The allure of Trinidad and Tobago was in Elaine McGowan’s blood. For all the picturesque, windswept charm of the Kent village of Saltwood where she lived and once served locals as the landlady of the Castle Hotel, she dreamed of moving to the twin-island Caribbean nation.

It was the country of her prominent businessman father’s birth and, as the years passed, like her father before her, she hankered after its more relaxed pace of life, the climate, the food and proximity to family.

When her father, George Butcher, died on the island three years ago, leaving behind a thriving coconut farming business, Elaine saw an opportunity to turn her dreams into reality and live out the rest of her days in the Caribbean sunshine.

But all those dreams were shattered in a few seconds of appalling violence earlier this month in a crime that has sent shockwaves through two very different coastal communities on two sides of the Atlantic.

Elaine McGowan, a respectable, happily married, 65-year-old British woman, was gunned down in what is being described as a ‘gangland hit’ as she stood, with her husband by her side, outside her elderly uncle’s home in a quiet residential neighbourhood.

The killing has left everyone baffled. Was this a dispute over her father’s will, as some have suggested? Or had Elaine somehow fallen foul of locals as she tried to pick up the reins of the business he’d left behind?

The assassination – for that is almost certainly what it was – was captured on CCTV and is chilling in its brevity. The video footage begins at 11am on a quiet, sunny Sunday in the town of Trincity, in the north of Trinidad, on a street popular with retirees.

Birdsong can be heard moments before a small white car – a Nissan Tiida – pulls up alongside the pavement and a figure gets out and runs towards the nearest house, just out of sight.

Camera footage of the ‘gangland hit’ during Elaine’s trip to the Caribbean

Suddenly, three sharp bangs reverberate and the figure reappears, running towards the car.

As the gunman and at least one accomplice accelerate away, shouts of alarm puncture the air. And as quickly as the moment of devastating violence begins, it is over.

At that point, beyond sight of the camera, Elaine lay dying. Her husband Ian, 64, and 96-year-old uncle could only look on helplessly.

She did not, as the Daily Mail can exclusively reveal, die from a typical ‘kill’ shot. Instead she was shot as she stood with her back to the gate, the gunman deliberately aiming at her leg. The bullet severed the femoral artery, leading to her bleeding to death.

As a source close to the police investigation told the Daily Mail: ‘Someone was hired to put down a hit. But we think that murder was not the intention. It was to scare her into returning to the UK, which explains why she was shot in the leg but sadly bled out.’

So why on earth would a British woman, nearing retirement, from a well-respected Trinidadian family that has long owned a swathe of coastal farmland, be the target of such a calculated crime?

That is the question that has been weighing on Elaine’s grieving family and friends, just as it has been puzzling the authorities.

A police source told the Daily Mail this week: ‘We suspect there is some gang activity. There are several angles to the inquiry at this stage. We have a few suspects in mind but we are thinking the motive is likely due to the inheritance of the estate or a personal or interpersonal dispute.’

As Elaine lay dying, her husband Ian (pictured), 64, and 96-year-old uncle could only look on helplessly

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The beautiful North Manzanilla coastline may give the illusion of serenity, but Trinidad and Tobago is a country riddled with gang-related violent crime

For all its palm-fringed white beaches and turquoise seas, Trinidad and Tobago is a country riddled with gang-related violent crime. The statistics are stark: Elaine was the 198th victim of murder this year (that figure has now swollen further to 213) in a country that has a population of only around 1.5million.

Its murder rate recently overtook Jamaica meaning it now ranks, in the Caribbean, second only to Haiti.

So what was it that made a woman who was once a former chairwoman of Folkestone’s independent traders association the target of a gangland hit?

The mystery deepened when the Daily Mail visited Saltwood last week, where news of Elaine’s murder has left locals stunned.

Having been given control of the business, following her father George’s death at the age of 90, she’d gone to Trinidad in May as a step towards a permanent move.

George, a mechanical engineer, left his homeland in the 1950s and met his Yorkshire-born wife Doreen at the Hammersmith Palais. They raised their two daughters, Elaine and her sister Joanne, 66, in London.

He built a thriving engineering business, with an office in Battersea overlooking the Thames.

In the 1970s he began to return more frequently to the Caribbean. His marriage eventually crumbled and he settled back in Trinidad where he formed a long-term relationship with a prominent Trinidadian architect who shared his passion for conservation.

