Michael Stone, who was convicted of killing them, is currently serving three life sentences. He has always protested his innocence
A DNA sample will be taken from serial killer Levi Bellfield after he claimed to be responsible for the murder of a mum and her daughter three decades ago.
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The 58-year-old, who is serving life imprisonment, reportedly admitted the murders of Lin Russell, 45, and her daughter Megan, six. They were found dead in Kent on July 9, 1996, months after they had moved to the area from Wales.
Michael Stone, who was convicted of killing them, is currently serving three life sentences. He has always protested his innocence. Stay in the know by making sure you’re receiving our daily newsletter.
The Criminal Cases Review Commission is now re-examining evidence following Bellfield’s confession, with a sample to be taken from him.
We previously reported how a fresh DNA sample was due to be taken from Stone.
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A CCRC spokesperson said: “We intend to obtain a sample from Mr Bellfield. No date has been set for this.”
The murders took place on July 9, 1996, after six-year-old Megan and her sister Josie, nine, had attended a swimming gala.
Their mother Lin, 45, and the family’s white terrier Lucy picked them up from their school in the Kent village of Goodnestone. They had recently moved to the area from Gwynedd.
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They took a shortcut through cornfields and a small wood towards Nonington where they lived in a cottage with the girls’ father Shaun.
At about 4.25pm a man passed them in a car, got out, and approached carrying a hammer.
He forced them into a small clearing, tied them up, and subjected them to a “sustained, severe, repeated and vicious assault”. Lucy, the terrier, was also beaten to death.
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Lin and Megan were left lying on their backs a few feet apart. Josie had been blindfolded and tied to a tree. No money or belongings were stolen. Nor did forensic experts find any evidence of a sexual motive.
Father Shaun raised the alarm when he got home from work and found the house empty before police officers found the shocking scene later that night.
At first they thought Josie was dead too but an hour later she was seen to move and was rushed to hospital. Miraculously she survived nine hours after the attack took place.
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The letter, signed by Offshore Energies UK (OEUK), the GMB union, the Chemical Industries Association, Fuels Industry UK and others, urges Labour MPs: “For our jobs and communities, economy and security, and for our climate obligations – we are asking you to back North Sea oil and gas. Not imports.”
World Cup fans have been left in awe of a breathtaking photo which captures Lionel Messi standing beside a sea of spectators at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium.
Messi helped Argentina reach the semifinals of the competition on Saturday, teeing up Alexis Mac Allister for the opening goal in his country’s 3-1 win over Switzerland in the last eight.
And during the quarterfinal, Getty photographer Julian Finney took an incredible snap of the soccer icon in the midst of thousands of fans as he went to take a corner at Arrowhead.
A number of users on social media heaped praise on Finney’s picture, including one who wrote: ‘Goosebumps. What a scene.’
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Another posted: ‘This is the greatest photo to come out of this World Cup – Sick!’
A third put: ‘worthy of putting on a wall if ur a messi fan’.
World Cup fans are in awe of this breathtaking photo of Lionel Messi at Arrowhead Stadium
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Messi has been one of the standout players of this World Cup despite recently turning 39
‘This is one of the most beautiful picture of the tournament. Sports photo of the year in my opinion,’ a fourth concluded.
‘Awesome picture showing the goat,’ said a fifth.
While one even went as far as to say: ‘The best Photo ever’.
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Messi has still been one of the standout players of this summer’s World Cup despite recently turning 39, with his tally of eight goals the joint-most at the tournament along with France sensation Kylian Mbappe.
He also became the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer earlier in the competition, although Mbappe is only one goal behind him.
The Barcelona great is now poised to lock horns with England for the very first time on Wednesday, when Argentina face their bitter rivals in a semifinal grudge match.
Speaking after their quarterfinal win over Switzerland, Messi sent a message to England ahead of what will be a huge clash.
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The Argentina captain is set to take on England for the first time in Wednesday’s semifinal
Join the discussion
Does this belong in the pantheon of all-time great sporting photos?
He said: ‘Everything I have seen and remember [about Argentina vs. England from 1986] is from videos and images that Argentinians constantly watch and relive.
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‘But I think this group is used to playing football matches regardless of the opponent. Obviously, playing against England is special because they are a powerhouse, and matches against powerhouses are always special.
‘Personally, it’s the first time I’m going to play against them. I’ve played against everyone except England, so it will be nice for that reason too.
‘And we’ll experience it for what it is: a World Cup semifinal against a powerhouse, a great team, and we’ll try to arrive in the best possible shape to compete again.’
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Is this the best sports photo EVER? World Cup fans go wild for snap of Lionel Messi at Arrowhead Stadium
A 28-year-old man, who was arrested in Rotherham on Saturday, has since been re-arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism. Speaking to the Commons on Monday, home secretary Shabana Mahmood said he was not known to counter-terrorism programme Prevent, which supports people who are at risk of becoming involved with terrorism.
She also said that guidance would now be offered by police to MPs following Miss Widdecombe’s death.
Counter-terrorism police have claimed that “new information and evidence” had come to light, which meant they were now leading the investigation, after working alongside Devon and Cornwall Police after Ms Widdecombe was found dead with “serious injuries” in her Haytor residence at 11.40am on Thursday.
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Head of national counter-terrorism policing, Laurence Taylor, said: “We are pursuing multiple lines of enquiry to establish the motivation for this attack.
