Catastrophic flooding has triggered a state of emergency across parts of Missouri after what forecasters described as a ‘once-in-a-millennium’ rainfall sent rivers surging to historic levels.

Thousands have been placed under a flash flood emergency by the National Weather Service with crews having already carried out more than 90 water rescues, according to the Reynolds County sheriff’s office.

Relentless thunderstorms dumped between six and 12 inches of rain near the Black River in southeastern Missouri, inundating roads, campgrounds and communities.

Officials warned the danger was far from over on Friday evening, with rivers continuing to rise and additional flooding expected in the coming hours. The river rose to an all-time high of 28.7 feet during the day on Friday.

At least one young woman is still missing after her home was washed away in the flood waters.

Faith Gregory, 23, vanished along with her Davisville property after a surge of water swelled the home at 3.30am on Friday morning in southeastern Crawford County.

She and  boyfriend, Logan Ouseley managed to pile into a kayak and Ouseley made it out of the water but Gregory and their pets were swept away.

Her sister, Kayla Dawn, posted a desperate plea for help on Facebook saying: ‘We don’t know a lot right now but what we do know is we need everyone looking for Faith. Her and her home were washed away in the storm this early morning.

Campers at Franklin Floats Campgrounds in Lesterville were forced to scramble onto the roof of parked SUVs in order to avoid being swept away by historic floods in Missouri on Friday

Some were able to wait it out in inflatable boats the campers normally use on the boating lake

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Homes in Lesterville were underwater after historic flooding which saw rivers rise to record-breaking levels

More than 90 water rescues were carried out in Reynolds County, Missouri, as flash flooding overwhelmed the area. Joe Holt took this video from the air

‘The flood was bad, storm was intense. Please everyone that lives down in Cherryville/Davisville, check the creeks, yell her name. Please help me find my sister!’

In another dramatic scene, around 20 people had to be pulled to safety after a building at the Bearcat Getaway campground near the Black River collapsed beneath them, sending campers into the raging waters. 

Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt Eddie Young said the group had climbed onto the structure before it gave way, forcing emergency responders to rescue them from the flood.

The extreme weather also endangered first responders. During one rescue mission, a Missouri State Highway Patrol boat became entangled in a submerged line.

The two troopers aboard were forced to abandon the vessel and enter the floodwaters before both safely made it ashore without injury.

The floods came after several inches of rain fell overnight on Thursday and into the morning across a long swath of central and eastern Missouri. 

The National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings as thunderstorms piled on the area one after another, explained Matt Beitscher, a lead meteorologist with the NWS office in St. Louis.

‘It’s very, very popular place for recreation,’ said Beitscher of the affected counties.

‘So there are campgrounds there. There are float trip locations there. A lot of vulnerable populations that would be susceptible to flash flooding.’ 

Faith Gregory, 23, went missing after being swept into floodwaters when raging rapids deluged her Davisville home

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She and boyfriend, Logan Ousley, managed to escape in a kayak. Ousley made it out of the water but Gregory has not been seen since

Little was left of 23-year-old Faith Gregory’s home in southeastern Crawford County after a wall collapsed. Gregory is still missing 

The Missouri State Highway Patrol were forced to deploy on inflatables 

Scary scenes unfolded when one of the Missouri Highway Patrol’s rescue boats became entangled in a submerged line

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Dozens were evacuated from multiple campgrounds along the Black River in Lesterville. Some people were forced to climb trees to escape rising floodwaters.

One photo saw a family’s camper van lying on its side as the strength of the waters tossed it aside. 

Governor Mike Kehoe declared a state of emergency as the crisis escalated, activating one of Missouri’s urban search-and-rescue teams while National Guard helicopters were dispatched to reach residents cut off by floodwaters.

‘With additional heavy rain expected through the weekend, the threat is not over. If you’re camping, floating, or spending time near rivers and streams, move to higher ground and stay alert of weather conditions,’ Governor Kehoe stressed. 

‘Missourians should continue to monitor local forecasts and follow the guidance of local authorities.’

Kehoe also issued a public service announcement as he urged all Missourians to pay attention to the weather forecast and heed warnings, particularly those on or near rivers and streams.

He said that people should have multiple ways to receive alerts, including overnight, as weather conditions change rapidly. 

‘Never attempt to drive through floodwaters, even if the water appears shallow. Just six inches of floodwater can sweep a person off their feet, and as little as one foot of water can move most cars off the road,’ he said. 

‘More than half of flood deaths in Missouri are victims in vehicles. Nighttime severe weather is particularly dangerous because visibility is severely reduced. If you find yourself stranded by floodwaters, immediately call for help and seek higher ground.’

