People who eat lots of fruit and vegetables tend to live longer, we know that.

But is that because of the fruit and vegetables themselves – or because those people also tend to exercise more, smoke less, drink less, sleep better and generally look after themselves?

This is why I am always slightly sceptical when I read yet another headline telling us that one particular food is going to save our lives and help us live for ever in perfect health (especially if it is a paper written by a company marketing that particular food).

But a new study on the humble tomato really caught my eye.

This wasn’t simply researchers asking thousands of people what they ate and then looking years later to see who got ill – as most nutritional studies are done. They actually carried out a randomised-controlled trial to see what effect eating tomatoes had on a specific health marker.

The study, by the Italian National Institute of Gastroenterology, took 79 people who had fatty liver disease and allocated them to two groups: one had to eat 200g of raw tomatoes every day plus 50g of tomato sauce, the other group had to avoid tomatoes completely, for six weeks.

Fatty liver matters. It is now incredibly common and is closely linked to excess weight, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

For many people it causes no immediate symptoms, which is part of the problem – you can have large amounts of fat accumulating inside your liver and feel fine. But in others it progresses to inflammation, scarring, cirrhosis and even liver cancer.

The researchers measured fat in the liver using a FibroScan, which gives a measurement known as Cap (controlled attenuation parameter). Put simply: the higher the number, the more fatty the liver.

And after just six weeks there was a clear difference: the liver-fat reading dropped by 35 points in the tomato eaters, compared with 18 points in those avoiding tomatoes, reported the journal Nutrients.

Interestingly, liver fat also fell a little in the group avoiding tomatoes, perhaps because simply taking part in a health study made them improve other parts of their diet or lifestyle.

But this is the bit I really find important. The tomato eaters hadn’t simply gone on a diet and lost loads of weight. In fact, their body weight barely changed.

There were no significant differences between the groups in BMI, waist circumference, total body fat or visceral fat (the toxic fat that can build up around your organs). There were also no dramatic changes in their cholesterol, blood sugar or standard liver blood tests.

So this wasn’t simply a case of people eating tomatoes, losing weight and therefore losing fat from their liver. Something more specific appeared to be happening in the liver itself.

The researchers think compounds in tomatoes, particularly lycopene and beta-carotene, may change the way the liver handles fat: reducing how much new fat it makes, limiting how much it takes up and helping to burn more of it.

Science purists will quite rightly point out that one small study involving 79 people over just six weeks does not prove that tomatoes are a treatment for fatty liver. But this is where I think common sense matters.

This is some of the best evidence we have on the specific benefits of eating tomatoes. And unlike a new drug, there’s virtually no downside to acting on this evidence.

Tomatoes are cheap, nutritious and research has repeatedly linked them with better health.

One 2021 study of more than 100,000 US adults, followed for an average of 17 years, found that moderate consumption of tomatoes was associated with a lower risk of dying overall and from cardiovascular disease specifically.

And a 2025 analysis of 119 studies showed higher tomato intake was associated with an 11 per cent lower risk of dying from cancer. Some studies have suggested particular protection against prostate cancer.

Of course, none of this proves that tomatoes were responsible – again, these were all observational studies. More research into the benefits of tomatoes is needed, but I am not going to wait for a randomised controlled trial involving 10,000 people before changing what I put on my plate.

So why might tomatoes help with conditions beyond fatty liver?

As well as affecting fat cells, the lycopene and beta-carotene, along with polyphenols and vitamin C in tomatoes, seem to dampen inflammation and protect our cells against oxidative stress. This is the damage caused when unstable molecules known as free radicals build up. Both processes are involved in conditions ranging from heart disease and cancer to the ageing of our skin.

But we do not know whether lycopene is the star ingredient or whether the benefits come from these compounds working together. That matters because lycopene supplements are widely sold. Yet the evidence I have discussed is mainly about eating tomatoes, not taking lycopene pills. So I would advise eating whole tomatoes rather than popping a supplement pill.

