursday how the Reds were preparing a second offer, after having an earlier bid of around £50m turned down.

They have now also had that rejected, but are expected to return to the table.

Liverpool ideally want to sign two forwards before

By SIMON JONES and LEWIS STEELE

the September 1 transfer deadline, with Paris Saint-Germain's Bradley Barcola still their main target.

But Brighton are in a strong financial position and do not need to sell, especially given the imminent move of midfielder Carlos Baileba to Manchester United. They will only deal at the right price given their transfer model.

Minteh, 22, was signed from Newcastle two summers ago. He is out with a leg injury until after the September international break.

Meanwhile, Curtis Jones has completed a permanent

move to Inter Milan for £25.8m, plus around £4.2m in add-ons. The Liverpool-born midfielder leaves the club having played 228 times, 33 of which were in the 2024-25 Premier League title win.

Italian champions Inter were keen to sign Jones all summer and had several approaches knocked back, with Liverpool demanding around £30m.

Jones, 25, wanted the move after failing to nail down a starting spot and leaves the club he joined aged nine.

He follows in the footsteps of John Stones and Djed Spence, who have also joined Inter this summer in an English-heavy transfer strategy as they look to

Anfield-bound? Brighton star Yankuba Minteh NEX

retain their title. Liverpool are unlikely, at this stage, to replace Jones but are open to market opportunities.

Trey Nyoni, 19, is likely to be promoted to see more regular game-time, while James McConnell, 21, has also seen a potential loan to Preston put on the back-burner for now.

HERNANDEZ MAKES A DASH FOR FLIGHT AFTER VICTORY ON JET-HEELED BACIO

RACING

By SAM TURNER

JUAN HERNANDEZ had an urgent flight to catch so it was appropriate he was riding an airplane in the brilliant Bacio, who blitzed his rivals to land the Coolmore City Of Troy Nunthorpe Stakes at York yesterday. It took the Mexican rider's mount, a runaway winner of a Royal Ascot handicap for American handler Wesley Ward, less than a minute to scorch down the straight at the Knavesmire.

In doing so, the three-year-old exorcised the ghosts of Lady Aurelia's defeat under Frankie Dettori in the 2017 running of the Group One. Dettori was guilty of a premature celebration that day on board Ward's filly, only to find Marsha and Luke Morris had beaten him on the line. Ward and the MyRacehorse syndicate who part own Bacio could have been excused for celebrating at halfway, such was their colt's dominance from an early stage.

The 3-1 favourite sprung from the gates, taking just 2.25 seconds to reach 20mph, while a top speed in excess of 40mph allayed fears a soft ground Nunthorpe may see him struggle to get home.

Hernandez, who jumped in a helicopter bound for Heathrow to catch a 6.30pm flight to LAX in order to ride at Del Mar later today, said: 'When the gate opened, he was all fire. He was trying to go too early but I was able to take him back and save him for the last part.

'That was some performance. It's my first win here and something I never imagined before when I started riding in Mexico.' Starlust, third in 2024, went one better in second, while Rumstar was third.

Earlier on the card, Al Nayyir made it third time lucky in the Weatherbys Lonsdale Cup under William Buick. After being denied by a short head two years ago and finishing third last season, he finally got his head in front. In another Group Two at York, Arapaho Gold retained his unbeaten record to land the Al Basti Equiworld Gimcrack Stakes for trainer Michael Dods.

Westwood blasts Rory

LEE WESTWOOD claims comments from Rory McIlroy on LIV Golf were not 'well thought out'. McIlroy said on LIV players: 'I would argue, have they brought value to LIV?' Westwood responded: 'I really don't care

GOLF

what people think, to be perfectly honest. 'Rory's answer was just typical of Rory, really — it wasn't well thought out. There's a lot of players on this tour (LIV) bring value to tournaments.'

HBO Max | EE | SKY | VIRGIN MEDIA

Our trophy cabinet

There's LEVELS to this.

---

CRICKET: ENGLAND v PAKISTAN

Daily Mail Sport

97

Ollie good show: Robinson finished with eight for 80 '97

Root's rampagers are back in time to rea thanks to Robinson's loping accuracy and both-ways menace

Sizzling seam attack is taking shape

THE dressing-room kettle had not yet been switched on for tea on the third day of this first Test when England were celebrating a crushing victory and a pristine start to the second coming of Joe Root.

Their bowling heroes, once more, were Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue, who backed up five- fores on Wednesday with three more wickets each as Pakistan were dismissed for 135, to go with their first-innings 171. In all, they survived 85.4 overs, the equivalent of a less than a full day's play.

Robinson finished the match with eight for 80, and Tongue — who collected his three wickets in six balls after lunch — with eight for 89, both career-bests.

If Jofra Archer had started the rout by removing both openers, and finished it by persuading Mohammad Abbas to sky a slash to Dan Lawrence at backward point, it was these two, in their differing styles, who condemned the tourists to defeat by an innings and 103 runs.

Robinson was all loping accuracy and both-ways menace, Tongue limpe quicker and a nightmare to line up thanks to an action that goes beyond the perpendicular and obliges batsmen, especially right-handers, to play at balls better left alone.

When Archer and Gus Atkinson are back to their best, England will have a seam attack to conjure with. Robinson, by a silver, won the match award, though no one would have complained if they had done to the medal what they did to the ball two days earlier and saw it in half.

That followed meaningful runs for Jordan Cox and Lawrence, reinventing themselves at No 3 and No 6 as England reached 409, and an almost flawless display in the field. And if there was any

LAWRENCE BOOTH

Cricket Correspondent at Headingley

regret for Root as he discussed his first Test win as captain since seeing off India here five years ago, it was surely that Headingley is now off the rota until 2029.

This is not merely Root's home ground, but England's new spiritual home: a seventh win in succession was a national record.

The Australians, who have lost their last two Tests here, must still be chortling at the thought they will not have to visit the place next summer as they bid for a first series win in England since 2001. It is an act of self-harm the

SCOREBOARD

FIRST TEST MATCH

England v Pakistan

(Day 3 of 5)

HEADINGLEY: England beat Pakistan by an innings and 103 runs.

PAKISTAN — First Innings 171

Second Innings

Azan Awasir c Root b Archer	9
Imam-ul-Haq c Smith b Archer	10
Shan Masood c Cricket b Tongue	29
Abdullah Shafique c Brock b Robinson	16
Saud Shakeel c Lawrence b Tongue	14
Uygha Salman Joe b Tongue	4
Mohammad Rizwan b Atkinson	47
Ali Usman c Cox b Robinson	7
Khumen Shahzad c Cox b Robinson	8
Mohammad Abbas c Lawrence b Archer	8
Mohammad Ali not out	0
Extras (SC)	2

Total (313 overs)	135
Fall: 0, 13, 51, 68, 73, 76, 95, 111, 131.
Bowling: Robinson 11-3-29-3, Archer 10-3-1-50-5, Atkinson 9-4-11-1, Lawrence 1-1-0-0, Tongue 7-0-43-3.

ENGLAND — First Innings

(Townlight: 346-8)

SJ Smith c Masood b Shahzad	35
J Archer not out	23
J Tongue b Shahzad	9
Extras (34-1610-167)	21

Total (89.5 overs)	409
Fall: 36, 49, 199, 202, 322, 356, 364, 364, 392.
Bowling: Mohammad Abbas 25-5-78-1, Khurram Shahzad 31-5-1-133-3, Mohammad Ali 19-3-89-1, Ali Usman 24-1-35-5.

ECB may yet come to regret. 'I'd love to play as many games here as possible,' said Root, before diplomatically suggesting he should 'stay in his lane'.

Where once Pakistan would produce classy, batsmen, reverse-swinging fast bowlers and world-class leg-spinners, they are now deficient in all three categories.

Only Abdullah Shafique, in the first innings, passed 50, while their military-medium seamen's spurned helpful conditions on the second day. Mohammad Ali looks as hittable now as he did when he cost 5.5 an over on debut against England in December 2022. The fielding was a car crash.

Pakistan have now lost 19 of their last 30 Tests, and need to avoid defeat next week at Lord's to avoid tipping over into negative historical territory: after this game, they have lost as many Tests (153) as they have won.

The tourists had begun their second innings 238 behind, but for the second time in the game lost a wicket before scoring a run, Imam-ul-Haq unable to sway out of the way of a brute from Archer which brushed the glove en route to Jamie Smith.

Archer then had Awais caught at leg slip for nine, a feather in Root's tactical cap, though not the last: when Saud Shakeel worked Tongue uppsibly behind square on the leg side, Root had positioned Lawrence there especially for the stroke.