The two troopers on board were forced to abandon their boat, but fortunately, both made it to safety and were not injured

The area is home to many campgrounds and recreational areas – many were deluged by the flood

Part of a Lesterville campground looked to be underwater after the floodwaters came

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Several inches of overnight rain left campers and motorists stranded across central and eastern Missouri

Roads were turned into rivers as raging floodwaters swept through the area

Many homes in Annapolis, Missouri were completely cut off by the floodwaters

A family reunification center has also been set up.

Several major roads became impassable, and authorities established a family reunification center as rescue operations continued.

Joe Holt took video of flooding in Lesterville. Footage from the air saw several major roads made impassable due to flooding and damage.

Houses were also flooded in Annapolis, Missouri as rising waters from the creek washed over roads and bridges. 

Meteorologists described the deluge as a ‘once-in-a-millennium’ rainfall event, warning that swollen rivers would continue rising even after the rain eased, raising fears that the worst flooding may still be ahead.

At nearby Twin Rivers Landing campground, the owners described a desperate overnight rescue operation after floodwaters tore through the property with little warning.

In a Facebook post, campground owners Chris and Dave said they received an emergency warning call at 2:41am alerting them that water levels were rising rapidly. 

Chris immediately went from camper to camper and cabin to cabin, pounding on doors and using a megaphone to wake sleeping families before leading a convoy of campers, trucks and cars out of the campground.

The campground at Twin Rivers Landing Campground in Lesterville, Missouri is unrecognizable as flood water takes over 

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A building sits partially submerged as historic floodwaters engulf Twin Rivers Landing during Missouri’s devastating flash flood emergency

Heavy flooding swamps campsites and equipment after overnight rainfall sent rivers surging across central and eastern Missouri

The ice box was a victim of the floods as it floated out of the campground

Floodwaters rose so high that only the tops of flagpoles remained visible at Twin Rivers Landing after torrential rain inundated the campground

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Inside the campground store, shelves remain stocked despite muddy floodwater pouring into the building during the overnight deluge

Rescuers quickly deployed inflatable rescue boats to assist 

Dave remained behind as floodwaters swallowed the roads, using a backhoe to rescue guests who could no longer escape. 

The campground owner told how he ferried people to the second floor of the general store while others became stranded on the roof of the lodge, on top of a bus and in waist-deep water near a garage as the flooding worsened.

According to the post, Chris then worked from the emergency command center alongside rescue officials, using detailed maps of the campground to direct first responders to trapped guests. The final rescue was completed at around 11:30am.

Photos showed buildings partially submerged, floodwaters swallowing vehicles and flagpoles, and stunned families surveying the devastation from higher ground, the campground said the destruction could be repaired.

‘Campers, vehicles, buses, buildings, and equipment can all be repaired or replaced. Lives cannot,’ the post read. ‘Our hearts are full of gratitude that every guest was safely evacuated.’ 

The owners added that while the damage was extensive, they were ‘blessed beyond words’ that everyone escaped safely.

Route 21 at Paynes Branch in Reynolds County was partially washed away by the currents 

Roads were completely deluged by the rising floodwaters making many routes impassable 

The Mayor of Annapolis warned that the flash floods could come and go without warning

One family’s camper van was tossed aside like a toy by the raging floodwaters

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Stephanie Blechle Tooley of the Black River Rats saw this motor home floating down the river

Many homes in Lesterville are no longer inhabitable after they was deluged by the floods

The roof of a truck can be seen on the left of this photo, while a home is completely cut off by the floods

The walls of one structure were stripped away by the floodwaters

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Parkland was turned into a lake as the Black River in Lesterville burst its banks

Roads became entirely impassable as the floodwaters spread wherever they could 

The Missouri State Highway Patrol posted photos later on Friday of the flooding in Crawford County 

The Missouri State Highway Patrol shared pictures of homes after the floodwaters subsided

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Marks on the side of this house shows floodwaters went rose well above the first floor

Parts of southeastern Missouri have already picked up at least 12.25 inches of rain since Thursday.

The Missouri Department of Transportation Southeast District said Highway 21 in Reynolds County sustained major damage because of the flooding and would be closed until further notice.

There is still a risk of flash flooding early into next week as the weather front continues to move slowly south and east, reports Fox Weather.

Britain’s seaside resorts never look better than during a heatwave, and this week Bournemouth was no exception. The rippling waters of the English Channel sparkled in the early evening sun and tourists and locals alike took refuge in the shade offered by the groves of pine trees planted by the Victorian entrepreneurs responsible for developing the town in the 19th century.

But I had little time to admire this idyllic scene because, within ten minutes of arriving at 6.30pm on Tuesday, I had been spat at, punched in the jaw and forced to fend off a barrage of blows aimed at my face.

