Wingate Nursery School has become the first nursery school in the country to be rated ‘exceptional’ by Ofsted across every area inspected under the watchdog’s new framework.

The inspection, which took place on June 9, saw the school described as a place where ambition for children is “without limit” and where youngsters are encouraged to “think big”.

The nursery also ensures children get a breadth of experiences, learning essential skills and foundational skills so they are “exceptionally well prepared” for the future. 

Children at Wingate Nursery School (Image: WINGATE NURSERY SCHOOL)

Headteacher Becky Wood said she was “incredibly proud” and “deeply moved”, saying: “It is an acknowledgement of the extraordinary work of our children, our families and our staff.”

Inspectors awarded the top grade, the highest of five possible ratings, in all six categories assessed: achievement; attendance and behaviour; curriculum and teaching; inclusion; leadership and governance; and personal development and wellbeing. 

Safeguarding standards were also confirmed as met.

The report derailed how leaders focus on forming “positive, supportive relationships” with the families and welcome them into the Wingate community. 

Children at Wingate Nursery School (Image: WINGATE NURSERY SCHOOL)

Inspectors noted how children make “exceptional progress” where the opportunities for investigation and learning are “endless”

The report describes how children thrive and have “consistently superb” behaviour, treating others and their environment with respect. 

The nursery’s three sites – the main building, an allotment, and a woodland cottage – give children a “breadth of experiences” rarely seen in early years settings.

Staff, who are “excellent” role models, are “highly skilled” in supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities, ensuring “no ceiling” on what any child can achieve.

Children at Wingate Nursery School (Image: WINGATE NURSERY SCHOOL)

Leaders’ expertise is influencing practice within the nursery, locally and nationally.

Inspectors also recognised Wingate’s special relationship with the local community and its families with parents and carers describing it as a “special place in the community.”

Ms Wood said: “I am incredibly proud of this outcome, but more than anything, I feel deeply moved that the inspectors have recognised what we have always believed makes Wingate so special. 

“This is not simply an inspection outcome; it is an acknowledgement of the extraordinary work of our children, our families and our staff, and of the courage we have to do things differently. 

Children at Wingate Nursery School (Image: WINGATE NURSERY SCHOOL)

“This result belongs to every member of our Wingate family. I feel incredibly privileged to lead a school where creativity, curiosity, compassion and a respect for children and their childhood are at the heart of everything we do – every single day.”

Chair of Governors Barbara Beels OBE, known to Wingate as ‘Paddy’, added: “This recognition of Exceptional, at the highest possible level, expresses the passion, vision, love and dedication that has been at the heart of Wingate Nursery School for many years. 

“Under Becky’s inspirational leadership, the whole brilliant team remains true to the school’s values, working tirelessly to truly protect childhood. 

“Children are ensured uninterrupted time for play within an enabling environment that provokes and empowers them to take responsibility for their own learning, supported sensitively by dedicated educators. 

“We are so proud that these unique values and the joyful success they bring to the children, families and the whole community have been acknowledged nationally.’

Avid runners are often chasing speed. Whether that’s improving their 5K or shaving seconds off their marathon time to nail a personal best. The idea that exercise should involve pushing further, harder or faster has long been embedded in fitness culture.

But against this backdrop, some people have adopted the almost counter-cultural belief that the key to fitness is to take things slow.

The growing popularity of the “slow jogging” trend online counters a lot of what we’ve been taught about fitness. Rather than striving for speed, the slow jogging trend encourages people to take short steps and move at a pace slow enough to comfortably hold a conversation.

To some people, this might look too easy to count as exercise. But exercise does not have to be intense to improve health.

The slow jogging trend was originally developed by a Japanese researcher named Hiroaki Tanaka. According to the researcher, jogging at “niko-niko pace” (which translates to “smiling pace”) could be a more enjoyable way to improve cardiovascular fitness. The trend eventually caught on in South Korea before going viral online, where it is now being adopted by people all around the world.

While there’s little research specifically on slow jogging, there is extensive evidence showing that low-intensity and moderate-intensity aerobic activities can improve health, fitness and wellbeing.

The fact that an activity looks easy doesn’t necessarily mean it’s ineffective. This is because exercise intensity is relative. A pace that feels effortless for an experienced runner may feel moderately challenging for someone who has been largely inactive. For that person, slow jogging can still provide a meaningful stimulus to the cardiovascular system and help improve aerobic fitness over time.

It’s for this reason that slow jogging may particularly be beneficial for people who don’t exercise very often or who have perhaps never tried jogging before.

