Sue Barker returned to Centre Court at Wimbledon today to join Sir Geoff Hurst and other major sporting names in the Royal Box. 

The former tennis player and TV presenter, 70, was dropped from her role as host of A Question of Sport in 2020 after 24 years on the show – later claiming the corporation had effectively ‘axed’ her as part of a refresh.

She later announced her retirement and stepped down from presenting the BBC‘s Wimbledon coverage.   

Mrs Barker was met with cheers from the crowd this afternoon as she returned to Centre Court for Day Seven of the Championships, sitting in the Royal Box among some of Britain’s biggest sportspeople. 

World Cup hero Sir Geoff, 84, led the stars as he enjoyed the tennis ahead of England’s crunch match against Mexico tonight, attending with his granddaughter Amy Driver. 

Today’s tennis matches include the fourth-round singles match between Novak Djokovic and Roman Safiullin, as well as Naomi Osaka and Aryna Sabalenka. 

Mrs Barker and Sir Geoff enjoyed Wimbledon among other household names including ice skating legend Dame Jayne Torvill, as well as Olympic Double Gold Medallist Dame Kelly Holmes. 

Cricket star Sir James Anderson and his wife Lady Daniella also sat in the box, alongside English former rugby union player Matt Dawson. 

Mrs Barker waves to the crowd as she makes a return to Wimbledon this afternoon 

Sir Geoff Hurst waves in the Royal Box today, wearing a blue suit and stripy tie 

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Sir Geoff led the stars as he enjoyed the tennis ahead of England’s crunch match tonight

Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill with Rosie Galligan in the Royal Box today 

English former rugby union player James Haskell in the Royal Box on Centre Court this afternoon 

Dame Laura Kenny and Sir Jason Kenny are seen in the Royal Box on Day Seven of Wimbledon

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Rugby player Sadia Kabeya is seen in the Royal Box wearing a yellow dress 

Rugby players Rosie Galligan, Marlie Packer and Zoe Stratford smile as they watch tennis today

Mrs Barker arrived at Wimbledon wearing an elegant white blazer, while Sir Geoff sported a navy blue suit, white shirt and colourful stripy tie.

The footballer became the first player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final, as England recorded a 4–2 victory over West Germany at Wembley in 1966. 

Meanwhile, Dame Jayne donned an elegant blue floral dress and white sandals while Dame Kelly looked stylish in a blue and white gown. 

Jessica Ennis-Hill looked smart as the Olympic athlete wore an ivory pant suit, accompanied by her husband Andy Hill. 

Sir Geoff’s appearance at the major sporting event came one day after joining the quest to recover captain Bobby Moore’s missing famous red jersey.

He urged ‘whoever has the shirt’ to give it back to the Moore family, stepping forward after the Daily Mail revealed how Tina Moore, married to Bobby for 24 years, has launched a dramatic legal action.

She lodged papers at the High Court on Friday alleging that Neville Evans, a businessman from Wales, either has the iconic shirt or knows what happened to it. 

Mr Evans, a tyre firm tycoon, is a well-respected dealer of sporting memorabilia and there is no suggestion that he acquired the shirt illegally. 

Tomorrow’s men’s singles match at Wimbledon will see Britain’s last man standing Arthur Fery and Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov fight for a place in the quarter-finals. 

Fery booked his place in the last 16 with a five-set comeback against Belgium’s Zizou Bergs yesterday, winning the longest match of this year’s Championships.

English professional footballer Lauren James in the Royal Box this afternoon 

Sir Jason Kenny and Dame Laura Kenny in the Royal Box on Day Seven on Wimbledon 2026 

English former rugby union player and coach Sir Clive Woodward wore a grey suit and tie to sit in the Royal Box today 

Cricket commentator David Gower waves as he stands up in the Royal Box today 

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Ice skating legend Dame Jayne Torvill attends Wimbledon today to sit in the Royal Box 

Will Greenwood, Sir Geoff Hurst and Michael Carrick on day seven of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships

Jessica Ennis-Hill and her husband Andy Hill attend Wimbledon this afternoon 

Dame Kelly Holmes smiles inside the Royal Box today during the Wimbledon Championships 

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Former footballer Graeme Souness is seen in the Royal Box at Wimbledon today

You would have to be living under a rock not to have noticed that everyday costs have been spiralling in recent years.