As well as work on the development of Trinidad’s Piarco International Airport, George was a founding member of the National Trust for Trinidad and Tobago and a president of the heritage preservation lobby group Citizens for Conservation (CFC).

According to a source close to the family, part of the heritage he sought to preserve was in Manzanilla, a large tranche of land to the east of the island, fringed by palm trees, that had formerly been a colonial era coconut plantation.

Under his management, the land on which there are two villages and 42 farms cultivating coconuts and watermelons flourished.

George had sold some parcels of land before his death, but Cocal Retreat, his business which grows and sells coconuts and coconut water, remains his legacy.

Amid the speculation that comes with murder, there had been whispers George might have changed his will, causing upset among his beneficiaries. But this was firmly disputed by two sources close to the family this week.

‘George worked for many years on creating a will where many, many people benefit from his estate,’ said one. What is clear is that George, who had lot of other business interests, wanted his youngest daughter Elaine to follow in his footsteps and have overall management of what the family have always called ‘the farm’.

Back in Kent this week, Rosalie Terry, a close friend of Elaine’s, says that was all Elaine wanted, too. Elaine, she says, had obtained Trinidadian citizenship and her husband Ian was planning to follow suit.

‘Why would they have done that if he had written her out of the will?’ Rosalie asks. ‘All Elaine wanted was to follow her father’s wishes. He wanted her to go back to Trinidad and take over the running of his businesses. They just loved the way people live. It was a dream for them to be able to afford to go out there. They certainly didn’t mean to upset anybody.’

While she knew of no discontent over an inheritance, Rosalie had been in contact with Elaine and Ian and says: ‘Something was going off with the businesses over there. I don’t know the ins and outs but Elaine found out about it while she was over there.’ Rosalie got to know the McGowans after they moved to the Folkestone area from London more than 20 years ago.

Elaine had worked for a merchant bank in the capital but, having met Ian aged 40, wanted a more relaxed life on the coast.

The couple were devoted to each other, running property-related businesses together. They liked going to the races, cricket, and Elaine loved to cook Trinidadian food for her friends.

But in more recent years life had been more difficult.

Seven years ago, the couple took over the lease of the Castle Hotel in Saltwood, full of hope. They wanted a ‘challenge’ that suited their combined skills, they said.

The Caste Hotel in Saltwood, Kent, where Elaine worked

‘We took over in August 2019 aware that the building would require a huge amount of cleaning and renovation,’ they wrote online.

But within months of buying the lease and pouring thousands of pounds into renovations, Covid struck, wiping out profits. Ian, meanwhile, was diagnosed with cancer.

The impact of it all was laid bare in 2024, when Ian appeared in court in Leicestershire, charged with drink driving. He admitted the offence.

In mitigation, his solicitor said this: ‘They’ve been trying to sell this massive weight that’s around their necks. It’s been loss after loss since lockdown. His intentions were to drive to the lakes to take his own life. He didn’t intend to drink and drive.’

That things were difficult at the pub is underlined by those who recall a different Elaine to the warm, funny woman remembered by her close friends. Some customers experienced a more abrasive side to her and say she wasn’t always easy to get along with.

There are some who feel that the pub’s struggles were not entirely due to Covid, but Rosalie insists her friend was simply ‘up front’ and above all ‘a lovely woman’.

Could the rough edges that bothered some customers, prior to the couple selling up in 2025, have caused problems in Trinidad?

Out in the sweeping, wave-bashed fringes of Manzanilla, residents and farming tenants told the Daily Mail there were rumblings about farmers being at odds with management, refusing to pay rent for the land that they worked.

Elaine introduced herself to farmers in early 2024, after her father’s death, and had been back twice more since. But the business, run by a board of directors, largely ran as it always had, under the day-to-day management of longstanding staff.

One Cocal Retreat manager, who did not want to be named, said out of some 40 or so farmers operating in the area, about seven had refused to pay rent and been warned they faced legal action.

‘The seven defaulters have not been paying,’ said the manager. ‘They claim they were in communication with McGowan and they were paying her directly.

‘However, Elaine issued letters to these farmers in February this year.’

Elaine, the manager said, gave farmers until May 30 to respond to her letters, after which, the matter would go into the hands of lawyers who would issue legal letters. Whether those second letters were issued remains unclear.