“Our priority is progressing this investigation quickly, with all the capabilities we have available to us. If anyone has any information, please share it with the police.”
Conservative MPs demand crackdown on social media hate
The death of former Conservative minister Ann Widdecombe has reignited concerns over the growing tide of online abuse directed at politicians, prompting fresh calls for the government to force social media companies to do more to curb hateful and violent content.
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During a debate in parliament, MPs from across the Conservative Party argued that tech platforms must be held accountable for allowing hostile and abusive posts to flourish online, warning that such rhetoric contributes to a climate that puts elected representatives at risk.
Reform UK MPs Danny Kruger and Lee Anderson, home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf, and deputy leader Richard Tice hold a wreath as they pay their respects near the home of Ann Widdecombe in Haytor, Dartmoor (PA)
Former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith urged the government to take stronger action against what he described as “visceral” and violent language circulating on social media.
“We need to reiterate, and the government and the home secretary needs to specify, to all those social media companies they must do something to close down on the visceral, violent language that some people use, attacking personally,” he said.
Referring to online reactions following Widdecombe’s death, he added that the comments had “shocked” him and warned that this kind of rhetoric was “the root of violence and death.”
Conservative MP Mark Francois echoed those concerns, saying politicians had always needed resilience but that the online environment had become increasingly toxic.
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“You always needed a thick skin to come into politics; you now need the hide of a rhino,” he said, arguing that social media companies have a responsibility to reduce the level of hate directed at MPs and their families.
Another Conservative MP, Mark Pritchard, suggested that technology companies had escaped the level of scrutiny faced by traditional media.
“For too long, the mainstream media of this country have been blamed,” he said, arguing that large technology firms possess the resources to do far more to tackle abusive content on their platforms.
Responding to the debate, home secretary Shabana Mahmood acknowledged the concerns raised by MPs and suggested that existing measures may not go far enough.
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“Many members have made this point today about the unaccountability of social media platforms for their algorithms and for the type of content that they host on their platforms,” she said. While noting that the government had already taken steps to regulate online platforms, Mahmood added: “I’m sure we will have to go further.”
Shweta Sharma14 July 2026 04:30
Watch: Man ‘with stick left house linked to Widdecombe murder suspect and drove away’
Man ‘with stick left house linked to Widdecombe murder suspect and drove away’
Nicole Wootton-Cane14 July 2026 04:00
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Ann Widdecombe murder suspect: What we know as man re-arrested by counterterror police
A suspect in Ann Widdecombe’s murder investigation has been re-arrested after a manhunt following the discovery of her body at home last week.
Counterterror police are now leading the investigation into her death, after saying on Monday that “new information and evidence has come to light”.
Ms Widdecombe, a former Conservative minister and later Reform UK spokeswoman, was found dead at her home in Haytor on Dartmoor at about 11.40am on Thursday after sustaining serious injuries.
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It is believed that the veteran politician was attacked on Wednesday at around 12.30pm, Devon and Cornwall Police have said previously.
You can read everything we know about the suspect below:
Nicole Wootton-Cane14 July 2026 03:00
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Ann Widdecombe’s murder suspect ‘not known’ to Prevent scheme, says home secretary
A 28-year-old white British man is being held on suspicion of murdering the veteran politician, and has also been re-arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.
Nicole Wootton-Cane14 July 2026 02:00
Everything counterterrorism police said as they launch probe into Ann Widdecombe’s death
Counterterrorism police are now heading up the investigation into Ann Widdecombe’s death after “new evidence” came to light.
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Speaking on Monday, head of national counter terrorism policing, Laurence Taylor, said: “Building on the progress made by our colleagues in Devon and Cornwall Police, we now have new information and evidence that means Counter Terrorism Policing is now leading the investigation.
“We are pursuing multiple lines of enquiry to establish the motivation for this attack.
“Our priority is progressing this investigation quickly, with all the capabilities we have available to us. If anyone has any information, please share it with the police.
“We would like to thank local communities, the wider public and the media for their ongoing support and patience, and would ask them to continue to support us in the next stage of the investigation.”
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Nicole Wootton-Cane14 July 2026 01:00
Recap: Ann Widdecombe’s murder investigation becomes terror probe as suspect rearrested
Counterterrorism detectives are now leading the investigation into the murder of veteran politician Ann Widdecombe after “new information and evidence” came to light, marking a major escalation in the probe into the former MP’s death.
A 28-year-old suspect, who was first detained on Saturday, has been rearrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.
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He is reported to have driven about 430km (270 miles) after being seen on CCTV climbing into a red car in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, with a wooden stick on the day of the politician’s death.
The 78-year-old was discovered with serious injuries in her remote Devon home at 11.40am the following morning.
Nicole Wootton-Cane14 July 2026 00:00
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Watch: Counter terrorism police take over investigation into Ann Widdecombe’s death after arrest
Counter terrorism police take over investigation into Ann Widdecombe’s death after arrest
Nicole Wootton-Cane13 July 2026 23:00
Ann Widdecombe’s missing hours revealed that could hold key to finding her killer
Ann Widdecombe suddenly stopped responding to messages moments before she was due to appear on air for interview on Wednesday, the day before she was found at her dead at her Dartmoor home.
Ms Widdecombe, 78, was set to be a guest on 5 Daytime on Wednesday afternoon but stopped replying to the broadcaster and did not turn up for her slot, according to Channel 5 presenter Dan Walker.
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“The team contacted her agent to ask them to check in on her. This information has been passed to police as it’s part of the investigation,” he said in a post on social media.