Households across the UK are feeling the pinch as rising interest rates, sky-high inflation and economic uncertainty have taken their toll on the country’s finances.

Prices have increased by an eye-watering 27.3 per cent in the past five years (between May 2021 and March 2026), according to a report from the House of Commons Library.

But for all the talk of a soaring cost of living, it can be hard to keep track of how much you actually need to earn to get by these days.

And how much higher does your salary really need to be if you live in the capital, compared with other British cities such as Birmingham, Edinburgh or Manchester for example?

Analysts at investment platform AJ Bell have crunched the numbers, using Government data to see how much the average two-adult household with a mortgage is spending each month on essentials from food, clothes and transport to insurance, council tax and energy bills. 

The costs have been broken down by region to find out how much you really need to earn to keep the family finances in the black – and the results may surprise you.

The average monthly spend for a UK household is a massive £2,964. This does not include luxuries or nice-to-haves such as holidays, but does include average spending on meals out, trips to the cinema or theatre, and personal care such as hairdressing.

The overall spend is equivalent to £35,567 a year and a couple would need a combined income of around £39,624 before tax to pay for this, assuming they have no other costs and not allowing for any savings or pension contributions.

But this will only cover the basics, you will need more than this to live a comfortable lifestyle or set any savings aside. For example, anyone planning a holiday, those who need a new car, who want to do home improvements or even families who have young children in childcare will need to earn substantially more to cover pay for these costs.

The average salary in the UK was £32,890 in 2025, according to official data from the Office for National Statistics’ latest Annual Survey for Hours and Earnings. This means that a family with a single earner on the average salary would not be paid enough to cover the very basics for their family.

Households spend £300 a month on food and non-alcoholic drinks on average, £48 a month on alcohol and tobacco, and £75 a month on clothing and footwear.

Mortgage costs are the largest single outgoing, at an average of £1,592 a month. Utilities eat up much of the budget too: water is £50 a month, electricity £88, gas £68 and council tax £183.

Sarah Coles, head of personal finance at AJ Bell, says: ‘Costs have gone up for everyone, and inflation over the past few years has been horribly painful all round, but when you delve into the data you can see just how hard some regions are being squeezed.’

London is infamous for its high-cost living, where it’s common to pay £7 for a pint, housing costs are typically the highest in the country and residents have to spend more on transport. But how much do you need to earn to survive in the capital?

Those living in London spend considerably more than elsewhere, with average monthly outgoings of £4,414. While this may come as little surprise, what may be less expected is that Londoners have the lowest costs in four out of 16 categories of spending we analysed – alcohol and tobacco, electricity, petrol, TV – and had the highest outgoings in just four categories.

A lower outlay on fuel is likely because more people in the capital use public transport over their own vehicle, according to Coles.

Housing costs are the clincher in the capital, where the typical mortgage eats up £2,940 of the monthly budget. This is more than three times the £809 monthly spend on mortgages in Scotland.

Council tax is considerably higher in London too, at an average of £292 a month.

A London couple will spend on average £52,972 a year on essential outgoings. To be able to cover these minimum costs, they will need a combined income of at least £63,792 a year, according to the calculations.

Wages do tend to be higher in the capital, thanks to what’s known as the ‘London weighting’. The average salary in London was £39,778 in 2025, according to official data – £6,888 a year more than the average across the UK. However, this falls short of the extra £17,405 you need to get by in London compared with elsewhere.

Coles says: ‘It’s not that Londoners are living the high life – they’re spending less than average on everything from foods and drink to communications and TV packages.

The average house price in London is £542,000. And those living in London spend considerably more than elsewhere, with average monthly outgoings of £4,414

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Anyone living in the East of England needs at least £39,024 a year to spend on the basics, with the average household of two needing a combined income of £44,424 before tax

‘The trouble is that they’re forking out a small fortune for property – and these figures lay bare the consequences of sky-high property prices in London.’

The average house price in London is £542,000, according to official figures, compared with a national average of £268,000.

It’s worth noting, too, that we have not included childcare costs in our calculations.