The World Health Organization recommends that adults get between 150 and 300 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week. More recent guidelines also emphasise a simpler message: some activity is better than none, more is generally better than less, and sedentary time should be reduced.

This message reflects growing evidence that inactivity itself is a health risk. Long periods of sitting have been associated with increased risks of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and premature death. Researchers now recognise that health is influenced not only by how much exercise we do, but also by how much we move throughout the day.

This is where slow jogging may be particularly useful.

One of the most consistent findings in exercise science is that some of the largest health gains occur when people move from doing almost nothing to doing something. For someone who is largely sedentary, gradually introducing regular bouts of activity can improve cardiorespiratory fitness, help regulate blood sugar, lower blood pressure and reduce future risk of heart disease and stroke.

Slow jogging offers a relatively accessible way to achieve this. Compared with joining a gym, participating in organised sport or signing up for a running event, the barrier to entry is low. The pace is manageable and can easily be adapted to people of different ages, fitness levels and abilities.

But the benefits of slow jogging may extend beyond simply helping inactive people exercise more.

Many of the videos shared online show people slow jogging in groups. This social aspect may be important. One of the strongest predictors of long-term participation in physical activity is whether people enjoy the activity enough to keep doing it. Exercise performed with friends, family members or community groups can promote social connection, enjoyment and a sense of belonging, all of which can support long-term adherence.

The mental health benefits may be important too. Regular physical activity is associated with reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression, improved mood and greater overall wellbeing. Activities that combine movement with social interaction may offer benefits that extend beyond physical fitness alone.

Fitness boost

Slow jogging may even have a role for people who already exercise regularly.

Although it’s unlikely to replace more challenging workouts for those pursuing specific fitness goals, endurance athletes who want to improve their aerobic fitness and even their race times may benefit from slowing down.

This is because slow jogging may overlap with what runners often call “zone 2 pace” – a running pace which raises your heart rate but is still slow enough to hold a conversation.

This lower intensity running can help runners more effectively build their aerobic base (their foundational fitness level and how effectively the body can use oxygen during long runs), and can also help the body learn to burn more fat for energy during exercise.

For active people, slow jogging could therefore serve as an easier option on days when high-intensity training is neither necessary nor desirable.

Seen in this light, the appeal of slow jogging becomes easier to understand. Its value may not lie in being a revolutionary new form of exercise. Rather, it reflects a growing recognition that health does not need to be extreme to be beneficial. Sometimes the biggest challenge is simply finding a form of movement that people enjoy enough to do consistently.

Benn admitted earlier this week that the cut felt like he had been “dragged down to the pits of hell, had a fight with Satan and God brought me back to life” as he described it as the “hardest thing” he had done, having fought arch-rival Chris Eubank Jr twice at middleweight last year before then battling Regis Prograis at a 150lb catchweight in April.

Inheritance tax is likely to be abolished if Kemi Badenoch becomes Prime Minister, party sources have told the Mail on Sunday.

The move – which the sources said will happen if ‘the sums can be made to add up’ – would strike a powerful contrast with the array of new taxes being imposed by Labour.

Last week Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced plans to impose a £1.6billion ‘tourist tax’, which would hit Britons holidaying in the UK with a 5 per cent surcharge – the latest in a raft of rises to tax and National Insurance since Labour’s 2024 general election victory.

Inheritance tax is charged at 40 per cent on estates over the standard tax-free threshold of £325,000, although the exempted amount can rise to £1million when the main home is passed on and married couples transfer their allowances between themselves.

Scrapping IHT would cost an estimated £9billion, with the funds most likely to be found from cutting the spiralling welfare bill.

The move could be announced at the Tory party conference in Birmingham next month, although sources close to Ms Badenoch said they had ‘not decided our policy platform yet’.

It would have echoes of George Osborne’s announcement at the Tories’ 2007 party conference that a future Conservative government would raise the IHT threshold from £300,000 to £1million.

Burnham (pictured on September 10, 2026) announced plans to impose a £1.6billion ‘tourist tax’ that means Britons holidaying in the UK would be left with a 5 per cent surcharge

The surge in support that followed heavily influenced Gordon Brown’s decision to ‘bottle’ a snap election that autumn.

Given the Tory Party is currently unprepared for an election, many of Ms Badenoch’s aides hope that such a policy would deter Mr Burnham from calling an early election himself. 

Last year, Mrs Badenoch successfully kept her plans to axe stamp duty secret ahead of her conference announcement – a move credited with shoring up her leadership.