In between, Robinson removed Shafique with a ball that squared him up and took the edge, and later benefited from two sharp catches at third slip by Cox.

Tongue had Shan Masood caught at first slip, then pinned Salman Agha leg-before. Later, asked whether Babar Azam might return from his hand injury in time for Thursday's second Test, Agha replied with a smile: 'I'm more than happy to hand the captaincy on to Babar Azam.'

BEN DUCKETT

Defeated all ends up by a jag-backer from Abbas and embarrassed by a review that showed it to be hitting middle stump three-quarters up.

EMILIO GAY

Punchy response to a pair against Pakistan in last week's warm-up, but failed to fully cash in on favourable conditions.

JORDAN COX

Played with impressive tempo in an unfamiliar role at No 3,

ENGLAND PLAYER RATINGS

picking off boundaries and absorbing pressure well.

JOE ROOT

Took his England record Test wins as captain to 28, leading decisively in the field either side of a fine half century.

HARRY BROOK

Batted with flamboyance, but

another slack moment cost him a hundred. Caught smartly.

DAN LAWRENCE

England were already in credit when he arrived at the crease, making this the gentlest of starts for his return to Tests.

JAMIE SMITH

Soft dismissal, but excusable

given he was left to bat with the tail. Glove work was sound, including spells stood up.

GUS ATKINSON

Didn't strike until the penultimate dismissal, but generally kept things tight.

OLLIE ROBINSON

Set the tone with a first ball

wicket and didn't let up with his skilful probing, taking eight in a Test for the first time.

JOFRA ARCHER

6.5

Began erratically up the hill, lasting just two overs in his first spell, but gave Root new ball venom in the second innings.

JOSH TONGUE

Ran in hard throughout, breaching the 90mph barrier before completing what was his career-best Test haul of eight for 89.

---

98 Daily Mail Sport

Russell revived after girlfriend said 'yes'!

GEORGE RUSSELL, who needs a gulp of oxygen more than any of his competitors in the contest for the Formula One world title, claimed pole position for this morning's sprint race at the Dutch Grand Prix.

The British driver achieved the accolade 0.041 of a second ahead of his compatriot and defending champion, McLaren's Lando Norris.

Charles Leclerc was third for Ferrari, with Lewis Hamilton a slightly disappointing seventh-best in the other red car, a place ahead of Max Verstappen, who this week signed a new deal with Red Bull, worth £70million-a-year plus bonuses.

But, best of all for Russell, Kimi Antonelli, his Mercedes team-mate and nearest rival for the world crown, could only qualify in fifth.

Russell and Antonelli are separated by 59 points at F1's post-summer resumption in Zandvoort, with 12 rounds remaining if the season works out as planned comprising races in the Middle East in late November and early December, war permitting. Speaking at the Netherlands' seaside race venue less than an hour from Amsterdam, Russell said: 'It's great to be back here after the break. It's a circuit I love. It needs a lot of commitment. It was a tough end to the first half of the year and I'm really happy to come back.'

'The lap felt good. It all came together nicely. It's always difficult in sprint qualifying with just one shot on the soft tyre. The track always takes a step, the grip takes a step. McLaren look quick and Ferrari look quick, but I'm glad to pull it off when it mattered. 'It is only sprint qualifying. The big points are on Sunday so I will try to carry this

FORMULA ONE

JONATHAN McEVOY

reports from Zandvoort

momentum into tomorrow.' Russell, 28, has just proposed to his Spanish girlfriend Carmen Montero Mundt. He was thrilled she said 'yes', which team principal Toto Wolff believes may have helped lift his man's spirits and fortunes after a stop-start season.

He took victory in Australia on the first weekend of the campaign, but has not done so again other than in Austria three months later.

Sprinter: Russell is on pole. SIM BUDHAM

'George is coming back,' said Wolff. 'I think he feels so much pressure is off his shoulders after she accepted his marriage proposal.'

'Some solid work on the day and from day-to-day. He put the dots together and had a very good lap.'

'Kimi lost 26 points (of downforce) with a hole in the floor, but we managed to patch it up and it looked like it was completely intact afterwards.'

'The gaps are so close and he made a little bit of a mistake at Turn 11, pushing too hard on the entry, and it can go quickly.'

'On the long run Ferrari looked strong. We didn't have that pace. But it's the baby race. The important session is qualifying [today] for the Grand Prix proper.' There are only eight points for the winner of the sprint, but nibbling into that bounty would still be a welcome bonus for husband-to-be George.

TV/radio: Dutch Grand Prix, Zandvoort.

Sprint: 1am. Qualifying: 3pm.

Race: tomorrow 2pm. LIVE on Sky Sports F1 and BBC 5 Live Sports Extra.

By CHRIS WHEELER

MICHAEL CARRICK believes Manchester United have got value for money in an inflated transfer market that has seen their rivals spend millions more on midfield stars this summer.

United have paid £50million for Andrey Santos and £35m for Youri Tielemans, and hope to complete their midfield rebuild after offering Brighton £65m for Carlos Baleba.

But the club were priced out of deals for Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes, who joined Manchester City and Tottenham for £16m and £85m respectively, and Newcastle banked £167.5m from Tottenham and Arsenal for Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes. Despite concerns that United have been gazumped by rivals, Carrick is happy with his signings and what they cost. 'There's certainly players that have been more expensive, that's obvious,' said the United boss ahead of today's opener at Hull. 'We're delighted with the two we've brought in, and for the money of course.'

'But actually, take that away, I'm delighted we've got them. Certainly for the value we feel we've got, I think we've done very well with those two especially. Two fantastic players give us

Carrick is happy with 'good value' buys as he goes to Hull and back

really good balance, a lot within the team, and offer us different things.' As the club continue to pursue Baleba, Carrick added: 'Players have always come and gone through history here, and you've got to evolve. You've got to find ways of moving forward and ways of winning, essentially. I know we've got a good midfield.'

'We've brought in some really top players and really good characters, which is important. We're trying to improve the squad all the time.' Bruno Fernandes has also been the subject of fresh speculation over his future, but Carrick said: 'He's been a big part of the team and the club over recent times and had a huge impact, so he'll continue to do that.'

TV: Hull v Man Utd, 12.30pm, LIVE on TNT Sports 1.

Draper pulls out of US Open

JACK DRAPER'S injury nightmare continued yesterday as the British star withdrew from next week's US Open. Draper, 24, is still battling the bone bruising in his dominant left arm which had already ruled him out of the season's first three Grand Slams. And after two dispiriting defeats on the comeback trail in the US, Draper has decided he needs more time to recover. Draper was ranked No4 in the world last summer but is now down at 143. The former British No1 broke down in tears in his defeat by France's Terence

TENNIS

Atmane in Montreal before losing the final five games to Spaniard Martin Landaluce in Cincinnati last week. After that loss, Draper said of his injuries: 'It's a difficult place to be. It's got to a point where it has taken one of my biggest qualities, my fighting spirit.' World No1 Jannik Sinner also withdrew from the US Open yesterday as he recovers from a knee injury, but Carlos Alcaraz has confirmed he will return after four months out with a wrist issue.

taketimetothink.co.uk

11 TAKE TIME TO THINK

18 GambleAware

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FOOTBALL

Daily Mail Sport

99

PM eyeing World Cup bid

PRIME MINISTER Andy Burnham wants Great Britain to enter the race to host the World Cup in 2038 or 2042. Football, bumper tournament has not been hosted on these shores since 1966, when England triumphed at Wembley. The Prime Minister has identified the competition as a chance to drive investment, touring and regeneration beyond London. England reached the semi-finals of this summer's competition, hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico. The World Cup will be hosted by Spain,

Morocco and Portugal in 2030 — with Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay all hosting one match as well — before heading to Saudi Arabia in 2034. The next available events are 2038 and 2042. Burnham told colleagues at No 10 North yesterday that he is looking at how Britain could host the tournament. England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland are hosting the 2028 Euros, and after that Burnham is keen to add further blockbuster events, including bringing the Ryder Cup to Bolton and hosting an Olympics in the north of England.

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SPORT IN BRIEF

■ CRICKET

COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP - DIVISION ONE - The Rose Bowl Yorkshire (73.08.2 overs, Abbott 4-37) and 125-5 (463 overs, Loth SG, Hampshire NT 188.0 overs, 449.5-39).

Leicester Leicestershire (51 (62.5 overs) and 79.1 (33.3 overs), Klamorgan (52 (51) overs, Miler 4-36, Holland 4-30).

