Fifteen Britons are missing in China after devastating floods swept through parts of Tibet and Nepal, with authorities still struggling to establish the whereabouts of hundreds of people caught in the disaster.

Chinese authorities said 261 foreign nationals from 23 countries were missing in the Tibet autonomous region. The missing include 15 British citizens, 104 Nepalis, 49 Indians, 33 people from Latvia and 18 Americans.

The latest figures mean 48 British nationals are now reported missing on both sides of the Nepal-China border.

Thirty-three Britons had previously been reported missing in Nepal.

Some of those missing in Nepal were believed to have been visiting the region on pilgrimage.

Among them are sisters Hemangini Jitendra Patel and Hema Sunil Amin, who were last known to have been seen at the Friendship Bridge linking Nepal and China, the Guardian reported.

The disaster began on Wednesday after a massive glacier collapse in the Himalayas triggered flash floods that swept through communities and engulfed the Gyirong port area on the border.

At least 903 people have now been confirmed dead in Nepal and China, according to figures released by authorities on Sunday, while more than 3,000 people remain unaccounted for.

The number of missing Americans has also become the subject of conflicting figures. China reported 18 missing US nationals, while the US state department said at least 85 American citizens were unaccounted for.

Tommy Pigott, a state department spokesperson, said it had been difficult to obtain reliable information from the affected region, “made even more so by the devastation and the remoteness that we see”.

Chinese authorities have reported at least 16 deaths on their side of the border.

However, concerns have been raised about the transparency of casualty figures from China, where authorities have restricted the circulation of footage showing the extent of the flooding.

Search and rescue operations have been complicated by severe weather, the risk of landslides and uncertainty over whether some missing people were in Nepal or China when the floods struck.

China has deployed more than 2,100 rescue workers to the affected area, according to state television, along with specialist equipment to locate people trapped beneath debris. Supplies and equipment have also been delivered by air.

Chinese premier Li Qiang has travelled to the region as rescue and relief operations continue.

Chinese president Xi Jinping said on Monday that China was making every effort to find people missing after a mudslide near the Tibet-Nepal border, Xinhua reported.

On the Nepalese side, police said 794 people had been confirmed dead and at least 2,742 injured. Authorities have warned residents in several areas to remain prepared for further flooding and possible evacuations.

The British government has sent a rapid deployment team to Nepal and committed £5m in aid.

A UK Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We are working around the clock to support British nationals and their families affected by the devastating floods on the Nepal-China border. We are coordinating closely with the Nepali and Chinese authorities and have deployed consular support staff to the region to ensure British nationals can access support.”

Rescue teams are continuing to search for missing people as authorities face difficult conditions and a rapidly evolving situation across the mountainous border region.

If travelling light is high on your list of holiday priorities, especially if you want to avoid extra-baggage charges, why not consider a clothing-optional resort?

Better still, head to France’s picturesque Languedoc region, home to the world’s largest nudist community.

For many, the thought of shopping, eating out and clubbing naked probably sounds like a nightmare.

But for visitors to Cap d’Agde’s Naturist Village, it’s just another day.

Residents and visitors go about life — dining at beachfront restaurants, grabbing a coffee, or simply strolling around — in the nude, all within a designated, controlled area.

There are very few places of this scale in Europe, indeed the world, and the vibe is unashamedly, er, libertine.

Once I overcame my initial fear and embarrassment, I realised that even the most seemingly perfect bodies are imperfect in some way. 

Fat or thin, tall or short, we are all different.

If body confidence is an issue, I can highly recommend spending time among hundreds of naked people: it is a surprisingly effective way to overcome shame or whatever’s going on in your head.

The growing popularity of naturist holidays reflects a broader interest in experiences that offer freedom from body-image pressures, the chance to spend time outdoors without worrying about dress codes, and a more relaxed approach to socialising.

