The founder of a popular car show was killed in a fiery car crash after his McLaren slammed into a tree in California just an hour after he was pulled over by the police. 

James Wehr, 27, died after the supercar split in two and burst into flames following the early morning crash on Saturday in Irvine. 

The owner of South OC Cars and Coffee, which hosts weekly car shows, was riding in a 2019 McLaren 720S with another driver, who also died, police said. 

Wehr, who was identified as one of the victims by friends and family on social media, posted a clip on Instagram of a police car parked behind the black supercar at Newport Beach just an hour before the deadly crash. 

It was unclear why the vehicle had been pulled over.

He posted another photo of the McLaren parked in front of the Pendry hotel moments later. 

According to investigators, the car had been stopped at a traffic light before it accelerated at a high rate of speed, causing the driver to lose control. 

The car clipped the curb and barreled into a tree at around 12.20am, leaving both passengers dead, the Irvine Police Department said.

Circumstances surrounding the cause of the crash, including if other vehicles were involved, remains unclear. 

The car clipped the curb and barreled into a tree at around 12.20am causing the vehicle split in half and catching fire, leaving both passengers dead

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The owner of South OC Cars and Coffee, which hosts weekly car shows, was riding in a 2019 McLaren 720S with another driver, who also died

Sarah Wehr, the entrepreneur’s mother, described her son as a ‘magnificent man’ with a love for his people, family and friend that was ‘second to none.’

‘I remember your first steps at our home in Perth, Australia. The first time you said “Dada!”, your very first word. I remember you sleeping through the night at 8 weeks. I remember everything. All of it,’ she wrote on Instagram. 

‘Your insanely great belly-laugh and your cheeky smile. Thank you for all the years we were blessed to know and love you James. This slices from all sides. I hope you’re getting a beer with Gramps as you both watch over us all. I love you son.’

Emma, Wehr’s wife, posted an emotional set of photos of the pair, including on their wedding day, alongside a heartbreaking tribute to her late husband. 

‘James, I never thought the day would come that I’d have to say such a final goodbye,’ she wrote. 

‘Getting the opportunity to love you will always be the greatest blessing in my life. I grew up with you and you opened my eyes to everything the world had to offer. You had such a zest for life and drive like no one I’ve ever met. 

‘You’re smart, kind, funny, loving, and genuinely one of the best people I’ve had the pleasure of knowing. Like I said in my vows, I’m so grateful to have gotten the chance to live my life at the same time that you lived yours and whether its in this lifetime or the next my heart will always find its way to you. Rest easy my love.’

His sister, Sophie Wehr, posted a collection of childhood photos with her brother and said: ‘James, thank you. I’ll live every day with you in mind and do everything I can to make you proud.’

Emma, Wehr’s wife pictured above, posted an emotional set of photos of the pair, including on their wedding day, alongside a heartbreaking tribute to her late husband

Wehr had posted a clip on Instagram of a police car parked behind the black supercar at Newport Beach just an hour before the deadly crash

Emma described her husband as ‘smart, kind, funny, loving, and genuinely one of the best people I’ve had the pleasure of knowing’

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‘I can’t imagine a world without you,’ she added. ‘I love you so much, I always will.’

‘My darling nephew James.. Rest easy beautiful boy. I will always love you. You left a legacy and will be in our hearts forever,’ his aunt, Milly, wrote.  

Wehr had attended a car show hosted by South OC Cars and Coffee just earlier that day.

‘It was so exciting to see everything roll in,’ Sarah Wehr wrote. ‘Thank you to our incredibly excellent volunteers, as well as everyone who brought their cars, bikes and trucks. Love this community so much.’

Wehr co-founded the car show with his father, Simon Wehr, and spent years hosting the meets together every Saturday at the Outlets at San Clemente. 

The organization estimated that from 800 to 2,500 vehicles attend the events. 

‘Getting to see people come out every week and enjoy the show. We see multiple generations of people walking around with their cars, and it’s a great environment. We’re super lucky,’ Wehr previously said of the shows, according to the Post.

Frankie, a friend and fellow car-enthusiast, recalled working with Wehr at a restaurant and watching him ‘become so successful in the automotive industry.’