Taunton Somerset 488 (127.5 overs, Thomas 30, Nicholls 96, Raw Thins, Abell 65, Cook 4-32), Essex 710 (42.4 overs, Critchley 50, Leach 4-37) and 910 (118.0 overs).

The Kia Oval: Nottinghamshire 104 (86.2 overs, Patterson White 76vo, Lawes 5-45) and 167 (142.8 overs), Surrey 362 (66.3 overs, Stoke 6-44).

Edgbaston: Sussex (56 (47.4 overs, Wrokes 4-36) and 84-5 (23.0 overs). Worcestershire (61 (47.5 overs, Hunt 4-36).

COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP - DIVISION TWO - Derby: Durham 283 (94.0 overs, Clark 64, Lees 63, Stokes 53, Atchison 5-70), Derbyshire 127-6 (42.0 overs).

Cheltenham: Gloucestershire 150 (100.0 overs, Harman 90, Allison 5-74), Worcestershire 205-7 (68.0 overs, Coloalith 63).

Old Trafford: Northamptonshire 204 (39.2 overs, Bartlett 92, Anderson 4-70), Lancashire 68 (123.0 overs).

Northwood: Kent 350 (30.3 overs, Northend 87, Crowley 18, Roland-Jones 3-71) and 30-2 (30.0 overs), Middlesex 249 (55.4 overs, Milnes 5-33, Quinn 4-52).

■ CYCLING

TIME OF BRITAIN WOMEN - Stage 3 (Strat - Great Orme, 104.7km) 1 K Le Court (Mist) AG. Insurance Gruder Team 2mn 4tennis 10wns, 2 L Lippert (G) Mountain Team 4th, 3 C Anderson (Swe) (4) Althe Jayne 2th, 4T de Vries (Hull) Team 1kms (Lease a Bike 2), 5 C Otting Ludwig (Dae) CAWON (SWM 2), General Caudillallion 1 K Le Court (Top) AG. Insurance Gruder Team 3rd/4th, 2 L Lippert (G) Mountain Team 2th, 3 L Wishes (Hull) Team 3D More Pristine 2th.

■ GOLF

GP WORLD TOUR NEED CHAMPIONSHIP (Riverdown) - 2nd rd (Glor 6.41 unless stated for 72): 140 - W Southgate 70 70; 141 - S Norris (24) 72 90; M Jurigan 72 80; M Kintall (Swe) 67 74; J Jerrison 70 71; 142 - K Nakajima (Jen) 70 72; C Baker 69 73; M Marasone (30) 71 71; J Jacy Olesen (Dae) 70 72; J Kobe (Sp) 71 71; B Fisher Smith (Jen) 69 73; 143 - C Spree 70 68; M Louney (F) 72 71; K Aphiburrah (Thal) 72 70; D Young 75 66; E Walker 74 80; A Burginham (Swe) 70 72; 144 - A Sullivan 71 73; J Scribner (30) 75 74; C McKinney (A) 73 71; A Wilson 69 75; 145 - P Reed (US) 72 70; E Ferguson 75 70; A Elwago (AK) 72 70; S Sharma (Ind) 73 72; Y Paul (G) 74 71; F Zanetti (Pty) 74 71; J Raduia (SA) 72 73; 146 - C Lopez-Chacama (Sp) 72 74; R Maynard 71 75; R McCallen 70 76; M Pivon (F) 74 72; M Strickelman (Aut) 74 72; D van Tonder (SA) 71 75; L Nemetz (Aut) 73 73; 147 - Y Premlal (SA) 70 71; N Neergaard (Swe) 72 75; M Iwam (G) 77 70; J Sawn 76 75; S Barstow 73 76; T Johnson (Swe) 73 76; C Adam 74 73; D Garrelhury (SA) 73 74; M Lord 75 69; 148 - A Vorre (SA) 72 76; S Forrest 73 76; J Lagergren (Swe) 76 72; M Farris (Sp) 76 72; J Santoro (Swe) 73 75; S Crickley (US) 76 72; Renssby-Koen Lee (Nor) 72 76; F Mory (F) 69 75; A Levy (F) 72 76; L Barringam (Swe) 70 70; J Percio (Nor) 73 75; T Lewis 74 76; A Sutton (Sp) 72 76; 149 - Jang-Hwan Lee (AUS) 73 76; D Brown 73 76; D Ravetts (F) 73 76; F Larropria (Sp) 75 75; D Nodino (SA) 76 73; J Daly Jr (US) 72 77; G Graham 75 74; M Armitage 75 76; C Charnhauser (F) 71 76; D Bryant (US) 73 76; N Kinney 76 75; A Rahamian (Nor) 71 78; S Kankalalpa (Thal) 73 76; P Green (Sp) 75 74; 150 - A von (Inderghausen) (G) 74 76; M Li (Che) 75 75; J Guerrier (F) 76 76; D Gavins 77 75; J Campillo (Sp) 75 75; S Robinson-Trempson 76 72; J Gaddison (F) 75 75; S Forstmann (Swe) 72 78; G Green (Mall) 80 75; A Garcia-Mevada (Sp) 74 76; 151 - C Jarvis (SA) 73 78; J Vreeman (US) 76 75; M J DeRue (SA) 76 75; S Screole 75 76; F Catti (F) 75 76; T Choi (Che) 77 76; J Lothbury (SA) 75 76; J Vate 82 89; M Keffer (G) 73 78; 152 - M Hollick (SA) 74 76; M Maxwell (Nor)

73 78; I Cantero (Sp) 78 74; R Fisher 78 78; M Tooray (Ind) 81 71.

■ TENNIS

AIP & WTA CINCINNATI OPEN (2hrs) - Men's Quarter-finals: F Cobold (R) M T Paul (US) 2-4 6-3 6-4, A Fife (F) M T Strante (Arg) 6-3 6-2, Women's Quarter-finals: J Pepple (USA) M A Anderson (US) 6-4 2-6 7-6 (7-4), J Swickel (Pol) M C Runeke (Aus) 4-1 ret.

■ TODAY'S ACTION

(3d unless stated)

CRICKET - County Championship (day 3 of 4, 6am). Second Test (day 1 of 5): Australia v Bangladesh (Mexico, Iami).

MOTOR RACING - FIA Formula 1 Dutch GP - Sprint Race (Circuit Zandvoort).

RIGBY LEAGUE - Brefred Super League: Catalano Dragoon v Hull (8.0), Hull R A v Toulouse (5.30), St Helens v Cadilsford, Belfred Championship: Goode Woking v Swinton, Newcastle v Midlands Nurricanes (4.0).

RIGBY UNION - International Match: South Africa v New Zealand (4.0).

■ TOMORROW

(3d unless stated)

CRICKET - County Championship (First day of 4, 11am). Second Test (day 2 of 5): Australia v Bangladesh (Mexico, Iami). Second Test (day 1 of 5): Sri Lanka v India (Colombo, S. Bism).

MOTOR RACING - FIA Formula 1 Dutch GP (Circuit Zandvoort).

RIGBY LEAGUE - Belfred Super League: Warrington v Huddersfield, York v Leeds, Belfred Championship: Barrow v Whitehaven, Dewsbury v Sydney, Doncaster v Sheffield, Hunslet v Rochdale, London Broncos v Halifax, North Wales Crusaders v Keighley, Oldham v Salford RLFC, Widnes v Washington.

TENNIS - AIP Winston-Salem Open (North Carolina). WTA Monterrey Open (Mexico).