Nicole Wootton-Cane13 July 2026 22:00
MPs say they are ‘looking over their shoulders’ after Ann Widdecombe’s death
MPs have spoken about their own safety concerns after the killing of Ann Widdecombe, as one Conservative MP warned parliamentarians were more likely to be killed than members of the army or police.
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Responding to a statement in the House of Commons about the former Conservative minister’s killing last week, Tory MP Sir Bernard Jenkin (Harwich and North Essex) recalled the statistic as he added: “None of us want our homes to be turned into fortresses but maybe more people need to be encouraged to put, for example, security gates on the fronts of their houses and to have security cameras watching and recording what is going on, rather than relying on the Ring doorbell.”
Labour MP for Monmouthshire Catherine Fookes said: “I’m sure I was not the only one this weekend who went about my business in the constituency looking over my shoulder more than I normally would, and it’s terrible that it’s the third ex-member of this Parliament to be murdered. But it shouldn’t be like this.”
Ms Fookes added: “It does seem that security fobs, and security in our houses is not really enough.”
Conservative MP Sir Julian Lewis (New Forest East) told MPs he had previously worked with colleagues on greater privacy rules for MPs’ home addresses.
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Labour MP Helena Dollimore (Hastings and Rye) said she was concerned about pictures of MPs’ homes being broadcast by media organisations. Sir Julian said: “Whatever else you do, keep your home addresses as private as you possibly can.”
Responding to Ms Fookes, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “There are a number of measures that are taken and that for local policing as well as working with the Parliamentary Security Department there is an offer for all members of Parliament and specific risk assessments.”
Nicole Wootton-Cane13 July 2026 21:30
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PM in waiting Andy Burnham pays tribute to Ann Widdecombe
Prime minister in waiting Andy Burnham has paid tribute to former Tory and Reform heavyweight Ann Widdecombe, saying his and the PLP’s thoughts go out to her friends and family and all who loved her.
He said that “this is a moment to come together, think of her family and ensure the police have the resources and space they need to ensure justice is brought following this appalling act of violence.”
It comes as Mr Burnham addressed MPs during a one-candidate leadership hustings to MPs over Zoom on Monday. The hustings took place as Mr Burnham was confirmed at the next prime minister after receiving an extra 27 nominations from Labour MPs on Monday, taking his total to 349.
US releases video of forces carrying out another wave of strikes on Iran
US president Donald Trump has launched a new wave of missile strikes on Iranian cities, prompting Tehran to launch attacks on Bahrain.
The US military said it has completed a five-hour mission, targeting military bases across Iran, including Bushehr, Chah Bahar, Jask, Konarak, Abu Musa, and Bandar Abbas. It said the troops “employed precision munitions against Iranian coastal defense systems, missile and drone sites, and maritime capabilities”.
The attack comes as the United Arab Emirates condemned Iran for its “blatant attack” on two Emirati oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, which resulted in the death of one Indian crew member.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Tuesday that two “offending” supertankers had been hit and disabled in the strait after ignoring repeated warnings, turning off navigation systems and attempting to pass through what the Guard described as a mined route.
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Meanwhile, Bahrain sounded air raid sirens at least three times on Tuesday morning as Iran claimed it struck “several weapons storage depots, a satellite communications centre, and a building housing US forces” at the AlJuffair base.
The renewed strikes come as Trump vowed to charge a 20 percent toll on vessels moving through the strait, a plan which Iran’s foreign minister has mocked.
Indian crew dead as Iran strikes UAE oil tankers
One Indian crew member was killed and eight others were wounded when two Emirati oil tankers were struck by Iranian cruise missiles in the Strait of Hormuz, the UAE said this morning.
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The UAE’s defence ministry said the tankers, the Mombasa and Al Bahiyah, were targeted in the southern lane of the strait while in Omani territorial waters. The dead crew member was aboard the Mombasa, it said.
Of the eight wounded, four were seriously injured. Six of the wounded were Indian nationals and two were Ukrainian nationals, the ministry said.
The attacks caused material damage to both tankers after fires broke out on board. The ministry said the fires had been brought under control. It condemned what it called a “blatant attack” and said the UAE retained “its full right to respond to this escalation”.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said this morning that two “offending” supertankers had been hit and disabled in the Strait of Hormuz after ignoring repeated warnings, turning off navigation systems and attempting to pass through what the Guard described as a mined route.
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Alisha Rahaman Sarkar14 July 2026 04:20
Iran claims attacks on Bahrain
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said it targeted “several weapons storage depots, a satellite communications centre, and a building housing US forces” at the AlJuffair base in Bahrain.
Air raid sirens were sounded in Bahrain at least three times this morning, urging people to take immediate shelter.
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Iran said the missile and drone attacks were part of the second phase of its “retaliation operation”.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar14 July 2026 04:15
US says it has completed latest wave of strikes on Iran
The US military said late last night that its forces have completed their latest wave of strikes on Iran.
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“During the five-hour mission, US forces successfully struck military targets across Iran, including Bushehr, Chah Bahar, Jask, Konarak, Abu Musa, and Bandar Abbas,” the US Central Command said in a statement on X.
It said the US troops “employed precision munitions against Iranian coastal defense systems, missile and drone sites, and maritime capabilities”.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar14 July 2026 04:05
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Oil climbs to one-month high of $85 a barrel
Oil prices rose 2 per cent this morning to their highest in four weeks, as the US reimposed its naval blockade of Iran while the two countries stepped up attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, heightening uncertainty about energy flows.