For a London couple with one child under the age of two, this would add £997 a month (£11,961 a year) to their outgoings, assuming they need 25 hours of childcare per week and receive no working parent entitlement. The average cost of childcare is £764 a month in England, or £9,166 a year, according to Coram, the children’s charity.

Households in the East of England have the highest outgoings in seven of the 17 categories we analysed – the most by far – and yet their overall monthly costs, at an average of £3,252, are only the third highest. Spending on insurance is considerably above the average, at £27 a week, and they also spend the most on food and drink, at £74. Low-lying geography and number of flood plains in the region could explain why these households are having to spend more on insurance.

Anyone living in this region, which includes Norwich and Ipswich need at least £39,024 a year to spend on the basics, with the average household of two needing a combined income of £44,424 before tax. The average salary in the East of England was £34,104 in 2025, according to official data.

Households in the South East live in the second most expensive region in the UK – and need to earn the salary to match. Here, households of two spend £41,460 a year on the basics and need a combined income of £47,808 before tax to pay for them. Perhaps surprisingly, those in the South East tend to spend more on utilities than households in London – spending £93 a month on electricity and £74 a month on gas, compared to £81 and £68, respectively, in London.

Those in the North East of the country have the lowest outgoings in six spending categories including health, insurance and water. But the amount spent on recreation is also lower than the average, suggesting that these households are still feeling the pinch.

They spend on average £122 a month on eating out, and just £6 on cinema and theatre. Mortgage costs here are considerably below the average at £853. The total average monthly spend for the region is £2,144 – some £820 below the national average.

The average monthly spend in the East and West Midlands is incredibly close, separated only by a few pounds at £2,526 and £2,555 respectively. Here, households need to earn around £32,500 before tax to get by. The average salary in the East Midlands was £30,690 a year and £31,345 a year in the West Midlands.

In the North West, average monthly costs are £2,449, and Yorkshire and the Humber is marginally cheaper at £2,389.

Households in Wales spend the least on public transport, at a monthly average of just £3.90, but the most on alcohol and tobacco, at £59. Overall, average monthly costs for the region are £2,411. This requires a pre-tax income of £30,408.

But it is Scotland where the overall cost of living is lowest. The average monthly spend is £1,971 – equivalent to £23,652 a year. Mortgage costs are lowest, at an average of £808.99 a month, and the region also has the lowest average spend for clothing and footwear (£59), meals and drinks out (£101) and council tax (£124).

Households in Scotland need a combined income of just £23,652 before tax.

So, is it worth moving elsewhere in the country to cut your costs?

A relocation to the other side of the country might save a few hundred pounds a month, but there is more to consider: jobs, friends and family, and quality of life.

Coles says: ‘It’s less typical to consider a move much further afield to cut costs, but plenty of people will consider a longer commute. There are also plenty of people who will consider a move to a city elsewhere in the UK, offering career opportunities without breaking the bank.’

If that feels too extreme, then the best way to cut your costs is to shop around for everything you possibly can – from your food shop to your phone bill and household insurances.

Coles adds: ‘It’s only when you’ve done all these things and still face enormous costs that you might need to consider bigger cuts and making some more difficult sacrifices.’

Vix Leyton, consumer expert at Think Money, says: ‘The biggest savings are not always in dramatic lifestyle changes – they are often in renewals, repeat payments and bad habits that are easy to fall into when you’re time-poor and the smallest bit of admin feels a bit overwhelming, but a few minutes on key areas can have a big impact.’

When it comes to energy bills, make sure you are submitting regular meter readings and check that your direct debit still reflects your actual usage.

Leyton adds: ‘For subscriptions, comb your bank statement and ask whether you would actively choose to sign up now – whether that’s streaming services, cloud storage, fitness apps or delivery passes. They can all be paused, rotated or cancelled if you’re not using them.’

Anyone whose mortgage deal is coming to an end should speak to their lender or broker early – don’t move on to the standard variable rate. This is the biggest expense for most households so shopping around can make a real difference.

Leyton adds: ‘The aim is not to cut every comfort out of the household budget. It is to be more deliberate about what earns its place.’