For some, it is about reconnecting with nature. For others, it is simply the novelty of trying a holiday where clothes are optional and judgment is meant to be left at the gate. 

Tucked away to the west of the French Riviera, Cap d’Agde began as a campsite in 1956, established by French brothers René and Paul Oltra.

The story goes that, after work, they enjoyed skinny-dipping in the Mediterranean alongside German holidaymakers.

They decided to turn their land into a holiday destination for like-minded people who preferred doing things nude.

In 1963, as part of a local government tourism initiative, the Languedoc-Roussillon region oversaw the creation of the seaside resort of Cap d’Agde and the campsite’s transformation into a fully-fledged naturist village.

Today, it features large Brutalist blocks of flats, shopping arcades and restaurants.

Think The Hunger Games meets Blackpool, with full English breakfasts, pizza and rotisserie chicken on offer.

It is not to everyone’s taste, but visitors are unlikely to be there for the cuisine or architecture.

Now celebrating its 70th anniversary, the René Oltra campsite remains a key destination for naturists.

It offers pitches for tents and motorhomes, as well as chalets, mobile homes and wooden cabins.

Guests get a pass based on the length of their stay, together with a token allowing entry to the village.

Inside the walled resort, which can accommodate up to 40,000 at its busiest, you can shop everywhere from patisseries and charcuteries to stores selling local red, white and rosé wines from the Languedoc region, France’s third-largest wine-producing area…completely in the buff. 

There is plenty of fun to be had browsing shops selling skimpy evening wear and fetish gear, both of which are commonplace here.

Cheap, stretchy polyester and nylon are the order of the day: the shorter and more revealing, the better.

Those seeking full-on fetish wear will be spoilt for choice, while sex toys, whips and floggers are also widely available.

Penis-shaped key rings and bottle openers are impossible to miss.

When the sun goes down, the village quickly changes from naked to outrageously clothed.

What began as a purely naturist resort has also become a destination for swingers from around the world.

Clubs line the streets, advertising foam parties, BDSM workshops and opportunities for couples to play with others in one of the many venues around the resort.

Having visited Cap d’Agde seven times over more than two decades, I have become fond of the people-watching.

It is not simply voyeurism: the village brings together people who would rarely meet elsewhere, from older couples and lifelong naturists to first-time visitors, swingers and people experimenting with a more liberated version of themselves, the average age being somewhere around 50.

Sitting at a café, you can watch people move between ordinary holiday routines and flamboyant evening performances, often with a confidence that seems to grow as the day goes on. 

I recall on a previous visit I invited a friend, a 6’4” tall Yorkshireman, aged 55, to accompany me to the village for a weekend break.

Having never tried naturism before, he was taken aback when I asked him to strip off on entrance to the village.

By the end of the day, he was fully committed to the lifestyle and announced the trip as the most fun he’d ever had. 

That is part of the appeal of people-watching at Cap d’Agde. You see how quickly people can move beyond the roles and appearances they occupy in everyday life. 

When I feel more daring, I walk to the far end of the 1.5km beach, where some adults have sex outdoors.

There are usually more spectators than participants, visible from up to a quarter of a mile away by the circles they form, sometimes five or six men deep.

Further along are separate areas for gay men and families who regard naturism as a way of life. 

For first-timers, the resort is best approached with an open mind and a clear understanding of its rules.

Daylight hours are generally devoted to ordinary holiday pleasures – swimming, sunbathing, shopping and eating – while the atmosphere becomes more sexually charged later in the day.

Naturism is expected, but consent, privacy and respect remain essential. 

If you can accept the mix of families, traditional naturists and adult entertainment, Cap d’Agde Naturist Village offers a holiday unlike almost anywhere else: part French seaside escape, part social experiment and part unabashed spectacle.

Suzanne Noble is the host of Sex Advice for Seniors, a ‘stigma-free’ sex advice podcast for people who refuse to let age define their desires.