Senior sources in Mrs Badenoch’s office have told the MoS they want conference to create a ‘sense of momentum’ following on from a successful Tory shadow ministerial re-shuffle.

Mrs Badenoch has already said abolishing the ‘death tax’ is ‘high on my list’ and last week she said she commissioned internal research to see whether it is affordable – because ‘we are the party of fiscal responsibility’.

A source said: ‘Abolition is high on Kemi’s policy wish-list, but will only happen if we can make the sums add up’.

Her new Shadow Chancellor, Andrew Griffith, has also made no secret that he hates the levy.

Last year he told the TaxPayers’ Alliance: ‘I was asked at my selection, what’s the single tax, if you ever had a chance to scrap? And it’s inheritance tax.’

And in August, four days before his promotion, he said Britain can ‘learn from’ Sweden after they scrapped inheritance tax.

A poll for the Adam Smith Institute showed significant support for cutting IHT. It showed 45 per cent of Britons oppose inheritance tax and only 25 per cent support it in its current form.

John O’Connell, chief executive at the TaxPayers’ Alliance said: ‘Inheritance tax is one of the most unfair and hated taxes on the books, punishing families for saving, investing and building something to pass on. Scrapping it would send a powerful signal that Britain wants to reward aspiration rather than tax people again after death.’

And James Lawson, chairman of the Adam Smith Institute, called for ‘abolition’. He said: ‘We welcome this bold and growth-boosting announcement. The Adam Smith Institute has made the case against the death tax for the best part of 50 years.

‘Inheritance tax does a great deal of damage for very little money. It raises less than 1 per cent of the total tax take. It forces panic sales of family businesses, farms and homes.It falls hardest on family firms, whose owners cannot simply sell shares to pay the bill. And it taxes income that has already been taxed. The British public have never accepted it. Abolition is long overdue.’

A Conservative spokesman said: ‘We have not decided our policy platform for conference and anyone claiming they know what we’re announcing clearly has nothing to do with the planning.

‘Kemi has made no secret of her desire to cut taxes, singling out inheritance tax as one of those taxes she wants to cut in a speech last week.

‘But, unlike Reform, the Conservatives do not announce policies unless they are fully costed, backed up by specific savings, and in line with our Golden Economic Rule.’

By LAURA PARNABY, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER

Published: 21:47 BST, 12 September 2026 | Updated: 05:49 BST, 13 September 2026

Donald Trump has said his son Don Jr has become ‘a different human being’ since he got married earlier this year, joking that the 48-year-old has finally ‘calmed down.’

Don Jr tied the knot with 39-year-old socialite and model Bettina Anderson at a Palm Beach ceremony late May before heading to the Bahamas for a luxury reception.

The president did not attend his eldest son’s wedding, citing national security responsibilities as the war with Iran escalated. 

Speaking at the US ambassador’s Deerfield Residence in Phoenix Park, Dublin, during his trip to Ireland on Saturday, Trump, 80, said Don Jr was also in the country. 

Advertisement

‘Don’s here with a whole group of family. And he just got married, he’s happily married, which is nice,’ the president told staff and diplomats. 

‘He’s calmed down so much. That’s a good sign. He’s like a different human being,’ Trump added to laughter from the assembled guests.

Trump also addressed the absence of First Lady Melania Trump.  

‘My wife is here – my wife is here in spirit,’ Trump said, before admitting that he had tried to persuade her to join the trip but she did not want to make the seven-hour journey.

Advertisement

Donald Trump has said his son Don Jr has become ‘a different human being’ since he got married earlier this year. He made the comment during his trip to Ireland, shown above

Don Jr tied the knot with 39-year-old socialite and model Bettina Anderson at a Palm Beach ceremony late May before heading to the Bahamas for a luxury party

Trump then joked that Melania should have simply donned a ‘Make America Great Again’ hat and come along.                          

Advertisement

He previously said he missed Don Jr’s wedding because he had been distracted by the war in Iran. 

‘This is not good timing for me,’ he said at the time. ‘I have a thing called Iran and other things. 

‘That’s one I can’t win on,’ he added. ‘If I do attend, I get killed. If I don’t attend, I get killed by the fake news. Hopefully they’re going to have a great marriage.’ 

Don Jr and his new bride instead celebrated their wedding with his siblings, Eric, 42, and Ivanka, 44, who also came with them to the Bahamas afterwards. 