Karen Alamby, another manager at the estate, had met Elaine only twice. She does, however, also allude to problems.

‘We had some inaction with some of the farmers and we wanted to get them off the land because they were not paying their fees,’ she says.

‘They said that no one could move them from the land except Elaine.’

What could have happened?

Typically, farmers would pay rent and then make a private arrangement with the estate with a share of the crop. Farmers we spoke to were circumspect.

‘Mr Butcher was a fairly honest fella,’ says one, who sells his produce out of a wooden shed. ‘He was the one who built all these sheds that we sell out of. Ms McGowan had her ways – everybody has their ways – but she was straightforward. We were good with each other.’

While there is shock that she was murdered, those who live here are no strangers to crime. One watermelon vendor we spoke to said the area is sometimes a target for drug drops and robberies. ‘The former owner of this vending spot here was robbed and chopped up by bandits. And for what? They wouldn’t get a lot of money from here.’

Another man said ‘bandits’ raided the farm where he lives.

‘They pushed in the door and robbed us and gun-butted my wife in the head.’

It’s clear that for all its natural beauty, Trinidad has its own problems that extend deep beneath its picture-postcard image.

Back in Trincity, the residential neighbourhood where Elaine was killed, there is an uneasy quiet.

‘It’s numbing,’ says one neighbour in his 60s. ‘This is a very quiet neighbourhood, very family-oriented. It’s alarming for this to happen in broad daylight.’

We traced Elaine’s footsteps back to the rental apartment where she and Ian had been staying in an area named Mohammedville.

Nafessa Mohammed, an attorney who remembers stopping to chat to Elaine only last month, says: ‘I asked the lady where they were from and she said the United Kingdom but they were planning to live here. It was a short interaction but the love and warmth she exuded will remain with me.

‘I remember seeing her husband after the incident. He looked like a broken man.’

Elaine’s funeral, where her body was laid in an open casket for mourners to pay their respects, was held a week ago and livestreamed on YouTube.

Ian, who was devoted to his wife, was one of a string of family members to speak.

‘We are here to remember my lovely wife, who was torn from us on July 5,’ he said.

‘Elaine was passionate, intelligent, joyful and loving of all family and friends. She lit up and touched lives wherever she went. We’ve been inseparable since we came together 26 years ago.

‘When she brought me to Trinidad, I fell in love with the country and the people just as she said I would. We’ve been coming to Trinidad as often as we could ever since. Loving the food, music, cultures and dreaming of settling here.’

His address ended with a heart-wrenching appeal: ‘How could this have happened?’

How indeed.

Additional reporting: CYRIL DIXON

Andy Burnham will look to crack down on the welfare bill in a move that could provoke the ire of the very Labour MPs instrumental in bringing him in to replace Sir Keir Starmer.

In his first major interview since becoming prime minister, Andy Burnham admitted to the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg that the nation’s welfare bill has to be reduced.

And he made it clear that going forward certain benefits, including mental health support, will become “conditional” on people taking work and not staying at home.

The interview for BBC’s Panorama show also saw him warn that unless there is “substantial change” to the social care system the NHS will collapse, as he looks to fix a crisis which has dogged British politics for decades.

With major changes set to come, Mr Burnham has already made clear in clips from the interview released on Sunday that he will not seek a fresh mandate with an early election. He has also insisted he will call out Donald Trump when “it is in the British national interest” and is seeking ways to find the up to £13bn of cash needed to hit the UK’s target of 3 per cent of GDP on defence.

But with money tight, Mr Burnham has made clear that like his predecessor Sir Keir, he intends to make savings on welfare spending.

The issue led to Sir Keir losing his authority as prime minister after he was forced to retreat from plans to cut welfare by £5bn a year following a massive backbench rebellion.

Asked about welfare reform, Mr Burnham did not hide from the need to bring the bill down.

He said: What you’re driving at, which is the welfare bill. I think we’ve got to get really serious as a country at getting the welfare bill down.”

Mr Burnham kept work and pensions secretary Pat McFadden in place despite texts between him and disgraced former Labour peer Peter Mandelson revealing that Mr McFadden had complained about Labour MPs.

Mr McFadden told Mandelson: “Every meeting I have is ‘who can we tax in order to pay benefits to others’. They’re asking the wrong questions.”

His staying in place while 11 other cabinet ministers were sacked was a sign of intent by Mr Burnham.

