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Pregnant women and cancer patients ‘at risk’ because of sonographer shortage

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Pregnant women and cancer patients ‘at risk’ because of sonographer shortage

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We recognise the pressures facing diagnostic services, including the sonography workforce, and we are taking action to ensure the NHS has the skilled staff it needs to meet rising demand and deliver timely care to patients.

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Fact check: Immigration returns and miscaptioned ‘Dubai airport’ video

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Fact check: Immigration returns and miscaptioned ‘Dubai airport’ video

The Home Office’s Immigration Enforcement Secretariat told us the Government had “established a new returns and enforcement programme”, adding: “Returns and enforcement activity falls to various parts of the Home Office, and in particular to Immigration Enforcement, Visas, Passports, Citizenship and Resettlement Services, Asylum Group and the Border Security Command.

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Brits left feeling gutted about their last chocolate egg

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Brits left feeling gutted about their last chocolate egg

A study of 2,000 adults found 22 per cent said this was the moment they realised they were ‘officially a grown-up’, marking a shift from being looked after to fending for themselves.

Only 15 per cent of grown-ups are still gifted choccy treats at Easter from their parents or guardians – despite 72 per cent believing you’re never too old to celebrate Easter with a chocolate egg.

However, 58 per cent weren’t warned about this abrupt change, saying ‘it just stopped’, while 22 per cent admitted they still buy an egg for themselves every year – simply because they can.

The research was commissioned by M&M’S , as part of their Great Easter Egg Debate, with Michael and Hilary Whitehall laying out both sides of the topic.

Michael said: “Frankly, once you’re an adult you should be self-sufficient and responsible for your own Easter chocolate – and I should know, my eldest son took far too long to fly the nest. But what do I know.”

Hilary, however, disagrees: “Oh, don’t be such a grump, Michael. I say just because you’re grown-up doesn’t mean you have to act like it. You’re never too old for a chocolate egg at Easter.”

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The research also found that for those adults who still receive chocolate eggs, 57 per cent would be disappointed if they stopped getting them.



This includes 33 per cent who’d be annoyed in secret, whereas almost a quarter (24 per cent) would be happy to openly complain about it.

The average participant receives one and a half chocolate eggs per year but buys nearly four for other people.

Generally, the things people love most about Easter include getting together with family (25 per cent), the start of lighter evenings (24 per cent) and the bank holiday weekend (20 per cent).

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However, as people get older, the things they miss most about the holidays are waking up to chocolate on Easter morning (15 per cent) and Easter egg hunts (14 per cent).

According to OnePoll.com figures, 27 per cent of those who have moved out do not bother with Easter eggs after leaving home.

Steve Waters, director of eggcellence at M&M’S, said: “Easter eggs are one of those little joys that quietly slip away as we move into adulthood, but who says they have to?

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“This campaign is about reminding people that chocolate, fun and a bit of cheeky tradition don’t need to have an age limit.

“We’re here to stir the debate and give everyone a playful excuse to hold onto their Easter eggs, no matter how adult they are.”

Are you gutted about your last chocolate egg? Let us know in the comments

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Have Easter treats gone too far?

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Have Easter treats gone too far?

The company is not alone in its confidence about the appeal of more creative Easter treats. Bakery Lottie Shaw’s, which has been making treats in Yorkshire since 1912, says sales of its “hot cross tarts”, which combine spiced fruits with treacle in a shortcrust pastry paste, have surged by 800% since launching last year.

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Postcode Lottery winners in Coxhoe, Yarm and Whitby

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Postcode Lottery winners in Darlington and Bishop Auckland

Postcodes from across the region were picked out this week for £1,000 prizes.

Players in Coxhoe (DH6 4SG) won £1,000 as did residents in Yarm (TS15 9EN). Further afield postcodes in Hartlepool, Sunderland, Newcastle, Whitby and Malton also won shares of the prize pot.

The People’s Postcode Lottery is a subscription lottery which aims to raise money for charities while also bringing cash prizes to homes across the UK.

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The People’s Postcode Lottery unveils daily prizes for postcodes across the UK, including £30,000 jackpots for every winning ticket in a postcode on weekends, and £1,000 prizes for 20 different postcodes every day.

A minimum of 33 per cent from each ticket goes to charity, and players have raised more than £950 million for over 9,000 charities and good causes since 2005.

