Firefighters and police were called to the scene on the A19 at Bridforth near Thirsk shortly before 11.10am on Monday (August 10).

Everyone was out of the vehicles when the fire crew arrived, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said.

A service spokesperson said the crew made the scene safe then moved one of the vehicles to a safe location.

“The incident was left with the police and recovery company,” they said.

Just months into the marriage, debt collectors started calling, alleging she owed them money.

Wang grew suspicious and wanted to know what else she had kept hidden. He checked her phone and found details of her former life, her birth certificate and former marriage documents.

When he confronted her, she offered him a divorce, but refused to return a single penny of the bride price.

He says he tried to hunt down the agency responsible for his marriage, but when he returned to their offices, they had packed up and disappeared.

From his rented flat in Guiyang, just across from the main district which houses most of these agencies, Wang now spends his time making social media videos trying to warn other men about what can go wrong.

In Guiyang, it is difficult to find an agency where the staff is willing to talk. One agency boss agreed to talk to us in their offices – although his business partner later asked us to leave.

Inside there was a red carpet littered with fake petals ready for a proposal. He told us a couple had pledged to marry just hours before we arrived.

“There’s a huge market for flash marriages in China. It only really emerged over the last two or three years,” he told us.

The agencies claim families here did not strictly adhere to the one-child policy, which means the area has a larger pool of women. “Even if a family had two or three daughters, they would keep trying for a son,” one of them told the BBC.

They say they are now trying to match these women with men from central provinces – like Wang who lives in Hebei – who are relatively wealthy but have few women around them.

“Our clients are free to choose whoever they like. The purpose of our business is to help people find someone they genuinely want to be with.”

One of the advertisements assures their prospective clients that “Three days with the right introduction can beat three years of dating”.

Manchester United transfer target Jhon Lucumi is set to seal an imminent exit from Bologna after his impressive World Cup campaign alerted several clubs

Manchester United look set to lose the transfer race for Jhon Lucumi as Juventus are aiming to finalise a deal with Bologna in the ‘next few hours’. Chelsea, Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth were other Premier League clubs in the race for his signature but it looks as though the Serie A giants will be acquiring his services.

Juve faced competition from a few of their domestic rivals with Inter Milan and Napoli linked but they were one of few to show a concrete interest. United were on the fringes until a report in Italy claimed they were willing to meet his €25million (£21.7m) asking price.

Luciano Spalletti’s side, meanwhile, initially appeared unlikely to do so after seeing their first bid rejected while a proposal from Forest was turned down by the player. The former have seemingly since improved their offer and according to GOAL, the deal is set to be completed in the coming hours.

Their report has stated that an agreement in principle has already been reached on personal terms with Lucumi to sign a five-year contract if the two clubs agree on a fee.

That has been the difficult part with it claimed that Juventus have tried to offer players to Bologna as part of a swap deal but with those advances rejected, they are now prepared to pay €20m (£17m) as a fixed fee with easily achievable add-ons.

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Lucumi’s preference to join Juventus has helped them throughout the battle for his signature with Como also seeing an offer dismissed. They subsequently switched focus onto Trevoh Chalobah which in turn caused Chelsea to register an interest in Lucumi.

However, it looks highly unlikely the 28-year-old will be coming to the Premier League but he is certainly getting his wish of joining a big club even though Juventus have not qualified for this season’s Champions League.

That competition is undoubtedly on the mind of Michael Carrick with squad depth to be key when it comes to competing on all fronts.

Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos and Karl Darlow remain as the only permanent senior signings made by United with minimal activity over the last three weeks.

There have been links to the likes of Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga and Manu Kone as potential midfield signings but nothing has materialised.

In addition to Lucumi, left-footed defenders such as Lewis Hall, Jorge Salinas, Joaquin Seys and David Raum have emerged as targets. An enquiry was made for the former but Newcastle United made it clear that they have no plans to sell.

James McHugh was a key member of the Donegal All-Ireland winning squad in 1992, alongside his brother Martin, who went on to become a GAA pundit on TV

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The man who lost his life in a road traffic collision in Co. Cavan on Monday has been identified locally as Donegal All-Ireland winner James McHugh.

The former player, who represented Donegal until 1996, passed away after the vehicle he was travelling in collided with a van on the N3 at Drummallaght in Co. Cavan, shortly before 2pm on Monday.

