Following the tragic drowning of three members of the same family on Shoreham beach, safety experts have urged people never to underestimate the risks of open waters.

The family were swimming in the choppy sea when a girl allegedly got caught in a fishing net, witnesses have claimed.

A man, a woman and a teenage girl have all been confirmed dead, while a young girl remains in critical condition. 

Record-breaking hot weather across the UK this summer has triggered a sharp surge in accidental drownings.

Safety groups and rescue services report at least 35 water-related deaths since May, heavily affecting children and teenagers entering rivers, lakes and coastal waters during peak heatwave spikes.

Earlier this year, Mail on Sunday columnist and GP Dr Ellie Cannon warned that this is because many young people have never learned to swim.

She blamed several factors, including the Covid pandemic, meaning countless children missed out on crucial early swimming lessons, schools skipping swimming trips due to limited budgets and local pools being shut down. 

In response to the recent spate of drownings, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has urged Britons to learn what to do in an emergency so you can help without putting yourself in danger.

Three members of the same family died after getting into difficulty in the water at Shoreham-by-Sea yesterday afternoon

Visit a lifeguarded beach 

To stay safe at the beach, experts recommend swimming only when lifeguards are on duty whenever possible.

RNLI lifeguards patrol more than 240 beaches around the coasts of the UK and the Channel Islands.

They are highly trained, know the local water, tides and weather risks and reach people in trouble very quickly. 

Look for the red and yellow flags that indicate where lifeguards are on duty. 

Keep an eye out when you arrive at the beach for a sign with important safety information

Stay within your depth and skill level  

Staying within your depth and skill level is vital for water safety. 

Never enter deep water or open water unless you can confidently stand, tread water, or swim back to safety. 

Rip currents – narrow, fast-moving rivers of water that flows directly away from the shore and out to sea – can travel at the same speed as an Olympic swimmer (4.5mph).

This can pull even the strongest swimmers out to sea and unexpected waves can quickly knock you off your feet. 

To spot a rip current, look for a narrow gap of darker, calmer, or deeper water flowing straight out to sea, flanked by breaking waves. 

Watch for a line of foam, seaweed, or sandy-coloured water moving steadily away from the shore.

Wear bright clothing

Wearing bright, neon clothing or swim caps when swimming in the sea significantly increases your visibility to lifeguards, boaters and rescue teams. 

High-contrast fluorescent colours stand out sharply against blue and green ocean water, whereas blues, dark tones, and muted shades quickly disappear beneath the surface.

Avoid inflatables 

Inflatables like dinghies, some paddle boards and blow-up toys can be dangerous, especially in windy conditions. 

Offshore winds can quickly push inflatables far out to sea. 

Most inflatables are not intended for use in open water, so keep them close to shore and under supervision. 

Keep children close at hand

Children should be supervised at all times on the beach. 

Dangers can happen in seconds and items like armbands or lifeguards do not replace active parental watch.

Designate a specific adult watcher if you are in a group so no one assumes someone else is looking. 

Agree on a meeting point and remind them to alert a lifeguard if they can’t find you.

Beware of the signs of cold water shock  

As well as drowning, one of the most dangerous risks associated with British waters is cold water shock.

This is a sudden and involuntary response that occurs when your body is unexpectedly immersed in water below 15°C – and in extreme cases, it can prove fatal.

Worryingly, the Met Office warns that anyone can be affected – even if you’re a strong swimmer.

‘Even on a hot day, the sea, rivers, and lakes in the UK can remain cold enough to trigger this reaction,’ it explained.

‘It’s a physiological response that can affect anyone, regardless of age, fitness, or swimming ability.’

The Met Office says: ‘Learn to recognise the signs that you’re getting too cold.

‘Shivering, weakness, disorientation, shortness of breath, or taking in water are all signs that it’s time to get out.

‘Once out of the water, warm up immediately with dry clothes and a hot drink. A brisk walk can also help raise your body temperature.’

Don’t get in the water to help someone else 

If you see someone else in danger, do not put yourself in danger by getting into the water yourself. 

Instead, remember phone, float, throw – phone 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard; tell the struggling person to float; throw them something buoyant, like a life ring.  

Float to live 

If you find yourself in difficulty in the water, floating on your back increases your chances of survival. 

