Firefly Holidays, which launched in 2016, offered high-quality trips to holiday villages, camping resorts, ski resorts and more across the likes of France, Spain and Italy.
Its LinkedIn page explains that it worked to “help independently minded people enjoy far more for much less”.
The business was named the Sunday Times Best 100 Holidays in its first full season and also received two British Travel Award nominations after its second.
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No new bookings as Firefly Holidays enters liquidation
Now, after 10 years, Firefly Holidays, based in Abingdon, has voluntarily entered liquidation.
A voluntary winding-up order was agreed on August 7, according to The Gazette, with Stephen Mark Powell from BTG Begbies Traynor appointed liquidator.
As a result, the company has said that it will not be organising any more holidays.
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“After 10 fantastic years, Firefly Holidays is no longer taking bookings,” a statement on its website reads.
“It’s been our absolute honour to help our customers experience amazing holidays and award-winning adventures.
“Now the Firefly team are taking our own road trip towards new destinations.
“Although Firefly Holidays is no longer taking bookings, we’re happy to help valued customers and new contacts with any travel questions and advice.”
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On its social media account, Firefly Holidays was advertising trips to Croatia, the Alps, Guadeloupe, and more.
Its LinkedIn adds: “Firefly Holidays was founded by a management team with vast experience in UK and overseas holidays to offer the better contemporary holiday experiences customers have been asking for but established operators have failed to deliver.
“Despite launching in 2016 with the challenges of Brexit, plummeting exchange rates and terror attacks in Europe, Firefly Holidays has established a strong following, with 99% of surveyed customers saying they would be happy to book again.”
Other UK travel companies that have closed in 2026
The closure of Firefly Holidays follows many UK-based travel companies that have shut down so far this year.
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Some have ceased trading, while others have entered administration:
Recommended reading:
Meanwhile, four UK airlines have fallen into administration or liquidation this year:
Ascend Airways (liquidation)
EcoJet Airlines (liquidation)
Zenith Aviation Limited (administration)
European Cargo (administration)
Have you booked a holiday with Firefly Holidays? Let us know in the poll above or in the comments below.
Known to her friends and family as “Amazing Grace”, she said afterwards she was “thrilled” to have completed the swim.
Claudia Savage Press Association
18:26, 13 Aug 2026
A 54-year-old mum from Co Down has completed swimming’s Irish triple crown after crossing the North Channel.
Mother-of-three Grace McLaughlin from Bangor swam the North Channel in 12 hours, 43 minutes and 57 seconds.
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Her journey began shortly after 2am on Thursday when she left The Gobbins, Islandmagee, and swam to Portpatrick in Scotland.
A boat crewed by Newry-based Infinity Channel Swimming accompanied her and provided food and water along the way as she swam, progressing at 57-60 strokes a minute.
Ms McLaughlin is the 199th swimmer and 84th female swimmer to complete the challenge.
Known to her friends and family as “Amazing Grace”, Ms McLaughlin said afterwards she was “thrilled” to have completed the swim.
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“It took a lot of hard work and preparation but the feeling of finishing is fantastic – and difficult to put into words,” she said.
“I was exhausted afterwards but the buzz of completing the swim is carrying me through.”
Ms McLaughlin also has two World Ice Swimming gold medals – one a world record in the 500m in her age group – The Galway Bay Swim and the Fastnet Swim.
The triple crown is an elite challenge established by the Irish Long Distance Swimming Association requiring the completion of three marathon swims.
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She celebrated her most recent achievement by following tradition and signing “The Wall of Champions” at Donaghadee’s Pier 36 pub.
Nicole Kidman has spoken openly about how she is feeling following her split from her husband of 19 years Keith Urban.
The Australian actress, 59, reflected on how she has approached this ‘new chapter’ of being single as she looks to the future with an ‘open heart’.
Nicole said she takes a ‘feelings-centred’ approach to decisions and leads with her heart, admitting she suspects people will think she is ‘more measured’.