Brent crude futures climbed $1.68, or 2 per cent, to $84.98 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude rose $1.65, or 2.1 per cent, to $79.79 a barrel. Brent crude surged 9.6 per cent in the previous session, its biggest daily gain since May 2020.
Oil prices are now at their highest since the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding to end the war on 17 June.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar14 July 2026 03:57
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US uses sea drones against Iran for first time
The US military has said that it used one-way attack sea drones in Iran for the first time.
In an update on Monday morning, US Central Command said it had struck “dozens of targets at multiple locations with precision munitions” as they sought to degrade Tehran’s ability to attack shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
“CENTCOM forces struck Iranian military air-defense systems, coastal radar sites, missile and drone capabilities, and small boats using US fighter aircraft, naval vessels, one-way attack aerial drones, and one-way attack sea drones for the first time,” it added.
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Alex Croft14 July 2026 03:00
Oil prices jump after US and Iran escalate strikes in the Middle East
Share markets slipped in Asia on Monday as fighting intensified in the Gulf and Iran claimed to have closed the vital Strait of Hormuz, sending oil prices surging and rekindling inflation risks globally.
Brent crude climbed 3.3 per cent in early trade to reach $78.50 a barrel, up from the recent trough of $70.14, while US crude added 3.4 per cent to $73.83 a barrel. US officials said around 20 vessels had been escorted through the strait in the previous 24 hours, though ship tracking sites showed little traffic moving.
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Over the weekend, Tehran extended strikes on Qatar and the United Arab Emirates while the US launched further strikes on Iran, the latest in a cycle of attacks and counter-attacks over shipping through the strait.
Alex Croft14 July 2026 02:01
Iranian attacks kill oil tanker crew member and trigger missile sirens in Bahrain
Early information is trickling out about alleged Iranian retaliation to recent U.S. strikes.
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In Bahrain, missile alerts sounded because of strikes from Tehran, the Associated Press reported early Tuesday local time.
An adviser to Bahrain’s king said on social media that the kingdom’s air defenses intercepted and destroyed multiple inbound Iranian attacks.
Separate Iranian strikes killed one crew member and wounded eight others on a pair of Emirati oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, the defense ministry of the United Arab Emirates said early Tuesday.
The U.A.E. condemned what it called the “blatant attack” and insisted the country retained its “full right to respond to this escalation.”
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The strike itself occurred in waters off Oman, Reuters reports.
Josh Marcus14 July 2026 02:00
Pictured: US military releases image of strike on Iran
A projectile approaches a target at an unknown location, during what U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) says are strikes on Iran, in this screen grab taken from a handout video released on July 12, 2026 (Reuters)
Alex Croft14 July 2026 01:01
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Recap: Iran says it will not allow US to intervene Strait of Hormuz
Iran will not allow the US to intervene in the management of the Strait of Hormuz, the country’s top joint military command, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, has said.
Any attempt by the US army to arrange transit through the strait outside the paths designated by Tehran and without coordination with Iran’s armed forces will be strongly resisted, it added in a statement on social media.
Alex Croft14 July 2026 00:00
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Trump hints at attack plans and claims a new Iran deal was nearly reached in press conference
President Trump made a number of notable claims today about the Iran war while speaking with reporters at the White House.
He briefly claimed that the U.S. and Iran had a renewed deal of some kind “two days ago,” which he said failed because Tehran sought to “negotiate it further.” Iran has not disclosed any such deal was near.
Trump also said renewed U.S. strikes will eventually take out what’s known as Pickaxe Mountain, a buried Iranian nuclear facility.
“Tell the Iranians we’re coming,” the Republican said.
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The president has previously claimed U.S. strikes had all but destroyed Iran’s nuclear capacity.
Elsewhere, the president defended the timeline of the war.
“Well, we were in Vietnam for 19 years,” he said. “We’re here for four months.”
Evidence that beetroot juice can improve athletic performance has long been inconsistent. While some studies reported benefits, others found little or no effect. Now, a new study, combining results from 33 studies, provides the clearest evidence yet that it can enhance exercise performance.
The meta-analysis included data from more than 500 professional and recreational athletes. The results showed that consuming beetroot juice before exercise made a measurable difference to how well they were able to tolerate an intense session.
The greatest benefits were seen when athletes consumed either 70–140ml of concentrated beetroot juice or 250–500ml of standard beetroot juice around two hours before exercise. They showed small-to-moderate improvements in explosive strength, sprint speed and oxygen use.
The secret behind this performance boost is a compound called dietary nitrate, which occurs naturally in foods such as beetroot and leafy green vegetables. When these foods are consumed, the body converts dietary nitrate into an important molecule known as nitric oxide.
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While nitric oxide is used in medicine to treat patients for respiratory failure, it also has a critical role in the healthy functioning of blood vessels. When blood vessels are exposed to nitric oxide, they relax and widen. This widening allows more blood to reach working muscles, improving the delivery of oxygen and nutrients during exercise.
Nitric oxide may also improve how efficiently muscle cells use oxygen. Research suggests it can influence mitochondrial function, allowing muscles to produce the same amount of energy while using slightly less oxygen.
The results show that both short, explosive bursts of energy and longer endurance activity benefit from the effects of beetroot juice. For sports that require repeated, high-intensity efforts, like football, the use of beetroot provides a performance benefit.