Sarah Wehr, the entrepreneur’s mother pictured above, described her son as a ‘magnificent man’ with a love for his people, family and friend that was ‘second to none’

Wehr co-founded the car show with his father, Simon Wehr pictured above, and spent years hosting the meets together every Saturday at the Outlets at San Clemente

Wehr’s sister, Sophie Wehr pictured, posted a collection of childhood photos with her brother and said: ‘I’ll live every day with you in mind and do everything I can to make you proud’

‘You were someone I truly admired and looked up to,’ he wrote. ‘You always showed me love, while talking more s*** than anyone else could. Things won’t be the same without you around, and I’ll cherish every memory we ever had.’

‘The fact that you supported me and wanted to be the first guest on my podcast meant more to me than you know. You are family bro,’ he continued. 

‘I just wish I had one more chance to laugh with you, hear you talk your s***, and tell you how much you meant to me. I love you and miss you.’

Amanda, another friend and frequenter of South OC Cars and Coffee car meets, described Wehr as a ‘modern day Paul Walker’ and ‘an icon in the car the community.’

‘This will not only rock the local car groups, but it will do so world wide. I have had the pleasure of meeting fans, friends, and followers of his from out of state as well as out of country. You will be missed James. Thank you for creating a community that became a family,’ she wrote. 

‘He was a photographer, car enthusiast, entrepreneur, and more. He was a son, husband, friend, leader, and icon in the car community. He will be forever missed. He passed away on Paul Walkers birthday, if that isn’t a sign or a testament I don’t know what is,’ she wrote on a separate post. 

‘James Wehr, you touched hearts of people from Southern California, to Australia, and even further around the world…We are so proud of him and everything he accomplished in his life time. Though he was taken from us too soon, his memory lives on in each and every one of us. Thank you for creating a community for us James, a family, and a home.’

Jasper, another friend and car enthusiast, said Wehr was one of his ‘biggest inspirations and one to keep pushing me in life for the better part of a decade.’

Wehr previously said of the shows: ‘We see multiple generations of people walking around with their cars, and it’s a great environment. We’re super lucky’

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Wehr, seen with his family, had attended a car show hosted by South OC Cars and Coffee just earlier that day

Friends described Wehr as one of the ‘biggest inspirations,’ a ‘modern day Paul Walker’ and an ‘icon in the car community’

‘To be honest, there were times where I wanted to be just like you, but in my own way,’ he said.

‘I think we’ve driven thousands of miles together, on rallies, drives, swapping cars and doing road trips together. Plus our trips, events, drinks, cigars, deep talks, and the hundreds of hours we spent together playing games with the rest of them.

‘We had big dreams, big goals, promises we made each other. And when it’s all said and done, and I see you again, you’ll see that we achieved it all. I’m going to miss you, but I’ll never forget you.’

The Daily Mail reached out to the California Highway Patrol, the Irvine Police Department and South OC Cars and Coffee for comment.

The Rhythm & Tunes music festival, originally a free gathering for blues enthusiasts, has evolved over time.

Darlington Rock ‘n’ Blues Club began booking bands that started with Rhythm ‘n’ Blues and later developed their unique styles.

The event is organised by Darlington Borough Council in partnership with Darlington Rock n Blues Club and Gasto Promotions.

Performances were held at venues including The Forum Music Centre, Vesuvio, The Britannia and The Quaker House.

British bands from the 60s and 70s like The Animals, The Yardbirds, Chris Farlowe, and The Pretty Things have previously headlined the festival.

This year’s festival got underway on Friday evening (September 10), with performances from Emily & Stu, Kerrison Collective, The Mainline and Black Caddillac invenues across the town.

The festival’s main Market Square stage hosted tribute acts Blondied, Fu Fighters and Chilifornication on Saturday (September 12).

On Sunday (September 13), music fans enjoyed performances from The Boneshakers, The Addiction, John Verity Band and Band of Friends.

Food and alcohol stalls kept the music lovers refreshed throughout.

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Councillor Libby McCollom, Darlington Borough Council’s cabinet member for local services, said the festival has grown significantly over the years.

She said: “One of our ambitions in the Council Plan is to create thriving places and connected communities and nothing brings people together more than music.

“I hope lots of people will come down and enjoy the wide variety of acts who are performing.”

Cllr McCollom also revealed the festival will undergo a revamp next year, with organisers planning a new musical theme designed to embrace an even wider range of music.

A spokesperson for the force said its priority is to get ‘best value for money’

New figures suggest Cambridgeshire Police spent nearly £2 million pounds on uniforms over three years. Freedom of Information figures obtained by Custom Embroidered Patches UK, show the police force spent £1,987,693 on uniform procurement between the 2023/24 and 2025/26 financial years.