Djokovic, meanwhile, now 39, had to overcome a sticky first-round against unknown Chinese player Yibing Wu – who took a set off the veteran – before he breezed past Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets in the second. He was stretched to four sets by French 25th seed Arthur Rinderknech in his most recent outing, but his star quality showed in a flawless tiebreak to seal a morale-bolstering win. Keep up to date with all the latest on Centre Court with our live blog below, with expert insight and analysis from Oli Gent at Wimbledon.

Police are looking into reports that two people walked out of an upmarket seafood restaurants without paying a reported £115 bill.

A man and a woman visited the El Puerto restaurant in Penarth, Wales, on Monday evening, with CCTV footage showing them park up and enjoy food and drinks, before leaving without appearing to pay the bill.

The duo reportedly ordered an all day set menu for £32, including a Dover sole meal for £52.10, calamari for £9.50 and eight Coca-Colas for £22. The bill’s total came to £115.60, according to BBC Wales who managed to get hold of the outstanding bill.

As of Sunday, the bill has remained unpaid.

El Puerto called on the couple to pay their bill in a post on social media after the incident, saying: “A polite request to two customers who visited The Custom House today…We’d kindly ask you to return and settle your outstanding bill.

“We’d much rather resolve this directly and appreciate you getting in touch with us as soon as possible.

“We have your vehicle registration on record. Please return or contact the team to arrange payment.”

South Wales Police confirmed they had received a report of theft from The Custom House and called on anyone with information to get in touch, quoting 2600206060.

Tanny Martinez, owner of the restaurant, told local media that the incident had been “hugely disappointing” for the entire team.

“The hospitality industry is already facing an incredibly challenging economic climate, with rising costs and pressures across the sector, without having to deal with situations like this,” he said.

“It’s incredibly frustrating when the hard work and dedication that goes into creating great experiences for our customers is not respected.”

Martinez added the impact of dine-and-dash crimes “goes beyond the financial loss”.

“Situations like this can also have a real effect on the team’s morale and wellbeing, especially when so much care and effort goes into every service.”

A chef has shared his tips for the perfect cheese toastie recipe on social media

Cheese toasties make for a delightful lunch, and they’re relatively simple to prepare at home. While you might typically grab whatever cheddar happens to be in your fridge, one chef has suggested a three-cheese blend that will take your toastie to new heights.

In a TikTok video, Andy Hearnden, who shares content on the platform as @andy_cooks, revealed his recommendations for the ultimate cheese toastie.

Grating and chopping his selected cheeses, Andy explained: “These are the best cheeses for your next grilled cheese.

“We’ve got mozzarella for creaminess, taleggio for amazing funk, and red cheddar for sharpness.” Chop all those up and mix them together in a bowl.”

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Once the cheese is combined, place it between two slices of bread. Instead of using sourdough, Andy chooses shokupan, a Japanese milk loaf that can either be prepared at home or purchased from specialist retailers or Marks and Spencer.

Having assembled the sandwich, add some clarified butter to your pan, then grill the cheese until it has melted on both sides.

Describing this as the “best grilled cheese you’ll ever have”, Andy suggests you can enhance it even more by incorporating some crispy chilli oil.

While the TikToker employs clarified butter in his method, the experts at The Culinary Cartel suggest using mayonnaise instead of butter for the ideal golden crust.

The reasoning given was that mayonnaise is easier to spread than butter, reduces the risk of the bread tearing, and with its higher smoking point, it is far less prone to burning.

Concert-goers were left less than impressed by the Glasgow Subway service

Thousands of music fans leaving My Chemical Romance’s Glasgow Summer Sessions concert claimed they were left “stranded” after lengthy queues formed outside Ibrox Subway station following the show.

Concert-goers who attended the gig at Bellahouston Park on Saturday night (July 4) took to social media to vent their frustration, with many claiming the Subway had closed while hundreds of people were still waiting outside the station.

Ahead of this year’s Glasgow Summer Sessions, organisers confirmed the Subway would remain open until 1am on concert nights to help fans travel home safely. ScotRail also announced extra carriages would be added to trains running between Dumbreck and Glasgow Central to cope with increased demand.

However, several attendees claimed the transport did not go as expected, with many claiming they were left stranded after the Ibrox Subway station closed.

A TikTok video shared by user @pah_der17 quickly gained attention online after showing large crowds gathered outside the subway station. The clip was captioned: “Closed the subway while hundreds were queuing.”