I have no photographic evidence of this shocking display of violence because my colleague – photographer Jamie Wiseman – was under attack, too, and ended up with his shirt ripped to shreds and a bloodied knee.

All this took place within a stone’s throw of Bournemouth’s fabled golden sands and just yards from a memorial to Red Arrows pilot Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging, who died in a crash at the Bournemouth Air Festival in 2011.

As appalled bystanders made frantic calls to the police, we were subjected to a lengthy attack by a man and a woman who’d emerged from the undergrowth on the resort’s East Cliff, between the road and the beach.

He looked to be of Mediterranean extraction and maybe in his 30s, barefoot and clad in nothing but a pair of nylon shorts.

She was English and in her 20s, wearing leggings and a strapless top, with her hair in a topknot. Her most distinctive feature, however, was her teeth: they were just blackened stumps.

Their assault was accompanied by a volley of foul-mouthed abuse, and nothing we said could persuade them to stop. Only after an extended onslaught did they suddenly give up and run off, giving us a chance to catch our breath. I was left with a scratch to my neck and a jaw that has ached for days.

The recent arrival of hundreds of migrants, accommodated at Bournemouth’s nearby Britannia and Roundhouse hotels, has indeed coincided with a rise in the crime rate

Looking back, it’s clear the attack had been sparked by our decision to send up a drone to survey the immediate area. For we had come to Bournemouth to investigate an online claim by embattled Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, that read: ‘Illegals have taken over a seaside beauty spot in Bournemouth for the third summer in a row. This is what an invasion looks like.’

His claim was prompted by three-week-old photographs taken by a local news agency of what appeared to be a small encampment set up in the undergrowth that lined the cliff just below where we were subsequently assaulted.

The pictures showed it consisted of two tents, a generator, and – incongruously – a white leather sofa, on which sat two men, who appeared to be black.

In his post on social media, Farage added: ‘The camp is visible to thousands of beachgoers . . . They are about 200 yards from a Britannia hotel which houses over 100 illegals at the taxpayer’s expense. A Reform government will have no tolerance for this. All these men will be detained and deported. Simple as.’

Except, as we discovered, it really is not ‘simple as’. Far from being in full view of thousands of beachgoers, the makeshift encampment is, in fact, screened by thick undergrowth and trees, which render it virtually invisible. It was only by using a drone that the picture agency had succeeded in catching it on film.

So we did the same. The couple who attacked us evidently believed they were being spied upon, while they were getting up to something private in the bushes.

One of the onlookers who called the police – who finally arrived only after everyone had left, including us – subsequently told us that ‘undesirables’ had increasingly been gathering in the area.

But we soon established that, contrary to Mr Farage’s claims, this wasn’t really a migrant problem.

While the recent arrival of hundreds of migrants, accommodated at Bournemouth’s nearby Britannia and Roundhouse hotels, has indeed coincided with a rise in the crime rate – including grave offences such as rape and an infamous 2022 murder – the majority of the problems being experienced by this once genteel resort are caused by homegrown troublemakers.

The encampment we stumbled on, which is said to have been around for three years, is believed to be largely used by British drug and alcohol abusers.

Ever since the covid pandemic, local business owners say Bournemouth has been plagued by an annual influx of such low-grade ‘tourists’, who come to sleep rough and blow their benefits on booze and drugs. The internet is awash with shocking videos of them fighting and conducting drug deals in plain sight.

Ed Watts, the owner of the Flirt Cafe, in Bournemouth’s Triangle shopping area, is among those calling for the authorities to get a grip on the issue.

‘It’s not a migrant problem here – it’s a drug problem,’ he says. ‘It’s nationwide, it’s not just Bournemouth, but it’s been getting progressively worse here over the past five years, since I opened. And this year has been the worst.’

Astonishingly, Mr Watts, 45, and fellow local business owners have even come to anticipate the arrival of summer – traditionally the very lifeblood of a seaside resort – with dread.

Anti-social behaviour is a year-round problem but it peaks when the sun comes out. ‘There’s always an undercurrent of these sorts of issues – but when summer comes we know it’s going to get worse, with drug users outside and sitting opposite my cafe,’ he says.

‘If they’re going to take drugs and get up to mischief, they’re going to do it in the sunshine. And if you’re going to sleep rough, why not do it on the beach? So they catch the train from London, or wherever, and come down here.

‘Bournemouth’s population swells hugely in the summer – and Dorset Police, whose officers on the street are wonderful, are underfunded. Central government should sort it out.’

He said he is in favour of ‘surge funding’ for the local police force, so they get more resources when they most need them.

Among Mr Watts’ fellow campaigners for a more energetic approach to public disorder is Jonny Spencer, who runs an adult store called Easy Tiger, across the Triangle from Mr Watts’ cafe.