Mr McHugh, who was in his 60s, was pronounced dead at the scene, with his remains subsequently transferred to Cavan General Hospital.

His wife Noreen was airlifted to Beaumont Hospital in a critical condition following the collision, while the van driver, a man in his 50s, was taken to Cavan General Hospital for treatment of minor injuries.

James McHugh made his Donegal debut in 1990 against Cavan, the same year Donegal claimed the Ulster title following a victory over Armagh. Two years on, McHugh was a key member of the Donegal All-Ireland winning squad in 1992, alongside his brother Martin, reports the Irish Mirror.

James McHugh is the first of that legendary 1992 Donegal team to pass away.

The former forward also earned an All-Star that same year, and enjoyed considerable success with his club Cill Chartha, claiming championship honours in 1985, 1989 and 1993.

Sinn Féin councillor Michael McMahon was among those paying tribute to the sportsman, telling The Irish Mirror: “It’s very very sad for everybody. James McHugh was a gentleman. He was one of the nicest men you could meet.

“I saw him play in the ’92 All-Ireland Final, he was a great footballer… there is shock and sadness. My prayers are with his family and close friends. The entire community will be shocked by this.”

Gardai have issued a statement appealing “for witnesses following a fatal road traffic collision on the N3 at Drummallaght, between Virginia and Cavan, Co. Cavan, shortly before 2pm today, Monday 10th August 2026.

“The collision involved a car and a van. The male driver of the car, aged in his 60s, was fatally injured in the collision. His body was removed to Cavan General Hospital.

“The female passenger, also aged in her 60s, was seriously injured and was airlifted to Beaumont Hospital for treatment. The male driver of the van, aged in his 50s, was taken to Cavan General Hospital to be treated for minor injuries.

“The road remains closed at this time to facilitate an examination by Forensic Collision Investigators and local diversions are in place.

“Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this collision or who was travelling on the N3 between Virginia and Cavan, particularly between 1pm and 2pm to come forward.

“Gardaí are particularly appealing to motorists who may have dashcam or other camera footage of the area during this time to make this footage available to investigating Gardaí.

“Anyone with information is asked to contact Bailieborough Garda Station on 042 969 4570, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.”

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The developers want to build up to 78 new homes and bring new businesses into the town centre

A Cambridgeshire town could lose its bus station and a car park amid plans for a “vibrant new neighbourhood”. Capital and Centric has announced plans to redevelop Huntingdon’s bus station and Princes Street car park.

The developers say they want to “transform” the sites and turn them into a “vibrant new gateway neighbourhood into Huntingdon”.

A Capital and Centric spokesperson said: “We want to revitalise this part of the commuter town by delivering new homes, a public facing café, loads of new amenities for residents and lush green landscaping for everyone to enjoy, creating a vibrant new neighbourhood with bold architecture, lush green spaces, walkable streets, buzzing social spaces and heritage-inspired design, creating a lively new gateway that reconnects people, place and community.”

The plans could see up to 78 new homes built at the bus station and car park site. Other proposals include:

• A centralised hub with an onsite café. This is proposed at Cowper House which will “form a central zone to connect the development to the rest of the community”, said a Capital and Centric spokesperson.
• Green spaces including trees, planting, and pocket parks.
• Worker’s cottages, which will sit within the neighbourhood scheme.

Capital and Centric have proposed similar plans in St Neots and St Ives. In St Neots, the developers seek to transform Tebbutts Road with new businesses and homes. In St Ives, they propose up to 120 new homes, new businesses and green spaces in the old cattle market square and gatehouse.

Capital and Centric seeks comments on its plans for Huntingdon. Anyone who wishes to make a comment can do it here by Friday, September 4.

A man and a woman have been charged with preventing lawful burial after the body of a child was discovered at an address in Southend, Essex.

Officers attended an address in Kenway on August 7 after receiving reports from social services raising concerns for the welfare of a child.

The body was found, and two people were arrested, the force said.

Sophie Dean, 31, of Kenway, and James Thorpe, 32, of Shoeburyness, have been charged with preventing a lawful and decent burial of a dead body between July 3 2025 and August 6 2026.

Thorpe has also been charged with obstruction of a constable in the execution of their duty, the police added.