Outlining his approach, Mr Burnham explained: “It’s about changing the nature of the support and making some of the support conditional upon people taking opportunities that are presented in front of them. So you might increase the conditions required to receive benefits.

“I think it’s a good thing that the government has given guarantees of opportunities for young people.

“And I think we need to continue down that approach and where mental health support is needed, for instance, it’s provided in work to support people in an opportunity.”

However, Mr Burnham did try to strike a change of tone from Sir Keir by emphasising that he did not want to punish those on benefits.

“I wouldn’t necessarily go straight to blaming those people. What I would say is that there are people in the benefits system, young people in their 20s, who have been, I would, say, quite seriously let down because the support wasn’t there for them when it should have been there,” he said.

“So I don’t blame them. I don’t think the support has been there for them in the way that it should have been.”

Welfare rebels on the backbenches like Richard Burgon, Rachael Maskell, Clive Lewis and Kim Johnson among others were cheerleaders of Mr Burnham taking over as prime minister and he will have to bring the left of the party with him on any reforms.

But in the interview he also wanted to focus on one of his big priorities of fixing social care.

Mr Burnham said: “If we don’t do it the NHS will collapse under the weight of trying to care for people who’ve really not needed to end up in the NHS system.”

But pressed on whether he would create a new system before the next election he said he “couldn’t put a timeline on it right here, right now”, though he would put “whatever political capital I have” into fixing it.

Mr Burnham first proposed a universal system of social care in England in 2009 when he was health secretary under Gordon Brown but hopes of getting cross party consensus fell apart when the Tories accused him of wanting a ‘death tax’.

The full interview, BBC Panorama ‘Andy Burnham: the Laura Kuenssberg Interview’ on iPlayer from 6am and BBC One at 8pm on Monday 27 July.

Cambridge residents have voiced growing concerns for the future of the River Cam, amid reports of poor water quality, collapsing riverbanks, and calls for tighter rules on moorings

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Cambridgeshire Live readers have expressed strong opinions following reports of significant damage to sections of the River Cam, with many demanding improved maintenance, greater funding transparency, and stricter mooring regulations.

Cambridge residents have voiced concerns about the future of parts of the River Cam, warning that its health is at “serious risk”. Cambridge residents and councillors have sounded the alarm as collapsing riverbanks and unsafe water threaten to reduce the River Cam to a “muddy trickle”.

Earlier this year, water samples taken at the designated bathing site at Sheep’s Green revealed the water quality to be among the worst in England, with the Environment Agency advising people against swimming.

David B writes: “Agree, no houseboats should be allowed above Baitsbite Lock. The green algae around the lock will be down to a combination of things. The pollutants from Farm run off & the treatment works much further upstream, the high temperatures we’ve had & the lack of water flow. Due to the lack of rain and the water extraction further upstream.

“As for the damage to the lack [lock] & bank, many years of lack of maintenance by all agencies but particularly the Conservators, in not lobbying or seeking sponsorship from companies to get funding for the works. We are where we are with it & a long-term maintenance plan needs to be put in place & funding sought.

“Isn’t it about time the colleges put something into the city for a change & help fund major repairs? If the lock fails, it will drain the river up to the mill pond. This will prevent any punting, remove a tourist attraction & if drained for a long period, will damage the brickwork of all the colleges fronting the river. The colleges are very wealthy & easily have the spare funds to assist with the repairs to the lock & bank.”

While Teresa G says: “In New Zealand, there is a river that, after a 150-year legal battle, was legally granted the rights of a person. The Maori tribes consider the river a living ancestor. Godspeed the restoration and respect of the River Cam.”

Eco Nick adds: “Yep, there are also some fairly large corporations in Cambridge. Oh well, they have people to feed at events, I guess.”

Philip S mentions: “I read that £12.5 million is being spent on the safety barrier on one of the guided busways, double the original estimate. They seem to be able to find the money for that, but not for maintaining the locks and riverbanks. I’m sure there will be an excuse, but it doesn’t look good in a city like Cambridge, with so many visitors from all over the world.”

Drewski C thinks: “The country is broke, and unless we start to tax the rich again and re-nationalise water and energy, it will carry on getting more broke.”

Julian F adds: “The council can’t even keep the bins and toilets clean in that area, so what hope does the river have!”

