The nanny of Lindsay Clancy’s children has testified at her murder trial, giving an insight what the mum was really like before the tragic deaths.

Elaine Rossi took to the stand on day seven of the high-profile trial, where Clancy — who faces life without parole — is charged with three counts of first-degree murder over the deaths of her three children.

Clancy fatally strangled Cora, five, Dawson, three, and Callan, eight months, with exercise bands in the basement of their Duxbury, Massachusetts home on January 24, 2023.

However, Clancy is pleading not guilty to the charges, with her defence team arguing that she was not criminally responsible due to suffering from extreme postpartum psychosis.

Prosecutors say that Clancy planned the killings and deliberately sent her husband Patrick out of their home on the day of the deaths.

They argue this gave her enough time to strangle the children to death before attempting to take her own life.

Now, Rossi has provided the jury with a positive character reference for Clancy — a former labour and delivery nurse — describing her as a ‘wonderful mother.’

The experienced nanny began working for the Clancy family in September 2022 after responding to a job advert.

Her initial role was to look after Callan when Clancy returned to work, which was expected to be around Thanksgiving.

According to the nanny, Clancy would leave a sleep schedule for Callan in a yellow notebook, as the mother was reportedly worried about his sleeping and feeding at the time.

Rossi testified that she was never concerned about Clancy’s treatment of her children, or worried about them being left alone with her.

When asked this question, Rossi replied: ‘Not at all. She was a wonderful mum.’

Rossi then gave an example of Clancy’s parenting style. She recalled a situation when Dawson, who she said was ‘full of energy,’ struck his younger brother.

Clancy reportedly removed Dawson from the room and made sure her baby son was OK. Rossi said Clancy then spoke with Dawson about his unacceptable behaviour.

‘I observed a wonderful mom who loved her kids,’ Rossi said, adding: ‘I did love Lindsay, yes.’

Rossi also provided her perspective of Clancy’s mental health at the time.

She said that the mother of three had confided in her about her decision to stop breastfeeding Callan so that she could start taking medication.

Rossi recalled Clancy also talking to her about her ‘postpartum and insomnia’ struggles.

On the day of the murders, Clancy attempted suicide by jumping from a second-story window.

Clancy had asked her husband, Patrick, to collect medicine for their children and a takeaway after she said she’d had an exhausting day.

However, less than an hour later, at around 6pm, Patrick returned to find blood on the floor of the couple’s bedroom, a bloody knife on a bedside table and an open window.

He discovered Clancy on the frozen ground outside, having jumped around 20ft from the window. She had also cut her wrists and neck.

Clancy’s fall caused spinal injuries which left her paralysed. She now uses a wheelchair.

Upon finding his wife on the floor, Patrick said Clancy told him that she’d tried to kill herself and said that the children were in the basement.

Cora and Dawson were pronounced dead at the scene, while Callan was airlifted to hospital and died several days later.

Last week, jurors heard Patrick’s heartbreaking testimony, in what marked the first time he’d seen his now-ex-wife since the deaths of their children.

Patrick — who has publicly forgiven Clancy — was visibly emotional on the witness stand, recalling how she was a devoted, loving mother who suffered from severe mental health issues.

If Clancy is found not guilty, she will likely face an indefinite stay in a secure state mental health facility. The trial continues.

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If deemed appropriate, the Petitions Committee, first established in 2018, can consider petitions put forward by communities and individuals.

Communities and individuals across South Lanarkshire are being encouraged to get involved with the council’s decision-making processes.

Public petitions help address issues which affect people’s daily lives and improve the ability to engage directly with the council.

If deemed appropriate, the Petitions Committee, first established in 2018, can consider petitions put forward by communities and individuals.

Petitions should be about the services the council provide or issues which the council is involved in that affect the community.

The purpose of the petition and what result it is expected to achieve should be clearly explained.

Full details of the petition process can be found on the council website.

Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Resources, Jackie Taylor, said: “We recognise that part of being an open and transparent council is giving people the opportunity to engage with us directly.

“The petitions process, and ultimately the Petitions Committee, gives people that opportunity.”

A number of changes as to how the Petitions Committee will function moving forward was agreed at a recent meeting of the Executive Committee.

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Ross Stewart has completed his move to Swansea City, with the Scotland striker signing a three-year deal after leaving Southampton as a free agent

Swansea City have completed the signing of Scotland international Ross Stewart on a free transfer, with the experienced striker putting pen to paper on a three-year deal.

The 30-year-old becomes the Swans’ sixth signing of the summer and will wear the No.31 shirt after arriving following his departure from Southampton.

WalesOnline revealed on Wednesday evening that Stewart was poised to join the Championship club, with the move now officially confirmed.

The arrival of the proven Championship goalscorer further strengthens Vitor Matos’ attacking options ahead of the new campaign, competing with Zan Vipotnik and Adam Idah.

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Stewart joins having enjoyed an impressive campaign with Southampton last season, scoring 11 goals in 33 appearances in all competitions. That included a return of eight goals in 16 matches as the Saints finished the season strongly to reach the Championship play-offs and the FA Cup semi-finals.

The striker was also part of Scotland’s squad at this summer’s World Cup, making an appearance from the bench against Morocco.

Stewart first made his name south of the Scottish border with Sunderland, where he scored 40 goals in 81 appearances, helping the Black Cats win promotion from League One via the play-offs and lift the EFL Trophy at Wembley before earning a move to Southampton in 2023.

His arrival inevitably raises further questions about the long-term future of star striker Vipotnik, who continues to attract interest from clubs in England and across Europe. However, Swansea have maintained throughout the summer that there has been no change to the Slovenian’s situation despite strengthening their forward line.

Head coach Vitor Matos believes Stewart’s experience and leadership qualities will prove just as valuable as his goals.

“Ross is an experienced and proven performer in the Championship, and we are delighted to have him as part of what we are trying to build here at Swansea City,” said Matos.

“In our conversations he has made clear his hunger and desire to be an important senior figure and leader in our dressing room.

“His goalscoring record shows he is someone who relishes responsibility and we look forward to getting down to work with him and settling him into the group.”

Sporting director Ben Stevens added that Stewart’s pedigree made him an obvious target.

“We are delighted that Ross has joined Swansea City. He brings a wealth of experience on and off the pitch.

“His performances last season in the Championship were a standout, and it earned him a deserved place in Scotland’s World Cup squad.

“We are very excited to see Ross in a Swansea shirt.”

Stewart’s signing is unlikely to be Swansea’s final piece of business before the transfer window closes.

Stevens revealed at Wednesday night’s supporters’ forum that further additions are being worked on, while the Swans remain in talks over Valencia midfielder Andre Almeida. The club also continue to pursue Senegalese youngster Ousseynou Fall Seck as Matos looks to further strengthen his squad ahead of the Championship campaign.

Nearly 10,000 people were referred to the government’s anti-terrorism scheme Prevent in the year to September 2025, Home Office figures show, a record number for the programme.

Figures show 10,293 referrals were made in England and Wales for 9,957 people – up by 39% from the previous 12 months and the highest number in a single year since records began in 2015.

Where the age is known, 393 referrals were for children under 10, the largest proportion concerned 11 to 15-year-olds at 36%, followed by 16 to 17 year-olds at 13% of referals.

The Home Office said the spike was in part due to “heightened public awareness of Prevent” after the Southport attacks in July 2024, where a teenager killed three girls at a dance class.

Axel Rudakubana was 17-years-old when he stabbed 11 children and two adults, killing nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, and six-year-old Bebe King at a Taylor Swift–themed yoga and dance workshop.

Rudakubana was referred to Prevent on three occasions between 2019 and 2021 due to his interest in terrorist attacks and school shootings, but there was no evidence of a fixed ideology or motivation.