The child’s identity has not been released, and it remains unclear when they passed away.

The pair appeared at Southend-on-Sea Magistrates’ Court on Monday and were remanded in custody to next appear at Basildon Crown Court on September 7.

The force said the investigation into the child’s death will continue to be led by detectives from its crime and public protection command.

In a press release, it added: ‘We would also encourage anyone with information that could assist us and who has not yet spoken to us to please come forward and do so.’

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The body of a woman murdered almost 25 years ago by her husband will never be found if he is released from prison, her family have told the High Court.

Glyn Razzell, now 67, was jailed for a minimum of 16 years in 2003 for murdering his estranged wife Linda, whose body was never found.

But the ex-banker was released on licence by the Parole Board in April, a decision the Ministry of Justice has asked the High Court to reverse because of a failure to properly consider Razzell’s risk to the public.

Mrs Razzell, a mother-of-four, disappeared on her way to work at Swindon College, Wiltshire, in March 2002 while in the process of divorcing her husband and had been engaged to another man, Greg Worrall.

Julie Westmore, Mrs Razzell’s cousin, told the court on Monday the killer husband was a ‘master manipulator’ who had ‘always failed to take responsibility for his actions’.

Ms Westmore said: ‘The major impact on myself and our family would be the complete loss of trust in the justice system of this country if Glyn Razzell was released without revealing where Linda’s remains are.

‘It would quite simply be wrong.’

She added her family would ‘not feel safe’ if Razzell were released because they ‘know him to be a violent man and an accomplished liar’.

Mrs Razzell disappeared on the way to work at Swindon College in March 2002 and her body was never found

The Parole Board ruled three times from 2019 that Razzell should remain behind bars but allowed him to be released on licence earlier this year.

In making its decision, the board considered Helen’s Law, which makes it harder for killers to win parole if they do not reveal where victims’ bodies have been hidden.

Named after Helen McCourt, who vanished on her way home from work in 1988 and whose killer was freed without revealing where her body was, the rule means the Parole Board must consider whether killers have concealed the location of their victims’ remains.

Ms Westmore said the law meant it had ‘at last been recognised that it does matter when a murderer refuses to reveal where someone’s remains are’.

Earlier this year, Cathy Larkman of the Women’s Rights Network said Razzell’s release was a ‘cruel decision’ which made a ‘mockery’ of Helen’s Law.

Razzell’s previous bids for parole were rejected in part because he maintained his innocence but he was allowed to stay in an open prison during the latter years of his sentence.

In April, the Parole Board’s panel said it had ‘serious doubts’ about Razzell’s honesty and there was a ‘very serious risk’ within relationships he might become involved in, though said this was ‘not imminent’.

The panel decided he would comply with licence conditions because he was ‘strongly motivated not to return to custody’.

But Ms Westmore said if Razzell remained in prison it would be ‘the incentive he needs to eventually do the right thing’.

‘If Glyn Razzell is released now, all hope of ever finding Linda’s remains will be lost.’

The killer husband, from Somerset, attended the High Court hearing and sat in the dock wearing a dark blue suit as he opposed the effort to challenge his release.

He has always denied being responsible for Mrs Razzell’s death and the Parole Board found in 2023 he ‘does not want to lose his desired status of being a “wrongly convicted murderer”‘.

Mrs Razzell was last seen in March 2002 at Old Walcot, Swindon, parking her car after dropping her children to school in Highworth and Mr Worrall at work.

Police dug up ground in Wiltshire in 2019 near to Mrs Razzell’s former home after a tip off from a member of the public, but found nothing

An aerial view of Pentylands Close, Mrs Razzell’s former home, near to where police searched for her body seven years ago

After police searched a car driven by Razzell following his wife’s disappearance they found a significant amount of her blood in the boot.

Detectives spoke to 2,600 people during their 18-month investigation, following more than 2,200 lines of enquiry and taking 1,540 statements.

A jury at Bristol Crown Court took six hours to find Razzell guilty of murder in November 2003.

Following the trial, Detective Chief Inspector Paul Granger, of Wiltshire Police, said: ‘I don’t think Razzell will tell us where the body is and if he does, it will not be for a long time.

‘He is an evil, cold, calculated and intelligent man, but he made mistakes and that is how he ended up getting caught.’