THIS WEEKEND'S FIXTURES

(3pm unless stated)

TODAY

PREMIER LEAGUE

1 Hull v Manchester Utd (12.30) 2 Everton v Crystal Palace Live on TNT Sports 1 3 Ipowich v Sunderland 4 Nottingham Forest v Leeds 5 Brentford v Tottenham (5.30) Live on Sky Sports Main Event

SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP

6 Birmingham v Bristol City (12.30) 7 Lincoln City v Portsmouth (12.30) Live on Sky Sports Main Event 8 Millwall v Norwich (12.30) 9 Blackburn v Middlesbrough 10 Derby v Cardiff 11 Preston v Wolves 12 QPR v Bolton 13 Southampton v Stoke 14 Swansea v Shelf Utd 15 West Ham v Charlton 16 Wrexham v Watford

	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
QPR	1	1	0	0	3	1	1	3
Millwall	1	1	0	0	2	0	2	3
Swansea	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	0	1	0	2	2	0	1
West Ham	1	0	1	0	2	2	0	1
Burnley	1	0	1	0	2	2	0	1
Wolves	1	0	1	0	2	2	0	1
Wrexham	1	0	1	0	1	1	0	1
Cardiff	1	0	1	0	1	1	0	1
Birmingham	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	1
Sheffield Utd	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	1
Derby	1	0	0	1	1	2	-1	0
Lincoln City	1	0	0	1	1	2	-1	0
Preston	1	0	0	1	1	2	-1	0
Norwich	1	0	0	1	1	2	-1	0
Stoke	1	0	0	1	1	2	-1	0
Portsmouth	1	0	0	1	1	3	-2	0
Bristol City	1	0	0	1	0	2	-2	0
Southampton	1	0	0	1	1	2	-1	-4

• Southampton deducted 4 points

SKY BET LEAGUE ONE

17 Doncaster v Barnsley (12.30) 18 Luton v Notts County (12.30) 19 AFC Wimbledon v Reading 20 Bromley v Cambridge Utd 21 Leicester v Burton 22 MK Dons v Huddersfield 23 Peterborough v Mansfield 24 Stevenage v Oxford Utd 25 Stockport County v Blackpool 26 Wigan v Leyton Orient 27 Wycombe v Plymouth

SKY BET LEAGUE TWO

28 Bristol Rovers v Newport (12.30) 29 Salford City v Chesterfield (12.30) 30 Walsall v Grimsby (12.30)

31 Colchester v Oldham 32 Crewe v Northampton 33 Exeter v Accrington Stanley 34 Fleetwood Town v Gillingham 35 Port Vale v Trunners 36 Rochdale v Crawley Town 37 Rotherham v York 38 Stevenbury v Burnet 39 Swindon v Cheltenham

WILLIAM HILL SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP

47 Hibernian v Kilmarnock OFF/PANEL 48 Motherwell v Aberdeen OFF/PANEL 49 Dundee Utd v Dundee (5.45) Live on Premier Sports

WILLIAM HILL SCOTTISH CHAMPIONSHIP

• Livingston v Dunfermline
• Morton v Arbroath
• Queen's Park v Stenhousemuir
• Raith v Ayr

WILLIAM HILL SCOTTISH LEAGUE ONE

• Aldrieensians v Ross County
• Coos Rangers v Peterhead
• East Fife v Hamilton
• Montrose v East Kilbride
• Queen of South v Alloa

WILLIAM HILL SCOTTISH LEAGUE TWO

• Clyde v Forfar
• Edinburgh City v Annan Athletic
• Kelly Hearts v Dumbarton
• Spartans v Elgin
• Stirling v Stranraer

ENTERPRISE NATIONAL LEAGUE

• Boston Utd v Altrincham (12.30)
• Carlisle v Hornchurch (12.30)
• Eastleigh v Scunthorpe (12.30)
• FC Halifax v Tamworth (12.30)
• Forest Green v Borcham (12.30)
• Harrogate Town v Barrow (12.30)
• Kidderminster v Aldershot (12.30)
• Solihull Moors v Southend (12.30)
• Sutton v Hartlepool (12.30)
• Woking v AFC Fylde (12.30)
• Worthing v Wealdstone (12.30)
• Yeovil v Gateshead (12.30)

SPANISH LEAGUE

40 Athletic Bilbao v Sevilla (4pm) 41 Valencia v Cella Vigo (8.30) 42 Espanyol v Real Madrid (8.30)

ITALIAN LEAGUE

43 Inter Milan v Monza (5.30) 44 Udinese v Como (5.30) 45 Genoa v Napoli (7.45) 46 Parma v Cagliari (7.45)

TOMORROW

PREMIER LEAGUE

• Brighton v Aston Villa (2pm) Live on Sky Sports Premier League
• Manchester City v Bournemouth (2pm) Live on Sky Sports Main Event
• Newcastle v Liverpool (4.30) Live on Sky Sports Main Event

SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP

• West Brom v Burnley (12noon) Live on Sky Sports Main Event

---

100 Daily Mail Sport

■ MANCHESTER UNITED have reached agreement with BRIGHTON over a £70million deal for midfielder Carlos Baleba. United had an offer of £60m plus £5m in add-ons rejected, but the 22-year-old was set on the move. The clubs worked towards a compromise and agreement was reached last night on a fee understood to be £65m, plus £5m in add-ons. Baleba, who is recovering from an ankle ligament injury, is due to travel to Manchester ahead of a medical. Meanwhile, agent Jorge Mendes met with Barcelona yesterday to discuss a potential exit for left back Alejandro Balde, who has drawn interest from United.

■ ASTON VILLA are favourites to sign Nicolas Jackson from CHELSEA after boss Unai Emery admitted Al Hilal's bids for Ollie Watkins are causing a problem. Villa rejected a fourth bid of £45m for Watkins yesterday, but know he is open to the move. They have offered him a new deal, but should they have to sell they need a replacement. Jackson has loan interest from Atletico Madrid and Napoli, plus offers from Saudi clubs, but Chelsea favour a permanent £65m sale, which Villa could offer. Villa have signed Aaron Wan-Bissaka from WEST HAM. The deal is a season's loan, with a conditional obligation to buy, understood to be worth £18m. ■ CHELSEA have rejected an

WINDOW WATCH

By SIMON JONES

initial loan offer from LEEDS UNITED for winger Mykhailo Mudryk. The proposal fell short of Chelsea's valuation, but talks are continuing, with Mudryk open to moving to Elland Road. The 25-year-old has agreed to spend the season away from Stamford Bridge in a bid to rebuild match fitness.

■ ARSENAL have completed the signing of Ezri Konsa from ASTON VILLA for £51m, plus £4m in add-ons. The Gunners are also finalising their pursuit of teenage BLACKBURN ROVERS forward Igor Tyjon. They will pay £1m up front, with a further £2m in add-ons, for the 18-year-old, who has been a target for two years and asked to leave.

■ LEEDS have won the race to sign young Macedonia striker Ditmir Hodja from Rabotnicki Skopje. The 18-year-old target man will be confirmed over the weekend.

■ CHELSEA striker Deivid Washington is signing for Strasbourg and could be joined there by team-mate Dario Essugo. Blues defender Axel

United and Brighton find a compromise to seal Baleba deal

Game time needed: Mudryk is a target for Leeds SHUTTERSTOCK

Disasi had a medical at CRYSTAL PALACE yesterday. Palace have added WEST HAM'S Soungoutou Magassa to their list of midfield targets. The Hammers have signed their former academy player Divine Mukasa from MANCHESTER CITY on loan.

■ Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio is in talks to join BOURNEMOUTH. The 29-year-old has agreed to the move and the clubs are talking over the structure of a loan with an option to buy. Juve signed TOTTENHAM keeper Guglielmo Vicario this week.

■ SUNDERLAND have completed the signing of French defender Dayann Methalie from Toulouse. The deal consists of a fee of £24m, with £1.7m in add-ons. The move was in doubt this week after the player failed part of his medical and returned to France. However, further tests

allayed long term fears and Sunderland opted to proceed. The Black Cats have also agreed an £8.6m fee for Royal Antwerp midfielder Jules Ahoka, 20.

■ MANCHESTER UNITED midfielder Jacob Devaney, 19, is in talks to join Hibernian on loan.

■ COVENTRY CITY have signed goalkeeper Dan Bentley from WOLVES on a two-year deal.

■ WREXHAM have made a £4.3m bid for Angers left back Jacques Ekomie.

■ CELTIC are close to a deal for CHELSEA left back Landon Emenalo on a season-long loan.

■ NEWCASTLE UNITED and RB Leipzig are continuing talks with AC Milan over former Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku. MANCHESTER CITY have told Nico Gonzalez he can leave and talks with Newcastle are continuing.

---

FOOTBALL Daily Mail Sport 101

Foden must grab hold of destiny in biggest season of his career

MANCHESTER City were given a day off on Thursday and Phil Foden headed for Towyn, a seaside resort on the north Wales coast.

About an hour from his home, it is renowned for the family amusement parks and Foden made sure a furry toy was extracted from one of those seemingly impossible claw machines for his children back at the rented caravan.

He looked particularly pleased to defeat the game and now needs to master the grabber of his own destiny with the same certainty. This is the biggest season of his career, starting with Bournemouth tomorrow.

There has been the downtime, the holidays, visits to the Formula One at Silverstone and Wimbledon. That is all done and the business starts this weekend. He should be recharged after missing out on the World Cup and is talking about a fresh start.