The Postcode Lottery winners and prize amounts this week are:

  • DH6 4SG – £1,000 – Coxhoe
  • TS15 9EN – £1,000 – Yarm
  • TS24 8NH – £1,000 – Hartlepool
  • SR3 1AZ – £1,000 – Sunderland
  • NE6 5UJ – £1,000 – Newcastle
  • YO22 4JE – £1,000 – Whitby
  • YO17 7JX – £1,000 – Malton

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Iran-US war latest: Ten US service members injured after strike on Saudi air base as Rubio says war ‘over in weeks’

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Iran-US war latest: Ten US service members injured after strike on Saudi air base as Rubio says war ‘over in weeks’

US-Iran war in numbers: Thousands dead, billions spent and a global economy in crisis

As the conflict enters its second month, more than 4,500 people have lost their lives, according to reports from more than a dozen countries dragged into the war since February 28.

Read more from James C. Reynolds…

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Bryony Gooch28 March 2026 02:30

Iran says Israel hit two of its largest steel plants: report

Israel has hit two of Iran’s largest steel plants, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday night local time, citing Iranian state media and the country’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Mobarakeh Steel in Isfahan and Khuzestan Steel in Ahvaz were reportedly targeted.

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Earlier Friday, the WSJ reported that the Israeli military confirmed it hit two Iranian nuclear sites — the heavy-water plant at Khondab and the Shahid Rezayee Nejad Yellow Cake Production Facility.

Rachel Dobkin28 March 2026 02:15

New US aircraft carrier to be deployed amid Iran war: report

The USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier is set to be deployed amid the Iran war, CNN reported, citing a source familiar with the matter.

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The aircraft carrier will be positioned in the US Central Command’s area of responsibility, which includes the Middle East, the source said.

CNN reported that there are two other US aircraft carriers already in the region. It’s unclear whether the USS George H.W. Bush will be in addition to the other aircraft carriers or replace one of the vessels.

Rachel Dobkin28 March 2026 02:00

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How Iran’s ‘complete control’ of Strait of Hormuz affects oil and gas

Read more from Maira Butt…

Bryony Gooch28 March 2026 01:45

Number of US troops hurt in Saudi air base attack rises to 12, according to one report

A total of 12 US troops were hurt in an attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia Friday, The New York Times reported, citing US officials.

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Earlier reports said 10 service members were injured.

Rachel Dobkin28 March 2026 01:31

Trump says ‘we don’t have to be there for Nato’

US President Donald ⁠Trump said on Friday the ⁠United ​States ⁠does not “have ⁠to be ​there ⁠for Nato” given ‌the alliance declined ‌to provide ‌material support ⁠to the US during its ongoing war on Iran.

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Bryony Gooch28 March 2026 01:00

Watch: Trump calls Strait of Hormuz ‘The Strait of Trump’

Trump calls Strait of Hormuz ‘Strait of Trump’

Bryony Gooch28 March 2026 00:30

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10 US troops wounded in Saudi air base attack: report

At least 10 American service members have been wounded in an attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia Friday, two US officials told the Associated Press.

Two of the service members were seriously injured, according to one of the officials.

The AP earlier reported, citing a US official, that the attack involved an Iranian missile and unmanned drones.

More than 300 US troops have been injured in the Iran war so far, US Central Command said in reports. Another 13 service members have died.

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Rachel Dobkin28 March 2026 00:00

Mourning held for IRGC naval intelligence chief says Iranian state media

Iranian news agencies reported early ⁠on Saturday that ⁠mourning ​was ⁠held for ⁠Iran’s Revolutionary ​Guards’ navy ⁠intelligence ‌chief, Behnam Rezaei.

The ‌confirmation comes ‌days after ⁠the Israeli military said it killed Rezaei in a ‌strike ​in ‌Iran’s ⁠Bandar ⁠Abbas.

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Bryony Gooch27 March 2026 23:00

Trump criticises Nato in praise for Middle Eastern allies

US president Donald Trump has commended the likes of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and Turkey in a criticism on Nato.

“I have to say that Bahrain and Kuwait, they were stand up more so than Nato,” he said. “Now they’re a little closer to the action than Nato, and [often I have] been very disappointed with Nato, but I wasn’t disappointed with our allies in the Middle East and others.

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“We had tremendous support from countries that were not in the general area, but they were tremendously supportive.

“Turkey was fantastic, actually fantastic, and they stayed out of things that we asked them to.”

Bryony Gooch27 March 2026 22:06

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Trump talk kicks off Friday night’s Late Late Show

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Belfast Live

The line-up was packed with big Irish names from film, media and entertainment

Donald Trump was the main talking point as Friday night’s Late Late Show kicked off.