Official water safety guidance from organisations like the RNLI emphasises that fighting the water or trying to swim hard against a current wastes vital energy. 

Tilting your head back and floating lets you control your breathing and survive cold water shock and rip currents.

This buys valuable time to get your breathing back under control before calling for help or swimming to safety.

Millions more people may be able to get smaller, lightweight Amazon packages delivered by drones by the end of the year under a plan the company announced Thursday to expand the airborne shipping to suburban areas in nearly 500 U.S. cities.

Customers could receive the drone deliveries in as fast as 30 minutes, Amazon said in a news release. The drones can carry packages up to 5 pounds.

The plan will intensify the battle between Amazon and Walmart to provide consumers with the fastest delivery times. Both giants rely on a mix of drones and drivers to deliver everything consumers have ordered.

Amazon’s plan would expand its drone delivery operation more than sixfold nationwide into hundreds of new communities, including the Chicago, Atlanta, Cleveland and Boise metro areas. The drones will primarily fly in the suburbs well away from skyscrapers and major airports that could cause problems.

Drone delivery is growing fast but remains a small factor

Hundreds of thousands of packages have already been delivered by Amazon drones this year, but even after this expansion drones will still only handle a fraction of the hundreds of millions of package deliveries each year. In addition to only being able to carry 5 pounds, the drones Amazon builds face countless challenges from tree cover to landscaping and inflatable pools that can make it hard to find a good drop zone.

There are also regulatory hurdles to overcome in every community where Amazon wants to set up operations. Noise concerns also pose a potential challenge.

“It’s still an experiment. It’s still in test and learn mode,” said Sucharita Kodali, who is a retail analyst with Forrester.

The novelty of drone delivery may attract orders at first

Initially, consumers might order something delivered by drone because they are curious about it, but it’s not clear how often they will continue to use the service, and Amazon is still working out the economics, Kodali said.

The service will be free for Amazon Prime members who are ordering more than $50 worth of goods, but smaller orders will cost members $2.99. Non-members will pay $4.99 for drone delivery.

Prime members get free deliveries while non-members pay a flat fee if the shipment is under $35 for standard delivery or up to $12.99 for same‑day shipments when available.

Kodali said drones could prove more useful for certain light-weight deliveries that are needed urgently like prescription medications.

DoorDash and other delivery companies also are experimenting with using drones to deliver foods and other goods.

Amazon’s CEO Andy Jassy told shareholders in his annual letter in April that the company has learned a great deal by flying drones in 11 sites across Arizona, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, and Texas. In each location, the drones launch from an Amazon warehouse and cover about 175 square miles, so it takes multiple drone launching locations to serve a large metro area.

“Prime Air now has a design that’ll scale, plans to serve communities with 30 million customers by year-end, and expects to deliver half a billion packages by the end of this decade (with an aim to deliver inside 30 minutes),” Jassy wrote.

Amazon is also continuing to invest in its warehouses, smaller fulfillment centers closer to customers and its fleet of trucks as the company competes to deliver packages within minutes or hours instead of just days.

Amazon is already certified by the Federal Aviation Administration and the company has been awarded waivers to fly drones beyond the line of sight of the pilots. Amazon has invested in safety measures to help drones avoid collisions with anything else in the sky while they are making deliveries.

The federal government has proposed a rule that would allow more drone operators to fly beyond the horizon, but that hasn’t been finalized yet.

Yellow thunderstorm warnings have been issued across the UK, with heavy showers expected to lead to flash flooding and travel disruption.

The Met Office warnings will come into force across northern England, Northern Ireland and eastern Scotland later in the day on Wednesday. The warning for northern England will remain in place until Thursday morning.

The downpours follow almost two months of dry weather, with parts of the country experiencing their first rain in weeks on Tuesday.

People in areas impacted by thunderstorms have been told by the Met Office to expect that businesses and homes could flood, transport services could be delayed and power cuts are likely.

The yellow weather warnings are in place for:

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Years, a subscription-based pet food company, has paused all subscriptions and recalled its fresh meals after more than 50 dogs developed symptoms of keratoconjunctivitis sicca, commonly known as dry eye, which left some pets barely able to see.

Many of the reported cases emerged after August 12 and were linked to a potential ingredient in the food, which began including buckwheat earlier this year.