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There is more between Nicola Mitchell (Laura Doddington) and brother-in-law Ned Roper than mets the eye, with EastEnders newcomer Jamie Bamber confirming an ‘unspoken’ secret.

Ned makes his long-awaited Albert Square debut on Monday (August 31), arriving in Walford with mum-in-law Rose Hawkins (Marian McLoughlin), much to the chagrin of Nicola.

Nicola, as viewers know, received a visit from sisters Gemma (Patricia Potter) and Jodie (Anna Constable) earlier in the month, which led to estranged mum Rose showing up too.

There is no love lost between Rose and Nicola, who have a fractured relationship due to things that happened in the past.

When Gemma arrives on her doorstep on Monday, Nicola agrees to let her, Jodie and nephew Ryder (Felix Uff) stay – but only on the condition that Rose doesn’t come along too.

Gemma agrees to such terms but when her husband Ned shows up with Rose in tow, it leaves Nicola irate.

‘Ned is somebody who appears very put together,’ said actor Jamie, describing his Albert Square alter-ego ahead of his debut scenes.

‘He dresses well and is naturally charming and confident. He’s enjoyed a great deal of success in life, but when we meet him, everything has fallen apart and he’s having to start again.’

The actor, known for his roles in Battlestar Galactica and Law and Order: UK, admitted that Ned is someone who places a ‘great deal of importance’ on appearances – but that we might soon see another side to him.

‘Often, when someone works that hard to keep up appearances, it’s because there’s more going on beneath the surface,’ he teased.

‘There’s a real depth to him, and as the weeks go on, we’ll start to peel back those layers and discover that Ned is a far more complex character than he first appears.’

Ned’s dynamic with Nicola will also be one of interest, with Jamie confirming that there is something ‘unspoken’ there.

‘It’s clear that Ned and Nicola know each other extremely well, but there’s also something unspoken between them,’ he added. ‘There’s a fascinating push-and-pull dynamic at play.

‘You get the sense that there’s something that binds them together just as strongly as something keeps them apart. There are secrets and a history that neither of them is willing to talk about openly. Over time, viewers will discover exactly what lies behind that complicated relationship.’

Viewers will recall that when Teddy (Roland Manookian) called Nicola from prison on the anniversary of her dad’s death, he was intrigued to discover that the Hawkins’ had landed in Walford, taking particular interest in knowing if Ned was there.

The question is: why? And is his interest in Ned related to this unspoken secret shared between he and Nic? We’ll just have to wait and see!

On the subject of joining EastEnders, Jamie couldn’t be happier.

‘I’ve seldom worked in an environment where people seem so happy, relaxed and comfortable,’ he enthused. ‘Everyone has been incredibly supportive and welcoming, which has made settling in so much easier.’

EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One or stream from 6am on BBC iPlayer.

If you’ve got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@metro.co.uk – we’d love to hear from you.

Join the community by leaving a comment below and stay updated on all things soaps on our homepage.

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Though Chelsea were penalised momentarily under the new Time-Limited Substitution Protocol for Welbeck’s slow exit, this was a fast start. Alonso will hope he can build some momentum now and keep it up. Welbeck, himself, will simply hope for a chance to impress against his former team, whether the game has been won already by his friend Joao Pedro or whether Chelsea are in need of a goal. He had a a very enviable scoring record for Brighton against Chelsea.

A pharmacist has issued an alert over the “hidden dangers” of taking this specific tablet ahead of a flight citing serious health risks, including blood clots and worsened jet lag

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When travelling on holiday, passengers might have their own in-flight routine whether it’s a short or long-haul trip. But before you board the gate, there are many steps to follow, like checking your passport and ensuring your bags meet the requirements.

But anyone who takes certain tablets before a flight have been cautioned of the “hidden dangers” as it could lead to serious health complications. While some people prefer to take a sleeping tablet before climbing 35,000 feet in the air, those with forthcoming travel arrangements are being strongly urged to steer clear of it.