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First up was BBC News Chief Presenter Caitríona Perry who joined host Patrick Kielty to talk about life in Washington DC and her role in covering all the major US news stories during President Trump’s second administration.

She also reflected on the US-Israel war with Iran, its impact on Trump’s approval rating, and how Taoiseach Micheál Martin fared in the Oval Office on St Patrick’s Day.

READ MORE: Mary Black opens Late Late Show with “stunning performance”READ MORE: Pádraig Harrington’s tribute to late dad and oesophageal cancer symptoms

Fresh from winning the Lifetime Achievement award at the 2026 IFTA ceremony actor Ciarán Hinds was live in studio too. Known for his roles in classics such as Belfast, Munich, Road to Perdition and There will be Blood, Hinds is regarded as one of Ireland’s most talented movie stars. As his career continues to go from strength to strength, he chatted about growing up in Belfast, his friendship with Liam Neeson and his latest projects.

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For the first time since becoming the presenter of The Late Late Show in September 2023, Patrick interviewed one of his predecessors. Pat Kenny was on the couch to talk about his recent move from daily radio to the weekend slot with Newstalk. He reflected on his decades of experience in broadcasting as he confirmed that at 78 years of age, he has no plans to slow down.Comedian Kevin McGahern dropped by to talk about fronting the newest series of Cheap European Homes with Maggie Molloy and James Kavanagh and life as a father of two. He also recreated his viral opening monologue from the IFTA Awards 2026, complete with his trusty bodhrán.As she prepares to make her return to the airwaves 2FM presenter, new mum Doireann Garrihy chatted about the joys of motherhood since welcoming baby Rosie. She also revealed her plans to bring her hit podcast on the road and why she is excited to get back to work.

Plus, there was music from award-winning singer Freya Ridings who performed her new single “I Have Always Loved You.”

Want to see more of the stories you love from Belfast Live? Making us your preferred source on Google means you’ll get more of our exclusives, top stories and must-read content straight away. To add Belfast Live as a preferred source, simply click here.

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Ipswich Town chairman apologises ‘unreservedly’ for Nigel Farage visit | Football

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Ipswich Town chairman apologises 'unreservedly' for Nigel Farage visit | Football
Nigel Farage was invited to Ipswich Town this week (Reform UK)

Ipswich Town chairman, Mark Ashton, has issued an apology to supporters after Nigel Farage’s visit to Portman Road this week.

Farage visited the Championship club on Monday and images of the Reform UK leader holding up an Ipswich No.10 shirt with his name on the back was used by the political party on social media.

A Reform party campaign video starring Farage was also filmed at Ipswich’s stadium.

Farage’s visit sparked an angry response from some Ipswich supporters, while the club claimed that it was apolitical and did not ‘support or endorse any individual party’.

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In a statement on Friday night, Aston said he was ‘immensely upset’ for ‘hurting’ Ipswich’s fanbase and admitted ‘mistakes have been made’.

Ashton said: ‘I’m fully aware that this has been a very difficult week for all of us.

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‘The staff are hurting. Elements of the fanbase are hurting. So are elements of our local community. That upsets me immensely. Unreservedly, I want to apologise and say I’m sorry.

‘I understand that supporters and element of the community are angry. I also understand that there are a number of mistruths out there about what’s actually happened this week. And I also understand that we have lessons to learn. Because mistakes have been made which have caused harm and distress to parts of our local community.

Ipswich Town’s chairman, Mark Ashton, admits ‘mistakes have been made’ after Nigel Farage’s visit to the club

‘And as the chairman of the club I take full responsibility for those mistakes. And full responsibility for making sure that those lessons are learned and learned quickly.

‘The full board of directors are now reviewing the policy regards how we engage with local politicians and political parties. We’ll decide how, if and when we do that moving forward. Because, again, lessons have to be learned.’

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Tomodachi Life: Living The Dream demo impressions – Reader’s Feature

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Tomodachi Life: Living The Dream demo impressions - Reader's Feature
Tomodachi Life: Living The Dream – you can try it out right now (Nintendo)

One of the last first party games for the original Switch has a free demo you can download now, as a reader examines the pros and cons of next month’s new game.

When gaming publications started detailing their experiences previewing Tomodachi Life: Living The Dream last week, I assumed it would be a wait to get the same opportunity, if we got one at all. So when this demo shadow-dropped almost immediately afterwards, it caught me off guard in the best way. This has been my most anticipated game of the year, so any opportunity to preview it is a massive privilege.