A government review found that his case was closed “prematurely”, and that counter terrorism officers staffing the Prevent scheme had “sufficient information” to escalate Rudakubana’s case to the next stage – known as Channel – which would have included enhanced monitoring for those deemed at risk of radicalisation.

The Home Office said the Southport attacks may have also led to a 117% increase in referrals discussed at a Channel panel, rising from 997 to 2,159.

It also cited a major review from last year led by Lord David Anderson KC, which found an increase in Prevent referrals from January to March 2025 during Rudakubana’s trial.

The Home Office said it was possible that “a number of operational and policy changes and improvements, along with associated training rolled out” may have also had an impact on referrals.

Thursday’s figures show that 20% of the total referrals were because of concerns over extreme right-wing ideology – an increase from 1,480 to 2,103 in the previous 12 months – while 8% of referrals concerned Islamist extremism.

A further 8% of referrals concerned fascination with extreme violence or mass casualty attacks, 1% concerned Incel extremism, and 0.3% concerned left-wing extremism.

More than half of the referrals (56%) were for individuals with no identified ideology.

The Home Office also published data showing the ethnicity of those referred to Prevent.

This is not mandatory and can be left blank, and only 5,315 (52%) referrals included the data.

Of these referrals, 68% were white, 18% were Asian, 8% were black, while 7% were listed as “other”.

Prevent, which forms a key part of the UK’s counter-terror strategy, places a legal duty on public bodies to identify people who may turn to extremism.

The Home Office figures are for England and Wales. Scotland reports its referral figures separately.

Conservationists in Australia have taken on the country’s largest gas producer in a landmark court battle that will decide the fate of a giant fossil fuel project.

The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) and Friends of Australian Rock Art (FARA) challenged the government’s approval of plans to extend the Woodside North West Shelf gas export project.

The permit allows Woodside to operate its Karratha gas plant, on the Burrup Peninsula, 1,260km (783 miles) north of Perth, until 2070. The plant sits next to the sprawling Murujuga Indigenous rock art complex, a World Heritage site which is home to around two million rock engravings dating back 50,000 years.

FARA claims emissions are degrading the ancient artworks while ACF says
environment minister Murray Watt failed to consider “devastating climate change impacts” when he approved the scheme.

ACF estimates the extension will spew 4bn tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere, and both groups also accuse Watt of being biased towards Woodside, a relationship described in court as ‘chumminess or cosiness’ between his department and the fossil fuel giant.

Justice Catherine Button will decide the outcome at a later date. “Depending on what the Court says, this could involve reassessment of impacts on a huge range of protected parts of nature across Australia,” said the ACF.

Image: The ‘Future Man’ rock carving at the Murujuga Indigenous rock art complex. Credit: Marius Fenger

These occasions haven’t always been the most pleasant for Swansea City.

But in comparison to some years, Wednesday night’s fans’ forum was a serene, bordering on routine exercise for all involved.

Swansea City feel in a good place right now. Celebrity investment, a deal to buy their stadium in the pipeline, some moves in the transfer market that look dangerously close to some semblance of competence and a bid to improve the club’s academy.

There’s a lot to be positive about, as evidenced by one supporter using his chance to ask a question from the floor to offer Tom Gorringe, Ben Stevens and Vitor Matos a drink on him.

But optimism wasn’t the only different about this evening.

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Musician Mal Pope, who counts the vocals to the Fireman Sam theme tune among his sterling catalogue of work, was handed the role of hosting in place of Kev Johns, who continues to recover from a stroke earlier this year.

The evening began with a rapturous round of applause for Johns, which largely set the tone for a night that gave fans a first glimpse into what feels, for several reasons, a new era for the club.

Gorringe alluded to that very point at one stage, casting his mind back to the club he walked into back in March 2025.

“Before I joined I came here for a game against Sheffield Wednesday at home,” he said.