There are numerous methods to drift off on a plane, but avoiding medicinal sleep aids is invariably the more sensible option. Alternatively, you might want to try this clever technique, which reportedly helps people sleep better on a plane.

Pharmacist Seema Khatri, from Roseway Labs, which boasts thousands of Instagram followers, said: “People imagine that taking a sleeping pill means they’ll wake up refreshed at their destination. But drug-induced sleep is not the same as natural, restorative sleep, and on a plane it can actually leave you groggier and more jet-lagged.”

One of the principal concerns is circulation, as the expert highlighted: “When you’re sedated you move far less, and that immobility can increase the risk of deep vein thrombosis. Cabins are already dehydrating environments, and sedatives can thicken the blood further, so the two combined aren’t a good mix.”

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Cabin pressure can dramatically amplify the impact of sleeping tablets. At increased altitudes, oxygen levels decline and, according to Seema, sedatives may worsen drowsiness, disorientation or even respiratory issues as a result.

“So what might feel like a mild dose on the ground can hit much harder once you’re in the air,” she highlighted. Despite numerous passengers using sleeping pills to counter jet lag, it frequently proves counterproductive.

Seema explained: “If you take at the wrong time, your body clock becomes even more confused. Instead of easing into the new time zone, you land disoriented and wired.

“Older travellers, people with breathing conditions like asthma or sleep apnoea, and anyone with circulation problems should steer well clear of sedatives on planes. Even a small dose can hit them harder at altitude and, in some cases, it can become dangerous rather than just uncomfortable.”

How can I rest when flying?

Instead of relying on pharmaceuticals, sleep-promoting supplements could be a more sensible option for passengers. There are numerous strategies that can be explored following medical consultation.

“We also recommend magnesium glycinate to calm the nervous system, or herbal teas such as chamomile or lemon balm if you just want to relax,” Seema advised. “It’s also important to stay well hydrated, as dehydration can make it harder to rest and can worsen jet lag.”

Straightforward travel tips – such as wearing an eye mask, using noise-cancelling headphones and avoiding caffeine before departure – can prove remarkably effective.

“These options won’t put you into an unnatural sleep cycle, so you arrive fresher and safer,” she added.

While sleeping tablets might appear to be a convenient solution for long-distance flights, specialists caution they could result in grogginess, dehydration and increased health risks. Seema explained: “A sleeping pill before take-off may knock you out, but it won’t give your body the restorative rest it really needs.”

There’s no requirement to struggle with sleep but, if you’re experiencing difficulties, ensure you consult a medical professional for guidance. Your GP will be able to assist with any sleep problems you’re encountering.

In her Daily Record column, Scottish Labour acting leader Jackie Baillie says the SNP Government must urgently get to grips with the problems faced by voters.

After the summer months which saw Scotland take part in a World Cup and a new Labour Prime Minister appointed, it is back to the Scottish Parliament this week for MSPs.

It has been almost four months since the Scottish election – but with the new parliamentary term starting, the hard work must now begin. The SNP were re-elected to power, which will take them to more than 20 years in government in Scotland.

I regret to say that in that time, Scotland has become worse off under their stewardship, with growing NHS waiting lists, shameful numbers of drug and alcohol deaths, too many people sleeping rough on our streets, and public trust eroded by SNP scandal after SNP scandal.

While I am naturally disappointed with the result of the election, we must now hope the SNP learn from past mistakes and chart a better path for the future.

Unfortunately, the early signs are not promising. Just last week, John Swinney signalled his intention to bring forward draft legislation to push for another independence referendum.

It is straight out of the Nicola Sturgeon playbook. A failed strategy that ultimately hit Scottish taxpayers in the pocket in legal bills when the issue was brought before the Supreme Court.

While I disagree with independence, I respect everyone’s view. I believe supporters, like many across the country, are desperate for a change from the status quo.