Foden has spoken about

By JACK GAUGHAN

mental health over the past two years, amid a malaise in the aftermath of winning PFA Player of the Year in 2024, but is 'feeling better' with a clearer mind.

There is a recognition from the academy graduate, whose five-year contract signed last month represents a real show of faith by the club, that the past two years fell way below expectations.

New City boss Enzo Maresca views it as his responsibility to coerce the maximum out of somebody whose talent should see him walk into the England team. 'You can see he's sharp, he looks very good,' Maresca said. 'People are saying to me that compared to last year or the last two years, he's a different player.'

With City taking a youthful squad on their pre-season tour

of Asia, the Italian threw Foden the armband. 'I've been at the club for so long, I'm one of the longest here, so this season I have to be one of the leaders,' Foden said. 'I'm looking forward to trying to take leadership.'

Maresca will decide on the four-man captain team at the end of a fraught transfer window and wants an Englishmen among them. He has been pleased with Foden's attentiveness in training and willingness to learn.

England coach Thomas Tuchel revealed back in March that Foden's application in training had never been an issue but he could not replicate the same 'verve' when pulling on the jersey. Much the same has occurred at City and the job is to build his confidence.

He should be looking at the record for the number of club appearances, standing at 686. Foden is 310 behind with his best years ahead of him. He should be looking at gatecrashing the list of top scorers and nudging himself near Kevin De Bruyne's

Work and play: Foden in pre-season and (left) with partner Rebecca Cooke at Wimbledon REX/WIREIMAGE

176 assists, too. It is what City crave. Why they gave him the new contract. There is a belief the real Phil Foden can return.

And to underline what a homebird he is, the boy from Stockport was back mingling with extended family on Edgeley

high street — almost an hour away from his Cheshire mansion — just hours after City had landed back from South Korea.

'Phil is from the academy, from the house,' Maresca said. 'So it's nice for everyone to see him getting better and better.'

---

102 Daily Mail Sport FOOTBALL

OLIVER HOLT

Chief Sports Writer

IT is late in the evening of November 30, 2023, and Roberto De Zerbi is the only man sitting on the Brighton team coach in the car park beneath the Agia Sophia Stadium, where his team have just beaten AEK Athens 1-0 in a Europa League group game.

De Zerbi has spoken to the media and addressed his players in the aftermath of the game. Now he has moved on. The rest of the Brighton party is still to board but De Zerbi is already on the bus with his laptop open and the glare of the screen lighting up his face in the darkness.

All who know him know De Zerbi is a football obsessive and the game against AEK is gone for him now. He was starting to prepare for the Premier League match at Chelsea a few days later. Only when he feels he has done the work he needs to do does he pull his hoodie low down over his face and fall asleep.

Much is made of the Tottenham manager's irascibility and combustibility, but the boss whose presence has led to predictions that Spurs will leave the travails of the last couple of seasons behind them has other defining characteristics that mark him out as a stellar talent.

Hard work is far from the least of those. He is also relentlessly demanding and intolerant of those who are reluctant to meet those demands.

Sometimes, that can manifest itself in a stream of complaints about faults he feels must be rectified. That does not just apply to faults on the pitch. 'A failure to meet expectation elicits a response,' one former colleague remembers.

Another former colleague at a club abroad remembers a time when De Zerbi grew irate because a coffee machine at the training ground had stopped working. 'He wanted it fixed and he wanted it fixed now,' the colleague says. 'Not tomorrow, now. He wants things to be right. He is a perfectionist in everything he does.'

Some felt, when he arrived at Spurs, that his impatience might create even more divisions and that the egos of the players were already too fragile and damaged to cope with his abrasive style. They pointed to widely-shared footage of De Zerbi clashing with Marseille's Ismael Kone when he was coach of the French club.

De Zerbi was furious that Kone held on to the ball for too long in a drill that was aimed at taking fewer touches and screamed at

The REAL Roberto De Zerbi

From a combustible young coach who once lost his rag at a coffee machine, to caring perfectionist ready to drag Spurs from the mire

him. Kone began to walk off the training pitch. 'Call your agent,' De Zerbi yelled. 'The two men had to be separated before they came to blows.'

That was not the only controversy De Zerbi courted at Marseille. He was resolute in his defence of Mason Greenwood, the former Manchester United forward who was arrested in 2022 and charged with attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The charges were dropped, but it is unlikely that

Bond: players like De Zerbi's style SHATTERSTOCK

Greenwood, who is now at Turkish side Fenerbahçe, will play in England again. De Zerbi inherited him as a player at Marseille and said: 'I regret what happened in his life because I know someone different from what's being described, especially in England.'

When he arrived at Spurs, aware of the backlash, he qualified his comments. 'I have never wanted to downplay the issue of violence against women, or violence against anyone more broadly,' he said. 'In my life, I've always stood up for those who are more vulnerable, more fragile.'

De Zerbi has already made a hugely positive impact at Spurs, starting with saving them from

PREMIER LEAGUE Boot Room

Compiled by Tara Anson Walsh

HULL / MAN UTD

Today, 12.30pm, MKM Stadium Referee: Darren England TV/radio: TNT Sports, talkSPORT

HULL

(4-2-3-1): Tzolakis; Coyle, Egan, Mendy, Giles; Slater, Gourna-Douath; Belloumi, Crooks, Stroud; McBurnie. Out: Gelhardt (ankle), Butland (arm), Hughes (hernia), Gyabi (hip). Doubt: Morita (calf), Zambrano (hamstring), Jacob (hip).

MANCHESTER UNITED

(4-2-3-1): Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Heaven, Shaw; Santos, Tielemans; Amad, Fernandes, Cunha; Mbeumo. Out: Ugarte (knee), De Ligt (back). Doubt: Sesko (shin), Mount (foot).

OUR PREDICTION: Man Utd win

EVERTON / C PALACE

Today, 3pm, Hill Dickinson Stadium Referee: Paul Tierney

EVERTON

(4-3-3): Pickford; Rohl, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Dewsbury-Hall, Hackney, Armstrong; Dibling, Barry, Ndiaye. Out: Garner (hernia), Iroegbunam (groin). Doubt: Norgaard (muscle).

CRYSTAL PALACE

(3-4-3): Henderson; Riad, Richards, Canvot; Munoz, Wharton, Kamada, Mitchell; Sarr, Strand Larsen, McNeil. Doubt: Henderson (ankle).

OUR PREDICTION: Draw

IPSWICH / SUNDERLAND

Today, 3pm, Portman Road Referee: Farai Hattori TV/radio: BBC 5 Live

IPSWICH

(4-2-3-1): Scherpen; O'Shea, Greaves, Diop, Davis; Lukic, Nunez; Fatawu, Egeli, Maeda; Emerson. Out: Matusiwa (muscle), Taylor (foot).

SUNDERLAND

(4-2-3-1): Roefs; Meunier, O'Nien, Ballard, Reinildo; Sadiki, Xhaka; Hume, Le Fee, Angulo; Brobbey. Out: Adingra (hamstring).

OUR PREDICTION: Sunderland win

NOTT'M FOREST / LEEDS

Today, 3pm, City Ground Referee: Rob Jones TV/radio: BBC 5 Live

NOTT'M FOREST

(3-4-2-1): Sele; Diomande, Milenkovic, Murillo; Aina, Schlager, Sangare, Williams; Ndoye, Gibbs-White; Igor Jesus. Out: Yates (fitness), Savona (knee).

LEEDS

(3-4-2-1): Trafford; Rodon, Bijol, Muharemovic; Bogle, Ampadu, Stach, Justin; Wilson, Aaronson; Calvert-Lewin. Out: Gnonto, Gudmundsson (both thigh).

OUR PREDICTION: Forest win

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FOOTBALL | Daily Mail Sport 103

the approaching catastrophe of relegation from the Premier League and beginning to rebuild a sense of togetherness at the club that had been eroded by bad decisions and bad attitudes.

He refused to indulge the negativity that had consumed the club and which redoubled when they lost their first game under his charge against Sunderland in April.

'I saw the players after Sunderland in the dressing room,' De Zerbi recalled. 'It was like this — all people crying, lying down on the floor in the dressing room. I said, "We pass away?" and I tried to transfer positivity.'

He spoke on the pre-season tour to Australia of an evening at

a Mayfair restaurant that he organised for players and staff near the end of last season when the prospect of the Championship was still beckoning. He spoke of the restorative benefits of a few glasses of wine on morale.