Speaking to British Vogue about her love life, she said: ‘I can still approach things intellectually. But my desire is not to be ruled by my head, I’ve always wanted to live a well-examined life, so what does that entail?
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‘Trying things, making mistakes, failing, getting back up, moving on, embracing love, staying open, keeping the heart open and the possibilities.’
However, Nicole went on to say that she has had to adapt because how her life has panned out hasn’t how she expected it to.
Nicole Kidman has spoken openly about how she is feeling now following her surprise split from her husband of 19 years Keith Urban
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The Australian actress, 59, reflected on how she has approached this ‘new chapter’ of being single as she looks to the future with an ‘open heart’ (Nicole and Keith pictured 2022)
She said: ‘But at the same time I’m like, “OK, I didn’t expect this. I had a different view of what my life was going to be, but this is what it is now.” You make all these plans and you have all these ideas of what it’s all going to be like and then it’s…not. You have to adjust. You adapt. The future, it’s completely unknown to me right now.’
Her response when asked if it was scary too: ‘There was a point where I was very fearful and deeply vulnerable, which is exposing.
‘And then at the same time I’m going, “Well, I can either really not confront it and just curl up, or I can just go forward with an enormous amount of hope”.’
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Nicole and Keith have two daughters, Sunday, 18, and Faith, 15. She also adopted Isabella, 34, and Connor, 31, with her ex-husband Tom Cruise.
Sharing her gratitude for her family, she said: ‘It’s an extraordinary purpose. Everything else is not important. These kids now, that’s what we drop everything for.’
Detailing what her kids are up to, Nicole said: ‘[Sunday] is so her own creature. She has such a strong sense of identity and what she loves. She’s very European in her style. She’s very visual. She takes photographs and she makes films and she’s highly creative with that.
‘And then the little one, even though she’s not little, just did the Vogue School and loved it. She has what I call the “Bessette” style. They’re both very different though they look very similar.’
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Speaking of looking forward with an open heart, Nicole was recently pictured grinning alongside private equity mogul Michael Reinstein in his £250,000 Ferrari.
Michael, 54, collected Nicole after she flew from New York to Los Angeles in the latest sighting of the pair who were first linked romantically last month.
Nicole said that she takes a ‘feelings-centred’ approach to decisions and leads with her heart, admitting that she suspects people will think she is ‘more measured’
See the full feature in the September issue of British Vogue, available via digital download and on newsstands from Thursday 20th August
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Join the discussion
Is it better to follow your heart after a breakup or stick to what you know for security?
They were first seen together on a balcony at the exclusive Belmond Splendido hotel in Portofino, Italy.
Michael, from Los Angeles, is the founder and chairman of 13-year-old private equity firm Regent, based in Beverly Hills.
A source close to Nicole told the Daily Mail: ‘After everything she went through with Keith, she deserves to find happiness.
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‘She never thought her marriage wouldn’t work out, and she tried as best as she could to keep her family intact. Her daughters are her best friends, and she seems really content in her life.’
See the full feature in the September issue of British Vogue, available via digital download and on newsstands from Thursday, August 20
Residents across the West Midlands have been advised to stay inside as firefighters tackle two major blazes in the region.
West Midlands Fire Service reported “extreme levels of demand” caused by a severe incident in Stourbridge.
Drone video shared by the service showed a thermal map of flames threatening nearby homes as heavy smoke drifted over the town.
Stourbridge town hall has now opened as a rescue centre for displaced residents.
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Drone video shared by the service showed a thermal map of flames threatening nearby homes as heavy smoke drifted over the town (WMFS)
In a statement on its incidents page, West Midlands Fire Service said: “Around 60 firefighters are tackling an extensive grass fire near Stourbridge golf course, in the Racecourse Lane area.
“We were first alerted to it just before 1.30pm on Thursday.
“Flames are spreading across roads in places. Please avoid the area.
“If smoke is affecting your home or workplace, keep doors and windows closed as a precaution.
“There are currently no reported casualties.”