The Italian researchers deliberately used both raw tomatoes and tomato sauce because they offer slightly different benefits.

Raw tomatoes preserve more vitamin C, while cooking makes lycopene easier to absorb. And because lycopene is fat soluble, eating cooked tomatoes with olive oil may boost absorption even further.

So my advice is simple: eat both and eat them daily, especially if you are overweight or have prediabetes or diabetes, because you are at a greater risk of developing fatty liver disease.

And that’s exactly what I am going to do: more raw tomatoes in salads or as a snack – and more cooked tomatoes with olive oil in pasta sauces, soups and stews.

Because although this study was only done in people who already had fatty liver disease, there is no obvious reason to think the same mechanisms would not also help to reduce the chances of developing it in the first place and to reduce fat elsewhere in the body.

Will I be prescribing tomatoes in A&E? Of course not. But I’d rather see packets of tomatoes for sale in hospital vending machines than just crisps and chocolate. And I will be advising my patients and family (and myself) to eat more tomatoes after reading this study. Sometimes the healthiest changes really are the simplest.

@drrobgalloway 

By SABRINA PENTY, FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER

Published: 13:45 BST, 1 September 2026 | Updated: 13:52 BST, 1 September 2026

This is the moment a safari vehicle taking Swiss tourists to see the Great Migration in the Serengeti plunged into a crocodile-infested river. 

Footage captured from a separate Safari vehicle shows the Jeep racing along the bumpy terrain towards the Mara River. 

The vehicle suddenly sways to one side, causing a woman to fall out. 

As she gets on her feet, fellow tourists in a nearby Jeep can be heard gasping in shock, while one man is heard saying, ‘She fell out’, as she stands just metres away from crocodiles and wildebeest. 

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The vehicle then continues heading towards the river, with more tourists seen tumbling out as the driver loses control of the vehicle. 

Onlookers can be heard urging the group of people to run onto their vehicle as their Jeep plunges off a cliff and nose-dives straight into the crocodile-infested water. 

The incident unfolded on Sunday afternoon in the Kogatende area of the Serengeti National Park. 

The Tanzania National Parks Authority confirmed in a statement that all passengers, who are Swiss nationals, and the driver were unharmed. 

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Footage captured from a separate Safari vehicle shows the Jeep racing along the bumpy terrain towards the Mara River

The vehicle suddenly sways to one side, causing a woman to fall out. She is shown in this screen grab rushing towards a vehicle as she stands just metres away from wild animals 

More tourists fell out of the vehicle, as the Jeep lost control and plunged into the river 

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According to the statement, four tourists were in the vehicle when it fell into the river, but were able to exit safely. 

 The statement added: ‘TANAPA takes this opportunity to remind all drivers, visitors and tour companies to strictly observe the laws, regulations, and established procedures governing the use of river crossings. 

‘All users are required to follow the instructions provided by crossing supervisors and to exercise the utmost caution to safeguard human life and property, while also minimising any disturbance to wildlife.’

According to eyewitnesses, the incident unfolded as the Safari ranger rushed to catch a glimpse of the wildebeest crossing the Mara River, local news outlet Tanzania Times reports. 

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It is common for local tour drivers to compete with each other to reach animals first. 

The Great Migration in East Africa is one of nature’s most spectacular sights, 

This summer, millions of wildebeest have been pushing northward through Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park, braving crocodile-infested rivers and exhausting treks as the annual great migration reaches its most dramatic phase. 

Rather than a short, seasonal spectacle, the Great Migration functions as a closed, year-round mobile ecosystem. Each June and July, vast columns of wildebeest reach the Grumeti River region. 

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After resting and grazing in the area, the herds continue their northward push toward the Mara River in July, keeping the migration in constant motion throughout the year. 

The GAA provides a dedicated holiday fund grant, currently €150,000, for senior men’s All-Ireland hurling and football finalists to put toward end-of-season team trips

GPA chief Tom Parsons believes that all county GAA players ought to receive financial support for an end-of-season team holiday.