Marvin H mentions: “Building too many houses doesn’t have the critical infrastructure. Need to address the fact that people can’t afford to live, let alone care for the environment.”

Are you worried about the state of the River Cam? Comment below or HERE to have your say.

This route, published by Visit Ribble Valley, starts and ends at the Assheton Arms in Downham, offers a blend of natural beauty and historic charm.

The Assheton Arms is famed for its views of Pendle Hill and its extensive menu, which includes fresh seafood and classic pub dishes.

This pub is a favourite with both locals and visitors, has won several awards, including Lancashire Life Dining Pub of the Year and Ribble Valley Tourism Team of the Year.

The walk itself begins from the frontage of the Assheton Arms.

Walkers turn left and head downhill through the village of Downham, taking the left fork at the bridge, then right across a footbridge to the footpath at the end of the lane.

The route continues through a kissing gate, following the path beside the brook, then right to another kissing gate in the top corner of the field.

Walkers are advised to ignore the stile to the left.

Once through the gate, walkers head right along the field boundary, continuing to climb alongside the fence, with the brook on their left, and over a footbridge.

At the farm track, walkers continue straight over, then along the field boundary and over a stone stile to Lane Head barn.

There are a couple of well-placed benches here where walkers can catch their breath and admire the view back towards Downham.

The path then heads left across the brook and goes straight over the fields.

Here, the views open up over the Ribble Valley and into the limestone country of the Yorkshire Dales.

Ingleborough and Pen-y-ghent can be seen to the northeast, with the Bowland Fells appearing to the north.

Keeping the post markers across the field on their left, walkers cross the stone stile, continuing straight over the track and along the field boundary, then over the stile in the corner of the field, heading for farm buildings on the skyline.

The route skirts around to the right, above the farm, following the boundary wall to a narrow stone stile.

Over the stile, it continues straight on over the track, following the marker stone to another narrow stile, then along the field boundary to skirt the farmhouse on the left, then left to follow the track right up the hill for 75 metres before descending half-left along the field boundary down to a kissing gate into the wooded ghyll.

The path continues over the footbridge and up the other side of the ghyll, through a kissing gate, then climbing steeply across the field, passing to the left of the barn and over a footbridge.

At the cottage, the path turns left, then over a stile beside the gate and follows the fence along the right-hand side of the field boundary.

It continues through a gate, then over a squeeze stile, and follows the hedge on the left to a stile in the bottom corner of the field.

The route offers views back to Pendle and reveals some limestone outcrops, a hint of the changing geology as the millstone grit of East Lancashire gives way to the limestone of The Dales.

The walk ends at the Assheton Arms, where walkers can enjoy a well-deserved rest.

Full route:

• Leave the Assheton Arms and walk downhill through Downham. Take the left fork at the bridge, then cross the footbridge on the right to the footpath.
• Go through the kissing gate. Follow the beck and turn right to another kissing gate in the field corner.
• Go through the gate and follow the field boundary uphill, keeping the beck on your left. Cross the footbridge.
• Cross the farm track and continue to Lane Head Barn via the stone stile. Pause here to enjoy the views over Downham.
• Cross the beck and continue straight across the fields.
• Follow the marker posts and field boundaries. Cross the track and stiles, heading towards the farm buildings on the skyline.
• Pass to the right of the farm. Follow the wall and cross several stiles. Continue past the farmhouse and uphill on the track before descending to a kissing gate into the wooded ghyll.
• Cross the footbridge and climb out of the ghyll. Go through the kissing gate, pass left of the barn, and cross another footbridge.
• At the cottage, turn left. Follow the field boundaries, gates and stiles across several fields, keeping the hedge mainly on your left, until you reach the farm.
• Enjoy panoramic views of Pendle Hill and the limestone landscape ahead.
• Follow the field edge to a gate. Descend into the ghyll, pass the outbarn, ignore the footbridge on the left, and continue to a kissing gate. Follow the stream and turn right onto a quiet lane.
• Walk along the lane for 150m. Take the footpath on the left before the farm buildings and follow the beck downstream through kissing gates and over a footbridge.
• Follow the wall to a cottage. Pass between the buildings, cross the stile, and continue over Woolly Hill, crossing the next stile and heading towards the buildings ahead.
• Cross the track and continue along the field edges beside the woodland. After about 400m, take the left footpath, then turn right on the lane to return to the Assheton Arms.

