Shabana Mahmood’s plans to detain and handcuff children during family deportations are “abhorrent” and will cause “lasting damage”, nearly 150 children’s charities and organisations have warned.

In a joint letter to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on Monday, fostering organisations, social care workers and refugee charities accused the government of a “sustained attack on children’s rights”.

The home secretary has announced a number of immigration reforms that will impact children, such as delaying routes to settlement for families already in the UK and removing support from families refused asylum.

Ms Mahmood is currently consulting on a push to increase deportations of failed asylum-seeking families and on changes that will allow physical force to be used against children.

The government’s consultation document makes clear that a child can be physically handled if they are resisting their deportation. Immigration officers will be allowed to carry children and handcuff them if necessary, the document says.

It lists a parent refusing to release a child’s hand as an example of non-compliance with deportation.

In the letter to Sir Keir, charities warn that these proposals will cause “distress, trauma and lasting emotional damage to children”. It adds: “To describe such harm to children as ‘unfortunate but necessary and justified’ is abhorrent”.

It continues: “We urge you to change course, and create policy that reflects simple facts we all know to be true. Children who grow up here belong here. Children need stability and certainty to thrive”.

Analysis by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has estimated that the Home Office’s changes to settlement, which will make it harder for foreign nationals to stay permanently in the UK, could prolong poverty for up to 90,000 children by 2029.

Ms Mahmood is extending the current five-year pathway to settlement to 10 years or more. As a result, hundreds of thousands of children will have to wait last least 10 years before they know if they can stay in Britain.

Foreign nationals who have been dependent on public funds or who entered the UK irregularly, such as on a small boat, will be further penalised – having to wait 20 or 30 years before they can apply for permanent settlement.

In March, Ms Mahmood announced that failed asylum seeker families with children will be offered up to £40,000 to leave the country quickly or face being deported.

A pilot scheme was launched for 150 families who live in migrant hotels, with families offered £10,000 per member capped at four per family to leave voluntarily.

They will have seven days to reply, and if they do not take up the offer, the Home Office will attempt to forcibly remove them from the country.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “Between 2021 and 2024 this country experienced levels of migration it had historically seen over four decades. We must be honest about the scale and impact of hundreds of thousands of lower-qualified migrants getting settlement.

“We are reforming a broken immigration system and make no apologies for taking the necessary action to restore order, while in tandem delivering on the government’s commitment to reduce child poverty and educational inequality.”

Trevoh Chalobah believes Chelsea’s winning mentality is reason they reached yet another major final, with caretaker boss Calum McFarlane set to lead the club out at a 17th FA Cup final next month

Trevoh Chalobah insists Chelsea’s players had to “block out the noise” and prove they are still winners.

Chelsea’s dressing room has come in for huge stick after accusations they downed tools and got Liam Rosenior after a run of five straight league defeats without a goal. But they turned up again for caretaker boss Calum McFarlane to reach the club’s 17th FA Cup final and could finish the season with a trophy if they can beat Manchester City next month.

Chalobah insists that is down to the mentality within the squad but they needed to “reset” to ensure the club gets back into Europe next season.

Chelsea defender Chalobah said: “The criticism is part of it. When you don’t win games, of course you’re going to get criticism. For us, we just have to block out all the noise and trust in ourselves, speak between ourselves with communication and trusting our abilities.

“That’s what we need to do from now until the end of the season. As I said, whether you do bad or do good, there’s always going to be people that talk. It’s important that we just focus on what we have.

“Another final. It’s that, another final. Last year we were in a final, and the year before. We have that mentality. It’s good that we showed that today. We all knew the goal and knew what the goal was, and it’s just to win no matter what.

“When obviously things aren’t going your way and results don’t go our way, that’s what we can hold on to because we showed it at parts of this season.

“It was just the same conversations, we just need to show our mentality and winning habits and winning spirit.”

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Rosenior got the sack the day after Chelsea lost at Brighton but he departed without any players wishing him well on social media. Chalobah did admit that Chelsea’s players have to take their share of the blame – but now have to put it right.

He said: “No matter what the manager does, it’s difficult. You spend time with them, you work with them daily, every day. You have to adapt, you’ve got to reset again. For us, we can use that as an excuse but, at the end of the day, we’ve got to look at ourselves as players.

“For us it was just resetting, getting our standards back. It’s still the same players that we had at the start of the season when we were flying. So it’s not like we lose our abilities overnight. It’s just obviously resetting and getting that feeling back and that feeling back and that mentality back.”

Chelsea now have the FA Cup final to look forward to but Chalobah admits it is vital the club gets back into Europe next season and still believes they can do it.

He added: “This is Chelsea Football Club. It’s where we want to be and we have to do everything we can to get into Europe.