His reputation and charm undoubtedly helped Spurs seal the £100million close-season capture of Sandro Tonali from Newcastle. He was one of the most coveted midfielders in the Premier League. There was no real reason why he should choose a club that finished 17th above other suitors — no real reason except the presence of De Zerbi.

Spurs have made other eye-catching buys, too. Finally, there is a feeling of optimism about the

team and a feeling that they have a manager who has the ability and standing in the game to lead them back towards a place among the elite that their magnificent stadium deserves.

That sense of togetherness at a club renowned for factionalism was also underlined this month when De Zerbi hosted a lunch at the training ground for Spurs greats, including Steve Perryman, Glenn Hoddle, Chris Hughton, Clive Allen and Graham Roberts.

It was a smart thing to do. When things are not going well, former players are often used as litmus paper by the media to reflect the mood. If their comments are not favourable, it can increase

pressure on a club. It is much better to have them inside the tent.

De Zerbi made his reputation with Sassuolo and achieved two eighth-placed finishes in Serie A with them before moving on to Shakhtar Donetsk and cementing his attacking, possession-based style that made a virtue of baiting the opponents' press and drawing them out of position.

By the time he left Shakhtar in the summer of 2022, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he was regarded as one of the brightest of young coaches. When news

came through that Brighton had appointed him their manager, I was with Craig Bellamy, the new Wales boss. 'Clever ba***s,' Bellamy said.

Like a lot of managers, De Zerbi likes to moan. He works hard to get everything he wants for his players. He works best when there is a buffer between him and the owner and if there is a worry about his tenure at Spurs, it is that there may be no-one with the emotional intelligence to act as that go-between.

'He is intense, but in a good way,' an executive who has worked with De Zerbi says. 'He sets high standards. He wants people to be the best they can be and who are prepared to invest energy in the project.'

'He is intolerant of players who will not conform to what he wants. If you do not show the talent and attitude he requires, he will cut you off.'

'Maybe there is a popular perception that he bangs tables and shouts, but he is a lot more subtle than that. He is a top coach — innovative, clever, highly respected, ruthless.'

'He takes time to check in on staff and their families. When he was here, there was a member of staff whose son had just had an operation and Roberto often checked on him. He is surrounded by a coterie of Italians, but they are all incredibly nice people. At Spurs, they will speak English when they are together, not Italian. They are inclusive.'

If there is optimism at Spurs after consecutive 17th-place finishes, it is because of the new boss and the signings he has made and the impact he has had, not just on the playing staff, but the wider club. Spurs have secured the services of one of the best coaches in the world, a man supporters can put their faith in.

There is a story about the penultimate league match of the 2022-23 season after De Zerbi's Brighton scored a late equaliser to draw 1-1 with Manchester City, who were already champions. Afterwards, De Zerbi and Pep Guardiola sat in the home dressing room at the Amex, chatting.

It was an exchange that stressed their mutual admiration. 'This guy is the No 1,' Guardiola told someone who walked in.

If things had worked out differently, it might be De Zerbi in the hotseat at City now. Instead, Spurs got lucky.

Great expectations: De Zerbi, seen above during his fracas with none, likes to maintain high standards REUTERS / GETTY IMAGES

BRENTFORD V TOTTENHAM Today, 5.30pm, 0tech Community Stadium Referee: Michael Oliver TV/radio: Sky Sports, BBC 5 Live

BRENTFORD (4-2-3-1): Kelleher; Kayode, Collins, Ajer, Lewis-Potter; Sangara, Yarmolyuk; Ouattara, Damsgaard, Schade; Igor Thiago. Out: Van den Berg (groin), Milambo (knee).

TOTTENHAM (4-2-3-1): Kinsky; Gray, Van Hecke, Senesi, Robertson; Tonali, Bergvall, Moore, Gallagher, Tel; Richarlison. Out: Van de Ven, Porro (both fitness), Kudus (thigh), Simons, Odobert, Kulusevski (all knee), Sarr (hamstring).

OUR PREDICTION: Tottenham win

BRIGHTON V ASTON VILLA Tomorrow, 2pm, Amex Stadium Referee: Peter Bankes TV/radio: Sky Sports, BBC 5 Live

BRIGHTON (4-2-3-1): Verbruggen; Wieffer, Vuskovic, Boscagli, Kadioglu; Ayari, Gross; Gomez, Hinshelwood, De Cuyper; Rutter. Out: Ferguson (ankle), Minteh (leg), Mitoma (hamstring), Tzimas (knee).

ASTON VILLA (4-2-3-1): Bizot; Cash, Lindelof, Torres, Maatsen; Barkley, Kamara; McGinn, Buendia, Garnacho; Watkins. Out: Onana, Manzambi (both knee), Madjo (ankle), Gomez (calf), Bailey (muscle). Doubt: Abraham (fitness).

OUR PREDICTION: Draw

MAN CITY V BOURNEMOUTH Tomorrow, 2pm, Etihad Stadium Referee: Jared Gillett TV/radio: Sky Sports, BBC 5 Live

MANCHESTER CITY (4-2-3-1): Donnarumma; Khusanov, Dias, Gvardio; O'Reilly; Anderson, Kovacic; Foden, Cherki, Semenyo; Haaland Out: J Doku (calf).

BOURNEMOUTH (4-2-3-1): Petrovic; Sanchez, Hill, Silva, Truffert; Cook, Scott; Rayan, Kluivert, Tavernier; Evanilson. Out: Christie (suspended), Araujo (thigh), Milosavljevic (knee), Kroupi (foot), Adli (calf).

OUR PREDICTION: Man City win

NEWCASTLE V LIVERPOOL Tomorrow, 4.30pm, St James' Park Referee: Stuart Attwell TV/radio: Sky Sports, BBC 5 Live

NEWCASTLE (4-2-3-1): Hornicek; Dedic, Thiaw, Botman, Hall; Ramsey, Bamba; Elanga, Wissa, Barnes; Onsla. Out: Livramento (calf), Joelinton (muscle).

LIVERPOOL (4-2-3-1): Allison; Frimpong, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai; Ngumoha, Wirtz, Gakpo; Isak. Out: Leoni (knee), Ekitike (achilles), Bradley (knee), Gomez (muscle), Danns (hamstring).

OUR PREDICTION: Draw

FULHAM V CHELSEA Monday, 6pm, Craven Cottage Referee: John Brooks TV/radio: Sky Sports, talkSPORT

FULHAM (4-2-3-1): Leno; Castagne, Cuenca, Bassey, Sessegnon; Berge, Iwobi; Bobb, Smith Rowe, Kevin; Garcia. Out: Cairney (knee), Andersen (suspended).

CHELSEA (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; James, Lacroix, Colwill, Palestra; Caicedo, Fernandez; Palmer, Rogers, Estevao; Joao Pedro. Out: Fofana (suspended), Henderson (wrist). Doubt: Welbeck (fitness).

OUR PREDICTION: Draw

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104 Daily Mail Sport | FOOTBALL

We've been sleeping giants since the War...

WE'RE NOT SLEEPING ANY MORE!

Daily Mail Sport goes behind the scenes at Sunderland, where Le Bris' upstarts are ready for a European tour.

LITTLE about the office tucked into the corner of the Academy of Light gives any clue it belongs to the man who will lead Sunderland's first European adventure in more than half a century.

No paintings or pictures adorn the walls. Just a couple of tactics boards and whiteboard planners. No plants. No inspirational quotes. No books. Not even a family photo on the desk.

Regis Le Bris sits on one of the two grey armchairs across from a grey sofa on the other side of a small glass table. Behind him, the TV shows a blank screen.

The Frenchman spent his summer cycling in Corsica and Quiberon, walking his Australian Shepherd named Tampa, and scuba-diving with his daughter.

'I always stay active,' Le Bris tells Daily Mail Sport. 'Active and football. This is my life.'

None of the active, family side of life is on show here. Inside these four walls, only football lives.

'It's my environment,' he says. 'It's clear. It's about football. I'm passionate about football. It's

SPECIAL REPORT

by James Sharpe

at the Academy of Light, Sunderland

part of my life. I'm 24/7 so it's about a clean, easy environment dedicated to football. Simple.'

It's a dedication that is reaping rewards. Daily Mail Sport was granted exclusive access to join Le Bris and his side as they prepare for life in the Europa League.

It's been 53 years since the club last played among Europe's elite in the Cup Winners' Cup after the Black Cats won the FA Cup in 1973. Let's not forget, they were in League One only four years ago. It's been quite the journey.

Training gets under way at 11:15am. There's a buzz of chatter and laughter as players ping passes in little rondos and hurl

bibs at each other when there's a new piggy in the middle.