“Luke Williams was still the manager at the time, the stadium was half empty, we lost 1-0 from a mistake. It was two awful teams, it was an awful game of football.

“You could feel the apathy in the air. This club had drifted far too far away from where we want to be.”

“I came in with my eyes wide open [about] what we wanted to do, to give everybody hope again, to make everybody believe that we can be a force, that we can be true to our past, do things the right way and ultimately that we can move up the leagues and compete at the level we want to compete at,” Gorringe added.

“In order to do that we have to make a lot of decisions, we had to make a lot of changes. We had to make sure we brought the right people in.

“I think I can sit here today, probably for the first time since I joined, and say now all of those foundations are in place.

“I think everything is here that we need to really kick on and improve. We have got the right people in the building.”

Some have clearly left the building, including several of the club’s homegrown first-team stars, with Liam Cullen, Sam Parker, Ollie Cooper and Cameron Congreve all heading out the door.

It’s another blow to the strong Welsh core that the club had relied upon in previous years, and this point was brought up by one fan, who asked “Are we confident we’ve got enough players in the dressing room that will fight for the badge?”

It is legal for bus drivers on local routes – those less than 50km – to work ten-hour days, with no weekly or fortnightly limit apart from one day off every two weeks. It is also legal for these staff to work 130 hours over two weeks, with only a 30-minute break after five and a half hours driving.

US President Donald Trump ‘clashed’ with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth over extreme munition shortages that could limit Washington’s military operations in Iran, sources have claimed.

Two insiders told the Washington Post that Trump lashed out at Mr Hegseth saying that he thought the munitions issue ‘had been fixed’, during a Cabinet meeting at Camp David on Friday.

Shortages of long-range guided missiles and air defence interceptors are among the reasons Trump has held back from launching further large-scale strikes against Iran in recent days, one source said. 

When confronted by Trump over dwindling weapons stockpiles, sources said Mr Hegseth blamed his deputy, Stephen Feinberg, for the shortages and for failing to keep the president fully informed.

The White House has denied the clash ever took place, however, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt saying: ‘This is 100% fake news. Literally never happened. And President Trump has the utmost confidence in Secretary Hegseth.’

Pentagon chief spokesman Sean Parnell also added: ‘Secretary Hegseth did not mislead anyone about our munitions posture, and he did not blame Deputy Secretary Feinberg. These claims about depleted stockpiles, internal disagreements, the Secretary’s position on Iran … are equally fictional.

‘Secretary Hegseth isn’t going anywhere, and he’s going to continue to work side by side with Deputy Secretary Feinberg to execute President Trump’s agenda.’ 

At a Senate hearing in July, Mr Hegseth clashed with Democratic lawmakers over whether he had given Trump an accurate assessment of the Iran conflict, including the strain a prolonged campaign could place on US weapons stockpiles.

Trump denied these claims on Thursday, taking to his Truth Social

The US Army has used up much of its stockpile of highly accurate long-range missiles during its five-month war with Iran, according to sources 

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He declined to discuss the advice he gave the president, instead blaming any shortages on the Biden administration’s management of the military rather than operations carried out under Trump.

Mr Hegseth, Mr Feinberg and Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine have asked Congress to approve an additional $67billion in military funding to help cover the cost of the Iran war. 

Testifying before lawmakers last month, Mr Hegseth said the request was needed to replenish the US military’s depleted weapons stockpiles.

It comes as the US Army reportedly burned through nearly its entire arsenal of offensive precision missiles during its five-month war with Iran, according to those familiar with the matter.

Three officials, granted anonymity to discuss sensitive US military matters, told Reuters that the stocks of Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM) have dwindled to new staggering lows.

Two of the officials said the US has used ‘virtually all’ of these missiles in its stockpile.

All three sources expressed concern that the low stockpiles could hamper Washington’s ability to fend off Russia, China and other adversaries.

But Trump denied these claims on Thursday, taking to his Truth Social to say: ‘The US has massive amounts of “munitions”, especially of certain types. 