A significant amount of uniform is disposed of each year, with the force saying this is due to items often being ‘heavily worn’ or ‘old. It also may include new uniforms for newly recruited officers.

Responding to the claims, a spokesperson for the force said: “Our priority is to get best value for money when procuring and disposing/recycling uniform, and these figures should be seen in context. The total spend on uniform over three years was just under £2 million. This does not however represent the value of kit that is disposed of.

“£529,000 of this figure was spent on items that are recycled or reused where appropriate, including body armour, batons, handcuffs, ballistic plates and metal work such as badges and insignia. Any uniform that is returned unworn goes back into stock, however, returned uniform that is heavily worn or very old, such as when an officer retires, is not reused.”

Their team of 2,819 contains 64 per cent officers and the data showed Cambridgeshire Police reported an average spend of £705 per individual. According to a police force spokesperson, the net figure of £1,458k over the three years also includes dry cleaning costs for loan tunics, lab coats and occasional body armour covers and is therefore not all related to the purchase of kit.

A Cambridgeshire force spokesperson added: “The net figure of £1,458k over the three years also includes dry cleaning costs for loan tunics, lab coats and occasional body armour covers and is therefore not all related to the purchase of kit.

“It is also worth noting that uniform costs over part of this period would have gone up because of the Government uplift programme, which saw the force raise its officer head count by more than 200.”

A dispersal order, giving officers powers to arrest people who have been told to leave the area, is in place for York city centre until midnight on Monday (September 14), North Yorkshire Police said.

The force said extra patrols have also been deployed in the area after officers received reports of “individuals causing a nuisance and damage within business premises, climbing scaffolding, and being involved in shop thefts”. 

“This behaviour is unacceptable and is having a negative impact on businesses, residents and visitors to the city,” a police spokesperson said.

They urged parents and guardians to ensure they know where their children are.

“If you believe your child may be among the groups involved, please contact them and arrange for them to leave the city centre,” the police spokesperson said.

“Our priority is to keep York safe for everyone.”

They added: “Additional patrols are in the area and officers will continue to take robust action against anyone involved in criminality, anti-social behaviour, disorder or theft.

“We would like to thank local businesses and members of the public for their patience and support while officers deal with the situation.

“Anyone who witnesses criminal behaviour or has information about those involved should report it.

“If a crime is in progress or there is an immediate threat to safety, call 999. Otherwise, report information via our website or by calling 101.”

It’s no secret that Prince Harry and Meghan have relocated to the Cotswolds and no one is more delighted than long-term resident Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen. 

The Prince Of Pattern, 61, predicts 45-year-old Meghan’s popularity could soar if she embraces an ordinary life there, emulating down-to-earth Kate Middleton, 44. 

He said: ‘William and Kate live a very ordinary lifestyle for royals. Yes, it’s a very schmanzy lifestyle, it’s very Waitrose, but they don’t have the sort of world you would anticipate if you watched the Princess Diaries. 

‘They don’t even have the opulence you would see Hollywood A-listers having. They take the kids to school, to the rugby fixtures, the flute practise… the ordinary stuff is very part of their lives.

‘I think this is the sort of life Harry wants. If Meghan can lean into that and relax a bit, enjoy it and let us appreciate her for who she actually is, rather than who she feels she ought to be, that’s one of the [important] things. 

‘The thing about Harry is he’s genuine. Sometimes too genuine. That’s why everyone absolutely loved him. 

The Prince Of Pattern, 61, said: ‘William and Kate live a very ordinary life. Yes, it’s very Waitrose, but they don’t have the sort of life you might anticipate if you watched the Princess Diaries’ (stock image) 

‘When Kate is talking to people, she’s actually really interested in what they are saying… She is not trying to make some sort of point. 

He added: ‘We don’t see Kate as often as we used to, but when we do, it’s incredibly special. 

‘When she smiles at someone, it’s like a floodlight. She is absolutely fixed on who they are and what they are saying and what they’re all about and that’s such an incredibly important part of the new royal mystique.

‘The royals used to be quite distant but now, when they do descend from the heavens, when we do bump into them, we want them to be relatable.

‘King Charles is more relatable these days than he has ever been and at this point more relatable than what we have seen of Meghan. 

‘That’s a man who has grown up in an extraordinary way but he really understands his nation. But let’s see where it goes.’ 