The GAA currently provides a dedicated holiday fund grant of €150,000 for senior men’s All-Ireland hurling and football finalists to put towards end-of-season team trips. This figure has risen considerably in recent years, with €80,000 allocated in 2023.

It was reported in recent weeks that the Limerick hurlers’ team holiday during this year’s off-season will cost in excess of €600,000 in total, with a series of fundraising events planned across Dublin, London and New York to help meet the bill.

Back in 2018, the Treaty hurlers ended a 45-year wait for All-Ireland glory and jetted off to Cancun, Mexico for a fortnight over the winter. That trip is believed to have cost well over €500,000, with €350,000 raised through fundraising efforts.

GPA chief executive and former Mayo star Tom Parsons was speaking to Radio Kerry on Ian O’Connell’s Stand Out programme about the issue of GAA stars being tempted by professional opportunities in Aussie Rules. He believes both the GAA and the Government must do more to properly reward the sport’s elite players.

“I think every team should be given a few bob at the end of the year to go on a team holiday,” said Parsons.

“These are small things that I’ve been having conversations with the powers that be in Government in terms of funding to inter-county and the GAA. It’s important we look after them to the best of our ability.”

The departure of Mayo All-Ireland winning star Kobe McDonald to Aussie Rules side St Kilda, following their Sam Maguire triumph, combined with a recent AFL combine showcasing some of the country’s finest young talent, has once again thrust the issue into the spotlight.

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“That’s where the GAA and the Government need to say, ‘Right, we have athletes here who could potentially go off and be professional athletes and they’ve opted not to do that. They’re opting to give their whole selves to Gaelic games. How can we better support them?” he told Radio Kerry.

“Whether that’s a scholarship or help them with their education, whether that’s making sure they’re not out of pocket with all the travelling, food and nutrition. There’s a role on the Government and there’s a role on the GAA to say, ‘These athletes aren’t paid but we need to look after them.’”.

“It just looks like everybody is enjoying their football and ‘isn’t it a great privilege to represent your county?’ Of course it is, but the reality is we have 30% of those lads will be students who haven’t a penny to their name, can’t afford to buy the chicken fillets.

“Jack O’Connor will be telling them, ‘No way will you be working up in the bar in Killarney until 1am in the morning.’ There are a lot of challenges that players face and I’m passionate about pushing the GAA every year to do more and represent the women more.”

All-Ireland winners in football and camogie are not currently funded for team holidays, though this is set to become a pressing issue as full integration under the GAA is scheduled to take place next year.

The existing allowance of €150,000 per team for All-Ireland finalists across all codes would push the total bill well beyond €1,000,000 in such a scenario. Should an allowance of some description be extended to every county team in the country, as Parsons has called for, the cost would run into many millions, even if the individual amounts were modest.

Galway manager Cathal Murray recently urged the Camogie Association to establish a dedicated fund to help cover the cost of a team holiday. His Tribe side lost the All-Ireland final to Cork this year, but he remarked afterwards: “Cork and Galway have been unbelievable the last three years and they’ve brought camogie to a different level.

“Them girls, when we won the All-Ireland last year, we were out fundraising. The same when we won the All-Ireland in ’19. Going around to club matches with buckets asking people for fivers, asking people for tenners, asking people for change.

“I think it was 1993 when Eddie O’Connor spoke in the Hogan Stand here. That’s nearly 35 years ago now and talked about the GAA providing money for a holiday. I know the GAA are looked after – €150,000 – but I think these girls deserve, they don’t need to go out collecting money in the next few weeks to go on holiday.

“I think the camogie deserves some money to be put into a holiday fund for them players and not to have them out raising money over the next few weeks because Cork were the same in ’24. We were the same last year. The two teams have done so much for camogie and so much promotion for the sport that there should be some financial thing there for them and money put in.

“You’re not looking for an awful lot of money €20,000-25,000 would do so much for us. We wouldn’t have got out last year to New York only for Galway GAA and I couldn’t thank them enough for providing us with €100 tickets but we still have to go and sell those tickets and I think the day has come now where if we want to close the gap that’s something that we can look at going forward and that’s it.”