Quite what Bournemouth’s founder Captain Lewis Tregonwell, a veteran of the Dorset yeomanry during the Napoleonic Wars who started it all by building a house on 8.5 acres of the then-uninhabited Poole Heath in 1810, would make of his resort being championed by a sex shop proprietor is anyone’s guess.

Yet over the past 17 years, Easy Tiger has become a local success story and Mr Spencer is a leading light of the business community. He has been busy collecting evidence of drug dealing and other criminal behaviour, while campaigning for hard-working police officers to be given the increased funding and council support they need to tackle the issue.

He has little doubt about the causes of the anti-social behaviour. ‘Everyone talks about homelessness being behind the drug use here – but it isn’t,’ he says. ‘Many of these people have got houses but come down here and sleep rough over the summer.

‘I got angry with a bloke last year over the rubbish he was leaving everywhere. He argued back, but then we got talking. He said he had a council house, all paid for, somewhere between Manchester and Liverpool, but he comes down here over summer.

Local news agency pictures showed it consisted of two tents, a generator, and – incongruously – a white leather sofa, on which sat two men, who appeared to be black

Ever since the covid pandemic, local business owners say Bournemouth has been plagued by an annual influx of such low-grade ‘tourists’

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‘He gets his lunch free from a charity who hand it out in Bournemouth Square, and he goes to a soup kitchen at St Peter’s Church in the evening.

‘At the same time, he’s getting his benefits and PIP payments [the controversial Personal Independence Payment disability allowance of up to £778 a month] and he just uses them for booze. He was one of the ones who is only a drunk.’

Mr Spencer continues: ‘And about three weeks ago there were two women down from Liverpool. They’d only been here for 24 hours when they overdosed on GHB [a drug popular with ravers that comes in the form of a clear, odourless liquid]. They had been giving each other doses all day from pipettes.’

Sadly the ‘Costa del Dole’ substance-abusing holiday-makers don’t even treat the town library with the respect it deserves. ‘A couple were recently having sex in the middle of the day right in the library entrance,’ said Mr Spencer. ‘With old dears walking past them as they went to get their books.’

Bournemouth’s beautiful Central Gardens, established in the 1870s as a ‘green lung’ in the centre of the resort, also haven’t escaped the scourge of the drug tourists. When another businessman, who asked not to be named, took us on a tour, we were appalled at what we saw.

Amid the villas on the edge of the Gardens was a nondescript house said by police to be a known ‘meth house’, shorthand for a location used for the smoking of highly addictive crystal meth.

And just yards from it, on the steps to the Central Gardens’ Jurassic Play Jungle for children, we passed a pair of young men who appeared to be smoking crystal meth from an improvised pipe.

After my colleague Jamie took a photograph from afar, the smokers took exception and he narrowly escaped his second attack in Bournemouth in 24 hours.

Back at the Triangle, we went to the grim alley behind Easy Tiger where the shops store their commercial bins. It’s also a magnet for substance abusers.

Our anonymous businessman, whose testimony is backed up by pictures and videos provided to the police and authorities, says: ‘They came here to sleep in basement stairwells and do drug deals, which have been caught on security video. We have even found what seems to be a drug-dealing accounts book revealing thousands in profits – as well as them having sex and using the back alley as a toilet.

‘A shopkeeper came down here to throw some rubbish away the other day, and these people were all moving bins so they couldn’t be seen taking drugs, or whatever, by the security cameras. They all kicked off . . . One had a headscarf wrapped round him, like a terrorist.’

Our source offers another explanation for the rise in local crime. ‘Some of the businesses in the area aren’t genuine – they’re fronts for drug-dealing,’ he claims. ‘They pay over the odds for rent, and these people coming here feel comfortable knowing they’ll be able to buy their drugs from them.’

Police and council officials last week attended a meeting with a large group of local business owners and shopkeepers in the Flirt Cafe and, according to owner Mr Watts, were alarmed at what they heard about the extent of the degenerate behaviour taking place in broad daylight.

The force’s officers would also have been alarmed if any had taken an evening stroll along the beach this week – the stench of ‘skunk’ cannabis was ubiquitous for at least a mile, including the area below the cliff ‘encampment’.

Approached by the Daily Mail last night, the Lib-Dem leader of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council, Millie Earl, insisted ‘most of’ the millions of visitors each year ‘have a fantastic time’.

She said a recently-installed six-foot fence on the cliffs had made the illegal camp harder to access, amid plans to ‘clear it as soon as it is safe to do so’.

Dorset Police Chief Superintendent Julie Howe, Commander for the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area, added: ‘Like most large, urbanised areas, we do have crime, which we are tackling and reducing. The added influx of visitors during peak periods can lead to additional demand and we have extensive policing plans in place to ensure we proactively deter offenders.