I understand that frustration. However, John Swinney dusting off a tired and failed strategy from a decade ago will do nothing to improve the lives of people across Scotland in the here and now.

The reality is that people are struggling with the cost of living, struggling to get an NHS appointment, and struggling to see how things get better.

This new parliamentary term needs to see an end to the gimmicks and grandstanding. People are tired of being promised jam tomorrow, while living standards and our public services struggle.

The SNP do not want to admit this, but the Scottish Parliament has the power to tangibly improve people’s lives right now.

Take bus fares, as just one example. The SNP promised that within 100 days of a government led by John Swinney, a £2 cap on bus fares would be expanded across the country.

Well, that 100 days is tomorrow, and yet there is no sign of the SNP delivering on that pledge. Time and again, the SNP talk the talk but fail to deliver.

In this new parliamentary term, we must see NHS waiting times reduced, the attainment gap narrowed, social care given the funding it needs, and the housing emergency properly addressed.

While those issues remain outstanding, John Swinney and the SNP must quit the grandstanding and gesture politics.

The people of Scotland can’t keep waiting for the SNP to deliver. They need ministers to take action to improve their lives now – not years down the line.

Homelessness mission

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I was very encouraged to hear our new Prime Minister Andy Burnham speak about his drive to eradicate rough sleeping. It is a disgrace that in 2026, we still have thousands of people every night sleeping rough across the UK.

In Scotland, 34,067 households were classified as homeless by local authorities in 2024-25, including 38,674 adults and 15,046 children. That is a national shame.

It was May 2024 that the Scottish Government declared a national housing emergency and yet it is clear the dial has hardly moved in terms of tackling this problem.

A core belief of the Labour Party is in eradicating poverty and representing working people. That is why we must be clear in championing efforts to wipe out rough sleeping.

So, Andy Burnham is right to make this aim a driving mission of his government, But, this must be a UK-wide effort, and with housing devolved to the Scottish Parliament, that means it is imperative that SNP ministers step up to match that ambition.

We ended the need to sleep rough in Scotland before when it was a Scottish Labour Government, we must do it again.vJohn Swinney has repeatedly stated that eradicating child poverty is his single most important objective.

This week, he has the chance to prove that when setting out his Programme for Government. I would urge him to take that chance.

Murrell and Sturgeon

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Last week, it was announced that a TV drama based on the scandalous embezzlement of SNP finances has been commissioned by Channel 5.

Frankly, I wish it were fictitious. However, we really do live in a reality where those at the top of the party of government stole hundreds of thousands of pounds from members of the public.

As they say, sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction.

By REBECCA CAMBER, CRIME AND SECURITY EDITOR

Published: 00:50 BST, 31 August 2026 | Updated: 02:46 BST, 31 August 2026

The criminal justice system is in crisis, a senior police chief warned yesterday.

Thames Valley Police head Jason Hogg said PC Andrew Harper’s family had been ‘re-traumatised’ by having to fight his killers’ release.

He welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement that his officer’s killers, Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, will remain behind bars after weeks of campaigning from PC Harper’s family and colleagues to block their release.

The chief constable described changes to the prison early-release scheme to exclude anyone convicted of unlawful killing as part of PC Harper’s enduring legacy. 

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But he acknowledged that many other victims’ families would be disappointed that the exemptions did not go further.

Police leaders remain concerned about Government plans to release offenders early and jail fewer criminals by ditching shorter prison sentences, Mr Hogg said.

‘I’m delighted and genuinely grateful for the intervention by the Government in looking at this again,’ he told the Daily Mail.

Praising PC Harper’s wife Lissie and mother Debbie Adlam for their campaign, he said: ‘It’s difficult to underestimate the impact the past four weeks have had on them as individuals and other members of Andrew’s family.