Triumphant Cork manager Ger Manley expressed his full support for Murray’s remarks, saying: “Oh, totally. I suppose we’re lucky enough with the sponsors we get, but I’d agree that the girls deserve a break.

“These girls, they put so much more in than the lads, do you know what I mean? It’s easy for the lads. They [the girls] pay for a lot of stuff themselves. The county board are very good, all right, but we do have to do that type of stuff.”

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With two-thirds of Britons now taking vitamin supplements in a bid to boost their health, it is little surprise that more options than ever are springing up on shelves.

Where once there was just a chalky tablet helped down with a glass of water, there are now gummies, gels and even sprays offering new ways to get your daily dose.

Yet one emerging trend is proving to be among the priciest of the lot: vitamin sachets.

These little packets have been popping up in health food shops, gyms and supermarkets, promising everything from more energy to stronger immunity and glowing skin.

Some contain powder, while others are filled with pre-mixed liquid or gel, designed to be squeezed straight into the mouth or added to a drink – often in tempting flavours such as berry, citrus and tropical fruit.

And a Daily Mail analysis has found that a single dose sachet of Vitamin C can cost up to 16 times as much as its tablet equivalent.

It comes amid a growing market for vitamins and supplements, an industry believed to be worth around £1billion in the UK alone – a figure expected to continue rising.

So, with wellness companies cashing in, are these glossy sachets really any better for you than a standard pill? 

Are vitamin supplements necessary? 

Before comparing sachets and pills, it is worth noting that most people do not need vitamin supplements at all, according to experts.

The NHS says a varied and balanced diet should provide most people with all the nutrients they need, although supplements are recommended for certain groups and those with deficiencies.

Yet a Bupa survey this week found nearly half of UK adults are spending £120 a year on supplements advertised by social media influencers.

Professor Ramani Moonesinghe, deputy national medical director at NHS England, warned: ‘Unqualified wellness influencers should not be setting the agenda for people’s health.

‘There is a lot of misinformation online, with supplements being promoted as essential to good health or as treatments for specific conditions without good evidence.

‘For most people a healthy, balanced diet provides the nutrients they need, although some groups are advised to take supplements such as folic acid during pregnancy and vitamin D in the winter months.

‘Some supplements may be harmful or interact with either over-the-counter or prescribed medicines, so before taking any, check NHS advice or speak to a healthcare professional, particularly if you have any health conditions.’

How do vitamin sachets work compared to pills? 

So, for those who do take supplements, does choosing a sachet over a traditional pill make any difference?

Potentially – but not necessarily enough to matter.

Tablets must first break down in the digestive system before their contents can be absorbed. Powder sachets are dissolved in water before being consumed, while liquid sachets already contain the vitamin in dissolved form.

This means their contents may become available for absorption sooner – but it does not necessarily mean the body will absorb more of the vitamin.

Vitamin C is a good example.

University of Reading pharmaceutical expert Professor Hisham Al-Obaidi says there is likely to be little difference between taking it as a pill or sachet because vitamin C already dissolves readily in water.

‘It is mainly when drugs have a problem dissolving that it may be helpful to take them as liquids,’ he says.

Indeed, nine of the 13 essential vitamins – vitamin C and the eight B vitamins – dissolve readily in water, meaning there may be little advantage to consuming them already dissolved in a liquid.

The remaining four – vitamins A, D, E and K – dissolve in fat, and are generally better absorbed when consumed alongside dietary fat.

Some liquid supplements therefore combine these vitamins with oils or other formulations designed to help the body absorb them.

But this does not mean that simply taking a fat-soluble vitamin in a liquid sachet makes it more effective than taking the same vitamin as a pill.

Are you getting more for your money? 

With sachets often carrying a hefty price premium, another question is what exactly shoppers are getting for the extra money.

This warrants particular scrutiny after the Daily Mail found that one best-selling liquid vitamin C costs £24.99 for 14 sachets containing 1,000mg of the vitamin each.