The data also showed significant improvement in overall power output. The extra nitric oxide appears to help muscles contract with greater force while delaying the onset of fatigue. Being able to delay exhaustion even slightly can be a deciding factor in the final minutes of competition.
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Boosts endurance, too
Endurance athletes also have reason to consider the use of beetroot juice. The new study identified the benefits of beetroot juice on maximal oxygen uptake, which is the highest amount of oxygen a person can process and use during continuous, intense exercise.
While the boost to endurance was slightly smaller than the improvements seen in high-intensity efforts, beetroot juice still provided a clear benefit. By helping the body deliver and use oxygen more efficiently, the drink provides a valid reason for its use by runners, cyclists and other endurance athletes.
The biggest effects are seen in recreational athletes rather than elite ones. This is probably due to elite athletes being highly tuned, so there is little room for further dramatic improvement.
Getting the strategy right largely comes down to exactly when the drink is consumed. Across the various trials analysed, athletes typically drank the juice roughly two to two and a half hours before their workout or competitive event.
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Drinking it around two hours beforehand appears to work best. It gives the digestive system enough time to process the liquid and convert the dietary nitrates into the nitric oxide the muscles will soon demand. Drinking the juice too early, such as three hours before an event, did not always produce the same consistent benefits for maintaining power output.
Reaching the nitrate doses used in these studies through whole vegetables alone would require eating relatively large quantities of beetroot or leafy greens. For that reason, most clinical trials use concentrated beetroot juice shots, which provide a consistent dose.
Non-professional athletes are more likely to get performance boosts. 5 second studio/Shutterstock.com
Might help with respiratory conditions
The same biological mechanism is showing promise off the pitch too, for people managing chronic health conditions. A 2026 review focused specifically on patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a condition that severely limits breathing and makes basic physical movement exhausting.
The researchers found that beetroot juice successfully lowered blood pressure in these patients. The resulting nitric oxide helped widen their blood vessels and reduced the overall oxygen cost of physical exertion.
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As their heart and blood vessels were working more efficiently, the patients who consumed the juice were able to walk further and endure physical capacity tests for much longer. Improving how the body transports and uses oxygen is not just about winning races. For people struggling with everyday physical limitations, it can offer improvements in their daily mobility.
The findings highlight how the same biological pathway can have very different applications. By increasing nitric oxide production, beetroot juice may give athletes a small but meaningful performance edge while also helping people with chronic illness perform everyday physical tasks with less effort. What began as a sports nutrition supplement may ultimately prove valuable well beyond elite competition.
A TV etiquette expert is urging Brits to use her ‘soft crunch technique’ to reduce irritating eating noises when snacking in public.
Laura Akano, who teaches the art of English etiquette and manners, has devised a 10-point plan to help high-volume snackers keep the volume down amongst co-workers and commuters.
Polling by crispbread maker Ryvita suggests 69 per cent of UK adults believe inconsiderate noisy eating is their biggest bugbear – beating out even people playing music out loud on trains, snoring and crying babies.
Half of those asked said they would support an outright ban on loud food in certain places – and would even back an ‘eat considerately’ warning on crunchy snacks.
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Ms Akano has detailed exactly how best to tuck into a noisy snack without annoying your fellow passengers, work colleagues and friends.
She said: ‘The soft crunch etiquette is the polished art of eating a crunchy snack quietly by chewing slowly and keeping your mouth closed.
‘Keeping your mouth closed reduces the crunching sound. Using the soft-crunch technique ensures that you chew quietly and slowly in a refined way, so your crunching does not become distracting and uncomfortable for people around you.’
She even advises adopting the ‘three finger rule’ – of using your thumb, index and middle finger only – to retrieve snacks in order to keep your digits clean.
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Ms Akano added: ‘It not only looks elegant, you also avoid getting all of your fingers dirty.’
Etiquette expert Laura Akano (pictured) has drawn up a guide for Brits who want to snack more considerately
Crisps are amongst the noisiest snacks to hear someone eat, according to a poll of 2000 UK adults
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Ms Akano previously came to the media’s attention after being hired by the Cumberland School in Plaistow, east London, to teach its pupils better etiquette – with the ultimate aim of winning scholarships.
As well as teaching them posture and greetings that would impress even the sternest royal, the coach’s lessons were designed to boost the confidence of the school’s pupils, many of whom came from working class backgrounds.
Ryvita’s polling of 2,000 Britons found that crisps are widely considered the noisiest food to eat at 73 per cent of pollsters voting them the loudest – followed by crackers, tortilla chips and raw carrots.
And those asked put crunchy eating in cinemas at the top of their list of undesirable habits, followed by eating smelly food – though this was the other way around on board trains.
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Eight in 10 people even admitted they have argued with a partner over their eating habits at home, while fewer than half admit to munching noisily themselves.
A Ryvita spokesperson said: ‘Brits clearly love crunchy snacks, but we found we are becoming far less forgiving about where people eat them.
‘Whether it’s an office, a cinema or a quiet train carriage, many people feel everyday etiquette is slipping.’
The snack firm carried out the polling to coincide with the launch of its new range of Ryvita Sticks, pitched as a crisp-alternative available in Salt and Vinegar and Sour Cream and Chive varieties.
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Considerate snacking: Etiquette expert Laura Akano’s guide
1. Packaging on some crunchy snacks can be loud when being opened. To avoid too much rustling, open packets slowly. Avoid repeated rummaging, especially in quiet, formal or professional environments.