Years sent an email to customers on Monday (August 17), telling dog owners not to feed their pets any of their meals.

Years dog food recalled amid fears of causing eye issues in pets

A statement on the Years website adds: “As a precaution, we’re issuing a voluntary recall of all Years Signature Meals.

“This follows a small number of reports of dogs having a potential adverse eye reaction to buckwheat, a common and approved ingredient, which we include in our meals.

“As of 16th August, this has affected 0.1% of our customers.

“We know for some, this will strike as overly cautious – but at Years, we will always put every dog’s health and wellbeing first.

“Your subscription is paused for 6 weeks, and we will be reformulating our recipes, without buckwheat.”

Years has launched a formal investigation in collaboration with customers, veterinary professionals, and independent experts.

It also said it would welcome an open discussion with the veterinary and ophthalmology community to fund an independent study into the potential effects of buckwheat in dog food.

One affected dog, an eight-year-old pug named Peanut from East London, was left “unable to open his eyes” after eating the food.

Peanut’s owner, Jenny Baker, said his condition worsened rapidly after she began feeding him meals that contained buckwheat.

“I’m a bit in shock to be honest,” she told The Telegraph.

“He suffered from eye conditions previously, but in March, it just went downhill overnight – really quickly, he was in hospital overnight with corneal ulcers.

“He was walking into things … his eyesight was clearly terrible – it’s never been the best, don’t get me wrong.

“He couldn’t really open his eyes, they were so dry.

“That’s how bad it was.”

Since April, Ms Baker has spent an estimated £2,800 on veterinary bills and eye drops for Peanut.

David Felton, from Edgware, north London, said his dog Cookie had developed eye issues in April after eating the food for two-and-a-half years.

He estimated he had spent around £1,500 so far on treatment and vet bills.

Speaking to the Press Association, the PR consultant said his spaniel cross had been in “a lot of pain” and had received several different treatments after he and his wife had noticed her eyes were “getting really gunky”.

David Felton said his dog had eaten Years food for more than two years (Image: David Felton/PA)

He took Cookie to a vet, who initially diagnosed her with a corneal abrasion – a scratch on the eye which could be caused by an irritant getting stuck.

After two weeks of treatment, the six-year-old dog was showing no signs of recovery so was referred to a specialist who diagnosed bilateral dry eye disease, he said.

Cookie’s eyes are being treated twice a day with a steroid paste as well as over-the-counter drops and a gel to ease her discomfort.

The company has acknowledged that more cases may exist beyond the 57 reported, and has apologised to all affected customers.

A spokesman for Years said: “We’re sorry for the worry and disruption this will cause – both for the dogs affected and to all of our customers.

“We appreciate there will be other cases that have not been reported to Years.

“But even one case is one too many, and that’s the standard we will always hold ourselves to.

“In time, we’d also welcome an open discussion with the wider veterinary and ophthalmologist community, to fund an independent study into how a common ingredient, like buckwheat could have led to such profound suffering in the dogs we love.”

Some customers have called for Years to cover veterinary expenses, while others have requested refunds instead of account credits.

What is dry eye in dogs?

Symptoms of dry eye include redness, cloudiness, excessive blinking, squinting, pawing at the eyes, thick discharge, and general discomfort.

Pet owners noticing any of these signs are advised to contact their vet and mention the recall.

Dry eye can happen when a dog stops producing enough tears, which can lead to irritation, redness and discomfort if left untreated.

Recommended reading:

Years Signature Meals are stocked at major brands Pets at Home and Just for Pets.

The company has since removed all food from circulation and advised customers to stop feeding the meals to their pets immediately.

Unused meals should not be donated, sold, or fed to any animal, and the company is arranging for free collection of remaining products.

Has your dog been affected by food containing buckwheat? Let us know in the comments.

Police also found worrying content on the man’s electronic devices – he told officers he was ‘just curious’

A man who told a young girl not to tell anyone he engaged in a sexual activity with her has been jailed. Anthony Woodberry, 67, abused his victim, who was a 13-year-old girl at the time, in 2023.

After the offence, Woodberry told the girl not to tell anyone what happened. However, later that day the girl told her parents and they contacted the police.

Woodberry was arrested the following morning. Officers seized electronic devices from his home and found extreme pornography on them.