That works out at £1.79 per dose.

By comparison, 120 own-brand 1,000mg vitamin C tablets cost £13.39 at the same shop – equivalent to just 11p per pill.

That means consumers are paying around 16 times as much for the same dose.

The more expensive product does, however, claim its vitamin C is absorbed ‘four times better’ than ‘regular vitamin C’ because it uses ‘liposomal delivery’.

This involves packaging the vitamin inside tiny fat-based structures designed to help it pass through the digestive system.

The claim is based on a trial of 24 adults, which found almost four times as much vitamin C in the blood after 48 hours.

However, the product was compared with another liquid vitamin C – not a pill.

The study was also sponsored by the brand.

Dr Al-Obaidi says: ‘There is unlikely to be a meaningful difference in the overall absorption between a standard liquid sachet and a pill.

‘For this reason, there is generally little reason to pay significantly more for liquid vitamin C purely on the basis of better absorption.’

David Beckham is the co-founder of IM8, a health supplement brand that sells sachets 

Do sachets contain anything pills don’t? 

While vitamin pills and sachets provide the same form and dose of vitamins, liquid sachets often contain far more ingredients.

The tablet contains the vitamin alongside a handful of ingredients mainly used to make, shape and coat the pill.

The sachet, meanwhile, contains additives such as water, oils, flavourings, colouring and sugar, which Dr Al-Obaidi warns that consumers should be aware of.

In the aforementioned vitamin C liquid sachet, for example, an important addition is phosphatidylcholine, a type of fat used to create the product’s ‘liposomal’ formula.

For shoppers, the fruity flavours, bright packaging and ease of consumption may make sachets more appealing.

But the additional ingredients may offer little benefit, and in the case of sugar, may make them worse than the pills.

Do the ‘energy’, ‘immunity’ and ‘glowing skin’ claims stack up?  

Alongside providing vitamins essential for keeping our bodies healthy, many sachets promise more energy, a stronger immune system and even healthier, glowing skin.

There is some science behind these claims – but the benefits largely come from the vitamins themselves, rather than the sachet specifically.

For example, Harvard Health has highlighted vitamin B12, folate and vitamin D among the nutrients the body needs to help turn food into energy and maintain energy levels.

Vitamin C has also been linked to reducing fatigue.

And when it comes to the immune system, the British Heart Foundation says vitamins A, B6, B12, C and D all play a role.

However, experts caution: ‘This doesn’t mean that you need to be taking supplements – and some vitamin supplements can be harmful if taken in large doses.’

There is also evidence that several vitamins are important for healthy skin.

A 2024 review by researchers in Poland found that vitamin C helps the body produce collagen and protect the skin from damage, while vitamin A is involved in maintaining skin tissue and cell repair.

Vitamins D and E also play roles in maintaining and protecting healthy skin.

But there is no evidence presented here that getting these nutrients from a sachet provides greater benefits for energy, immunity or skin than getting the same vitamins from a conventional supplement.

What other benefits do sachets have, and who should actually buy them?

Although the cost of a sachet may be difficult to justify for the average person, there are some who may find liquid or powdered vitamins easier to take.

These include people who struggle to swallow tablets, such as some children and older adults, and those with dysphagia – the medical term for difficulty swallowing, which can be caused by conditions including stroke.

People with a dry mouth, sensitive gag reflex or anxiety about choking may also prefer a vitamin they can drink.

Others may simply dislike the taste or texture of pills.

But for people who have no such problems, Dr Al-Obaidi says the decision ultimately comes down to convenience and price.

‘Pills are generally cheaper and easier to carry around,’ he says.

‘For most people, if the vitamin and dose are the same, the choice will largely depend on their personal preference and cost.’

Keir Starmer is quitting as an MP after being ousted from No10 by Andy Burnham, it was revealed today.

The former PM previously insisted he would stay on as the member for Holborn and St Pancras.