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People have been urged to avoid the area (BBC)
Meanwhile, Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service said they are responding to a “large fire” in Salford Priors, Stratford-on-Avon. It urged residents in the area to close all doors and windows.
Police, fire crews and ambulances are at the scene of the wildfire which has been declared a major incident.
Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service were called at 2.30pm on Thursday to reports of a large plume of smoke on Tothall Lane, Salford Priors in Stratford-on-Avon.
The fire service said: “On arrival crews discovered a wildfire which was spreading to nearby out-buildings.
“There are currently 10 appliances in attendance. This incident has been declared a major incident.
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“We would like to express that there is a large emergency presence in the area and we continue to advise residents nearby to close all doors and windows.
“Please stay away from the area. Our control room is receiving a large number of calls, so please contact us only in a genuine emergency.
“It’s imperative that residents take all steps to reduce any fire risk. Please read advice on our social media channels about fire and water safety.
“West Midlands Ambulance Service and Warwickshire Police are also on scene.”
Lindsay Clancy wrote that she was ‘terrified of something happening’ to her children enough though she felt ‘resentful’ towards them, a court heard.
Cell phone data extracted from the killer’s device found an apparent journal that detailed her internal thoughts about the youngsters.
In the note, Clancy wrote: ‘I sort of resent my other children because they prevent me from treating Cal like my first baby.’
She added: ‘I’m terrified of something happening to my kids or doing something wrong to mess up their development.
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The former nurse, 36, is accused of murdering Cora, five, Dawson, three, and eight-month-old Callan, at her Duxbury, Massachusetts, home in January 2023.
On Wednesday, the trial was brought to a halt twice when Clancy became overwhelmed by emotion as medical examiners described the injuries she had inflicted on her own children.
‘I can’t do this,’ she cried out inside Plymouth County Superior Court.
If you or someone you know needs help, please call or text the confidential 24/7 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US on 988. There is also an online chat available at 988lifeline.org
Follow the Daily Mail for more updates…
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Lindsay Clancy sits somberly as phone notes are read in court
A note on Lindsay Clancy’s phone from October 25, 2022, appeared to detail her internal thoughts on her children, an investigator claimed.
The killer put her head in her hands at the defense table while the note was read aloud by Massachusetts State Police trooper Timothy Chiappini.
‘I am sad and depressed because I am not able to parent my third child like my first,’ the extract said.
‘I am sad that I stopped breastfeeding. I feel not as connected with Cal now. I think I sort of resent my other children because they prevent me from treating Cal like my first baby. And I know that’s not fair to them.’
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She also appeared to write about wanting to have more children.
‘I want to feel love and connection with all my kids. I’m also probably having a bit of an internal conflict because my whole life I wanted to have a lot of kids,’ the note continued.
‘I still don’t want Cal to be our last, but I have a lot of figuring out to do before I have another.’
Clancy also noted concerns about starting medication.
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‘I am on the fence about starting a new medication for anxiety/depression. I just want to feel happy,’ the note said.
‘Cal was so very planned and desired. I want to be able to give him all the love he deserves. I guess that’s what it’s like to be the third child, though.’
The note continued: ‘I’m terrified of something happening to my kids or doing something wrong to mess up their development.’
I listened to the Lindsay Clancy 911 call so horrific the public will never hear it
The primal, unearthly scream reverberated all around the packed courtroom.
It was a tortured, guttural wail unlike any sound I have ever heard before.
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Over several excruciating seconds, Patrick Clancy continued to scream inaudibly. The only words discernible were cries of ‘Oh my god!’
Then came the four horrifying words that laid bare the unspeakable scene that the father-of-three had just walked into.
‘She killed the kids!’
Inside Plymouth County Superior Court in Massachusetts, the deeply distressing 911 call from the evening of January 24, 2023, visibly took its toll on everyone in the packed courtroom.
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Clancy murder trial discusses suicide
Lindsay Clancy, 36, is accused of murdering her three children – Cora, five, Dawson, three, and eight-month-old Callan – in January 2023.