During the investigation, Woodberry admitted to possessing the extreme pornography. He claimed he didn’t realise it was illegal and he was “just curious”.

After a trial at Peterborough Crown Court in June, he was found guilty of causing or inciting a girl under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity without penetration.

At the same court on August 14, Woodberry, of Harvey Street, Eynesbury, St Neots, was sentenced to two years and four months in prison. He was also placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years.

Detective Constable Alice Tasker said: “Woodberry exploited and abused a young child in what was a deeply distressing offence. The victim showed great courage in speaking out about what had happened, and I would like to commend her bravery throughout the investigation and court process. Her actions ensured Woodberry was held accountable for his crimes.

“Child sexual abuse can have a lifelong impact on victims. We take all reports extremely seriously and will do everything we can to safeguard children, support victims and bring offenders to justice.”

Pupils need at least a grade 4 in certain subjects before they pursue higher education

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Across the country, students will be receiving their GCSE results on Thursday for the exams they sat in the summer. A grade 4 is the minimum required to progress in certain subjects, meaning some will face having to retake exams – or the subject entirely.

Schools will soon release grades for pupils for their GCSE exams. Those under the age of 18 must achieve at least a grade 4 to progress, and will either need to continue studying subjects or will have the chance to resit the exam by the end of the year or the following summer.

Some colleges, sixth forms or apprenticeships have some flexibility over entry grades, especially if they were only narrowly missed. Many will allow their students to retake GCSEs alongside studying A level or T levels.

When are Maths and English GCSE resits?

Both AQA and Pearson Edexcel for Maths and English GCSE resit exams take place in November. This is in addition to the standard annual exam dates which take place either May or June.

Some pupils, such as students on a 16 to 19 study programme and who have not achieved a grade 4 or above in English or Maths will have to continue to study the GCSE and will not be required to resit the exam.

Alternatively, some colleges and sixth forms offer a functional skills qualification instead of the GCSE. This is a level 2 qualification based on learning how to apply English or Maths in real life.

How much does it cost to resit GCSE exams?

Most education centres allow students to resit their exams for free in the following year after their first attempt if their grade was below a 4.

For those who achieved a grade 4 or above but want to resit for a higher grade, there is often a fee.

Schools can charge between £75 to £150 per exam. Private candidates can be charged between £150 to £500 by third party agencies and exam centres.

Where do resits take place?

For most going on to Sixth Form, the best option to resit their exam would be in their former school or in the college they are planning to attend. Further education colleges will offer some GCSE subjects, like English and Maths. Some private exam centres may also accept resits for external candidates.

Andrew White watches Paul Hendy’s affectionate, laugh-out-loud play – and finds it devastatingly funny, poignant and superbly acted.

Three of Britain’s greatest comedy legends share a dressing room and dissect the secret of being funny – really funny – in Paul Hendy’s affectionate, laugh-out-loud play, The Last Laugh, which opened at Darlington Hippodrome to a rapturous reception this week.

The premise of the play is simple. Tommy Cooper, Eric Morecambe, and Bob Monkhouse meet in a run-down dressing room, surrounded by photographs of departed comedians who once trod these boards.

From this intimate setting emerges a side-splitting, often poignant love letter to the golden age of television comedy and its enduring influence on the entertainment world.

The acting is superb across the board, with Damian Williams, Steve Royle, and Simon Cartwright perfectly capturing the speech patterns, mannerisms, and attitudes of Cooper, Morecambe, and Monkhouse.

Simon Cartwright embodies Bob Monkhouse’s meticulous gag-craft with authentic presence (Image: PAMELA RAITH)

Cartwright, who knew Monkhouse in real life, brings a particular authenticity to Bob, while Williams and Royle embody Cooper’s baffled charm and Morecambe’s self-deprecating brilliance with equal conviction.

It is clear the cast hold a genuine affection for the men they portray – something underscored in a second-half Q&A, where the actors, now out of costume, spoke with evident regard for their subjects.

This is a play, not a stand-up show, yet it is devastatingly funny – bellylaugh funny – with jokes cleverly woven into the plot.

Damian Williams brings Tommy Cooper’s baffled charm and “funny bones” vividly to life (Image: PAMELA RAITH)

Many gags will be familiar to fans, but they land with fresh impact as the trio gently mock one another while respecting each other’s craft.