Essentially a short prologue to the full game, it does a solid job of introducing the core mechanics while letting you actually play around with them without feeling heavy-handed. When you’ve finished the demo, you’ll have a strong understanding of how to manage your residents and interact with them.

The main restriction is the three Mii cap. While that sounds really limited, it’s just enough to complete the basic tutorial and unlock the first two buildings. In the full game you need five residents to unlock the flagship Island Designer, so the demo basically puts you in the perfect position come launch day, as your demo progress transfers to the full game.

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Being able to shorten the time it takes to unlock the new feature makes this worth the download alone. I’d recommend making the remaining two Mii in the console’s Mii Maker and then importing them into the full game on release day.

The biggest highlight is simply watching the Mii of my friends interact with each other. The charm of Tomodachi Life is built around wacky interactions and relationships, and seeing this effectively translated to the Switch reminds me of exactly what I loved about the 3DS original, as within minutes I was grinning at the descriptions of what my Mii were talking about.

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The clothing shop also has a surprisingly large amount of clothes to buy for your Mii, and there’s a genuinely cute bonus costume as a reward for completing the demo. LGBT customisability (which was lacking in the 3DS game) is also really strong and is done in a way that’s both detailed for those who want LGBT Mii and simple to ignore for anyone who doesn’t.

The only major objective flaw with the demo game is that you’re only able to use the touchscreen when making the Mii. Also, the frame rate/pacing felt slightly off in my eyes, although your mileage may vary with that.

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The biggest flaw is how the demo ends. It takes roughly an hour to complete, which totally makes sense for the type of game this is. However, after giving your Mii an outfit the island essentially freezes. The Mii stay inside their homes and all dialogue becomes focused on what you’ll be able to do in the full game.

While demos are advertisements for games, I can’t remember a recent one quite as blatant about it as this, and the way the Mii talk feels at odds with the tone of the game. It’s frustrating because the bulk of the demo gives you the limited freedom to orchestrate dynamic interactions between three Mii and watch them explore the island. And yet just as it starts to soar, its wings get cut off and it becomes a semi-interactive billboard.

Overall, I’m thrilled that this exists and it does exactly what it needs to do in order to sell you on the full game. However, the unnecessarily restrictive post-demo kills all momentum and makes me think that it should’ve been released on the 9th of April, when you can pre-download the full game.

By reader Connor Lamb

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Tomodachi Life Mii characters jumping in the air in celebration in front of a fountain
Purposefully peculiar (Nintendo)

The reader’s features do not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.

You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot.

Just contact us at gamecentral@metro.co.uk or use our Submit Stuff page and you won’t need to send an email.

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Astronaut says his sudden medical scare in space remains a mystery

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Astronaut says his sudden medical scare in space remains a mystery

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The astronaut who prompted NASA’s first medical evacuation earlier this year said Friday that doctors still don’t know why he suddenly fell sick at the International Space Station.

Four-time space flier Mike Fincke said he was eating dinner on Jan. 7 after prepping for a spacewalk the next day when it happened. He couldn’t talk and remembers no pain, but his anxious crewmates jumped into action after seeing him in distress and requested help from flight surgeons on the ground.

“It was completely out of the blue. It was just amazingly quick,” he said in an interview with The Associated Press from Houston’s Johnson Space Center.

Fincke, 59, a retired Air Force colonel, said the episode lasted roughly 20 minutes and he felt fine afterward. He said he still does. He never experienced anything like that before or since.

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Doctors have ruled out a heart attack and Fincke said he wasn’t choking, but everything else is still on the table and could be related to his 549 days of weightlessness. He was 5 ½ months into his latest space station stay when the problem struck like “a very, very fast lightning bolt.”

“My crewmates definitely saw that I was in distress,” he said, with all six gathering around him. “It was all hands on deck within just a matter of seconds.”

Fincke said he can’t provide any more details about his medical episode. The space agency wants to make sure that other astronauts do not feel that their medical privacy will be compromised if something happens to them, he said.

The space station’s ultrasound machine came in handy when the event occurred, he said, and he’s gone through numerous tests since returning to Earth. NASA is poring through other astronauts’ medical records to see if any related instances might have happened in space, he said.

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Fincke identified himself late last month as the one who was sick to end the swirling public speculation.