However, in one final U-turn he has now opted to resign his seat, triggering a potentially tricky by-election for Labour against the Greens.

The move immediately prompted speculation that Sir Keir could pitch for the Nato general secretary job. 

It could also open the door for a comeback by a Labour big beast in a relatively safe seat – with David Miliband long the subject of rumours.

Allies paid tribute to the former premier’s political career. But Mr Burnham sniped at his predecessor by telling Cabinet this morning that the public had noticed a ‘change of pace’ since he took over. 

Sir Keir had a majority of over 11,000 in Holborn & St Pancras at the general election, but the Greens have been performing strongly in the polls since then

Sir Keir told his local paper, the Camden New Journal, that he was ready to ‘pass the baton to a successor’ and wanted to focus on ‘international affairs’.

‘It has been a huge honour and privilege to represent the best constituency in the country and to have taken over from Frank Dobson, who was such a great constituency MP and a member of the last Labour government,’ he said. 

‘I will now focus on other things and that will be international affairs including defence, security, trade and technology in a fast-changing world.

‘I will also continue, as I have done for a long time now with others, work on combating violence against women and girls; that is an issue that matters to me hugely. 

‘It’s work I started before I became an MP and it’s work I’m keen to continue after I’m an MP. So international affairs on the one hand, and continuing my work on violence against women and girls on the other.’

In June Sir Keir’s spokesman was adamant that he was ‘going to remain’ as an MP at least for the rest of the Parliament. 

Sir Keir has represented the north London constituency for 11 years, having been director of public prosecutions before entering politics. 

Sir Keir was effectively kicked out of power by Andy Burnham (pictured) in July 

Conservative Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake said: ‘Whilst we have disagreed with almost all of Sir Keir Starmer’s decisions, I wish him and his family well for the future.

‘It is fitting that his final act as a Member of Parliament is yet another U-turn having pledged to stay on.

‘The decision to stand down will mean a costly by-election for taxpayers at a time when Andy Burnham and John Healey are plotting tax rises on hardworking families across the country.

‘The Conservatives look forward to giving the people of Holborn and St Pancras a chance to vote for a stronger economy and a stronger country in the weeks ahead.’

Meanwhile, Mr Burnham is finally facing a grilling from MPs this afternoon – six weeks after becoming PM.

The premier is making a statement to Parliament as it returns from the summer break.

But he could be in for a torrid time, with anger mounting over the prisoner early release scheme and the prospect of tax hikes to fund more spending.

Ministers have warned of ‘difficult’ decisions looming in the Budget, as Government borrowing costs spiked again.

Interest rates on 30-year gilts – one of the main ways the Treasury finances debt – hit 5.89 per cent this morning, the highest level since 1998.  

Global markets have been spooked by inflation pressures from the Middle East crisis and fears about an AI crash.

Mr Burnham took over from Keir Starmer just as Parliament went into its break, meaning he has benefited from a ‘soft launch’ with the public’s focus largely on the sunshine instead of politics.

The new leader has gifted Labour a bounce in the polls. However that looks to be fading and the former Greater Manchester mayor has already been forced into a bewildering variety of policy shifts.

According to a Downing Street readout, Mr Burnham kicked off Cabinet by thanking his colleagues for establishing ‘a strong sense of momentum’ in his first few weeks.

‘He said the country have noticed a change of pace with the Government setting the agenda and starting the process of giving local areas the levers they need to create good growth,’ the spokesman said.

‘He said that during his summer tour, it was clear that life was hard for many people, that they wanted to have hope and hear a positive outlook for the country.’

In a statement issued on X, Sir Keir Starmer said it was the right time to “hand the baton over to a successor”.

He said: “Over the summer, I have had time to reflect and consider my future. I have decided that now is the right time to step down as MP for Holborn and St Pancras and hand the baton over to a successor.

“It’s been an honour and privilege to represent the best constituency in the country since taking over from the great Frank Dobson 11 years ago. But it is now time to step aside and focus on other issues: international affairs including defence, security, trade and technology in a fast changing world. I will also continue working with others as I have done over many decades to tackle violence against women and girls.