“For us it is just focusing on what we have. It’s another five finals. We have four in the Premier League and obviously our final here. But for us, it’s five finals. We have to go in there with the quality.

“The past is the past. It’s about results. We need to be winning games. That’s what the fans, that’s what we want and that’s what the club wants.

“You take responsibility. Now until the end of the season we have nothing else, no other excuse. We just have to go out there and try and win our games.”

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

A witness has described the moment a mother and son were dragged lifeless from a west London river after a woman raised the alarm.

The boy, 7, and his mother 34 died on Saturday afternoon after it is believed they were pulled under the water by currents in the River Brent.

The seven-year-old had first encountered problems and the mother had entered the water to aid him, it is understood.

A canal boat owner who is moored near the spot told Metro: ‘A Muslim woman in a headscarf had raised the alarm. She was obviously distraught.

‘It was a very sunny day there were people with picnics and kids playing. There were loads of people around. I saw one body brought out – it was absolutely terrible.

‘If I had known what was happening I would have shot over there as I have a lot if safety and rescue equipment on my boat. I’m so upset – this is just awful.

‘A lot of their family and friends came down. The emergency services were amazing.’

Paramedics worked to resuscitate the mother and son.

The experienced canal boat owner added: ‘Where it happened is dangerous. There is flowing water and a current.’

The incident happened close to Elthorne Park, Ealing, on one of the hottest days of the year.

Families were picnicking while children played on rope swings in the woods next to the river.

Emergency secured were scrambled just before 4.30pm.

The police pulled the pair from the water.

Despite the best efforts of the first responders, they succumbed to their injuries at the scene.

Other park users attempted to save the pair but the water is murky and there are strong currents from a nearby weir.

A dog walker said the whole community was ‘reeling’ after the incident.

Sandy Hughes said: ‘We are all reeling and in mourning for this family. It was a lovely day with kids playing and people having picnics.

‘There were so many people around. The water doesn’t look that dangerous but there is debris and it’s very brown so you can’t see what’s beneath.’

Detective Superintendent Pete Thackray, from the Metropolitan Police’s West Area Command Unit, said: ‘This is a tragic incident in which a woman and her young child have lost their lives.

‘Our thoughts are with their loved ones. We would also like to acknowledge the efforts of the first responders and members of the public who did their very best in an incredibly challenging situation.’

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The man, in his 50s, was airlifted to hospital after the crash just before 6pm on Friday (April 24) at the junction of Burnthouse Lane and Long Lane in Cockfield, near Bishop Auckland.

He suffered multiple injuries, including a broken collarbone, fractured ribs and a punctured lung.

Durham Police said the BMW pulled out at the junction when the crash happened. The driver, a woman in her early 20s, was uninjured.

The cyclist was airlifted to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough for further treatment.

A North East Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We received a call to 999 on Friday at 5.44pm to reports of a road traffic collision between a bike and a car at the junction of Burnthouse Lane and Long Lane in the Staindrop area.

“We sent a rapid response paramedic, an emergency ambulance crew and the air ambulance.

“One male patient was taken by GNAAS to James Cook hospital for further treatment.”

The Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) helicopter airlifted the man to hospital.

May, 26, was born in south London, where she was brought up by her Australian mother and half-Australian father — “I’ve grown up with homesick Australians talking about the ocean” — and while her mother is a writer, there were no musicians in the family. May began performing as a slam poet in her teenage years, before picking up a guitar at 19 to play “really, really, really bad songs”.

The incident occurred at around 11.10pm on Friday (April 24) on the A64 Malton bypass.

A black Toyota Yaris was reported to be travelling eastbound on the westbound carriageway, into oncoming traffic.

The vehicle was subsequently stopped by officers in West Heslerton. The driver, a 20 year old man from the Leeds area, was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving.

Officers are now appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident, or who has dash cam footage showing the vehicle being driven along the A64 on Friday evening, to come forward.

If you have any information that could assist the investigation, please email liam.cromack@northyorkshire.police.uk.

Alternatively, you can contact North Yorkshire Police on 101 and ask for Liam Cromack, or report information anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their website.

Please quote reference number 12260074074 when providing information.

Fans of the ITV soap have been doubling down on their prediction as to who will be this week’s murder victim

Coronation Street fans are doubling down on their prediction as to who will be this week’s murder victim, while who kills them still appears to be undecided between a few familiar names.

As fans of the ITV soap know, a death will occur on the famous cobbles this week, with the five possible victims having been confirmed during a flashforward episode back in February.

In the episode, Corrie viewers saw a shocked and anxious Betsy Swain being interviewed by detectives about finding the dead body of someone she knows. She explained she had been at the wedding of her mum, Lisa Swain, and Carla Connor and was heading into town when she made the shocking discovery.