Although Clancy does not deny killing her children, she has pleaded not guilty and claimed she is not responsible for her actions because she was suffering from postpartum psychosis.
On the day of the killings, Clancy asked her husband, Patrick Clancy, to leave their home to get takeout food and to pick up something at a pharmacy.
Clancy strangled the children with exercise bands, then used multiple methods to try to end her own life.
She was paralyzed after falling from the home’s second-story window and is being held at a state hospital.
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If you or someone you know needs help, please call or text the confidential 24/7 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US on 988. There is also an online chat available at 988lifeline.org.
Court takes lunch recess
Massachusetts State Police investigator Timothy Chiappini finished his testimony and the judge ordered the lunch recess.
Court is expected to resume around 2pm ET.
‘Waiting for the day I wake up feeling like me,’ Clancy texted her mother
Records show that Lindsay Clancy’s mother texted her asking how she was feeling in the weeks leading up to the killings.
On January 12, 2023, Paula Musgrove asked her daughter, ‘Still feeling a little better?’
Clancy replied, ‘A little bit.’
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On January 14, Clancy texted her mother, ‘Hanging in there and waiting for the day I wake up feeling like me.’
Reddington displays other searches on Clancy’s phone
Reddington has blown up pages showing some of Lindsay Clancy’s cell phone records.
The other searches found on Clancy’s device include: ‘Where is the carotid artery,’ ‘How to slit your throat to die’ and ‘Can you turn airbags off Kia Sorrento.’
Defense suggests phone calendar shows Clancy was not home during suicide methods search
On cross-examination of Massachusetts State Police investigator Timothy Chiappini, Lindsay Clancy’s attorney suggested that calendar entries on his client’s phone show she was not at home at the time Patrick’s laptop searched for suicide methods in August 2022.
Kevin Reddington also pointed to data showing that Patrick’s email account signed in to her Facebook.
Lindsay Clancy appeared to keep journal on her phone
An apparent diary and list of affirmations were found during the data extraction of Lindsay Clancy’s phone, according to Massachusetts State Police investigator Timothy Chiappini.
‘Can you treat a sociopath’ searched on Clancy’s phone, expert says
The data extraction of Lindsay Clancy’s phone found a search for ‘Can you treat a sociopath’ on January 20, 2023, according to Massachusetts State Police investigator Timothy Chiappini.
Investigator testifies about Lindsay Clancy’s phone data
The prosecution called Massachusetts State Police investigator Timothy Chiappini to the stand.
He analyzed data from Lindsay Clancy’s phone.
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‘That’s it?’ defense asks in fiery cross-examination
Kevin Reddington, Lindsay Clancy’s attorney, came in fiery with his cross-examination.
‘That’s it? That’s your testimony today?’ he asked Kyle Pavao, of the Massachusetts State Police, gesturing with his hands.
Then the defense suggested that Clancy’s husband, Patrick, made these searches.
‘Did you know that Patrick’s email signed in to his wife’s Facebook account?’ Reddington asked.
The officer said he did not.
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On August 23, 2022, Lindsay Clancy had taken two-year-old Dawson to South Shore Hospital for an appointment at 10.15am.
Reddington is suggesting that Clancy was not at home on the laptop at the time.
Reddington is also suggesting that the investigator has been somewhat selective about the data he analyzed.
Around that time, the laptop also accessed CNBC and a Google Gmail account.
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Sergeant Pavao said he did not know whose account that was. Instead, the investigator focused on Clancy’s Facebook and the suicide methods.
The investigator also confirmed that he found no searches for ‘ways to kill.’ This contradicts information the prosecution has previously presented.
Investigator testifies about Clancy family laptop search history
Massachusetts State Police sergeant Kyle Pavao was called to the stand to testify about the search history of suicide methods on the Clancy family laptop.
Patrick Clancy previously testified that he could have made the online search for suicide methods.
In the opening week of the trial, Patrick was asked about these internet searches.