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Thames Valley Police officer, PC Andrew Harper, was killed in the line of duty on August 15, 2019

Thames Valley Police mugshots of Jessie Cole (left) and Albert Bowers who are no longer eligible for early release

‘I’ve met some of the extended family who are clearly being re-traumatised by having to go through, simply having to fight for, in their words, justice being done. So I’m sure they’ll be incredibly relieved and grateful, too.

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‘His legacy extends further now, because of what’s happened, because Lissie and Andrew’s mum have had the courage speaking out in such a dignified and powerful way.

‘His legacy is now many, many hundreds of families of victims who’ve lost their lives, will now [see the culprit] stay in prison for longer. I’m quite proud that his legacy does live on, some good has been done in this situation.’

Mr Hogg, who is a former national police lead on prisons, added: ‘I think some families will be relieved by the announcement but of course there will be others who will be disappointed… There will be people who are released early, who do continue to pose a risk to the public.

‘We are in this situation still where the Sentencing Act is based on the person sentenced, not the risk they pose to the public.

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‘There will be people who are released from custody, for example people convicted of domestic abuse, who still may pose a risk to victims or the wider public.’

He warned that forces would have to shift resources from other policing priorities to deal with offenders released into the community. 

‘I think we have a criminal justice system in crisis. That’s the word I used with the Lord Chancellor when I met him earlier in the week. This is not going to be solved in a short space of time. This will take a number of years to work through.

‘When – and it’s not if because the reoffending rate in our country is about 30 per cent for released adults in the first year – some of those individuals released early breach their conditions, those individuals should be back in custody very quickly.’

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Mr Hogg added: ‘Already the whole Sentencing Act hasn’t properly kicked in and I’m receiving reports that it’s more difficult to remand people to custody.’

Yesterday Ms Adlam told BBC Breakfast that the past few weeks had been traumatic.

She added: ‘It’s a really mixed bag of emotions, though, because on the one hand we are glad, but we’ve been brought through the mill, and we are only back at where we were to start with.’

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Closing statements are scheduled Monday in one of hip-hop’s most anticipated trials for the man accused of orchestrating the death of Tupac Shakur.

Duane ”Keffe D” Davis, 63, faces a single count of murder with a deadly weapon with the intent to promote, further or assist a criminal gang in the killing of Shakur in Las Vegas nearly 30 years ago.

A panel of 16 jurors, four of whom will be alternates, heard 24 witnesses prosecutors called and three witnesses defense called over nine days. The trial was expected to take longer, with prosecutors originally planning to call 35 to 45 witnesses.

The prosecution was expected to hammer home their arguments that Davis called the shots for the attack on Shakur that night based on Davis’ own statements, while Davis’ defense attorney will likely reiterate his claim that prosecution’s narrative is fiction, and that they failed to back up Davis’ claims with evidence.

The trial brings to a head a decades-long case that for years has drawn the eyes of hip-hop fans and true crime experts alike. Shakur, who was considered one of the most influential rappers of all time, was in Las Vegas on Sept. 7, 1996, and stopped at a red light when a white Cadillac pulled up beside him, and shots were fired. Shakur died six days later from his wounds. Death Row Records co-founder Marion “Suge” Knight was also wounded, but survived.

For years, nobody had been charged in the rapper’s death until Davis began making public statements, saying he was in the Cadillac and gave the gun to others in the backseat. Davis, a self-proclaimed leader of the South Side Compton Crips at the time, described the shooting as an act of retaliation after Knight and Shakur’s entourage beat up Davis’ nephew in the MGM Grand hours before the shooting.

Prosecutors don’t claim Davis was the one who pulled trigger, but rather that he orchestrated the killing. Under Nevada law, someone who helps another person commit murder can be convicted of the crime. Davis is the only person still alive who was in the Cadillac.

Davis’ own words are front and center

The state has relied on Davis’ own statements he gave to police, documentarians and interviewers, in which he admitted to playing a role in the shooting. Davis also co-authored a book called “Compton Street Legend,” which Davis described as the “real truth” in an interview played for jurors.