‘Additionally, large amounts are being manufactured and shipped to the US as needed. Defense companies are building the largest number of plants and factories in our country’s history. 

‘The “leakers” of these treasonous statements are being hunted down. Long term jail sentences will be sought! President DJT.’

General Caine previously warned Trump that dwindling supplies in the region could increase the risks faced by US forces there.

Lawmakers have also expressed concern over General Caine and Mr Hegseth acting as ‘yes men’ for the President.

A fourth source said that Central Command, which organizes US military forces in the Middle East, has expended nearly all the land-based missiles it had before the war began in February, though it has since restocked from other US stockpiles located across the globe.

Both the ATACMS and the PrSM systems allow for long-range strikes with deadly precision while not putting US pilots at risk. 

ATACMS can travel approximately 185 miles, while the newer PrSM system has a range around 300 miles.

They each cost over £1million per missile, with prices ranging far higher depending on the munition’s exact specs. 

The sources refused to reveal exactly how many of each munition remains in US inventories. 

The President has met with executives from Lockheed and other major US military contractors as the war with Iran drags on and the military’s thirst for additional munitions appears unquenchable.

‘Our defense companies are, at this moment, making more munitions than they have ever made before, ​in addition to expanding their plants and equipment at record levels,’ Trump has said.

The surface-to-surface missile systems are crucial for attacking targets at ranges that could only otherwise be targeted by US pilots.

Given their long ranges, the ATACMS and PrSM systems are favoured for strikes against Iran because it keeps pilots far from the front lines where the regime’s anti-air systems are waiting.

File image: An explosion erupts following strikes near Azadi Tower close to Mehrabad International Airport in Tehran on March 7, 2026

The munitions would also be crucial in any potential conflict with China, experts have warned, noting how any US military strategy near the mainland would need to employ long-range options.

ATACMS have also been provided to Ukrainian forces so that they could strike deep within Russian territory, further straining the supply of the critical munition.

There are also major concerns among US officials about defensive weapons in the US arsenal.

Patriot interceptor missiles and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) systems, two US-made defensive systems used to shoot down incoming missiles, drones and aircraft, have also seen their supply dwindling.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies released a report last week estimating that 65 per cent of Patriot interceptors had been used since the beginning of the war.

The study also found that THAAD interceptor stockpiles were at least 38 per cent lower than the levels before the conflict.

The President has repeatedly threatened and then walked back claims he would strike Iran with overwhelming force.

On various occasions, Trump has said that he’s called off the strikes because officials in Iran have signalled they want to make a deal.

Locals applauded as her coffin arrived at St Catherine’s Church, adorned with a green cloth bearing a gold harp and a coat of arms of Dublin

Emotional tributes have been paid to Brenda Fricker as the first Irish woman to win an Oscar is laid to rest in Dublin.

Fricker was returned to the Dublin area of The Liberties where she grew up for her final journey. Locals applauded as her coffin arrived at St Catherine’s Church on Meath Street, adorned with a green cloth bearing a gold harp and a coat of arms of Dublin.

Fricker, 81, died in Our Lady’s Hospice in Dublin’s Harold’s Cross on July 16 after a period of ill-health. Mourners heard that she wanted her funeral to be “no fuss” and full of laughter.

Her friend Liz Duffy, described as “her rock”, thanked the local shops in the Liberties that Fricker would go to regularly with her dog, Juno. Irish actor Brendan Gleeson, RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst and costume designer Joan Bergin were among those who attended the funeral service in the Liberties neighbourhood.

Monsignor Eoin Thynne told mourners there wasn’t “an ounce of airs or graces about her” and that she “marched to the beat of her own drum”.

He thanked her neighbours and friends from the Liberties “where she could be herself and was happiest when she was among her own”.

“Brenda lived a life full to the brim, full of love, laughter, stories, kindness, and mischief, and she was very clear about what she wanted today: no tears, no sadness, no fuss. This is not a day for sorrow.