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Patrick answered that he had not made the search, therefore prosecutors implied it was Lindsay who looked it up.
When the defense questioned him, Patrick testified that he remembered listening to Tom Hall’s music around that time.
The defense suggested that Patrick accidentally opened the ‘suicide methods’ link through Hall’s Wikipedia page when he was listening to his music.
When asked if he had inadvertently accessed the search for suicide methods, Patrick testified: ‘It sounds like that was the case.’
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Pavao confirmed that his extraction showed that there was a visit to Lindsay’s Facebook page at 9.40am on August 23, 2022.
That link was followed by a Spotify search for the singer Tom Hall, then there was a Google search for Tom Hall, which led to a Wikipedia page.
From there, there was an ‘anchor’ to the URL to the ‘death section’ of Hall’s Wikipedia page, and the next link was the suicide methods page.
Hall died by suicide.
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If you or someone you know needs help, please call or text the confidential 24/7 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US on 988. There is also an online chat available at 988lifeline.org.
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Lindsay Clancy note reveals she was ‘terrified of something happening’ to her children despite feeling ‘resentful’ towards them: Live updates
Four murder investigations have been launched in eight days across Greater Manchester. Two probes were launched on the same day following the separate deaths of two women.
Police are investigating four incidents – in neighbourhoods in Bolton, Tameside, Rochdale and Salford. Two women, 39 and 61, and two men, one in his 30s and one 31-years-old, died in the incidents.
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There is no suggestion any of the cases are linked. Crime scene investigators and forensic specialists have been seen working at crime scenes across the region in recent days.
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Coroners across Greater Manchester have been handed files in relation to the cases.
This is what we know about each case…
Breightmet
Emma McGowan, 39, was found unresponsive at a property in Breightmet in Bolton in the early hours of August 4.
Police attended at around 3am on Yewdale Avenue, where Ms McGowan was pronounced dead at the scene.
Her family described her as a ‘much-loved daughter and adored mother’ to four young children. “Our hearts are broken and we will miss you forever,” they said in a statement issued via police.
Joseph Webb, 36, of Yewdale Avenue, has been charged with murder. He was remanded into custody following an appearance before magistrates.
She was later named as 61-year-old Julie Loco. A 60-year-old man has since been arrested on suspicion of murder.
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He remains released on bail while officers work to ‘establish the full circumstances’, police said in an update on Thursday (August 13).
A neighbour told the Manchester Evening News there was a ‘significant’ emergency response, with paramedics arriving first.
“I’ve never seen anything like it in my life, it was like something from a movie,” they added. “They were in the house, I could just hear all the machines beeping, then it just went silent.
“They had to wait for the police to come. I’ve not been able to sleep from it.”
A 37-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in custody for questioning, the force said in an update on Thursday (August 13).
A force spokesperson said detectives are ‘exploring several lines of enquiries in what initially appears to be suspicious circumstances’.
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There is not believed to be any risk to the public. On Thursday afternoon the investigation continued, with a police officer stood guard at the entrance to the block of flats on the estate near the village of Wardle, on the outskirts of Rochdale.
Neighbours said earlier in the day forensics officers were seen examining the ground floor flat where Mr Haigh is thought to have lived.
It’s understood he had no children and had previously worked as a roofer. It is thought he had lived on the estate for around 20 years.
Mr Haigh’s mother, Keeley Greenwood, spoke of her heartbreak on Facebook. She has set up a GoFundMe page to raise funds to give her son ‘the send off he deserves’.
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Ms Greenwood wrote: “It is with the heaviest of hearts that I share the heartbreaking news that my beautiful son, Nathan Haigh, tragically passed away on 11th August 2026.
“We are now trying to raise funds to give Nathan the send off he deserves during this incredibly difficult time. Any donation no matter how big or small, would mean so much to our family and would be deeply appreciated.
“Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your kindness, love and support. Any further details will be updated as soon as we have more information.”