In multiple interviews, Davis said he handed the gun to the back seat, with some details vary slightly on different occasions. Sometimes Davis said Deandre “Freaky” Smith had the gun but didn’t want it, so Anderson took it and pulled the trigger. In other interviews as well as his own book, Davis either wouldn’t say who pulled the trigger, or that he didn’t know.

Prosecution’s witnesses included a gang expert who described Davis as the shot caller that younger gang members had to obey. Witnesses also testified regarding the heated gang rivalry between South Side Compton Crips and Mob Piru, which were associated with dueling record companies Bad Boy Records and Death Row Records.

Lack of physical evidence, defense says

Davis’ defense attorney Michael Sanft has told jurors that his client’s words were braggadocio and were meant to make Davis money, not to tell the truth.

Sanft, who took on the case without pay, argues there is a lack of physical evidence tying Davis to the crime, such as phone records or bills.

During the trial investigators said a Las Vegas hotel bill was found at Davis’ residence during a police search, but it wasn’t clear when it was dated — or where that evidence is currently located.

The case is nearly 30 years old, and its age has affected the kind of evidence presented in court. Prosecutors warned jurors that material collected in the ’90s is different from what law enforcement collects today.

Still, prosecutors played for jurors surveillance footage collected from the MGM Grand that showed Shakur, wearing a gold dress shirt, walking briskly on the casino floor with his entourage struggling to keep up with him. Footage showed the fight between Shakur’s entourage with Davis’ nephew, Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson.

We all love our dogs. But do we love them enough to take them on a fortnight’s family summer holiday to Brittany?

This is the question I ask myself every August. I have, several times, succumbed to the ridiculous bureaucracy of the post-Brexit animal health certificate, the multi-page legal document without which my labradoodles, Otto and Goose, cannot leave the country.

This is a double whammy of time and effort, never mind the eye-watering cost and the rabies jabs they need before you can even apply.

Besides, pet-friendly cabins on the ever-popular Portsmouth to Caen route get sold out by April. I’ve missed the boat, excuse the pun, on several occasions and then agonised over whether the dogs would be OK in the boot of the Land Rover for the six-hour crossing. We tried this once. They weren’t.

So this year, with a pang of guilt, I thought: ‘Let’s just leave them at home.’ Of course, this only works if you can find a reliable dogsitter but I’ve always been lucky in the past. There’s a fantastic Facebook group called House and Pet Sitters UK, as well as the website Trusted Housesitter, where you can advertise. Often there’s a kind of unspoken agreement that if you are fortunate enough to live in a desirable location – we’re in central Chichester with West Wittering and Goodwood on our doorstep – then people will be happy to look after your dogs in exchange for free accommodation.

This summer I started my search early and was immediately inundated. Quite quickly I settled on Peter*, a recent divorcee who had sold his family home and was waiting to buy his own place.

Zoe* seemed lovely over WhatsApp, tolerating my numerous voice notes in which I frantically tried to cram every detail about Goose and Otto’s routine and quirks, says Shona

We had mutual friends on Facebook, which is always reassuring, and we met up for a couple of hours so I could show him the dogs’ favourite walks and go through their, admittedly lengthy, list of requirements. I headed off to America on a business trip the week before our family holiday, relaxed in the knowledge everything was sorted.

But while I was away Peter messaged me to say he’d been offered a paid job he couldn’t turn down. With less than seven days to go before our holiday, I had no one to look after Otto and Goose. I couldn’t even make a last-minute decision to take them with us to France because their rabies jabs weren’t up to date.

In a panic, I readvertised and almost immediately got a friendly response from a woman in her mid-30s called Zoe*. She seemed lovely over WhatsApp, tolerating my numerous voice notes in which I frantically tried to cram every detail about Goose and Otto’s routine and quirks. ‘Please say as much as you like about them!’ she said. ‘Dogs are like family.’