Several crews from across the area have responded to tackle the fire which broke out this afternoon on a farm near RAF Leeming.

People living in the area are being advised to keep their doors and windows shut as putrid, thick black smoke can be seen for miles.

North Yorkshire crews tackle fire near RAF Leeming at an agricultural building. (Image: North Yorkshire Weather Updates)

A North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service spokesperson said: “We currently have five fire appliances from Bedale, Northallerton, Richmond, Thirsk and Ripon and a water bowser on scene at an agricultural building fire.

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“Crews currently have six breathing apparatus and four hose reel jets in use to extinguish the fire. The building measures approximately 50 x 30 metres.

“We have received reports that smoke is blowing over the A1, please try avoid the area if possible.”

Several crews are tackling a large fire at an agricultural building by RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire. (Image: North Yorkshire Weather Updates)

RAF Leeming – home to the Hawk Mk 167 and Grob Tutor T1 – is not thought to be affected by the agricultural building fire.

Drivers are being urged to try to avoid the area if possible due to reports that smoke is blowing over the A1.

Record View says those in well-paid leadership positions – in government and in our health boards – need to up their game. Lives are at stake if they continue to fail us.

Scotland’s emergency service workers are true heroes who go the extra mile to help us when we need it most. There’s absolutely no doubt those who provide our 999 services are highly trained, world class operators.

But there is clearly a long term problem with ambulance waiting times and people are dying as a result. Today, the Daily Record reports on two families who know this only too well.

Julie Parker died after waiting almost four hours for help last month. Brian Hurton died alone on his ­bathroom floor after twice being told an ambulance was not being dispatched.

The families are joining forces to demand improvements. They say nobody in desperate need of medical help should be waiting hours for an ambulance to arrive.

And they rightly declare that no Scot should die due to delays in getting an ambulance to them. Hopefully our MSPS – and Health Secretary Angela Constance – will take heed of what the families are saying.

However, it would be unfair to single out the ambulance service for blame. Wider problems within the NHS mean that crews are often forced to wait in queues outside A&E ­departments for hours on end.

This leaves frustrated paramedics sitting outside hospitals rather than out on patrol saving lives. To sort this problem out, more resources need to be diverted to ­emergency provision within the NHS – and that means wider reform of the service, which is long overdue.

Scots pay higher taxes than every other part of the the UK. So we expect to see better public services as a result – with hospitals obviously benefiting from the extra cash available.

That does not appear to be the case. Those in well-paid leadership positions – in government and in our health boards – need to up their game. Lives are at stake if they continue to fail us.

Cold hard facts

Wildfires continue to rage in the Cairngorms, with smoke and fumes from the blaze blowing in over Aberdeen.

In France and Spain, hundreds of ­thousands of people have been ordered to evacuate their homes as blazes rage out of control.

Anyone who doubts the effects of climate change – or who thinks it somehow doesn’t affect us – can’t continue to keep their heads in the sand.

It’s clear that drought and extreme heat are going to become a fact of life from now on, even in rain-soaked Scotland.

Get more Daily Record exclusives by signing up for free to Google’s preferred sources. Click HERE.

More than four people may have been involved in the young mum’s kidnapping and murder, police have said, with a $62,000 reward on offer for information that helps locate the baby and those responsible

The gruesome slaying of a 21-year-old pregnant woman has sent shockwaves through an entire city, with the body of the young mum found dumped beside a river with her baby nowhere to be found.

María Camila Potosí was eight months pregnant when she was last seen riding on the back of a motorcycle in Polvorines, a town in the southwestern city of Cali in Columbia last week. She was declared missing on July 16 and, after days of searching by her family and by authorities, she was found by a the banks of the River Meléndez.

Her body had been discarded after she was stabbed to death, with her baby nowhere to be found; cut from her womb.

As per local radio station La FM, the baby was reportedly to be named Alahia and had been expected to be born in August. A baby shower was planned just days before the horrific tragedy unfolded.

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Confirming the discovery of María’s remains, Cali Police deputy head of criminal investigations Maj Alirio Acuna said: “The body of a pregnant woman was found at kilometre 3 on the La Buitrera road, specifically on the banks of the River Meléndez. Preliminary findings suggest that the physical characteristics and clothing match those of the 21-year-old woman who had been reported missing since last Thursday, July 16.”