“This is a day of celebration, the celebration of a true legend who touched the lives of so many and left us with many, many wonderful memories.”

He added: “The curtain has fallen on this life, but what a performance it was.”

Fricker won a best supporting actress Oscar for her performance as Bridget Fagan Brown in 1989’s My Left Foot, which tells the story of Irishman Christy Brown, played by Daniel Day-Lewis, who was born with cerebral palsy and could control only his left foot.

Fricker was also known for her role in the 1992 follow-up to Home Alone, where she played Pigeon Lady, a homeless woman in New York’s Central Park.

She was also part of the original cast of BBC medical drama Casualty and featured alongside Cate Blanchett in Veronica Guerin (2003), as well as appearing in ITV drama Upstairs, Downstairs and soap opera Coronation Street.

Her other film appearances included So I Married An Axe Murderer (1993), Angels In The Outfield (1994) and A Time To Kill (1996).

Her later roles included the TV adaptation of Graham Norton’s first novel Holding, directed by Kathy Burke, and the Channel 5 drama series The Catch.

Fricker also made numerous stage appearances in plays such as Lavender Blue and A Pagan’s Place at theatres including the National Theatre and Royal Court Theatre. Her agent Phil Belfield described the Irish actress as a “legend” whom he was “honoured to know”.

“Dublin-born and bred, Brenda Fricker undoubtedly deserves the noun ‘legend’,” he said.

“We will never see her like again and the world is lesser for the lack of her. I was honoured to know, love and work with her, and she will always have a place in my heart and in the heart of so many film and TV fans the world over.”

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A market town was engulfed by violence and disorder after baying mobs stormed three houses rumoured to be used by asylum seekers.

Frustration exploded into fury in Thetford, Norfolk, following weeks of protests at a nearby former military barracks which has already been earmarked to take 1,250 male migrants.

Five men had to be escorted by police from a property on St Johns Way in front of a baying crowd, prompting protesters to brand the officers ‘traitors’.

The occupant of a house in nearby Elm Road is then understood to have been forced out of his home before his phone was stolen.

The chaos next spilled over to a residence in Bracken Road, which had its windows and front door smashed in.

Up to 100 people became involved in the violence, with video capturing one man shouting: ‘They don’t want the white man anymore. They want us all gone, they wanna swap us.

‘It’s predicted by 2050 that the f****** white man’s going to be a minority.’

Others could be heard shouting ‘get out’ as police escorted the terrified occupants of St Johns Way out of the area, two of whom were wearing tops with the hoods pulled tightly over their faces.

In another scene, an individual who was off camera, leaving it uncertain whether they were a police officer or member of the public, shouted over the mayhem: ‘The police have got a job to do.

‘They’re going to remove the guys from the building. There will be no harm or loss or injury.’

Norfolk Police said they arrested a man in his 30s yesterday on suspicion of a public order offence and their investigation into the ‘linked’ incidents were continuing.

The turmoil on Tuesday began at around midday when a group of men were seen moving into the St Johns Way house.

One local claimed the landlord had told them to expect new tenants but didn’t mention they would be asylum seekers.

News of the arrival spread swiftly on social media and by 7pm, people began arriving at the estate, with numbers quickly swelling to around 60.

Police guard a property in the market town as protesters stand outside

Police flooded the area and drones were launched as around 100 protesters swamped the market town

Police had to escort the occupants of a property in St Johns Way after a tense stand-off 

Police arrived just after 8pm and drones were launched when the mob, none of whom are understood to live in the road, tried to force their way in by smashing in a window and fence panel and ripping out the letter box. A tradesman in the building was also prevented from leaving.

Dramatic footage shows an officer standing in front of the property and telling the protesters: ‘You have the absolute right to stay here and gather and [exercise] your right to freedom of expression.

‘That is your choice, okay. But I need you to stay here and do that peacefully.