Laurence recalled how down-to-earth Harry, 41, was when growing up at Highgrove, saying: ‘Everyone loved Harry for his banter.

‘The amount of times I saw him queuing up for a tandoori or looking very hungover in Waitrose on a Sunday morning, trying to sort out the way he felt before he went to have Sunday lunch with his dad. 

‘Harry is like the Prince Of Bants. With the duchess, it will be a very different life to the one she’s known. 

‘She is going to have to watch the white jeans, because it’s so muddy here. We need to see muddy Meghan at the tandoori. Just by doing that, she’d seduce the nation.

He continued: ‘They will enjoy being themselves a lot more if they let their hair down and let their freak flag fly. We are very down and dirty here and Harry knows that.’

Laurence said the British way of life is quite different to the Californian one. 

‘Meghan has always found it quite difficult to understand that we in Britain are in it for the bants,’ he said. ‘Particularly with our famous people. 

‘When Brits see you in the street, they feel that they are part of your fame. They’ve paid the licence fee. it’s like they are small investors, so they do feel quite proprietorial. 

‘Us Brits express that by being jolly and rather off hand, We’re not sycophantic to famous people and I think Meghan found that really difficult. Whereas, in America, you put people on a pedestal until they really f*** it up.

‘In this country, we are used to seeing Jeremy Clarkson at the chip shop and Nigella on the bus. Being famous doesn’t stop you from being part of society. As long as she understands that. Being royal doesn’t really protect you from that.’  

Laurence recalled how down-to-earth Harry, 41, was when growing up at Highgrove, saying he would see him in the local tandoori or hungover at Waitrose 

Laurence is convinced that the return to the UK is perfect for the couple because Meghan will be drawn by the A-list international appeal, with the likes of Beyonce, Jay-Z, the Beckhams, Taylor Swift and Ellen DeGeneres all frequenting the area.  

He said: ‘It’s all about childhood memories for him and looking to rebuild your life on an emotional level. He wants his children to have the safe identity that he had. 

‘He had a terrible childhood, there is no shrinking from it. The death of his mother was appalling. 

‘The royal family did an incredible job of trying to support William and Harry but this was a terrible thing to happen. Harry’s going out of his way to make sure a lot of things that happened to him, aren’t going to happen to his children. 

‘This is very much about bringing the children back to have a British education to be part of the British side of their family history and spend more time with the King. 

‘King Charles is working harder than ever but he has his cancer diagnosis. We all realise how fragile life is at that age. I am approaching that age myself. It’s like sniper alley. There’s so much that can go wrong.’

Laurence has previously branded Meghan, The Duchess Of Beige, but hopes the couple will embrace colour in their Cotswolds home.

He said: ‘The majority of Cotwolds houses were built by people who loved pattern and colour. It’s a great celebration of all the countryside outside – but beige is the colour of nature when it has died.

‘They will enjoy being themselves a lot more if they really let their hair down and don’t feel everything has to be perfect, the colour of oatmeal and perfectly manicured. You can do what you want to do here.’ 

In sad news for Meghan and her As Ever business enterprise, Laurence is not a condiment lover, saying: ‘I have never really understood the point of jam.’ 

But he does admit he was ‘rather intrigued by Meghan’s wildflower sprinkles’ and is interested to see how much of her business empire comes to the UK with her. 

‘If I was on Meghan’s team,’ he said. ‘I would be trying to get her in with Lady Bamford who is the great creative driving force behind Daylesford.

‘The Meghan brand would definitely sit very well there if they were looking for a collab.’

Laurence said Meghan needs to hang out at his end of the Cotswolds and would love to extend an invite for an afternoon tea, saying: ‘It’s posh here, but it’s very Jilly Cooper. Very naughty.’ 

Laurence Lleweyn-Bowen is host of The Royal Beat on True Royalty TV and is gearing to launch his new YouTube Channel LLB The Home of Home this coming January. 

Anty John’s has become almost as familiar to Owen family fans as the farmhouse where Amanda and Clive raised their nine children.

The centuries-old property is being transformed from a derelict building into a family home, with the painstaking project providing the central storyline for More4’s Our Farm Next Door: Amanda, Clive and Kids.

But it is not another property elsewhere in the Yorkshire Dales.

Anty John’s really is close to Ravenseat.

Anty John’s Aerial View (Image: CHANNEL4)

The farmhouse’s official name is High Smithy Holme, and it stands in Muker parish in Upper Swaledale.