Le Bris watches on with arms crossed. He will become more animated and involved as today's opening-day trip to Ipswich gets nearer. 'That's when he comes into his own,' remarks one insider.

Only this season will be different. Europe brings more matches and less time to prepare. 'It's more about training the team with good ideas,' he says. 'It's still possible to work with the players, but less with the legs.'

You expect they will spend more time in their new tactics room at the Academy of Light, a low-lit auditorium with a big screen and lectern, one of many upgrades in their revamped ground floor of the training ground, now including a relaxation room with a pool table and PBS and a barbers.

Back in the day, there was no building here at all and players got the bus from Roker Park and back to train on the open fields while school kids from up the road bid stray balls in the long grass before taking them home. How far this place has come.

Sunderland have also had to make a few changes at the Stadium of Light to be ready for

the first European home match next month, with larger dugouts that have been swapped around so Le Bris and his side will now sit closer to the Roker End.

Supporters may have thought the extra burden of Europa League matches would lead to a flurry of signings to help spread the load. Le Bris, instead, opted to stick with what they have got.

'My job is to win and to build a success that lasts,' says Le Bris. 'If we have too many players, we'll have problems. It was important to keep the strong core and, after that, with the new challenges, it's important to have a few signings to strengthen the squad.'

Sunderland yesterday announced the signing of Toulouse left back Dayann Methalie, 20, for more than £25million. The club were poised to announce his arrival earlier in the week only for issues with his medical to briefly put the deal in the balance. Further tests gave the all clear. Methalie joins Belgium right back Thomas Meunier

as the second signing of the summer. The club still want to bring in a winger and a back-up striker for Brian Brobbey.

One player that will definitely lead them into new horizons is captain Granit Xhaka. Sunderland's inspirational leader stood on the pitch after Europa League qualification was confirmed after a final-day victory over Chelsea and announced: 'This is just the beginning.' The club will lean into that message this season.

Speculation rumbled over the summer, though, as to whether Xhaka might not be there to lead

it after all amid interest from Chelsea and a potential reunion with former Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso. Sunderland rejected a bid of £8m but Chelsea

Star man: Brian Brobbey will lead Sunderland in Europe GETTY IMAGES

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Daily Mail Sport 105

A club reborn: Sunderland hoes Regis Le Bris (main) is preparing for the new season, while season-ticket holder Rachael Thexton (far left, top) and captain Granit Xhaka (far left, bottom) look ahead. Right: A European campaign is on the horizon as Le Bris takes training

90

SUNDERLAND won the last of Repis six league titles in 1936, 90 years ago. Johnny Cochrare's team finished eight points clear of Derby County and Huddersfield Town.

planned to return with a bigger one, convinced Xhaka wanted the move, only to be blindsided by news he had committed his future to the North East.

'For me, it was clear,' Xhaka tells Daily Mail Sport. 'I didn't want to sign a short-term contract because I believe there is a long-term project ahead. I believe we can achieve big things again.

'I spoke with Xabi. I speak with him nearly every day. With Xabi, with Mikel Arteta, with whoever. For me, to have this contact doesn't mean the need to move somewhere. I speak with them about everything, not just football. I try to take the most advice from my coaches that I believe can bring me to the next level.'

Xhaka has long talked about Sunderland feeling like home. 'To achieve big things with not a lot, this is home for me,' he says. 'To see people in a stadium because they love the club. Maybe they don't have a lot, but they spend a lot to come and support us.

'This is how I grew up. I grew up with not a lot but when you believe, work, and believe you can achieve things, you can get it.'

Xhaka wants to be a coach one day and hopes to work alongside

his brother Taulant at the same club. At Sunderland? 'Why not,' he replies. He's far from done on the pitch yet.

The 33-year-old has played in two Europa League finals but now must lead a group of players, many of whom have never played in Europe. 'Football in Europe and the Premier League is like two pairs of shoes,' says Xhaka. 'Totally different.'

That's not the only thing. Right now, under the ownership of Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, the fans and the club have rarely felt so united. This is a club that was spending its fourth successive season in the third tier only four years ago.

'There was a time I thought. 'Is this it now? Is this Sunderland?', says season-ticket holder Rachael Thexton. 'I was at the 6-0 defeat at Bolton [in January 2022]. That was the point when I thought, this is the club I support now. A mid-table League One team. We lost our identity. We didn't have words to sum up the downfall.'

How different the atmosphere was at the Stadium of Light on the final day against Chelsea. By 6am the next morning, Thexton had renewed her passport and received a confirmation email

from Booking.com for a hotel in Frankfurt for May's Europa League final. 'It's free cancellation so, we're diving in head first,' she says.

Many things have helped rebuild that bond. Good decisions and good football. It's the little things.

The statue of legendary FA Cup-winning manager Bob Stokoe outside the stadium was turned around this summer because the sculptor is working on another, of goalkeeper Jimmy Montgomery, that will face him to recreate their iconic celebration from the 1973 final.

Their kit deal with Hummel, in which the club get their own unique designs, has played a huge part. When their new home kit launched, a retro nod to their first FA Cup triumph in 1937, retail platform Fanatics took more than £1m on the opening day. 'That's only happened three times and the other two clubs have both won Champions Leagues,' interim CEO Tom Burwell says.

Having lost their identity when they fell, the key is to keep hold of

it now as they fly. 'I just want to pick us up as we are now and chuck us into the dizzying heights but just keep the core values as they are,' says Thexton.

Burwell talks of 'taking Sunderland to the world'. European football helps. The club headed to the United States in the summer. Their pink away kit, a collaboration with the Elvis Presley estate, based on the pink-and-black suit he wore early in his career, is on sale in Graceland.

They are about to announce a mega sponsorship deal with Visit Ghana, understood to be worth around £10m a year — vital funds when spending is now capped as a percentage of your income.

Yet it didn't take long for Newcastle fans to jump into the comments when reports emerged of a prospective deal with a country with a questionable human rights record having spent so long getting it in the neck for their Saudi ownership. Some Sunderland fans feel uneasy too.

'We have to be really clear on who we are, irrespective of

what partnerships, and those partnerships can sit across all sorts of industries that people, quite rightly, raise an eyebrow to,' says Burwell.

'We've never been so united on who we are and what we stand for. It's important that any relationship we go into, we represent that in the most appropriate way. We will only ever be successful if our connection with the fans remains deeply rooted.'

Few have followed the club's turbulent journey quite as closely as club historian Rob Mason.

'Right from the early days of football, Sunderland established themselves as giants of the game,' Mason says. 'We've always been giants. For too long since the War, we've been sleeping giants. We're not sleeping any more.'

Yet they remain fourth favourites for the drop. 'It will be difficult,' says Le Bris. 'But we want to be excited, to use this challenge to move forward, be more creative, more connected with people. It's going to be demanding but it's our life.'

'We must always challenge the odds. This underdog mentality in Sunderland... it is Sunderland, I think.'

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106 Daily Mail Sport FOOTBALL

SUP

RIATH AL-SAMARRAI

at the Emirates Stadium

ARSENAL

Havertz 15 Saka 23 Odegaard 49

COVENTRY

OPENING night or an encore? There will be significantly tougher games ahead for Arsenal, but all indications from this one suggest complacency will not be among any shortcomings in the defence of their title.

This was vicious, savage and effective in all the right ways. Had the ghost of Micky Quinn been summoned by Coventry City, chances are he would have been dumped on his backside along with the rest of Frank Lampard's men by the champions.

Naturally, there should be no rushes to judgment about what it all means, except to say that Mikel Arteta's side kicked off this Premier League campaign by delivering on his two main aims — a win and zero loose ends to offer comfort for those giving chase.

In the broad brushstrokes, the victory was secured with goals by Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard, but the detail is more important. For one, Christos Tzolis.

There are Norwich fans out there who might have seen a carthorse in their Greek winger all those years ago — Trojan horse might have been closer to the mark.

Playing his first fixture in this division since 2022, Arsenal's £33million signing from Brugge excelled here.

Sure, he faded in the second half, but by then he had pummelled Coventry's backline from his spot on the left.

The relevance there is clear, because if he sustains that level, Arsenal will pose a major problem on both flanks.

That will cause Arteta (right) great satisfaction and so too will the performances of Saka and Martin Odegaard.

One was a menace, the other a conductor, and together they performed different brands of torment on a team of giants.

The perspective here is obvious. It was Coventry. It was at home. But it was also a party continued and one not dampened by the news earlier in the day that Bruno Guimaraes might miss a couple of weeks with a minor injury.