The footage show hundreds of concert-goers waiting outside the station entrance, with some sitting on the pavement after seemingly giving up hopes of getting inside.

Others can be seen checking their phones, appearing to search for alternative ways to get home as the queues continued to grow.

The video sparked a flood of comments from frustrated fans, with many criticising the city’s late night transport options. One person fumed: “Mental how in 2026 public tranaport canni be 24/7 or at least run into the early hours.”

Another claimed soaring taxi prices left them with little choice, commenting: “Even ubers/taxis were ridiculous, had no choice but to pay £53 for a 15 min journey from the subway to garscadden. F**king jokeeeee.”

A third claimed that train passengers also experience similar issues, writing: “Trains were the same we were told extra trains were put on and not a single train showed up for over an hour to then find out the one everyone was waiting on was the very last one which wasn’t meant to be the case so loads of folk behind in the queue would’ve been stranded.”

READ MORE: Get Daily Record Premium for just £1 per month in exclusive offer to celebrate the World Cup

Meanwhile others questioned why services ended despite the extended opening hours having been advertised before hand.

With one comment reading: “That’s ridiculous it was advertised clearly that for all summer sessions it would be running until 1 like fair enough if it’s not running that late as that’s usually not the case but the fact it was advertised as running that late but then didn’t? that’s crazy.”

However, not everyone agreed with the criticism with some arguing the situation had been exaggerated. With one user stating: “Stranded is a bit of an exaggeration, barely an hour walk to the city centre.”

While another added: “I mean, Primark doesn’t stay open because there are loads of customers, they have a closing time and they shut doors at that time. There was the option to pre-book coaches or book a taxi if you didn’t want to miss the last song.”

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Hundreds of firefighters battled wildfires in Portugal and Greece Sunday, with Spain and Italy sending reinforcements to Portugal to help battle a massive blaze burning for more than three days.

In Greece, authorities on Sunday urged residents of parts of Thessaloniki, the second largest Greek city, to remain indoors and shut their windows and doors due to toxic smoke from a burning recycling plant that was engulfed by a wildfire on the outskirts of the city.

In central Portugal’s Vouzela area, more than 1,200 firefighters backed up by nearly 400 vehicles and 15 aircraft tried to put out a blaze that broke out on Thursday, according to the country’s Civil Protection authority. The wildfire had burned across an area of 12,000 hectares (120 square kilometers, 46 square miles) by Sunday, information from the European Union’s Copernicus satellite mapping agency showed.

The European Union’s Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid said Spain sent 120 firefighters and 45 vehicles as reinforcements to Portugal on Friday, while three firefighting aircraft from Italy and Spain were also dispatched to help.

Toxic smoke from wildfire in northern Greece

On the other side of southern Europe in Greece, a fast-moving blaze at a recycling plant broke out Saturday evening near the Oraiokastro suburb of Thessaloniki, triggering evacuation alerts for three suburbs and a facility housing 157 people with special needs.

Strong winds fanned the flames, and around 160 firefighters were deployed to battle the flames through the night until water-dropping aircraft could take off at dawn, the fire department said.

Oraiokastro mayor Pandelis Tsakiris said on Greece’s state broadcaster ERT that several businesses and homes were damaged by the fire, but that a clearer picture would emerge after authorities conduct a full evaluation.

A 76-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of having started the blaze through negligence by generating sparks with his vehicle that set vegetation near the road alight, the fire department said. He was due to appear before a prosecutor Sunday.

The fire came days after another wildfire in a nearby area killed a 12-year-old boy and his father.

Fire department spokesman Brig. Ioannis Artopoios, speaking on ERT television Sunday, said that about 85% of wildfires in Greece were caused by negligence, including through sparks generated through the use of agriculture machinery, discarded cigarettes and the use of outdoor barbecues. “This means most of them could have been avoided,” he said.

Greece suffers frequent, often devastating, wildfires during its hot, dry summers. In 2018, a blaze east of Athens killed more than 100 people, while a massive fire in 2023 which tore through a remote nature reserve in northeastern Greece was the largest wildfire recorded in the European Union.