Reports put the property roughly a mile from Ravenseat, while local walking routes link the two sites through Upper Swaledale.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park describes a route from Ravenseat across the moors towards Smithy Holme and down past Anty John’s.

That proximity helps explain why the building has become such a major project for the Owen family.

Instead of buying a conventional village or town house, they have taken on another historic property in the remote landscape that shaped life at Ravenseat.

Anty John’s is a Grade II-listed building dating from the early 18th century.

Historic England describes High Smithy Holme as a farmhouse and byre under one roof, built from coursed rubble and covered with stone slate.

Historic England also records a striking link to the property’s past.

The building is believed to have been home to Anthony Clarkson, who prepared Swaledale’s tithe maps.

That history has become part of the programme, with Amanda investigating former residents as work continues around her.

But history was only one of the family’s challenges when they took on the building.

Years of neglect left Anty John’s needing major work before it could become a home.

Viewers have watched the family and builders tackle the roof and stonework before moving on to floors, heating, plumbing, plastering and the rooms themselves.

The third series marked a major turning point.

After months of work on the exterior, the focus shifted inside.

Episodes showed the family firing up underfloor heating, progressing with plastering and Amanda hunting for a traditional fireplace as farming continued nearby.

Because it is close to Ravenseat, the two properties have become intertwined on screen.

One moment viewers are watching work inside the old farmhouse; the next, they are back with livestock, children and jobs at Ravenseat.

Ravenseat Farm (Image: CHANNEL4)

Even the journey between the properties can create problems.

In series three, Sid and Amanda investigated a collapsed bridge on a key track before Clive and Reuben joined the repair work.

That remoteness shows the scale of the Owens’ challenge.

Anty John’s is not a town-edge renovation with builders’ merchants and services nearby.

It stands in rugged Upper Swaledale, where narrow roads, harsh weather and long distances are part of daily life.

The two properties also mark different chapters in the Owen family’s story.

Ravenseat is where viewers first came to know Amanda, Clive and their nine children through Our Yorkshire Farm.

Anty John’s is the next chapter.

As the Owen children have grown up and the family’s television story has changed, the once-derelict farmhouse has become their next huge shared project.

The title Our Farm Next Door, therefore, is more literal than some viewers might realise.

Anty John’s sits in the same isolated corner of the Yorkshire Dales as the farm that made the Owens famous, keeping Ravenseat and the restoration within one family story.

Just an hour from Cambridge lies a town that is packed with character, from its thriving high street with independent retailers to its quaint waterfront and picturesque canal walks

While Cambridge has just about everything we need, it’s a little too landlocked to deliver any seaside magic.

Happily, the Norfolk coast is rich with excellent coastal spots, and many are only an hour from Cambridge. If you do head east, you’ll stumble across a charming town offering waterfront views, alongside its Georgian high street lined with independent shops, trendy coffee houses and an indoor market that has been running for more than 800 years.

Nestled in south-east Leicestershire, just an hour’s drive from Cambridge, is the historic town of Market Harborough. Thanks to its train links to London and market-town charm with a thriving high street, it has been named by the Sunday Times as one of the best places to live in the Midlands for the fourth year in a row, and certainly warrants a visit.

The winding River Welland runs directly through the town, and it also has the quaint Union Wharf lined with narrowboats and winding paths to follow along the river. The Waterfront restaurant is perfect for an al fresco bite and a drink with picturesque views in a town that has seemingly gone a little under the radar.

Adding to its waterways are the Foxton Locks, a Grade II listed site home to the longest and steepest flight of staircase canal locks in Britain, with ample walking routes to meander along. There’s the pub, Foxton Locks Inn, to stop by at one end of the notorious locks, which are a beautiful and historic landmark to explore, along with the idyllic café, Lock Keepers Cottage, at the other end.

Back in the town centre of Market Harborough, the renowned wide high street is characterised by its preserved architecture, including the stilted 17th-century timber-framed Old Grammar School, which takes centre stage. Now a museum, the beautiful building sits just beside the 14th-century St Dionysius’ Church with its Gothic tower and broach spire.

Housed in some of its ancient architecture are independent shops alongside branded stores, perfect for a day out shopping. There’s also the indoor market, which has been running since 1204 and was named the ‘best small indoor market’ in 2025, thanks to its traders offering everything from collectables and cakes, cheese, and crepes to beauty products, children’s shoes, books, jewellery, and woodcrafts.