Prior to kick-off, there

Menace and the conductor blow the roof off on Gunners' opening night

Cruising: Odegaard, Saka and White celebrate as Arsenal captain nets their third goal GETTY IMAGES

were fireworks in the sky, a brass band on the street and banners on each wall to remind visitors that champions reside at the Emirates Stadium. All of which might have been tolerable for

Coventry, were it not for the one-sided beating that followed.

For Lampard, this was a rough return.

At the very least, he will not be accused of discarding the men who made the ascension possible. Of the 11 he chose for the club's first top-flight gig in a quarter of a century, eight were part of the promotion campaign, with Caleb Yirenkyi, Loum Tchaouna and Aurele Amenda blended in from their

£130million spending spree. That was one point of consistency for Coventry. Another was their physicality — big lads got them up and big lads will try to keep them up, because no fewer than seven of Lampard's side here measured in excess of 6ft and, lest we forget, he oversaw more goals from set-pieces than Arteta last season.

All of which meant there was momentary curiosity when Coventry won a corner inside 30 seconds. That it didn't clear Riccardo Califori at the near post was a bad sign.

From there, they suffered a death by a thousand short passes. Arsenal were fast, ambitious and unpredictable and through Tzolis and Saka they owned both wings. Tougher assignments are needed for a fuller judgment on Tzolis, but the manner with which he shredded right back Milan van Ewijk is promising for those who felt earlier versions of Arteta's sides were lopsided.

It was, in fact, Tzolis who had Arsenal's first chance, which he

lifted over after a counter-attack led by Saka and Odegaard.

He was then involved in the second, spawned from a new short corner routine. Saka, Ben White and Myles Lewis-Skelly worked to a clever script before Tzolis' shot was blocked on the line by Bobby Thomas.

Odegaard, mostly stationed at No 10, where we also expect him to play once Guimaraes is fit, was conducting the music, just as he did in the Community Shield.

With Declan Rice and Lewis-Skelly behind him in a 4-2-3-1, the unit danced around Coventry's big men in the middle. If there was a surprise, it is that it only yielded two goals in the first half.

The opener, converted by Havertz after quarter of an hour, traced to Tzolis winning his duel with Van Ewijk for a high ball, before Calafori threaded a quick, low delivery to the German, who finished well.

The move for 2-0 came in the 23rd minute, when Rice and Odegaard led the surge and goalkeeper Carl Rushworth redirected Tzolis' cross to the feet

of Saka, who buried it. Lampard made no changes at the break and nor were there any changes to the pattern of play. Within minutes, a two-goal lead was three.

Again, it was conducted at speed, this time with Rice and Saka orchestrating the angles for a White overlap before Odegaard scuffed in the ugliest of finishes.

A theme in that move was the understanding between White and Saka which has carried over from last season. So has the swagger. Arsenal are up and running.

ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): Raya 6.5; White 7, Gabriel 6.5, Mosquera 6.5, Calafori 7 (Hincapie 8min): Rice 7 (Zubimendi 68, 6.5), Lewis-Skelly 7; Saka 7.5 (Madueke 68, 6.5), Odegaard 6.5 (Merino 76), TZOLIS 9 (Eze 70); Havertz 7.5.

Scavers: Havertz 15, Saka 23, Odegaard 49. Booked: Gabriel.

Manager: Mikel Arteta 9.

COVENTRY (4-1-4-1): Rushworth 5; Van Ewijk 4, Thomas 6, Amenda 6, Dasilva 5; Grimes 6; Tchaouna 5 (Hamer 82), Yirenkyi 4 (Torp 62, 6), Onyeka 5, Thomas-Auente 6 (Rudoni 70, 6); Simms 6 (Avoniyi 70, 6).

Booked: Yirenkyi. Manager: Frank Lampard 5. Referee: Thomas Bramall 8. Attendance: 60,398.

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FOOTBALL

Daily Mail Sport 107

Kai and mighty: Havertz wheels away in delight after scoring Arsenal's opener

Happy days: Odegaard celebrates

Richarlison or Solanke set for Spurs exit but Bergvall will stay

From Back Page

find the soul of the team and the style of play. Then we can fix what target you want, without arrogance but with big ambitions because this is Tottenham, not a smaller team. 'When we have finished in this transfer market, we can work all together in the right direction, to build something special. We have the squad to play in every stadium in the right way.' De Zerbi confirmed Micky van de Ven as his new captain with four vice-captains: Pedro Porro, Ben Davies, James Maddison and Archie Gray. Van de Ven and Porro are not available for Brentford today, Davies is unlikely to start and Maddison is not a certain starter after a pre-season injury, so 20-year-old Gray could lead Spurs out. De Zerbi also said Lucas Bergvall, who told the club he wanted to leave earlier in the summer amid interest from Nottingham Forest and Newcastle, had changed his mind. 'He wants to stay and we have no problem,' said the Spurs boss. 'He is a potential top player.' Pape Matar Sarr is wanted by Galatasaray. Destiny Udogie has admirers in Italy and Spurs have an excess of left backs. Richarlison or Dominic Solanke are among others who could leave if Marmoush comes in. Teenage winger Mikey Moore is likely to join Cologne on loan. De Zerbi wants a competitive squad of 21 or 22 players and will not guarantee anyone a place. 'I love speaking clearly,' said the Italian. 'Every one of those players knows the squad. If one of them doesn't want to accept the competition inside the dressing room, they can leave. 'The players have to accept that if we want to compete for the top of the table, 15 players are not enough.'

Argentina's villain gets 10-game ban

ARGENTINA midfielder Leandro Paredes received a 10-match ban yesterday for his violent outburst at the end of the World Cup final. Paredes, who was also fined £65,000, grabbed Eric Garcia by the neck after Argentina's 1-0 defeat by Spain before punching substitute Gavi and pushing him to the ground. Argentina's Nahuel Molina was given a seven-match ban for his role in the fracas. Argentina were also sanctioned for unfurling a Falklands banner after beating England. FIFA have imposed a two-match partial stadium closure, one of which is suspended. Argentina have also been fined £235,000.

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108

SLIP

My day with Sunderland's Euro stars

SPECIAL REPORT: PAGES 104-105

De Zerbi is thrilled with Spurs' £85m Savinho deal

By MATT BARLOW

ROBERTO DE ZERBI confirmed Tottenham's board had been true to the promises made on recruitment as they closed in on a deal for Savinho from Manchester City worth up to £85million. De Zerbi vowed Spurs were 'not finished yet' in the transfer market. A swoop for Omar Marmoush, also at City, is developing and they want Cody Gakpo from Liverpool as well. If it all comes off it would mean a summer outlay close to £400m on nine new players. It represents a radical change of policy for a club often criticised for failing to spend. 'I am very happy,' said De Zerbi ahead of Spurs' Premier League opener at Brentford today. 'I can't speak about the other coaches [before me]. I just can say they kept their word, what they said before I came at the end of March. 'But what we are doing is not for the coach. It's for the club, the fans, the history of the club. This moment is crucial. We have to change the mood completely.' De Zerbi claimed his seven games at the end of last season, when Spurs escaped relegation to the Championship by beating Everton on the final day, was 'maybe the best moment in football for me'. He promised to set ambitious targets after two years of Spurs finishing 17th but could not set them yet. 'Now is not the right moment,' said De Zerbi. 'Now is the moment to think about Brentford, complete the transfer market and then follow the first two targets, to

TURN TO PAGE 107, COL 5

Jolly Ollie fires Root to 'brilliant' comeback

JOE ROOT declared his winning return to the England captaincy as 'brilliant from start to finish' after Pakistan were crushed by an innings and 103 runs in the first Test at Headingley. Reflecting on his second 'debut' in charge of the Test team after replacing the retired Ben Stokes, Root said: 'It felt good. It was a brilliant performance from the very first ball.' He was

RICHARD GIBSON

at Headingley

referring to man-of-the-match Ollie Robinson's dismissal of Azan Awais on Wednesday — one of eight wickets for his former Yorkshire team-mate. Josh Tongue also bagged eight wickets, with both men returning career-best figures either side of England making a

score in excess of 400 for the first time in 19 innings. Root added: 'We got ahead of the game, managed it really well, had a really good tempo with the bat, applied pressure, soaked things up in different moments. It was a clinical start to the series that sets things up nicely for the rest of it.'

SIZZLING SEAM ATTACK TAKES SHAPE: PAGE 97

TODAY'S QUICK CROSSWORD IS ON PAGE 86

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