María was last spotted climbing onto a motorbike with an unidentified woman who, at the time of writing, remains unknown. According to Noticias Caracol, María had just attended an appointment at the Los Polvorines health centre in southern Cali before boarding the motorbike that was recorded on CCTV.

Discussing María’s appointment just hours before her tragic death, Ladera Health Network manager Diana Carolina said: “It was a routine consultation, in line with clinical practice guidelines.

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“She arrived at our healthcare centre at around 9am. She entered the consultation room alone and underwent the necessary check-up.”

María’s mum Ana Rubi Gomez has made a desperate plea for her granddaughter’s safe return, urging the public to assist in locating the missing infant.

She revealed to La FM: “The first thing I asked was whether the baby was still in her womb, and they told me no, that the baby wasn’t there.

“That filled me with hope that the baby might still be alive. So I’m asking the public and the community to help me find my little girl.”

Potosí was at her boyfriend’s home when they say when she received a phone call from a woman later identified in a video as driving the motorcycle. The family said that Potosí told them that she was going with the woman to pick up gifts for her baby. She had recently met the woman at a Cali center for expectant mums.

On Friday (July 24), a man named Carlos Rincón posted a video on social media in which he identified himself as the female suspect’s former boyfriend and revealed that she did not return to sleep at his home the day that Potosí disappeared.

He added that his ex-girlfriend told him in January that she was pregnant. “I was excited about (her) pregnancy,” he said.

“And many people think I had something to do with it — the kidnapping and murder of the 21-year-old woman — because I had been the motorcyclist’s partner.

“We had nothing to do with it. We knew nothing. My family was another victim. We trusted her, we believed in her.”

After María’s body was discovered, the Cali Ombudsman’s Office has demanded a swift and thorough probe into her death. Additionally, they’ve stressed the urgency of tracing the missing infant immediately in case she remains alive.

Officials reportedly stated that the post-mortem findings confirming the baby’s removal “makes it even more urgent to clarify the facts and locate the newborn baby”.

They continued: “As the Public Prosecutor’s Office, we call on the Attorney General’s Office and the relevant authorities to carry out all investigative measures as swiftly as possible and to put in place the necessary measures to locate the baby, ensuring the protection of her life and safety.

“We also urge members of the public to provide any information through official channels that may assist the investigation. Every minute counts.”

Investigations into María’s death are ongoing.

The two-day event was held at the Oakleaf Sports Complex on Friday, July 24, and Saturday, July 25, with more than 2,500 people expected across the weekend.

Friday night’s “Warm Up” saw the marquee host a run of high-energy sets from North East bands and solo acts, including Another Crisis, an 80s versus 90s smash hits party band, and C-Collective.

Here’s our gallery of the weekend:

Ayclive Festival in full swing (Image: ANDY FUTERS)

Festival acts keep the main stage buzzing throughout the day (Image: ANDY FUTERS)

A lively weekend at Ayclive Festival (Image: ANDY FUTERS)

Festival-goers enjoy Ayclive (Image: ANDY FUTERS)

Ayclive Festival featured a packed line-up of live music across the weekend (Image: ANDY FUTERS)

One of the weekend’s acts entertains the audience at Oakleaf Sports Complex (Image: ANDY FUTERS)

Ayclive Festival crowds in Newton Aycliffe (Image: ANDY FUTERS)

The crowd enjoys a high-energy set at Ayclive Festival (Image: ANDY FUTERS)

North East acts brought plenty of energy to the Ayclive stage. (Image: ANDY FUTERS)

The audience gets into the spirit of Ayclive Festival (Image: ANDY FUTERS)

Festival crowds enjoy a sunny weekend of live music in Newton Aycliffe (Image: ANDY FUTERS)

Families and friends make the most of Ayclive Festival (Image: ANDY FUTERS)

Revellers enjoy the music and atmosphere at Oakleaf Sports Complex (Image: ANDY FUTERS)

Crowds danced and sang along at Ayclive Festival (Image: ANDY FUTERS)

Music fans packed into the festival site for a day of live entertainment (Image: ANDY FUTERS)

There was a lively atmosphere as crowds gathered for the weekend event (Image: ANDY FUTERS)

Festival-goers enjoy the action at Ayclive Festival (Image: ANDY FUTERS)

Families and music fans enjoyed a day of entertainment at Ayclive Festival (Image: ANDY FUTERS)