The country has increasingly turned to technology to combat the threat of fires, exacerbated by climate change. It is integrating an array of four satellites, launched into low orbit in May, that will monitor for wildfires.

So far this summer, Greece has been spared the heatwaves that have scorched much of western Europe in recent weeks. But it has still seen dozens of blazes across the country, both on the mainland and the country’s islands.

An England player is without a club after his contract came to an end at the World Cup

John Stones is among several high-profile free agents featuring at the World Cup, having reached the end of his contract at Manchester City. The 32-year-old currently finds himself without a club, but will be eager to add to his 91 England caps when the Three Lions face Mexico at the tournament.

The centre-back spent a decade at the Etihad following a lucrative transfer from Everton, joining in the same summer that Pep Guardiola took charge. During his time with City, Stones won 15 major honours, including six Premier League titles and the Champions League.

Once a cornerstone of City’s backline, the England international slipped down the defensive pecking order after struggling with injury last season. With Marc Guehi and Abdukodir Khusanov establishing themselves as a dependable partnership, and Nathan Ake preferred ahead of him for the Carabao Cup final triumph, Stones confirmed in April that he would be leaving at the end of the campaign.

“They say all good things must come to an end… but this thing we have had has been the greatest and it will remain a part of me forever,” Stones wrote on Instagram.

Stones confirmed his decision shortly after Guardiola had publicly addressed the defender’s fitness issues. “I don’t have doubts with John,” the City boss said.

“When he reaches his level, he is a top central defender. Unfortunately, I only want him fit and unfortunately, like last season, a lot of the time it is not possible.”

Despite making just five league starts, including an emotional farewell on the final day of the season, Stones earned a place in England’s World Cup squad. Furthermore, Thomas Tuchel opted for the experienced centre-back ahead of his City teammate Guehi for the Three Lions’ opening win against Croatia.

Stones has since lost his place in the England side but will be pushing for a starting berth in the country’s round of 16 clash with Mexico. However, the defender left his club future unresolved before travelling to the World Cup and has become a free agent during the tournament.

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At the start of July, Stones and three other players officially departed City upon the expiry of their contracts, leaving his next destination up in the air. BBC Sport has reported that former club Everton and AC Milan are among the sides linked with his signature.

In the build-up to the World Cup, the centre-back made clear his determination to prove Guardiola wrong following his limited playing time. “I was fit enough 100 per cent, it comes down to various things, the manager (Guardiola) and that’s something I can’t control and I think it’s always difficult to pick an XI and I say to this to him,” Stones said last month.

“He knows how much I wanted to play, how much I wanted to be there and you can look at it in so many ways. I think I feel as good as I’ve ever been before a tournament.”

Stones joins Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah, Manchester United star Casemiro and Croatian icon Luka Modric in the list of World Cup stars currently without a club. His former City teammate Bernardo Silva, meanwhile, has recently joined Real Madrid as a free agent.

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National Highways has confirmed one lane remains closed on the M3 while the other two lanes are now open.

In a post on X, it said: “Lane 1 (of 3) remains closed on the #M3 westbound in #Hampshire between J12 #Eastleigh & J13 #Southampton following a collision.

“Lanes 2 & 3 are now open past the scene. Emergency services are working on scene. Current delays of 60 minutes, 6 miles of congestion on approach.”

A new forensic test – that can get DNA when others in the past could not – is being carried out to look for other suspects.

A man serving life sentences for the brutal murders of Lin Russell and her daughter Megan is having a new DNA sample taken to find another suspect and prove he was never at the scene.

Michael Stone, 66, will be visited in prison by an investigator from the miscarriage of justice watchdog, the Criminal Cases Review Commission, on Thursday, according to the Sunday Times.

The test, which includes taking his saliva, coincides with the 30th anniversary of the two murders which took place in July 1996.

Stone has repeatedly asked for new DNA tests since new techniques have been developed, including one where they can now separate male DNA in mixed samples.

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If new male DNA is found, it could be compared to serial killer Levi Bellfield, who has previously confessed to being the real killer behind the two murders.

Stone is currently in HMP Frankland in Co Durham, serving three life sentences for what was seen as among Britain’s most brutal murders.

Dr Lin Russell, 45, was walking her two daughters Megan, six and Josie, nine, home from school, along a country lane near the pretty village of Chillenden in Kent.