He still feels bad that his illness caused the spacewalk to be canceled — it would have been his 10th spacewalk but first for crewmate Zena Cardman — and resulted in an early return for her and their two other crewmates. SpaceX brought them back on Jan. 15, more than a month early, and they went straight to the hospital.

“I’ve been very lucky to be super healthy. So this was very surprising for everyone,” he said.

Fincke stopped apologizing to everybody after NASA’s new administrator Jared Isaacman ordered him to stop.

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“This wasn’t you. This was space, right?” his colleagues assured him. “You didn’t let anybody down.”

Ever the optimist, he’s holding out hope that he can return to space one day.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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Tiger Woods charged with driving under the influence after hitting another vehicle and rolling his car | US News

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Tiger Woods standing near his overturned vehicle in Jupiter Island, Florida. Pic: AP

Tiger Woods has been arrested and charged with driving under the influence after his car was involved in a crash in Florida, police have said.

A Land Rover, which the golf legend was driving, tried to overtake a truck “at high speeds” before it swerved and rolled on to its side after clipping a truck towing a trailer, Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said.

He added Woods showed “signs of impairment” after the incident, which happened shortly after 2pm local time on Friday and not far from where the golfer lives on Jupiter Island.

Woods, 50, took a breathalyser test after his arrest, which came back negative, but the golfer then refused to give a urine sample, police said.

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Tiger Woods standing near his overturned vehicle in Jupiter Island, Florida. Pic: AP

Sheriff Budensiek told reporters during a news conference: “When it came time for us to ask for a urinalysis test, he refused, and so he has been charged with DUI, property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test.”

None of the parties involved in the crash reported injuries.

Pointing to how the smash unfolded on a small, two-lane road, Sheriff Budensiek said it was lucky no one was injured.

Police arriving at the scene of the crash. Pic: WPTV
Image:
Police arriving at the scene of the crash. Pic: WPTV

“Had there been someone moving in the opposite direction, we would not be having a conversation saying there was no injuries. This could’ve been a lot worse,” Sheriff Budensiek said.

“He [Woods] was lethargic on scene but that we believe was because of what he was intoxicated on.”

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The vehicle Woods hit was a truck towing a pressure cleaner trailer.

Read more from Sky News:
Cloned predecessor to Dolly the sheep on display
It’s difficult to see how Starmer can put this right

Woods was able to escape the vehicle by crawling through the passenger door, police said. Pic: Martin County Sheriff's Office via AP
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Woods was able to escape the vehicle by crawling through the passenger door, police said. Pic: Martin County Sheriff’s Office via AP

The truck driver tried to “edge off” the side of the road to get out of the way but there was not enough room, the sheriff explained during an update on Friday.

It is not known if Woods was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, as he “crawled out of the passenger door” prior to police arriving at the scene.

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This was at least the third time Woods has been involved in a car crash, most recently in February 2021 when his SUV ran off a coastal road in Los Angeles at a high rate of speed, leading to multiple leg and ankle injuries.

Woods said later his injuries were so bad that doctors considered amputation.

He also was arrested on a DUI charge in 2017 when South Florida police found him asleep behind the wheel of his car that was parked awkwardly with damage to the driver’s side.

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He later pleaded guilty to reckless driving after it emerged he had had five prescription drugs in his system at the time.

Tiger Woods with his then wife Elin Nordegren at a basketball game in 2009. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Tiger Woods with his then wife Elin Nordegren at a basketball game in 2009. Pic: Reuters

In 2009 he crashed his car into a fire hydrant and tree outside his Florida home – an accident which inadvertently led to a spectacular unravelling of his private life.

Woods’ then wife, Elin Nordegren, used a golf club to smash a window of his Cadillac Escalade to get him out.

“This situation is my fault and it’s obviously embarrassing to my family and me,” Woods said on his official website at the time.

“I’m human and I’m not perfect.”

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The incident revealed a bitter marital dispute with Nordegren, as a host of women came forward to admit to having had extramarital affairs with Woods.

Woods and Nordegren divorced in August 2010.

Skid marks seen on the road after Woods' latest accident. Pic: Martin County Sheriff's Office via AP
Image:
Skid marks seen on the road after Woods’ latest accident. Pic: Martin County Sheriff’s Office via AP

The latest crash comes after Woods returned to competitive action for the first time in over a year on the final night of play in the indoor TGL competition on Tuesday.

He had said afterwards that he hoped he would be fit enough to play at the Masters next month.

Woods is widely regarded as one of the greatest golfers ​of all time. His major titles include five Masters, three US Opens, three British Opens and four PGA Championships.

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