‘This summer, our Good Safe Summer initiative sees us deploy enhanced visible patrols in key areas of tourist activity, such as the seafront, town centre and Lower Gardens. These patrols are also undertaken alongside our Town Team, deployed by BCP [Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole] Council.

‘Furthermore, our officers conduct regular foot patrols around hotspot areas where anti-social behaviour and violent crime has been reported. This includes The Triangle. Earlier this year, Dorset Police welcomed an additional 11 officers to the neighbourhood policing team covering Bournemouth town centre, and the increased visibility and engagement of our officers has seen positive results.

‘In the town centre, comparing the year 2026 to the previous 12 months, anti-social behaviour has reduced by 5.7 per cent, total crime by 3.2 per cent, violence against the person by 1.8 per cent, and public order incidents by 13 per cent.’

It pains me to say it, but this week Jamie and I experienced ‘violence against the person’ up 100 per cent.

Judge Kerr said in the light of Clarke’s early guilty plea, he was entitled to “significant discount”

A man who twice stabbed his brother with a stanley knife today (Friday) narrowly avoided immediate custody.

Dennis Clarke (45), of the Ormeau Centre, in Belfast’s Waring Street, received a 27 month sentence suspended for two years.

He had previously pleaded guilty at Belfast Crown Court to a single count of wounding.

Judge Gordon Kerr KC warned the defendant: “If you do commit a further offence and are brought back to court you may have to serve the whole or part of the sentence I have imposed. You may also have to serve a sentence for whatever offence brings you back to court.”

The court heard that the defendant arrived home with his brother Kevin Thomas Michael Clarke at around 9 pm on December 11, 2024, after spending the day drinking.

The victim described the defendant as being “argumentative and really aggressive” but the reason behind the argument has never been explained, the court was told.

In a basis of plea between the prosecution and defence, it was agreed Clarke twice stabbed his brother with the blade of a stanley knife during the course of the argument.

During treatment in hospital, doctors observed a seven centimetre laceration to the right side of the victim’s chest and a two centre laceration to the neck.

The wounds were dressed with sutures and steristips which were removed ten days later during a follow up hospital appointment.

Clarke was subsequently arrested by police but answered ‘no comment’ to all questions while in custody.

Judge Kerr said he accepted a prosecution assessment that the custody threshold had been passed in the case.

He said that in mitigation, Clark has no previous convictions on his criminal record, he had expressed remorse for stabbing his brother and had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

The court heard the victim also attended hospital where he was treated for a broken ankle. He said he didn’t have the fracture when walking home and had no recollection of how he had sustained the injury.

A defence barrister said Clarke has had significant health issues, including a heart condition and had to have two stents inserted after suffering a heart attack during the Coronavirus pandemic.

In a pre-sentence report compiled by the Probation Board, the author said Clarke was assessed as a medium likelihood of reoffending but did not pose a danger to the public in the future.

Said Judge Kerr: “Anyone who uses a knife in any circumstance and causes injury can anticipate that the custody threshold will be met.

“I consider that in this case, the fact that there were two lacerations which luckily were not the most serious but could have been, that the proper starting point for sentencing is three years in prison.”

Judge Kerr said in the light of Clarke’s early guilty plea, he was entitled to “significant discount” and reduced his sentence by 25 per cent to one of 27 months.

“Taking all matters into consideration in this case, I do not consider that an immediate custodial sentence is necessary and accordingly I suspend the sentence for a period of two years,” added Judge Kerr.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

In a post on Truth Social early on Saturday, Mr Trump wrote: “1000 Missiles are Locked and Loaded and aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran, with thousands of more to immediately follow, should the Iranian Government act on its threat, pronounced in many corners of the Globe, to assassinate, or attempt to assassinate, the sitting President of the United States of America, in this case, ME!

More than 200,000 trade unionists and their supporters from across Britain and around the world will gather in Durham for the 140th Durham Miners’ Gala – the Big Meeting.

For 140 years the Gala has been far more than a parade or a festival.

It is a living reminder of where working people have come from, what they have endured and what they have achieved when they stand together.

When the first Gala was held in 1871, miners came together to demonstrate the strength that comes from collective action and to celebrate a shared struggle for dignity, fair pay, and decent working conditions.

(Image: DMA)

They understood a simple truth that remains as powerful today as it was then.

Alone, working people can be ignored but together they can change society.

That is why the Big Meeting continues to matter.

It has grown into one of the largest celebrations of working-class solidarity anywhere in the world.

It is a chance to honour those who came before us – the miners, trade unionists, and campaigners who fought for rights many now take for granted.

But it is also about the future and what kind of country we want to build.

(Image: STUART BOLTON)

This has been a landmark year for the trade union movement.