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As the episode returned to the present day, Corrie viewers started to see how the behaviour of the five characters could lead to their possible death – with Megan Walsh, Theo Silverton, Maggie Driscoll, Jodie Ramsey and Carl Webster seen as the potential victims.

It was then last week, on Thursday (April 23) that Corrie viewers saw Lisa and Carla’s big day unfold, with the special event making history as they were the first two women to marry in the 65-year history of Weatherfield.

Towards the end of the big day, with the celebrations taking place back at the Underworld factory, a scream was heard, and while it caught Lisa’s attention, Carla dismissed her concern that it was ‘just foxes’ and carried on finding the song she wanted the pair to dance to in order to round off their special day.

But as Corrie fans know, it was Betsy’s bloodcurdling scream Lisa heard, and with nothing seen, Corrie fans have had to wait to see the scenes unfold before the murder victim is revealed. Spoilers for Corrie next week have already confirmed that the big reveal won’t take place until next Friday (May 1).

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The drama does, however, kick off on Monday (April 27), and viewers will revisit the same day, but each episode will be seen from the perspective of a different potential victim. At the end of the week, Betsy will find one of them dead, and the hunt to find the killer will then begin.

But just as the murder mystery begins, Corrie fans are locking in who they think will be killed, and suggesting who they think will be the one responsible.

One said: “For #Corrie murder week I’m going Megan killed by Daniel.” Another commented: “Murder week starts tomorrow I think the victim is Megan and I think Will is the killer…. That is all. #Corrie.” A fellow fan replied: “I’ve had that thought too. After he finds out she chose to not keep the baby and loses that temper of his.”

A fourth shared: “I’m thinking Megan and its wills mum bit odd she’s come into it now or will and the mum covers for him.” Another posted: “Definitely Megan, I am still sure it will be Eva.” A seventh predicted: “Maggie kills Megan mark my words #Corrie.” A fan also added: “Thinking about the whodunnit, if Megan is killed, then Eva will be in the frame. Ds Connor Swainey really needs a break from having 2 arrest people who are basically her wifes family #corrie #swarla.”

The work will affect services across both bank holiday weekends in May.

Teams from Network Rail will be working to install bridge beams at Landing Lane in York, replacing sections of track and stabilising embankments at Tollerton, and draining 955 metres of the line at Chapman’s Bridge, near Shipton, to prevent future flooding across the May 2-4 and May 23-25 weekends.

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Jason Parrish, Network Rail head of planning, said: “These improvements are an important investment in the long‑term resilience of the East Coast Main Line.

“Renewing life‑expired equipment, improving drainage and strengthening embankments all help reduce delays and protect the railway.

“While there is never a good time to close the railway, scheduling the work over the bank holidays allows us to minimise disruption and deliver best value.

“We’re grateful to passengers for their understanding while we complete this vital work.”

Rail replacement buses will be in operation while the works take place.

It comes as Transpennine Route Upgrade engineering work continue to affect travel between Huddersfield and Leeds throughout May and June.

A spokesperson for the train operating companies added: “We’re working closely with Network Rail to keep passengers moving while this important work takes place.

“Although journeys will take longer and involve rail replacement coaches or buses on some routes, these upgrades will mean more reliable services in the long term.

“We’re asking customers to plan ahead, check before travelling and allow extra time for their journeys.”

Paige Elliott’s life changed when a car crash damaged her cochlear implant, leaving her deaf for the second time.

A young woman has lost her hearing for the second time after a car crash. Paige Elliott, 26, from Kinglassie, Fife was born deaf and was fitted with a cochlear implant at just two years old to overcome hearing loss.

The device worked as intended and helped her lead a normal life. But in 2024, she was involved in a collision which destroyed her implant, leaving her unable to speak on the phone or listen to music.

Paige now relies on a hearing aid dog for help and says the crash “emotionally and physically up-ended her life”. She said: “When I lost the implant it was terrifying.

“I had a normal life and to suddenly be thrust back into a world of silence was jarring, scary and you feel incredibly alone.”

Paige was a passenger in a relative’s car when they were struck from behind at speed by a Land Rover Discovery near Bankhead Roundabout in Glenrothes on July 15, 2024.

The crash caused her head to ricochet of the headrest and she suffered soft tissue damage to her face and neck. The strike to her skull resulted in a significant concussion which also dislodged her cochlear impact.

Paige said: “It was a few seconds after the crash that I realised something wasn’t right as I couldn’t hear people talking around me.

“It was really scary as on top of the shock and the pain I felt that I couldn’t communicate what has happening to me.”

Paige was rushed by ambulance to Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy where medics treated her physical wounds.

She then needed follow up treatment with hearing specialists at Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire in a bid to restore her hearing. However the attempts of this have provided mixed results.