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She added on Facebook: “RIP my son. I will always love you Nathan Haigh.” Lauren Reeves posted: “RIP Nathan Haigh. Sending love to all your family and loved ones.”
Broughton, Salford – August 12
GMP officers were called to reports of a disturbance at a flat on Kempster Gardens in Broughton in the early hours of Wednesday (August 12).
Neighbours reported hearing screaming for help as an incident unfolded. One person reporting seeing a police officer leaving a flat in tears as forensics worked at the scene.
A neighbour told the Manchester Evening News: “I woke up at around 5.30am and heard shouts of ‘help’ and ‘call the police’. I thought someone was just messing about so I ignored it and went back to bed.
“In the morning we saw the police cars. I didn’t take it seriously at the time, but I feel a bit sick to my stomach now. What if I had called the police earlier? Would they have come sooner? I feel guilty for ignoring it.”
A routine quality assurance check found “road markings were not up to the required standards”
A new road described as England’s first “cycle street” has closed for works less than three months after opening. This is reportedly due to road markings not being “up to the required standards”.
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The £2.4 million transformation on Adams Road in Cambridge gives cyclists and pedestrians priority over motorists. The road, said to be used by 3,000 cyclists per day, was opened at the end of May 2026. It was closed on Monday, August 10, for remaining road lining and remedial work.
The Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) said it “became clear some of the road markings were not up to the required standards”, while carrying out a routine quality assurance check. The roadworks will take place over the next two weeks.
A spokesperson for GCP said: “Our contractor, M Group, takes full responsibility and is removing and replacing them at their own expense. There is no additional cost to the GCP or taxpayers.”
Under the rules of the cycle street, motorists can access the road but must give way to cyclists and pedestrians. Construction began in October 2025 and included construction of an upgraded junction giving greater priority to pedestrians at Adams Road and Sylvester Road, resurfacing all footways and the carriageway, and widening both sides of the footways to create more room for pedestrians.
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The GCP spokesperson added: “As a result of this work, the road will be closed for approximately two weeks, with access maintained for residents. We apologise for any inconvenience.”
The UK has entered its fifth successive heatwave. More than 70% England and all of Wales are now under drought conditions. That means 45 million people are now living in a drought area in England, with more than 27 million facing water use restrictions. Dangerous wildfires are have been blazing across the country. Firefighters have responded to nearly 1,000 wildfires across England and Wales this year, according to the National Fire Chiefs Council.
In May and June alone, 2,877 deaths were linked to extreme hot weather in the UK. The lack of water is having a dire effect on our farmers – this year’s harvest is predicted to be the worst on record, leading to higher prices and smaller vegetables in supermarkets.
The average maximum temperature for July and August between 1991-2020 was just under 22˚C. This is why British people traditionally go on holiday to somewhere warm and sunny.
But in 2026 we have already had 40 days with temperatures above 30˚C. This extremely hot summer should come as no surprise. Like many other climate scientists, I have been warning politicians and policymakers about the impacts of climate change for more than 30 years. Still, they often seem surprised when extreme weather hits.
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And this hot dry summer is the new normal for the UK and Europe. Summers will get even hotter and drier in the future – especially with the additional impacts of a super El Niño (the warm phase of a natural fluctuation in the Earth’s climate system) next year. The summer of 2026 will be one of the coolest you experience in your lifetime. The good news is that we can plan for these now normal extreme summers.
The UK government has encouraged retailers to stop selling disposable barbecues as wildfire risk heightens. Andre Schmitt/Shutterstock
It is not just the UK suffering. Western Europe recorded its hottest June-July period in history, with average temperatures sitting 2.79°C above normal.
Europe seems to be warming twice as fast as the rest of the world. Water levels on the Rhine and the Danube rivers are so low that cargo ships cannot operate. More than a half dozen nuclear generators have shut or reduced output due to cooling difficulties. Agricultural yield estimates have been cut with crops harvested late, and maize and sunflower already suffering a 6-7% loss in July. Heat curtails human productivity and has already claimed tens of thousands of lives, with Germany alone reporting more than 10,000 heat-related deaths.