Advertisement

The couple’s marriage certificate, obtained by the Daily Mail, shows that they officially became husband and wife in a secret ceremony held at the West Palm Beach home of Anderson’s sister, Kristina McPherson.

Anderson said she would be taking the Trump surname.  

Join the discussion

How do you think family dynamics change when public figures miss major life events like weddings?

Advertisement

Don Jr and his new bride instead celebrated their wedding with his siblings, Eric, 42, and Ivanka, 44, who also came with them to the Bahamas afterwards

Don Jr was also among the speakers at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas, Texas, on Wednesday and Thursday. 

He is typically ranked third in 2028 polls for the Republican presidential nomination.

President Trump arrived at Dublin Airport on Saturday morning, before holding official meetings at Phoenix Park with Irish President Catherine Connolly at Áras an Uachtaráin. 

Advertisement

He also met Taoiseach Micheál Martin at Farmleigh House, before making his address at the US Ambassador’s Deerfield Residence. 

Trump will spend the remainder of the trip at his resort, Trump International Golf Links & Hotel in Doonbeg, and attending the closing weekend of the Amgen Irish Open golf tournament. 

He returns to the US on Sunday evening. 

The President of the United States is expected to touch down in Ireland this weekend for a prestigious golf tournament

President Donald Trump is expected to be in attendance as Rory McIlroy aims to defend his Irish Open title in Doonbeg.

McIlroy sank a 25-foot eagle putt in 2025 in a nail-biting playoff win against Swedish star Joakim Lagergren. The victory came nine years after the 37-year-old won his first Irish Open title, and if he retains the title, President Trump may also present the Masters champion with the trophy.

It is no secret that the President is a big fan of golf, owning 16 courses worldwide. He has two in Scotland – Turnberry and Trump International – as well as the venue the Irish Open is being held at, Doonbeg, in County Clare.

With this in mind, Mirror Sport has delved into Trump’s love for golf, including his own handicap, some cheating scandals and the great controversy surrounding the ongoing tournament.

OPINION

What is President Trump’s handicap?

President Trump spends a lot of time on the golf course, so it’s no surprise that he has a low handicap. Golf Handicap Information Network reports that the 80-year-old has worked to a 2.8, meaning that he could play a round at just under three strokes over par when averaged against his best scores.

His best score on the course is a 70, so he is capable of putting in a fierce effort. However, it’s not just his numbers that showcase Trump’s skill – professional golfers have praised the President for his handling of the fairways.

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

Advertisement

Bryson DeChambeau told USA Today: “He’s actually a really good golfer. He stripes it down the middle of the fairway and has a good iron game and putts it pretty well.”

Jack Nicklaus also dubbed Trump the “best player” among the presidents he has played against in his time.

Cheating scandals

Despite being praised for his golfing, President Trump has also been accused of cheating on numerous occasions. During his first term in charge in 2019, author Rick Reilly published a book called ‘Commander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump.’

In this, Reilly accuses the President of cheating as he said: “To say ‘Donald Trump cheats’ is like saying ‘Michael Phelps swims. He cheats at the highest level. He cheats when people are watching, and he cheats when they aren’t. He cheats whether you like it or not. He cheats because that’s how he plays golf… if you’re playing golf with him, he’s going to cheat.”

Trump, though, after claiming he scored 70 on a round, announced: “It’s called TALENT, and I have it, and they don’t,” to which several social media users questioned. One replied: “I’ve seen his swing; he didn’t shoot 70 unless he cheated and played from the short tees. No way.”

Another wrote: “Watched him live for years, listened to his caddies’ stories. Everyone around him allows him to cheat out of fear. Nothing he does is genuine. All his ‘feats’ are fake, and he actually feels special.” A third noted: “It’s funny that he cheats to win and knows this. But he doesn’t care. He just wants to win by whatever means.”

Irish Open controversy

Advertisement

Golfing fans will descend upon Doonbeg to take in the Irish Open this weekend – but it’s not a venue many are pleased with. When the tournament location was announced, Trump’s son Eric said: “We are incredibly proud that Trump Ireland has been chosen to host the 2026 Amgen Irish Open.

“This tournament is one of the most celebrated events in golf, and bringing it to Trump Ireland is a true testament to the standard of excellence that’s upheld at this property.”

Fans in Ireland protested against the decision to hold the tournament at one of President Trump’s courses, with one writing: “Whoever made this decision should hang their head in shame!” while another added: “Appalling decision. What a bunch of grovellers we are.”