2. Manage crumbs gracefully by holding your snack over a plate, napkin or saucer. This helps to avoid messy crumbs on you. Brushing crumbs away can draw more attention than the crumbs themselves.
3. When eating a crunchy snack, do pick and eat one at a time, bring the food to you. This not only looks elegant but also helps to avoid overloading your mouth. It is also easier to chew and swallow with ease.
4. To avoid a loud crunch when you take a bite, wrap your lips around the snack. Smaller bites are more manageable than larger bites that can break the snack and make a mess.
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5. Keeping your mouth closed while chewing slowly will soften as well as reduce the crunching sound. It also ensures that others don’t see the crunchy food in your mouth.
6. Practice soft crunch etiquette, this is the polished art of eating and enjoying a crunchy snack quietly by chewing slowly and keeping your mouth closed. Keeping your mouth closed reduces the crunching sound. Using the soft-crunch technique ensures that you chew quietly and slowly in a refined way, so your crunching does not become distracting and uncomfortable for people around you.
7. Depending on your environment, if there is background noise such as music, traffic, applause or conversation, use it to your advantage when taking a bite. Silence can often magnify crunching noise.
8. Use the three-finger rule when picking up your snack, it looks elegant and makes each bite easier to manage.
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9. Master the ‘I’m listening’ nod. If your mouth is full and someone speaks to you, nod thoughtfully while you finish chewing before responding. It shows your level of decorum.
10. The sound and smell of crunchy snacks can irritate and make others uncomfortable. In some environments, such as theatres, cinemas, quiet offices, public transport and libraries. Softer snacks will be a better option, showing consideration for others.
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TV etiquette expert urges Brits to employ ‘soft crunch technique’ for crispy snacks – as poll suggests noisy eating is the UK’s biggest annoyance
The five cyclists from The Weavers’ Company Riders began their epic adventure at HMP Low Newton in Durham, which accommodates about 300 female inmates.
Before setting off today (Monday, July 13) they met with Dr Arnab Basu, High Sheriff of Durham, outside the prison to highlight their campaign for more effective community-based alternatives.
The riders Charles Early, Spadge Hopkins, William Makower, Jacqui Murphy and Robert Townsend before setting off on their journey (Image: SUBMITTED)
The riders are cycling 380 miles over six days, visiting 13 different prisons across the country and finishing at The Weavers Company Offices in The City of London.
The cycle ride aims to address the impact of short custodial sentences of less than 12 months on women, particularly mothers.
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The riders say this can disrupt housing, employment, and family relationships and fails to address the underlying causes of offending.
Along the way, the bikers will be meeting with four High Sheriffs, a Vice Lord Lieutenant, and various MPs.
The first leg of the ride ends at HMP Askham Grange in York tonight.
While taking a quick pub stop in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, one of the cyclists, William Makower, spoke to The Northern Echo about his vision behind the journey.
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He said: “We’re raising funds for a programme which will support women aged 14-25 who face an array of challenges like trauma, housing, or exploitation.
“We want to help people in the before custodial sentences, where they’ll be mentored by people that have been to prison and since turned their life around.
“It’s important that men get involved and understand this is a human issue, I think it’s great we have four men and one woman participating.”
William taking a quick break on his ride today (Image: SUBMITTED)
Mr Makower said he got the idea for the cycle challenge after watching the second series of BBC prison drama, Time, starring Jodie Whittaker as a struggling single mother sentenced to prison after stealing electricity due to financial hardship.
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He added that he is hoping to raise £500,000 from the event.
Dr Basu, a keen supporter of the cause, told the Echo: “They’re doing a wonderful thing addressing this issue.
“While the prisons officers do a good job, there are infrastructural issues that need to be fixed.
“When women go to prison the whole family falls apart and when women are released, they are vulnerable.
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“There is a wider context about how women are rehabilitated into the world after prison.”
All funds raised through the challenge will help provide trusted advocates to support 216 young women and girls who have received convictions or suspended prison sentences, helping them access practical support, build resilience, and avoid further involvement in the criminal justice system.
When Alexander Litvinenko was murdered in London in 2006, poisoned with radioactive polonium-210 slipped into a pot of tea, the UK was shocked. Litvinenko, a former Russian intelligence officer who had become a critic of Vladimir Putin’s government, died after a highly publicised illness.
A later public inquiry concluded that his killing was probably approved at the highest levels of the Russian state. Yet the Litvinenko attack did not trigger a fundamental rethink of how the UK protects itself from hostile states.
More than a decade later, the attempted assassination of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury produced something very different. They were poisoned with novichok, a military-grade nerve agent developed by the Soviet Union. Both survived, but the discarded container later killed a local woman, Dawn Sturgess, and left another person seriously ill.
Both attacks prompted diplomatic retaliation, but on very different scales. Litvinenko’s murder led the UK to expel four Russian diplomats. Salisbury triggered the largest coordinated expulsion of Russian officials in history, followed at home by the most far-reaching overhaul of UK national security law in a century.
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Why did the second poisoning produce a transformation that the first did not? Our new research traced the UK’s response to Russian hostile activity over two decades. The answer, we argue, is that the two attacks are best understood not as separate cases but as chapters in a single, cumulative story.