Festival-goers soak up the atmosphere at the town’s biggest live music event of the summer (Image: ANDY FUTERS)

Ayclive Festival brought thousands of music fans to Newton Aycliffe (Image: ANDY FUTERS)

Thousands of revellers descended on Newton Aycliffe for Ayclive Festival (Image: ANDY FUTERS)

The weekend’s festival crowds enjoyed live music, food and entertainment at Oakleaf Sports Complex (Image: ANDY FUTERS)

Crowds gather for the fourth edition of Ayclive Festival at Oakleaf Sports Complex (Image: ANDY FUTERS)

Festival-goers make the most of the sunshine at Ayclive Festival (Image: ANDY FUTERS)

Saturday brought 11 hours of continuous entertainment on the main stage, running from late morning through to late evening.

The day’s line-up featured a mix of tribute and covers acts, including MixtNutz, Wednesday Flowers, The Angelettes, The Skandals, Nuromantica, MOOBs, and The UK Rock Show, building towards a headline set from indie-pop group The Hoosiers, best known for hits including “Worried About Ray” and “Goodbye Mr A”.

Away from the main stage, festival-goers had access to a fairground, food stalls, a bar area, and a dedicated kids’ entertainment zone, alongside activities aimed at younger children including a silent disco tent, face painting, and circus skills workshops.

Organisers had built in a re-admission policy for the day, allowing parents to bring tired children home and return to enjoy more of the festival later on.

Ayclive Festival was launched in 2023 to mark Newton Aycliffe’s 75th anniversary, with its inaugural line-up featuring Britpop-era acts Cast and Dodgy alongside local group Sound Divide.

Run entirely by volunteers, the festival reinvests its profits into the following year’s event and into local causes, with organisers describing it as a celebration of community spirit as much as live music.

The Brownlee Foundation, launched by triathletes Alistair and Jonny Brownlee in 2014, celebrated its 100th event on Tuesday 16 June 2026 in Mold, North Wales.

Alistair Brownlee attended the milestone event, which gives primary school pupils the chance to take part in a non-competitive triathlon.

More than 92,000 children have now participated in Brownlee Foundation events across Yorkshire, the North West, Midlands, London, and beyond.

Olympic Brownlee brothers celebrate 100th school triathlon event (Image: Supplied)

Alistair Brownlee said: “When Jonny and I started the Brownlee Foundation, the aim was simple.

“We wanted to give more children the chance to experience sport in a positive, accessible and enjoyable way.

“This has never been about creating elite athletes.

“It’s about helping children try something new, build confidence and discover what they are capable of.

“To reach 100 events and know that more than 92,000 children have now taken part is something we are incredibly proud of.

“Sport has given us so much throughout our lives, and we know the impact it can have on confidence, resilience, friendships and wellbeing.

“Seeing children cross the finish line with a smile on their face is exactly why the Foundation exists.”

The events are free for primary schools and aimed at Key Stage 2 pupils.

No previous triathlon experience is needed, and all equipment—including bikes and helmets—is provided.

Each child receives a t-shirt before the event, as well as a medal, goody bag, and healthy snacks at the finish line.

Jonny Brownlee said: “The most powerful thing about the Foundation is that it gives children an experience they might not otherwise have.

“For some, it is their first time trying a triathlon.

“For others, it might be the first time they have enjoyed being active.

“That matters.

“Not every child sees themselves as sporty, but every child gets the chance to be active, have fun and feel proud of what they have achieved.

“Reaching 100 events is a brilliant milestone, but it also makes us even more determined to keep going.

“We want to inspire the next generation to enjoy being active and to make sure more children can access those opportunities, whatever their background.”

The foundation has grown significantly since its first event in 2014, now working with schools, volunteers, local sports clubs, councils, and other partners.

Its events are designed to be inclusive, fun, and non-competitive, giving children a positive introduction to swimming, cycling, and running.

The 100th event forms part of a busy year for the foundation.

More than 17,500 children have taken part across 17 events through their schools.

The achievement comes as national attention turns once again to school sport provision, following recent government changes that will see England’s PE and Sport Premium replaced by a new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network from spring 2027.

Schools and sector leaders have called for continued clarity and support to ensure children continue to have access to high-quality physical activity.

For more information about the Brownlee Foundation, visit www.thebrownleefoundation.org.