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What should the PM do?
Prime minister Andy Burnham has chaired the government’s second emergency climate Cobra meeting. So far, the only outcome of this meeting is that the prime minister has urged retailers to stop selling disposable barbecues to tackle one of the potential causes of wildfires.
Previous UK governments have had expert advice on what to do to prepare the UK for the impact of climate change – and successive governments have failed to act. Hopefully, Burnham will be different because urgent climate action and effective disaster responses require planning and investing in our safer future. These are my top three recommendations.
First, our water supplies must be secured.
We can mitigate against the worst effects of droughts and supports farmers and industry by have adequate storage of water. Since the water companies in England and Wales were privatised in 1989, they have paid out £85 billion in dividends – money that could have been invested in desperately needed water storage and reduced losses from leaks. It is time to invest in our water infrastructure in such away that the money does not go in to shareholders pockets but goes on building new reservoirs.
Second, cooling needs to be made mandatory for the most vulnerable people.
We need legalisation to ensure that all care homes, hospitals and new build homes have adequate air conditioning to deal with these hot summers. In 2026 over one in ten days will have had temperatures above 30˚C. That mild British weather has gone forever. Now we need a government-backed programme to retrofit every home in the country so that within the next ten years, all homes have cheap efficient heating and cooling systems to make people safe. We also need to know where our vulnerable population is and make sure they have access to public funded cool spaces as they do in France.
Third, the UK needs to massively expand its electricity generation. With more extreme weather, the demand for air conditioning will grow exponentially both in the public and private sector. We also need to diversity our energy sources and collaborate more closely with neighbouring countries on energy sharing.
During droughts across Europe, traditional and nuclear power stations have already had to shut down or reduce output as they rely on vast quantities of water to operate. Solar panels work even better in heatwaves so Burnham’s government could roll out a massive expansion of cheap renewable energy to lower energy costs and satisfy the increasing demand.
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Adapting to the new hot dry summers is not difficult. Many countries deal with these sorts of extreme conditions ever single year. But it takes planning and investment in basic infrastructure, not just another emergency Cobra meeting.
A passenger train has derailed in East Sussex, trapping passengers in overturned carriages on the hottest day of the year.
The eight-carriage train came off the line between Haywards Heath and Lewes at around 3.54pm today, with services set to be cancelled until 10pm.
More than 40 people are believed to be trapped inside the train, with three carriages overturned and emergency services rushing to provide first aid.
Images from the scene show people standing on top of carriages lying on their sides.
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One section of the track appears to have buckled – though there has been no official confirmation of the cause of the derailment.
Passengers were being escorted away from the train and along the track, with some reporting seeing warnings on track-side signs about a problem ahead.
Follow our live updates below.
Key Updates
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Watch: Passenger train derailed in East Sussex
Everything we know so far
A Southern passenger train has derailed close to Lewes railway station in East Sussex, with the incident happening at around 3.54pm this afternoon.
Several of the rear carriages are understood to have come off the tracks and ended up on their sides, with images from the scene showing people on top of the overturned carriages.
British Transport Police said officers were called to the scene at 3.54pm, and are responding alongside paramedics and firefighters.
South East Coast Ambulance Service has sent a number of ambulance resources, including specialist teams, to the scene.
There are currently no reports of fatalities or injuries.
Southern is advising passengers not to travel through the area, with major disruption expected until around 10pm.
Three air ambulances and 20 other emergency vehicles at the scene
It is being reported that three air ambulances and at least 20 other emergency vehicles are at the scene.
People can be seen standing on the top of carriages as others are treated by paramedics at the scene, with coach number 7 ‘completely unaccessible’.
Wounded father from the train: ‘I saw warning signs before we derailed’
Shaking with shock, a father-of-two told how he saw warning signs about problems with the track before the train derailed.
Liton Miah from Eastbourne was taking his wife and daughters to see relatives in London when the train overturned near Lewes.