The heart of the piece lies in their discussion of why they make people laugh. Monkhouse agonises over every word as a ‘gag man’, Morecambe doubts he would have made it without Ernie Wise – despite the others insisting he could – while Cooper simply has ‘funny bones’ and no real insight into why.

A recurring theme of ‘dying’ on stage – failing to get a laugh – chimes poignantly with the comedians’ actual demises, notably Cooper’s on-stage collapse during a live TV performance.

Other tragedies are explored, but never laid on with a trowel and each sombre moment is swiftly undercut by another laugh.

Hendy’s script fairly rattles along – like a Monkhouse gag, not a word is out of place. The dressing room set, with its gallery of departed comics, is integral, grounding the banter in a tangible sense of legacy.

Steve Royle captures Eric Morecambe’s self-deprecating brilliance and perfect comic timing (Image: PAMELA RAITH)

Cooper probably garners the biggest laughs from the appreciative Darlington audience, but Morecambe’s famous line about playing “all the right notes, but not necessarily in the right order” almost brings the house down.

At the end, the performers received a well-deserved standing ovation, reflecting both the enduring affection for these comedy giants and appreciation for three superb performances.

The Q&A that followed brought more laughs and, most importantly, demonstrated just how much regard the actors hold for these three legends.

If this play proves anything, it’s that Cooper, Morecambe and Monkhouse will never truly leave the stage – because great comedy never dies.

The Last Laugh runs at Darlington Hippodrome to Saturday, August 22. For full details or to book, visit www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk or call the Box Office on 01325-405405.

Northern Rail has confirmed that services between Bolton and Darwen have all been cancelled whilst engineers remove the tree.

Services between Rochdale and Blackburn were first cancelled at 5.51am, with trains terminated at Bolton.

Hall I’ Th’ Wood, Bromley Cross, Darwen and Blackburn have all been affected by the incident.

A Northern spokesperson said: “We apologise for the cancellation of this service today.

“If the train you have a ticket for is cancelled, you can travel on any Northern, TransPennine Express and East Midlands Railway service within 2 hours before or after your cancelled service was due to depart.

“If you require any connecting services, please check information screens, visit the Northern Rail website or speak to a member of staff where available.”

Two rail replacement services have been scheduled to travel from Bolton to Blackburn at 8.10am and 9.10am.

Four are due to run in the opposite direction at 8.10am, 9.10am, 10.10am and 11.10am.

Anyone delayed for more than 15 minutes can claim compensation by visiting the delay-repay website.

Businesses say a range of factors put them off hiring apprentices.

Hannah Larsen, policy officer at the British Chambers of Commerce, said demand for degree apprenticeship was rising “at a time when businesses’ operating margins are under increasing pressure”.

“Higher employment costs, alongside wider economic uncertainty, mean recruitment is being paused, with younger and less experienced workers hit hardest,” she said.

She added that there was “considerable uncertainty over the future of apprenticeship funding”.

At Yorkshire-based manufacturing company Fives, most apprentices are at lower levels and study at nearby Keighley College, but there is one degree apprentice.

Jo Jackson, head of human resources, said she would like to hire more apprentices but training is expensive and the content apprentices are taught is not always “flexible enough”.

“Business needs are changing all the time, but it’s very, very difficult to change the syllabus,” she said.

“If we think about AI and how it’s changing the world of work, the apprenticeships don’t cover that.

“They can’t change quickly enough to keep up.”

The victim remains in hospital

A man has been stabbed in Cambridge. Cambridgeshire Police were called to “reports of violence” in Tenison Road at around 9pm on Tuesday (August 18).

A man was taken to hospital with stab wounds and remains in hospital. Officers arrested two men in connection with the incident.

A police spokesperson said: “Two men in their 20s were arrested on suspicion of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm and remain in custody at this time.”

The East of England Ambulance Service were called to reports of an assault just after 9pm. An ambulance spokesperson said: “We were called at 9.05pm yesterday to reports of an assault on the junction of Tenison Road and Mill Road in Cambridge.

“An ambulance, ambulance officer vehicle and a rapid response vehicle were sent to the scene. An adult man was transported to hospital for further treatment.”

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