“As I do that, I will always remain immensely proud to have represented the place Vic, the kids and I call home.

“I look back with pride on what my constituency team and I have delivered in Holborn and St Pancras since 2015 and I thank all those who I was privileged to work with on so many issues of local concern: affordable housing projects, delivering first class education and tackling youth violence through our Camden Youth Safety Taskforce.

“I want to thank my CLP team who have always stood firmly by me, and given me the support I needed as I stood for leader of the Labour Party and then as I took my party from political, moral and financial ruin to an historic landslide election win in 2024 and two years as prime minister when we stabilised the economy, rebuilt our public services, invested record amounts in our defence and security, began lifting hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty and transformed Britain’s reputation with international partners.

“I want to thank my constituency staff who, throughout all those 11 years, have worked tirelessly on casework and helped me do my utmost to serve the people of Holborn and St Pancras. I could not have done this job without them.

“There will now be a process to appoint my successor ahead of a by-election. Whoever is lucky enough to become the Labour candidate here will have my full support and backing and I will continue to give my full support to the Prime Minister and this Labour government.

“Keir Starmer.”

A fraudster who pretended to be from Royal Mail in a sophisticated mobile phone scam has been jailed in one of the first cases of its kind.

Mohammed Faiyaz Iqbal, 43, bombarded nearby phone users with messages claiming to be from several companies.

He aimed to trick recipients into providing payment and personal details, with his victims believing they were communicating with legitimate organisations.

A typical message read: ‘Sorry we missed you as no one was home to sign your parcel.’

It then told recipients to ‘rearrange a redelivery to your home address please visit’ the fraudulent website, and said payment may be required.

Iqbal used a so-called ‘SMS blaster’ – specialist technology used to bypass phone networks’ anti-spam protections and send out texts en masse without obtaining the victims’ numbers.

It meant Iqbal was able to target potentially hundreds of people, in close proximity, simultaneously.

He was stopped when detectives searched his van at the Trafford Centre in Manchester after becoming suspicious of the large number of fraudulent text messages being sent from the area on May 24 2024.

Officers searching his van at the Trafford Centre in Manchester found the technology hidden within wooden panels

KIt meant Iqbal, 43, was able to send hundreds of messages to nearby mobile phones by using the technology, circumventing mobile phone masts which may have stopped the scam in its tracks

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One of the text messages Iqbal spammed mobile phones with

Iqbal used sophisticated technology to bombard mobile phones with messages which he used to scam people

He was jailed for three years and eight months after admitting one count of fraud by false representation, one count of possession of articles for use in fraud, one count of acquiring and possessing criminal property, one count of possession of false identity documents, and one count of unauthorised use of wireless telegraphy apparatus.

City of London Police, who were involved in the investigation, said this was the first known case of discovering an SMS blaster in the UK as part of a criminal investigation.

Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Little, from the Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit, said: ‘This case demonstrates the evolving nature of fraud and the lengths offenders will go to in order to target victims at scale.

‘The seizure of this equipment is a significant step in disrupting emerging threats that seek to bypass established telecommunications safeguards.

‘We will continue to work closely with partners across banking and telecommunications to identify, pursue and bring to justice those responsible for committing fraud.’

Iqbal, of Preston in Lancashire, was sitting in his van at the Trafford Centre when he was stopped by police.

A search uncovered multiple mobile phones in the front of the vehicle.

In the rear of the van, officers located an SMS blaster system concealed within purpose-built wooden compartments.

The equipment included power sources, Wi-Fi components and aerials installed into the roof of the vehicle, City of London Police said.

The devices were turned on and actively being used in conjunction with applications on mobile phones.

The equipment acted as a rogue mobile antenna, bypassing telecommunications network security and broadcasting SMS messages directly to nearby devices.

Examination of Iqbal’s mobile phones revealed 7,859 compromised payment card details, detectives said.