Razzell has repeatedly appealed his conviction and appeared on a BBC miscarriage of justice programme, Convicted, in 2018 to prove his innocence.

But he refused to take a lie detector test when asked by producers and the programme did not produce any new leads.

After a tip off from a member of the public, police searched a field near Mrs Razzell’s former home in Wiltshire in 2019 but found nothing. 

Police used shovels during a 2019 search of a field near Mrs Razzell’s former home in Wiltshire 

The Ministry of Justice can refer Parole Board prisoner release decisions to the High Court if it believes they would undermine public confidence in the parole system.

For a release to be justified the court must be satisfied that imprisonment is no longer necessary to protect the public.

Tristan Jones KC, for the Ministry of Justice, said Razzell had made a ‘degree of progress’ and professionals who worked with him supported his release.

But he said the Parole Board’s decision ‘loses sight of the fact that he has not been honest or transparent’.

Mr Jones added: ‘Mr Razzell is a deeply deceitful individual who carried out a campaign of violence against Linda, some of it witnessed by their children, and then planned and carried out her murder.’

‘He is so attached to his narrative of innocence that he is willing to continue inflicting pain on the victims.’

Mr Jones said Razzell’s proposed licence conditions ‘cannot fully address the risks’ he poses.

Matthew Stanbury, for Razzell, said the Parole Board’s decision was ‘detailed and thorough’ and the Ministry of Justice’s argument ‘comes close to treating denial as conclusive to risk’.

He said the case against Razzell was based on ‘wrong assumptions’ that his denial of his wife’s murder was a ‘bar to release’.

After consideration by an ‘experienced’ Parole Board panel, Mr Stanbury said there was ‘no… basis’ for overruling the decision to release Razzell.

The hearing before Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb is set to conclude on Tuesday.

Canada put its military on standby Monday to help battle deadly wildfires in British Columbia as a local mayor warned that one of the blazes had wreaked huge destruction on his community. A woman has died and some 20,000 people have fled their homes so far.

For days, scores of wildfires have burned across the province, nearly half of them out of control in hot, windy weather and prolonged drought. Thousands have fled on jammed roads as officials said even more communities could be threatened.

The mayor of Summerland — home to about 12,000 people, which was ordered evacuated on Saturday night along with about 8,000 people in and around nearby Peachland — warned that the affected areas remained too dangerous to enter and that it was impossible to determine the scope of the destruction.

The blaze — known as the Bald Range wildfire — remained out of control after racing toward Summerland and other communities along Okanagan Lake over the weekend.

“It’s going to be quite a bit,” Mayor Doug Holmes said of the expected destruction. “We need to brace ourselves for that bad news when it’s time to go back. Everybody will know somebody who has lost a home.”

The military is ready to respond, minister says

Defense Minister David McGuinty said the Canadian Armed Forces were in constant contact with provincial and federal officials and were ready to respond if British Columbia formally requested assistance. The federal government has already approved provincial requests for help with shelter and accommodations.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said an 80-year-old woman died while trying to escape the fire near Summerland. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said the death was heartbreaking and that the federal government would continue supporting British Columbia.

The British Columbia Wildfire Service said Monday the fire had grown to about 156 square kilometers (60 square miles), from 136 square kilometers (53 square miles) on Sunday. Officials warned clearer skies and direct sunlight could increase fire activity.

In Summerland, Peachland and the surrounding areas, about 10,000 homes remained under evacuation orders, while more than 3,200 were under evacuation alerts — meaning they could be told to evacuate at any moment.

Ravi Parmer, British Columbia Minister of Forests, said 19 helicopters were assigned to the Bald Range wildfire but that its intensity made it impossible to halt the blaze.

Canada has endured increasingly destructive wildfire seasons in recent years, forcing mass evacuations and repeatedly sending smoke across large parts of the country and neighboring United States.

Summerland — a farming community that grows cherries, peaches and apples, and also boasts some vineyards — is in a mountainous area where wildfires have been known to break out.

Holmes said the blaze started around 5:30 p.m. on Friday and was within the city limits in just a couple of hours. By midnight, it was so out of control that people were unable to flee on the highway north, so they began evacuating to the south, he said.

“We had to pack up our cars, neighbors were helping neighbors,” he said. “People said they’ve never seen a fire move so fast.”