A third noted: “Horrendous decision. We should be boycotting this place,” while another explained: “My word. Everyone involved in Irish golf has debased themselves with this decision. Does anybody in power have a moral compass anymore? Trump Doonbeg to host Irish Open in 2026.”

The Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) also dubbed the decision to hold the Irish Open at Doonbeg “shameful.” They questioned whether Irish golfers would take a stand by not participating in the event. Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Michael Martin addressed the frustrations and said that Trump is “welcome to Ireland” for the event.

He said: “There will be differences of opinion, that’s natural. We live in a democracy, and we facilitate protests, we facilitate people with different agreements. But the fundamentals are that we continue to support that US-Ireland relationship because it puts bread on the table of a lot of Irish people.”

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! All the best sports news and much more on our dedicated Facebook page

Emergency services have attended a “very serious collision” on the A14

A busy stretch of the A14 has been partially closed in Cambridgeshire after a “very serious collision”. Emergency services were called to the A14 between J31 (Girton Interchange) and J33 (Milton) at approximately 1.40pm on Saturday (August 12).

National Highways said Cambridgeshire Police are leading the response to the incident, which has been described as a “very serious collision”. The agency said a police investigation is ongoing and is “likely to take several hours” so the closure on the eastbound carriageway “will be protracted”.

East of England Ambulance Service also attended the incident. Both emergency services have been contacted for further information.

A spokesperson for National Highways said: “National Highways Traffic Officers are attending to implement the closure and once this is completed they’ll work on releasing road users caught within the closure.

“There is currently no official emergency diversion route for this section of the A14. Traffic is being diverted off at the Girton Interchange to use either the M11 southbound or the A1302 towards Cambridge. Road users will need to follow local routes through Cambridge to reach and re-join the A14 eastbound. Heavy congestion is expected on this routes.

“If this closure impacts on your planned route, please allow extra journey time. Plan ahead, you may wish to re-route or even delay your journey.”

A construction worker in Tennessee says he came face-to-face with Jesus when he nearly died and is now sharing exactly what he looked like. 

Mike McKinsey was a superintendent in 2004 when he suffered a ruptured appendix that nearly killed him and required emergency surgery due to the severe infection.

As his life hung in the balance, McKinsey claimed that Jesus walked into the operating room in physical form and took his hand, transporting the dying man to a hill overlooking what he perceived as heaven.

Unlike other depictions across Christianity, McKinsey said he vividly remembered Jesus having darker skin, green or blue-green eyes and shoulder-length, wavy brown hair.

He also described Jesus with a short beard and wearing a white robe when he entered the hospital room. According to McKinsey, Christ held out his hand and said: ‘I want to answer your prayer.’

McKinsey told the BearFruitWithChrist podcast: ‘I would say it was just love, and the only way I’ve ever described it is when his eyes looked in mine, he looked into my soul. As soon as our eyes met, he knew me. He was the brother I never had, the perfect father. It was all love.’

However, McKinsey’s experience did not end with his brief near-death experience (NDE) during surgery. He claimed Jesus would appear again and spend three hours talking to him as he developed pneumonia while recovering in the hospital.

During this encounter, the construction worker-turned-author said he received a calling from heaven to spread the teachings of Jesus on Earth. 

A man who says he had a near-death experience in 2004 claimed he saw the face of Jesus (Stock Image) 

‘I feel this holy presence enter the room, and it was like the NDE started all over again. I just could tell he pulled up a chair and he sat down at the end of my bed and I just knew he was there but I couldn’t see him,’ McKinsey revealed. 

‘He says, “I had to get you flat on your back away from all the distractions so you could hear me… I’m calling you out to do more for my kingdom… Millions are going to hear about our story.”‘

In multiple interviews, McKinsey has stated that he believed the presence of Jesus sat by his bedside as nurses came to check on him during his bout with pneumonia – a spirit only he was able to feel.

He compared the experience to a friend sitting with a sick friend, talking and consoling him, but also giving McKinsey a mission to spread the message of Christianity.

McKinsey claimed that he pushed back when the spirit of Jesus told him to become a Christian messenger, saying that ‘I’m not Billy Graham. I can’t do that.’ 

‘He did chuckle when I said I’m not Billy Graham. I’ve never heard him laugh, but that was probably the closest that I’ve come to that. But yeah, he’s a friend,’ he explained on the Peaceful Presence Podcast on July 23.

McKinsey added that his experience should not be considered uncommon, believing that the crucifixion of Jesus – the biblical act where he died for the sins of humanity – gave people the ‘authority’ to speak directly with God.