We found that dramatic events rarely reform institutions on their own. Change came only when a shock arrived after years of accumulated pressure, and when expert advocates and a shifting public mood made inaction untenable. Litvinenko’s murder was an early contribution to that pressure. Salisbury was the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Litvinenko’s murder was a brazen act on British territory. UK investigators identified a Russian suspect, Andrei Lugovoi, but Moscow refused to extradite him.
The government’s response was real but limited. Beyond the expulsion of the four diplomats, there was no new legislation, organisational overhaul or strategic reprioritisation.
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At the time, the UK’s security machinery was focused overwhelmingly on terrorism. After 9/11 and the 2005 London bombings, hostile state activity had become a secondary concern.
Russia had been quietly written off as a strategic threat after the cold war. Add the attraction of Russian wealth flowing into London’s financial and property markets, and the incentives pointed towards continuity. The shock was real, but the pressure to change remained weak.
Pressure builds
Over the next decade, relations with Russia eventually deteriorated. Russia invaded Georgia in 2008, annexed Crimea in 2014, intervened in Syria and backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.
Around the 2016 Brexit referendum, Russian influence operations sought less to push a particular outcome than to widen existing divisions, “flooding the zone” with a mix of true, misleading and false material through news outlets such as Russia Today and Sputnik.
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But none of this crossed the threshold needed for reform. The one notable structural development of these years was the creation of the National Security Council in 2010. It quietly laid foundations that later reforms would build on.
Military personnel decontaminate parts of Salisbury. Alex MacNaughton/Alamy
Why Salisbury tipped the balance
The Skripal poisoning broke the pattern. But our central argument is that it did so not simply because it was dramatic. Litvinenko’s murder had been dramatic too.
What mattered was timing. Salisbury came after years of mounting pressure that had weakened the case for doing nothing. Each episode of Russian hostility, from the polonium poisoining onwards, added momentum. By 2018, the accumulated weight meant that one more shock could tip the system into change.
First, years of low-level pressure had worn away the case for inaction. Second, expert voices seized the moment. The Intelligence and Security Committee’s 2020 Russia report argued that the UK’s legal framework was no longer fit for purpose. MI5 director general Ken McCallum warned in 2021 that modern interference required modern powers.
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Third, public opinion shifted sharply, with a 2018 survey finding that roughly two-thirds of Britons viewed Russia unfavourably. No single factor explains the reforms that followed. It was the convergence of accumulated pressure, expert advocacy and public concern that finally made the status quo untenable.
Once that threshold was crossed, change came quickly. The Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019 expanded powers to stop and question those suspected of hostile state activity. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 accelerated matters. The Economic Crime Act and Elections Act, both passed in 2022, targeted illicit wealth and tightened rules around foreign campaign funding.
The centrepiece was the National Security Act 2023, the biggest overhaul of UK national security law in a century. It replaced Official Secrets legislation dating back to 1911. It introduced a Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, with Russia placed on its enhanced tier alongside Iran. The Online Safety Act 2023, meanwhile, gave the regulator Ofcom powers to push platforms to tackle state-sponsored disinformation.
Our findings carry a sobering message. Hybrid threats rarely produce a single unmistakable moment demanding action. Disinformation, cyber intrusions and political interference work more like a slow-moving illness: diffuse, ambiguous and easy to ignore until they become a crisis.
Institutional change often arrives in sudden bursts after long periods of delay. The challenge for democratic governments is learning how to respond before the next crisis forces their hand.
The UK’s experience is unlikely to be unique. Similar lags can be seen in Germany’s slow weaning off Russian energy and France’s gradual strengthening of its cyber defences. The real challenge is to learn how to change before the next poisoning rather than after it.
A theme park has clamped down on ‘disabled’ queue jumpers after customers allegedly took advantage of the system.
Drayton Manor – the UK’s fourth biggest theme park – is implementing a 10-ride limit on its Easy Access Pass which lets visitors with disabilities skip the line.
The scheme can be used by customers unable to stand or those who have ‘urgent toilet needs’.
But it has increasingly seen vast queues forming, consisting of visitors who have ‘social interaction’ concerns or claim they have neurodiverse mental health conditions such as autism and ADHD.
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Drayton Manor has now attempted to restrict the use of the pass by imposing a ride limit – in a bid for it to ‘remain effective and available to the guests who need it most’, The Telegraph reports.
Over the past few years, a spiralling number of customers have been using the queue jump system applying ‘additional pressure on queue times’ for other theme park lovers.
The attraction claims it has been trying out a range of different processes to combat the issue, including applying different schemes at peak and off-peak hours, as well as wristbands.
Social media posts from visitors to the park have claimed the number of rides an Easy Access card can apply to is changed from visit to visit – depending on how busy the venue is.
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Drayton Manor has clamped down on ‘disabled’ queue jumpers after customers allegedly took advantage of the system (Stock Photo)
The UK’s fourth biggest theme park is implementing a 10-ride limit on its Easy Access Pass which lets visitors with disabilities skip the line
One customer said they had only been allowed to skip nine queues, adding a picture of the pass with a blue cross marked through the 10th slot on the card.
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The Daily Mail has approached Drayton Manor for comment.
It comes after Merlin Entertainments announced it would U-turn on its decision to trial changes to its Rapid Access Pass (RAP) system.
The theme park company runs some of the UK’s most popular attractions including Alton Towers, Legoland Windsor and Thorpe Park.
Merlin uses the RAP pass to offer guests who might find it difficult to stand in lines for rides ‘due to a disability or medical condition’ with a ‘queuing adjustment’ – often a virtual queue option for themselves and up to three additional members of their party.