Labour’s Employment Rights Act – fought for and won through years of union campaigning – represents the biggest strengthening of workers’ rights in a generation.

It is already improving lives.

Millions of workers now have access to sick pay from day one.

The injustice of fire and rehire has been outlawed.

Exploitative zero-hours contracts are being tackled through a new right to a contract that reflects the hours employees regularly work.

These are not abstract policy reforms.

They are real changes that mean more security for families, more dignity at work, and greater confidence about the future.

They mean fewer workers having to choose between their health and their pay packet and fewer people living with constant uncertainty about how much they will earn from one week to the next.

After more than a decade of stagnant wages, insecure work, and falling living standards, these changes are long overdue.

Because Britain needs an economy that works for working people – not one that serves only those at the top.

Yet we must also recognise that many people still feel frustrated, anxious, and left behind.

Across the country, communities have seen industries disappear, public services come under strain, and opportunities become harder to find.

(Image: STUART BOLTON)

People understandably feel the system – and politics – has stopped working for them.

In that environment, it is no surprise that opportunists seek to exploit people’s anger.

Figures on the far right present themselves as champions of ordinary workers while enjoying the backing of wealthy donors and powerful interests.

They offer easy targets and simple slogans – but they have no answers to the real challenges facing working people.

The trade union movement offers a different path.

Where others seek to divide, we bring people together.

Where others encourage resentment, we build solidarity.

We know that the interests workers share are far greater than the differences between them.

And we know that every major advance in living standards, rights, and protections has come not from division – but from collective action.

The Gala’s main focus this year is the celebration of working-class unity.

It could not be more fitting.

As a former TUC Regional Secretary for the North East, I saw first-hand the generosity, resilience, and decency that define this region.

I saw people supporting one another in their workplaces and communities.

I saw solidarity not as a slogan, but as a way of life.

At a time when our country feels increasingly polarised, that spirit matters more than ever.

The challenges facing Britain are real.

But if the history of the Durham Miners’ Gala teaches us anything, it is that progress has never come from people standing apart.

It comes from people standing together.

That was true in 1871.

It remains true today.

So to everyone gathering in Durham this weekend: celebrate proudly, remember those who came before us, and enjoy a fantastic Big Meeting.

Most of all, remember this: unity works.

It always has.

And it always will.

The women, who were each diagnosed with brain tumours after taking the birth control, are demanding a change to side effect guidelines as the known victim toll in Scotland soars to 150.

Women left mutilated by a contraceptive jab have demanded that NHS Scotland urgently updates side-effect guidance after they suffered horrific side effects..

Victims with brain tumours, bulging eyes and sight loss after taking Depo-Provera are calling for an immediate change to wording that states there is a “small chance” of developing a meningioma tumour with frequent use.

But a study published in the British Medical Journal in 2024 found that women who used the jag were five times more likely to be diagnosed with meningiomas than women who have never used the birth control.

It comes as 150 Scottish women are currently being represented by Thompsons Solicitors in their fight to seek damages against drug manufacturer Pfizer after the Daily Record highlighted their cases.

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When we first started to highlight the issue back in February this year, we were only aware of two victims.

That number has risen rapidly as we continued to unearth the scandal.

Tammy Croston, 47, runs an online community support group for women who have taken Depo-Provera and suspect their tumours are linked to the drug.

She says there are currently 400 members with numbers “tenfolding”.

The mum-of two, from Cupar in Fife, was left without the use of one of her eyes after surgery to remove one of her four meningiomas went wrong.

Tammy told the Record: “This guidance needs to be changed immediately. There are 150 known victims in Scotland but across the UK, support groups are being formed with hundreds, if not thousands, of women who are scared about the life-altering side effects of Depo-Provera.

“The correlation was made by professionals two years ago, but women are only managing to make the link now because of the exposure this story is getting in the Daily Record.

“It is irresponsible for the NHS to continue to keep this guidance when women are popping up everywhere with tumours after taking Depo for years.

“Our numbers are tenfolding.

“When going for contraception, women deserve to know the full facts about this jab before they make a decision and right now, they’re not getting that.

“No woman should be given this drug without a full warning of the risks.”

Trish Saunders, from Aberdeen, began using Depo-Provera in 1999.

The 45-year-old was prescribed the jab for heavy periods and used it consistently until 2016.

She was diagnosed with a 5mm meningioma after her eye became swollen in 2013. Surgery to remove the mass left her with a half-paralysed face.

She said: “There is no ‘small chance’, the chance of developing a tumour after taking Depo-Provera is extremely likely. We are living proof of that and our numbers are amassing.

“To suggest that it is rare to develop a tumour just isn’t true.

“We have undergone invasive operations and therapies and have been left with life-changing injuries.