He suffered heavy bruising to his side.
‘I saw on the big board there as a problem with the track.
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‘I don’t know they didn’t take any precautions.
‘I saved my family and tried to help another couple.
‘The guy was bleeding heavily and there was not much I could do to help him.’
Mr Miah and his family went to the local community centre where injured people are being triaged before treatment.
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Three carriages on their sides
Three of the trains carriages appear to have rotated onto their sides.
One looks to have slipped down the embankment and come to rest on its side.
There are two further carriages on their sides that have remained on the track.
Transport union: ‘Passenger safety and wellbeing must come first’
The TSSA transport union has said it is ‘deeply concerned’ by the derailment near Lewes, adding its thoughts are with everyone affected.
It adds in a statement: ‘With a large number of passengers involved, their safety and wellbeing must come first.’
UK train drivers’ union Aslef has said it is aware of the derailment and asks the public to ‘allow the emergency services to do their job and refrain from speculation at this time’.
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The scene this afternoon
No serious injuries or deaths
A source from the Department for Transport has reportedly told the BBC that the latest understanding is that there are ‘no serious injuries or fatalities’
East Sussex MP calls train derailment ‘deeply distressing’
Helena Dollimore, the Labour MP for Hastings and Rye in East Sussex, said news of a derailment in the area was ‘deeply distressing’.
As she urged her constituents to contact her office if they need ‘urgent support’.
It is deeply distressing to hear that a train on our local line has derailed near Lewes.
I have spoken with the Secretary of State for Transport (Heidi Alexander) and the rail minister (Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill) who are keeping me updated on the situation.
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I know many people locally will be concerned, and the thoughts of everyone are with those affected and the emergency services responding at the scene.
Images appear to show tracks buckling
Images from the scene appear to show that the train tracks have buckled.
This is when steel railways expand in the heat and start to curve.
No trains running through the area until further notice
Network Rail has confirmed that no trains can run through between Haywards Heath and Lewes ‘until further notice’.
Passengers travelling by rail should allow an extra 60 minutes if travelling in the affected area and passengers travelling to Gatwick Airport are being asked to allow an extra 90 minutes.
While stations Cooksbridge and Plumpton will not be served until further notice.
Pictured: The derailed train lying on its side
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Train derailment updates: ‘Passengers trapped’ after carriages come off tracks in East Sussex with services cancelled and major delays expected
CHICAGO (AP) — The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate fell slightly for the first time in six weeks on Thursday, marking a glimpse of relief for prospective homebuyers — although borrowing costs remain steeper than they were a year ago.
The benchmark 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate tumbled to 6.67%, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday, down from 6.69% reported last week. Still, by comparison, the average rate was 6.58% at this time in 2025.
Higher mortgage rates can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for borrowers, limiting homebuyers’ purchasing power. And that can led prospective home shoppers to delay buying, as seen while rates rose over prior weeks. U.S. sales of previously-occupied homes again slowed in July.
Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages — which are often sought by borrowers looking to refinance a home loan — also fell slightly this week. That rate averaged at 5.96%, down from 6.01% last week. But that’s still higher than a year ago, when Freddie Mac said 15-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged at 5.71%.
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Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, including inflation, broader policy rate decisions from the Federal Reserve and expectations from bond market investors for the economy. They generally follow the trajectory of the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans.
Similar to the latest mortgage rates, the 10-year Treasury has also eased a bit recently. The 10-year Treasury fell to 4.61% as of midday trading Thursday — down from 4.72% at the start of the week.
Both mortgage rates and the bond market have been mostly rising this year due to the U.S. war with Iran, which has fueled expectations for hotter inflation as crude oil prices soared. Despite easing oil prices recently, long-term bond yields remain steeper than they were before the conflict began in late February, pushing mortgage rates to tread higher.
Before the war, the 10-year Treasury was just 3.97%. And 30-year and 15-year mortgage rates sat around 5.98% and 5.44%, respectively, in late February per Freddie Mac.
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