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But changes to the system meant people with disabilities including ADHD and autism would possibly no longer be eligible for the RAP pass at any Merlin attractions, leaving them to stand in busy queues with other parkgoers instead.
The company in February revealed it would be pausing the trial, ‘while we explore alternative options’, after considering feedback it had received from guests.
Rob Smith, chief operating officer of Merlin Entertainments said: ‘Whenever we make changes to the Ride Access Pass (RAP), it’s because we genuinely want to improve the experience for guests who rely on it.
‘They’ve told us loud and clear that the current system isn’t working.
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‘Demand for RAPs is high and increasing, making RAP bookings harder to get and sometimes resulting in longer waits than the main queue. This isn’t the experience we want for anyone, and we’ve been working hard to a find better way forward.’
The proposed changes caused great upset from theme park goers who would be impacted by the proposed move, as well as families with neurodivergent children.
The theme park boss added: ‘We’ve listened carefully to the extensive feedback and wide range of opinions from our RAP community on the proposed trial and believe it’s important to take the time to fully reflect on this input.
‘We have therefore decided to pause the trial while we explore alternative options.’
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Rob also explained how the system still needed to be changed because of the ‘huge pressure’ it was under, but Merlin would ‘fully reflect’ on the backlash to the trial.
Social media posts from visitors to the park have claimed the number of rides an Easy Access card can apply to is changed from visit to visit – depending on how busy the venue is
Join the discussion
How should theme parks balance fair access for disabled guests with preventing system abuse?
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He went on to apologise on behalf of the company and said: ‘For those who were impacted by our recent announcement, we are sorry.
‘We will keep listening, learning and improving. Our commitment to supporting our guests with accessibility needs remains our absolute focus.’
It comes after Heidi Alexander, the Transport Secretary, said in May that ‘an ADHD diagnosis alone should not get you a Blue Badge’.
She was responding to concerns that councils were increasingly handing out the badges for hidden disabilities including anxiety.
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Theme park clamps down on ‘disabled’ queue jumpers after ‘customers took advantage of system’
Kyle Schwarber kept his bid for a Home Run Derby title in his home park alive when the Phillies’ slugger and major league home run leader hit 10 in the first round and advanced with Boston‘s Willson Contreras, St. Louis’ Jordan Walker and Tampa Bay‘s Junior Caminero to the next round Monday night.
Bryce Harper hit only eight home runs and was the final slugger of the round to try and advance. He provided a late jolt with Phillies fans at Citizens Bank Park going wild trying to will Harper into one more round.
Harper won in 2018 in Washington when he played for the Nationals.
Kansas City’s Jac Caglianone and New York Yankees slugger Ben Rice also failed to advance.
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Contreras and Walker each hit 13, and Caminero had 12.
Schwarber failed to launch one of his famed Schwarbombs until his sixth swing, then connected on his seventh, eighth and ninth in a four-homer stretch that harkened back to his four-homer game last season again Atlanta.
He could only watch as Harper failed to join him. Schwarber, then with the Chicago Cubs, made the finals in 2018 at Nationals Park before losing to Harper.
“Bittersweet,” Schwarber said after the first round Monday. “I wanted both of us to move on.”
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MLB ditched the timed clock this season and returned to a swing format, with each hitter continuing to swing if he went deep on his final one.
Each player had 20 swings in the first round and the top four advanced. Hitters were seeded for the second round, where No. 1 faces 4 and 2 meets 3.
Each player takes 15 swings in the second round, with batters homering on their final swings continuing until not homering.
Schwarber and Harper — the first pair of teammates to participate in the Derby since 2018 — received roaring ovations when famed ring announcer Michael Buffer introduced them ahead of the competition.
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As for the other six sluggers in the field, all wearing their home jerseys with red, white and blue uniform numbers?
Yeah, they were about booed out of the ballpark, with the loudest jeers saved for Rice. He gamely laughed as he walked out of his Liberty Bell entrance.
Harper — who said earlier Monday this would be his last Derby — waved his arms and exhorted the crowd to get louder as he walked to the home plate platform placed at second base. Harper about broke the ring ropes as he shook them like a pro wrestler, and the Philly crowd went bonkers for the star known as The Showman.
The ball-shagging kids in the outfield were even booed.
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The Derby’s public address announcer implored the fans to cheer during some quiet stretches when homers — non-Phillies edition — were hit.
The fans did get a rise when Caglianone smoked one into Ryan Howard territory into the third deck in right field. Contreras socked ’em into the rarified air of the left field upper deck. One homered cleared the last row of stands in that section and bounced off the concourse in front of a bar. His 490-footer was the longest of the first round.
Caminero — last year’s runner-up to Seattle’s Cal Raleigh — watched stunned as his final swing just hooked foul in left field and stuck his homer total at 12.
The longest Derby homer since Statcast started tracking in 2016 was 520 feet by Juan Soto in the mile-high air of Denver’s Coors Field in 2021.
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This was the first Home Run Derby and All-Star Game held at Citizens Bank Park since it opened in 2004 and the first derby in Philadelphia since Barry Bonds outslugged Mark McGwire in 1996 to win an afternoon event in front of thousands of empty seats at Veterans Stadium.
This derby was sold out and aired on Netflix for the first time, with the streamer getting into the game this season with a three-event package. Netflix already aired the opening night game, and the third attraction is the Field of Dreams game between the Minnesota Twins and Philadelphia Phillies on Aug. 13.
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