“Women deserve to know the truth when they go to their doctor for contraception.

“The current advice is irresponsible.”

Kirsty McCord, 52, from Biggar in South Lanarkshire, was 18-years-old when she began taking Depo Provera.

She was diagnosed with a meningioma roughly the size of a tangerine after she suffered a seizure last year.

She said: “This wording needs to be changed to remove ‘small risk’ – I am living proof that that’s not the case.

“This guideline must be changed so GPs can conduct best practice to allow women to be fully informed.

“It’s reckless to suggest there is a small risk of developing a meningioma from Depo.

“Hundreds of women are coming forward across the country to speak up about their fears.

“It’s time the NHS acknowledged that this is as serious as it gets.”

Kirsty Moore, from Dundee, had to undergo invasive brain surgery and several gruelling rounds of radiotherapy to shrink a tumour she developed after taking the injection for over 20 years.

The 37-year-old only came off the drug earlier this year after learning of its deadly links to meningiomas.

Meanwhile, she has been left with a bulging eye due to the location of the mass inside her skull.

She said: “The wording needs to be changed immediately.

“There are loads of young girls out there who will be taking Depo because of how easy and convenient it is.

” In years to come, some of them may develop meningiomas when they aren’t aware of the full facts.

“The NHS has a duty of care and it must make women aware that there are serious implications of taking Depo.”

In 2024, when the scientific link was made between Depo-Provera and meningiomas, the first major lawsuits were filed against Pfizer in the US.

Women alleged the drug caused their brain tumours and that the company failed to warn them.

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News of their cases then spread to the UK before women began sharing their stories with the Record earlier this year.

Last month, women took their cases to Holyrood to demand politicians to push for a public inquiry into the use of the injection in the UK.

The monumental sit-down was secured just days after Pfizer agreed to settle over 5,000 lawsuits in America.

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Thompsons Solicitor Emma Bruce, who is representing the women in Scotland, said: “No woman should be prescribed Depo‑Provera without first being fully informed of the increased risk of developing a meningioma associated with its use, thereby enabling her to make an informed decision about her treatment.

“The devastating consequences suffered by our clients following their diagnosis of a meningioma must not only be fully acknowledged, but also given serious weight when acted upon.

“The risks associated with this medication must not be minimised, downplayed or dismissed.

Anything short of this undermines a woman’s right to informed consent and personal autonomy.”

It is equally important that lessons are learnt from our clients’ experiences to ensure that future generations of women are afforded the information necessary to make informed choices about their healthcare and are not exposed to the same preventable harm.”

Public Health Minister Maree Todd said: “I have the utmost sympathy for women who may have been harmed by Depo Provera. I met with some of the women to hear first-hand of their experiences and I have agreed a series of actions with them that we will take forward, including issuing a letter directly to healthcare professionals in Scotland.

“The regulation of medicines is reserved to the UK Government, meaning any further investigation into Depo Provera would be a matter for it the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to consider.”

A spokesperson for Pfizer said: “Patient safety is our top priority. We conduct rigorous and continuous monitoring of all our medicines, including assessments of reported adverse events, in collaboration with health authorities around the globe. Depo-Provera (medroxyprogesterone acetate) has been approved in more than 60 countries over the last 30 years, has a well-established efficacy and safety profile and has been a treatment option for millions of patients during that time.

“People should talk to their doctor, pharmacist or nurse if they have any concerns or experience any side effects.”

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Arthur Fery is relishing the next stage of his career following his breakthrough run to the semi-finals at Wimbledon, which forced him to cancel a planned holiday to Greece.

Fery arrived at the All England Club as the world No 114 on a wild card, but quickly became one of the feel-good stories of the summer in a Championship which saw 15 British hopefuls wiped out in the first round.

The 23-year-old has wowed fans over the last two weeks with his impeccable focus, eye-catching athleticism and never-say-die attitude – ingredients which will see him become the new British No 1 on Monday, despite his semi-final defeat by Alexander Zverev.

“It’s going to change things, for sure,” said Fery, who will jump up the rankings to No 36 and take home £900,000 following his remarkable run. “I’m going to be able to play tour events at least for a full year, hopefully for more. It’s going to be interesting to see how I deal with that change and everything that that brings in terms of expectations from myself, from the public, from everyone. I’m already looking forward to that. It’s going to be a challenge to deal with all of that, but I’m conscious of it already and that’s the first step.”

Fery had hardly anticipated his dizzying run – he was supposed to be holidaying in Greece at the sharp end of the tournament – but was forced to cancel the trip. “I was meant to be coming back from holiday today,” he said, smiling. “That’s obviously going to change. I definitely need some time off to process everything that’s happened these past two weeks, [and] have some time off tennis.