‘We have direct access to the throne. I think of him as a friend now,’ said McKinsey, who is now a published author who shares his insights from the near-death experience and conversation with Jesus.

Unlike other depictions across Christianity, McKinsey said he vividly remembered Jesus having darker skin, green or blue-green eyes and shoulder-length, wavy brown hair. Pictured: Jesus as he is depicted in the Sermon on the Mount in the Old Testament

The author also claimed Jesus had warned him that those who spread the word of God would also face growing ‘attacks from the enemy.’

McKinsey explained that he believed this warning meant the devil would stir up more trouble in a Christian believer’s life, creating more doubts, harsh criticism, fear and personal setbacks that try to shut them down.

After spending 12 days in the hospital recovering from the surgery and pneumonia, McKinsey said those ‘attacks’ from Satan began to impact his life, even before he began writing about his NDE.

‘I lost my parents within a couple of years after the NDE, and I lost both of them within six months of each other, and I just knew,’ he revealed.

‘I could feel God’s presence and Jesus holding me up, the Holy Spirit holding me up, and I just kept thinking, “wow, this is one of those attacks.”‘

However, McKinsey said his experience with Jesus pushed him to not view these tragedies as a personal attack against him specifically.

He came to see hard losses as part of a fallen world that hurts many people at once, not as Satan singling him out for spreading the message of Jesus, and he tried to keep his focus on God holding him through it. 

After 14 years living in his rural New York home, Jason Hurdle thought he knew every inch of his property.

So he was left stunned to discover a previously hidden crawlspace while cleaning his Waterloo garage back in July.

However, his wonder only increased after he plucked a set of files marked ‘secret’ from inside the dusty compartment.

The 300-page tranche contained appeared to contain first-hand accounts from World War II American Prisoners of War.

Hurdle, 74, took the documents to a local library which referred them to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) who came to collect them.

It was subsequently confirmed that not only were the accounts genuine, but they were once classified. 

‘I’m in podunk little Waterloo, New York, and this went all the way to the National Archives. We’re kind of in shock here,’ Hurdle told the Washington Post. 

Hurdle explained his home has been in his wife’s family for generations, but was stumped as to how the files ended up in the property.

Hurdle discovered the historic files in a crawlspace in the garage of his home. The home has been in his wife’s family for generations 

He added that a former neighbor had memorabilia from an ancestor, but was still unsure if this explains the find.

The documents describe in horrifying detail the events prisoners of war endured. 

The POWs were told to write down their experiences to gather intelligence when they arrived at Camp Lucky Strike in Normandy. 

Many documents from this camp were then used as evidence of war crimes in military tribunals. 

Historians had no knowledge of the lost accounts. The National Archives told the Post that they did not have the files on a list of missing documents. 

‘The discovery of these government records is important and meaningful to ensure preservation and public access to our country’s history,’ NARA spokeswoman Grace McCaffrey told the publication.  

One account was from a man named Julian Candelaria, who was held captive in a work camp for months, recalling that he witnessed ’60 men in boxcars,’ with ‘no food no water, no sanitary facilities, crowded, exposed to bombing. Walked 3 days + nights with little food, no medical.’

The Washington Post found Candelaria’s obituary, which read: ‘After returning home he refused to discuss the events that occurred during his imprisonment at [the] hands of his captors, the Germans.’ 

Another POW named Henry Daly wrote that the conditions were ‘a very sad example of what the US soldier was like.’

Hurdle told the Washington Post that he was ‘in shock’ that he discovered the precious documents 

POWs were told to write down their experiences to gather intelligence when they arrived at Camp Lucky Strike in Normandy

‘We ran for cover, but two of my companions [whose] names I do not [recall] were killed by the bombs,’ he added. 

His great-grandson, Michael Yanes, told the Post that Daly did not talk about his time in the war with his family, but he often slept in a park because he struggled to stay in his house. 

‘Seeing these words written is quite heavy. This is all new to us. The emotions. I can’t even describe,’ Yanes said. 

The documents have been placed with similar accounts in the National Archives and will be digitized. 

NARA also confirmed over the summer that they discovered 145 US Navy records from an engineer who participated in several Apollo missions, including blueprints and sound recordings. 

A pardon signed by President Franklin Pierce and a Congressional Tally Sheet of a secret House of Representatives vote were also recovered at auction houses.

A letter to then-Secretary of War Jefferson Davis from Army 1st Lt JEB Stuart has been recovered as well and will be digitized. 

The Daily Mail reached out to NARA for comment.