A car pulled up and a man got out, tying them up, dragging them into a copse and beating them with a hammer. The mum and her youngest child were killed. Josie was the only survivor after suffering severe head injuries. The family’s dog, Lucy, was also killed.

According to the Sunday Times, a new forensic strategy by a scientist at the laboratory Eurofins was shared with Stone’s lawyers last week.

Samples from a bloodstained plimsoll lace which was used to tie Lin Russell’s wrist are of particular interest to the new scientist on the case, they say.

Tapings taken from Lin and Megan’s bodies are also marked ‘top priority’ according to the Sunday Times, because they were recovered directly from the victims’ skin and have not been tested since 1996, reducing the risk of contamination.

Some exhibits including a plastic lunchbox with a bloody fingerprint on it, have gone missing while others were contaminated. Many of the items were tested for DNA in 1996 but no matches were found for any suspects.

One of the items put under the microscope could be a boot lace, which was stained with the victims blood and found 45 metres from the horrifying murder scene. In 2010 the lace was said to be missing, with just an empty envelope left. It was also claimed at one point it had been tested to destruction.

But it was then discovered in 2020 by police and this is thought to be one of the items which will be looked at again.

It is believed some other items of evidence have not been tested at all, including fingernail scrapings from Lyn’s left hand and samples from the family dog, from its teeth and its back.

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Stone, a former heroin user with previous convictions for violence, has always protested his innocence over the murders and his conviction for the attempted murder of Josie Russell.

One year after the attack an e-fit of the suspect was shown on the BBC’s Crimewatch. It led to Stone, a heroin user with previous convictions for violence, including a previous hammer attack on a man, being identified as a possible suspect by his psychiatrist.

He was put in an identity parade, but Josie did not pick him out. However Stone had no alibi and said he could not remember what he was doing at the time of the attack.

At his trial fellow prisoners testified they’d heard him confess, one through the heating pipe. But a day after the trial one inmate said he’d made it all up.

Stone appealed and a retrial was ordered and he was convicted again despite there being no DNA evidence linking him to the crime. Stone had an appeal against his conviction turned down in 2019.

According to the Sunday Times the new specimen from Stone is needed to conduct newly developed tests that isolate male DNA even if a sample is a mixture of DNA from a female victim and an unknown man.

The same advances in DNA testing were used to prove the innocence of Andrew Malkinson, who was in prison for 17 years for rape, a crime he didn’t commit.

In this case scientists tested for new DNA from the victim’s clothing and this helped quash Malkinson’s conviction in 2023 and the real culprit was later jailed.

Stone’s legal team believe that if the DNA of another man is found, it could lead to another suspect being identified in his case.

Levi Bellfield, the serial killer who murdered the schoolgirl Milly Dowler in 2002, allegedly confessed that he was responsible for the Russell murders but later retracted the claim.

Since then, he is said to have made a further detailed written confession after talking to prison psychologists. It was claimed Bellfield wanted relatives of those who were killed to have ‘resolution’.

The CCRC, the only body with the power to send cases back to the Court of Appeal, has said Bellfield’s claims were not credible and that he had made false confessions to other crimes.

Mark McDonald, Stone’s barrister, told the Sunday Times: “Michael Stone has been in custody for 29 years for a murder he did not commit. He is innocent.”

The new forensic investigation will rely on two techniques. The first is DNA-17, a test that only became commonplace in 2014 and can isolate male and female genetic material.

The chance of two unrelated individuals sharing the same DNA-17 profile is less than one in a billion.

The saliva from Stone is reportedly needed for another test called Y-STR, verifying male line relationships. This can separate even trace amounts of male DNA from a mixed sample. Results from this cannot be searched on the police database but can be used to search against specific alternative suspects.

If scientists find male DNA that does not match Stone or Lin Russell’s husband, Shaun Russell, it could lead a new suspect.

If the CCRC wants to compare the sample with Bellfield’s DNA, it has been advised that it might need to obtain a new sample from him – or use old material from cases where he was convicted.

Stone’s lawyer pointed out to the Sunday Times, how his client had been pushing for more forensic work on the case for decades, saying: “A guilty man doesn’t do that”.