“It’s been a good grass season but a long one, mentally challenging. I’m glad that I kept going, kept going in this tournament. Every match was a new challenge. But yeah, I’m going to take some time off now and rest before heading to the US.”

En route to his semi-final Fery lost the first set in each of his first three matches and trailed Grigor Dimitrov by two sets to one in the fourth round. Despite being well beaten by last month’s French Open champion on Friday, he vowed to hold his head high.

“I’m most proud of how I handled the progression of the tournament and how I kept going in every match,” he said. “It would have been easy to let Zizou Bergs [in the third round] run away with his two breaks in the fourth and, as you say, go on holiday and come back.

“I just kept fighting, came back to the match court every time and gave my best. Was mentally locked in. I lacked a bit of that today. It might have been just a step too far. The opponent was a step up again. Yeah, that’s what I was most proud of, never letting go and really pushing myself to the limit.”

Former MP Ann Widdecombe was found dead at her home in Devon on Thursday morning. Police have launched a murder investigation and arrested a 26-year-old man in connection with her death.

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A 26-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the murder of former MP Ann Widdecombe, following a large-scale manhunt for a white male.

Devon and Cornwall Police launched a murder investigation into the death of Miss Widdecombe, who was discovered deceased at her home in Haytor, Dartmoor, near Newton Abbot in Devon at 11:40am on Thursday (July 9).

At an afternoon press conference, Devon and Cornwall Police Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman confirmed that Miss Widdecombe’s death is not being treated as terror-related. Officers confirmed the suspect is British, reports the Daily Star.

Miss Widdecombe, who had appeared on Talk radio on Wednesday (July 8), was found to have sustained “serious injuries”. Police also confirmed that a manhunt had been launched for a white male believed to be responsible for her death.

Speaking at the press conference, Assistant Chief Constable Longman said: “A 26-year-old man was arrested in Newton Abbot this afternoon on suspicion of the murder of Ann Widdecombe. The suspect, who is a white British national, remains in police custody while inquiries continue.”

Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman further confirmed that Miss Widdecombe’s death was not being treated as a terrorist incident.

He added: “Detectives from the force major crime investigation team have launched a murder investigation, and are conducting extensive inquiries into the circumstances surrounding Ms Widdecombe’s death.

“While we work closely with our partners and consulted counter-terrorism policing as part of our initial inquiries, the incident is not being treated as terrorism.

“A cordon remains in place at the property, while specialist officers continue forensic examinations. There are road closures in place around the scene, and the public will see significant police activity in the area while detectives and other officers continue house-to-house and CCTV inquiries.

“This is an extremely tragic incident. Our thoughts are very much with the family and friends of Miss Widdicombe in this very difficult time.”

The former Conservative minister, aged 78, later served as a Brexit Party MEP before becoming a Reform UK spokeswoman, and also gained recognition beyond politics through her appearance on Strictly Come Dancing. Numerous tributes were paid to her earlier today before officers confirmed their murder inquiry.

Speaking to journalists at Chequers, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer addressed the news of the investigation for the first time. He said: “This is really shocking news, and my thoughts, I think all of our thoughts, will be with the family and friends of Ann Widdecombe at this awful time for them.

“Ann was a distinguished politician over many, many years with many achievements, and it’s a huge, huge loss.

“I’ve spoken to the chief constable this afternoon about the details and I think this is really important that this is a moment where we rise above any political differences, the political divide and say the single most important thing at the moment is that all of us and the public help the police identify the individual suspected and make sure he’s arrested as quickly as possible.

“He’s clearly dangerous, and I implore everybody who’s got any information in relation to him to help the police with their inquiries, get him into police custody.”

Potential future Labour Leader and next PM Andy Burnham has also paid tribute following the death of Miss Widdecombe, through a spokesperson. A spokeswoman for Burnham said: “Andy’s deepest condolences and thoughts are with Ann’s family today, in incredibly distressing circumstances.

“Ann gave a lifetime of public service, and it’s absolutely right that the police put all their resources into investigating this as swiftly as possible.”

Miss Widdecombe’s management company Cloud 9 called on anyone with information to come forward, stating: “We are absolutely devastated by this news following a very traumatic and upsetting 24 hours.”

The statement added: “We are absolutely devastated by this news following a very traumatic and upsetting 24 hours.”

“We fully support the police in their investigations and we reiterate the family’s desire not to be contacted at this difficult time. We implore anyone who may have relevant information to contact Devon and Cornwall Police.”

Devon and Cornwall Police have established a Major Incident Public Portal [MIPP] for information, images or footage to be submitted to them. You can also get in touch by phone on 101 or through their website, quoting reference 50260179119 and Operation Hunlen.

You can follow the link to the public portal here.

Information can also be passed anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or at crimestoppers-uk.org..