‘If we start getting people and they’re making threats, or getting knocks on the door [that’s] when we then come back and that ruins it for everyone.

‘So do the things right for you and don’t cross the line.’

A woman could be heard loudly accusing the police of ‘treason’ and others shouted ‘shame on you’ as they tried to restore calm.

By 10pm, the decision was taken to remove the five men in the property and ten officers surrounded them as they hurried outside and into a waiting police van, amid booing and shouts of ‘get out’.

A police officer addressed the mob at one address, warning them they had the right to ‘freedom of expression’ but they had to do it ‘peacefully’

Doors and windows were smashed at properties as the mob called for the asylum seekers to ‘get out’

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The incident came after months of protests at RAF Barnham in Suffolk three miles away, where the government is planning to house 1,250 asylum seekers

The protesters then walked around a mile to the second location, where the house is understood to have been undergoing preparations for asylum seekers to take possession.

It was empty but the window and door were broken before police arrived and dispersed the group.

The last incident, half a mile away in Elm Road, involved a smaller group who are said to have ejected the occupant and taken his phone.

One local, a man in his 50s who didn’t want to give his name, told the Mail today: ‘We all know what’s been going on locally and people are not liking it.

‘People in Thetford are a bit fed up that we’re getting dumped with everybody that supposedly needs help.

‘The problem is we’ve got very poor infrastructure – it’s just about holding together.

‘Now they’re going to put another 2,000-3,000 asylum seekers on our doorstep. It’s not what people want.’

Police have maintained a heightened presence in the area following the violence and disorder

Thetford is just three miles from RAF Barnham, over the border in Suffolk – one of three sites being considered to house a total of 3,750 asylum seekers, alongside former MoD bases in Bicester in Oxfordshire and RAF Linton-on-Ouse in North Yorkshire.

The government is also looking to extend the use of existing military sites in Crowborough, East Sussex, until 2030 and Wethersfield, Essex until at least 2027.

Locals in Barnham, Suffolk, have warned they will be overwhelmed if the plans in their area are approved.

The village is home to 580 people and has a church but no shop or pub.

Hundreds of people from as far away as Essex have flocked to protests over the plans in recent months.

An encampment has been set up outside the gates with rotating protesters wielding placards reading ‘Thetford says no!’ and ‘Don’t trust Home Office – it’s all lies.’

Speaking to the Mail last month, Barnham resident Kerri Williams, 51, who is from an RAF family, said she had grave concerns about the scheme for lone, male migrants.

She said: ‘These are grown men with their iPhones and new trainers. If it was women with kids, it wouldn’t be so bad.

‘I would like to give them the benefit of the doubt but we just can’t. We’ve seen the amount of crime they bring.’

RAF Barnham in Suffolk, which is just three miles from Thetford, has been earmarked by the government to take 1,250 asylum seekers

Protesters have been gathering outside the ex-military base for months

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One of the protesters in Thetford on Tuesday is understood to have been activist Zak Marketis, who has been staying at RAF Barnham for weeks. His brightly coloured caravan was seen parked in the area. There is no suggestion he was involved in any illegal activity.

A Norfolk Police spokeswoman said: ‘Police were called to St John’s Way, Thetford, at 8.12pm [on Tuesday] following reports that a group of people, who didn’t live at the address, were attempting to get inside and smashed a window, and damaged a fence panel and letter box. 

‘The group were shouting and preventing a workman from leaving. A resident of the same property reported a group of between 30 and 50 people trying to get into the house.

‘Officers attended a second address on Bracken Road where some of the group believed to be present at the previous incidents, smashed the windows of the property.

‘A third incident happened on Elm Road where a smaller group entered a property and forced out the resident and stole their mobile phone.

‘A man aged in his 30s was arrested [yesterday] on suspicion of a public order offence. He has been taken to Wymondham Police Investigation Centre for questioning, where he remains.

‘The investigation into the incidents, which are being linked, remains ongoing.’