Further searches at his home address uncovered additional compromised banking material and three counterfeit UK driving licences, which were being used to set up impersonation bank accounts to launder criminal proceeds.

The conviction was achieved thanks to the police working with mobile network operators, the National Cyber Security Centre and Ofcom.

A Sudanese migrant has died after trying to jump onto the roof of a moving Britain-bound lorry from the top of a Calais road toll booth.

The 22-year-old was on top of the structure at the Setques toll plaza in Pas-de-Calais when he attempted to leap onto the vehicle at around 2.40am on Sunday.

But he failed to reach the vehicle and plunged onto the road behind it, according to the Saint-Omer prosecutor’s office. 

The young man was seriously injured and rushed to the University Hospital of Lille in a critical condition, but died on Sunday afternoon. 

CCTV footage reviewed by authorities reportedly showed the migrant attempting to reach the roof of the moving truck before falling onto the road.

Another person at the scene had successfully managed to get onto the same vehicle moments earlier.

An investigation into the cause of the 22-year-old’s death was opened following the incident.

Prosecutors said the CCTV evidence suggested an accident was the most likely cause and the case was subsequently closed without further action.

The victim’s body was returned to his family.

Migrants leave after attempting to climb into the back of lorries bound for Britain while traffic is stopped upon waiting to board shuttles at the entrance to the Channel Tunnel site on November 19, 2020, in Calais, northern France

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Migrants continue to attempt to reach Britain by hiding in lorries despite security measures around the port of Calais and the Channel Tunnel.

In recent years, many have instead attempted the perilous journey across the Channel in small boats.

Since the beginning of January, at least 16 people have died at sea off the French coast and three others have died on land while attempting to reach the UK.

But Channel crossings over the summer have fallen to their lowest level since 2020, with 6,949 migrants making the journey between June and August. 

The number of boats arriving in Britain also fell to its lowest level since 2019.

While critics have put the decrease down to bad weather, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood attributed the drop to increased international co-operation blocking people smugglers’ supply chain for boats, lifebelts and outboard motors.

She also credited a £662million deal with France to place more officers on beaches and take on new interception tactics.

A total of 16,391 migrants have crossed from France to the UK so far this year, down 43 per cent on the same time last year, and an 18 per cent decrease on the same period in 2024.

Ms Mahmood said: ‘This Government is committed to restoring order at our border. This work is beginning to bear fruit, with June, July and August recording the lowest number of small-boat crossings in seven years. But we know there is more to do.

‘We will be relentless in targeting the criminal gangs behind these crossings, and we will continue to remove the incentives that draw people here on unsafe and illegal routes.’

Small-boat crossings will be one of the main issues discussed when Andy Burnham hosts French President Emmanuel Macron in No 10 for the first time, according to officials.

The Prime Minister will be eager to continue the one-in, one-out scheme with France, designed to act as a deterrent to crossings.

August crossings – up to August 30 – were down 46 per cent on last year, falling to their lowest level since records began in 2018.

July saw the fewest number of crossings since 2019, down 64 per cent on 2025.

And June recorded its lowest level of crossings since 2019, down 50 per cent on last year.

However, Labour’s attempts to tackle the Channel crisis were still branded a ‘complete laughing stock’ earlier this month after a record 230 migrants arrived on one dinghy.

The huge number – more than the capacity of a Boeing 737 jet – crossed from France on August 10, prompting the Conservatives to taunt Ms Mahmood for ‘presiding over a complete and utter farce’.

Measuring 49ft from bow to stern, it was 7ft larger than vessels which set previous records in July, and more than 10ft longer than a standard double-decker bus.

Higher-intensity exercise may help you get more “bang for your buck.”

So, is just a few minutes of vigorous exercise each day enough?

Overall, exercise is “probably as effective as several medicines.”

Mark Harris, chief executive at mortgage broker SPF Private Clients, said: “On the ground, some lenders have been easing mortgage rates in recent days and weeks but swap rates, which underpin the pricing of mortgages, remain extremely volatile in response to tensions in the Middle East.”