This comforted me enormously. Zoe also agreed to fly in the night before we were due to leave so she could spend the evening with us and the dogs and I could meet her in person.

Stupidly, because I was furiously busy with travel and work, I didn’t check her references. My rationale was that all her messages to me were reassuring. Then, the day before she was due to arrive, she said she’d changed her flight to the Saturday morning and might not be able to get to our house until after we’d left.

‘But don’t worry!’ she wrote. ‘You can just leave the key.’

Er, no. There was no way I was going to head abroad, leaving the dogs – and my house – with someone I hadn’t met in person. At this point I was seriously considering staying at home with Goose and Otto, but then Zoe switched gear again and said she could, as it turned out, arrive in Chichester just an hour before we had to leave for the ferry.

I wasn’t happy with this either, but it was better than nothing. First impressions were OK. She seemed a bit of a hippy, but then I figured that any woman in her mid-thirties bumming around the world living in other people’s houses was probably a tad anti-establishment.

As we drove away for the ferry, my eldest daughter, Flo, 27, told me she’d got ‘a bad vibe’ from Zoe. ‘She’s fine,’ I snapped, not wanting to entertain the alternative.

But over the next few hours my uneasiness grew. I know I’m the kind of pet parent (and human one) who needs more information rather than less. I’d rather be bombarded with photos of the dogs and detailed info on what they’ve eaten, when they’ve pooed and so on, especially in the first few days.

I do eventually relax and step back, but surely anyone leaving something precious in the care of a stranger would be the same? Zoe did answer my messages but in a frustratingly vague way. ‘Yes I’ve walked them. You need to trust me.’

I was sensing bolshiness. When I expressed this concern to my husband Keith, he said: ‘She clearly doesn’t like authority. Stop being a control freak.’

But on day two things got worse. I left it until the afternoon to send a friendly message to Zoe asking where she’d walked and if the dogs were OK. She replied only to say: ‘I’m just following your orders.’ By now I was getting increasingly anxious. I decided to send a friend over just to check everything was OK. Mike, a neighbour who knows Goose and Otto, was happy to oblige.

Yes, this might sound excessive to people who don’t have dogs. But for us, they’re vulnerable members of the family. I know owners who hunch over their Ring doorbell footage while on holiday, timing to the minute the comings and goings to ensure their dogs are getting enough exercise. We’re intense about it. And in this case, I honestly think I was right to be.

When Mike arrived, Zoe opened the door but didn’t let him in. He gently suggested it might be good if she could send me daily updates on the dogs so I could relax on holiday. ‘Well, I’m not doing that,’ she told him, before shutting the door. Now there was no question that I was dealing with someone who was openly hostile. In my worst-case-scenario mindset, Zoe had veered from quirky free spirit to psychopath.

In a last, desperate, attempt to get her to see things my way I sent a friendly but firm message pleading with her to communicate more. She turned off her phone. For 48 hours. I tried calling, but it switched to voicemail. I messaged. Nothing.

I couldn’t sleep. All I could think was that there was a nutter in my house neglecting my dogs – or worse.

I called Mike, begging him to go over to our house and throw Zoe out. One of Flo’s friends had kindly said she could step in and so I booked Zoe a room for one night at a local hotel and promised Mike a crate of wine if he could evict her.

Unsurprisingly, she reacted terribly. ‘This is really inconvenient for me,’ she ranted. She then told Mike to leave and come back once she had packed her bags.

‘Do NOT leave the house,’ I begged him. By now Zoe was sobbing and calling me every name under the sun. The dogs were, thankfully, absolutely fine. Over the next two hours, Mike managed to extract Zoe from our home and deliver her to the hotel. Did I just pick a dodgy dogsitter? Or was she actually a dog lover – albeit one who just wanted everything on her terms?

Either way, I’ll be securing that pet-friendly ferry cabin months in advance next year.