After exploring the town, there are lots of inviting places to stop for a warming cuppa and a sweet treat, including Fran’s Coffee and Bakehouse, Milo’s Café and Two Old Goats. For lunch, there’s Loch&Bonnie for a packed-out bagel, or The Garage Bakehouse serving up Báhn Mì (Vietnamese) baguettes.

Following a visit, one happy traveller hailed The Garage Bakehouse for having “insane sandwiches” that are “simply incredible!” While another exclaimed that their New York Deli sandwich was the “best sandwich I have ever had”.

Ascough’s Bistro is another favourite in the area, offering inventive dishes made with local produce, while Rocksalt Bistro is recommended for seafood lovers. The Beerhouse is perfect for grabbing a drink, while the cosy Wine Shed is ideal for a class of vino, and Rio Bravo is a vibrant Mexican restaurant serving up nachos, tacos and margaritas!

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

There is only one reason why Vladimir Putin is launching his vicious attacks on Ukrainian railways – including the otherwise pointless destruction of a stationary civilian shunting locomotive yesterday, only a mile or so from the Polish border.

The reason is that after four and a half years of a cruel and unnecessary war, in which he has lost 1.5million men, the Russian leader is getting absolutely desperate.

He is posting record losses every month – more than 40,000 men either killed or wounded so seriously that they cannot fight again, in both July and August.

Russia has not sustained losses like this since the Second World War. In the ten-year Afghan conflict, the Russians lost 15,000 men – and that was enough to help trigger the collapse of communism.

Putin cannot go on like this, and he knows it. He is killing more Russians (and assorted tragic North Koreans) than he can possibly recruit – not without a general mobilisation.

And he knows that Russian mothers will not allow that to happen. They will not send a whole generation to be slaughtered in the trenches of the Donbas, chased to death by the Ukrainian drones with the inevitability of wounded deer in flight before the wolves.

Putin knows the mood is even starting to change among Moscow military commentators, with some of his most bloviating and bombastic supporters now calling for talks. They have been appalled by the success of the Ukrainian drones. They have watched the roofs of their mighty oil refineries blown off like biscuit tins.

They have queued for hours for petrol – in one of the great oil and gas exporting countries in the world; and then found that 28 per cent of Russian stations supply fuel of such poor quality that you risk damaging your car’s engine.

There is a limit to the credulity of the Russian public, and the willingness of the Russian media to keep up the pretence that the war is going well.

This was supposed to be the decisive fighting season, and yet the gains have been trivial, and in some cases Putin’s forces have even been going backwards. The Russian leader is never going to take the Fortress Belt of the Donbas, not without sacrificing millions. He is never going to take the city of Zaporizhiyya. That is why he has been stepping up his attacks on the railways, sending more and more missiles at passenger trains in what can only be described as terroristic attacks. There have been more attacks on passenger trains in the past six months than in the whole of the preceding four years.

It will not work. I know the Ukrainian railway company, Ukrzaliznytsia, very well. I have travelled in great comfort on their network for thousands of miles and indeed I passed through that border station shortly before yesterday’s explosion.

The company has already lost 1,700 employees to Putin’s utterly criminal attacks. They are heroes. They will not give in now. They are capable of rebuilding track and bridges with prodigious speed, and the civilian population of passengers continues to show a phlegmatic ability to endure Putin’s blitz. As one Ukrainian woman put it to me at the weekend: ‘It’s terrible to admit this, but we just learn to adapt and get on with our lives.’

The only way to get this foul war over is to show Putin the truth – that he has no chance of winning. That means doing much more to help the Ukrainians.

There have been more attacks on passenger trains in the past six months than in the whole of the preceding four years

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This weekend I visited the astonishing Ukrainian drone and missile start-up, Firepoint. They are now world leaders. They make the world’s best cruise missile – the Flamingo, that has been so devastating against Putin’s oil and gas industry.

But now they need to defend the trains and the cities, against Putin’s ballistic missiles, and against the new jet-powered Shaheeds. The Ukrainians desperately need better air defences, and with so many US Patriots being used up in the Gulf region, they have to be helped to make their own.

We need to give them the ‘seeker’ tracking systems to help them to take out Putin’s fast drones and neutralise his intercontinental ballistic missiles. It can be done, but it needs to be done fast.

Ukraine faces a grim winter, in which Putin is plainly going to step up his attempts to kill and terrify civilians – at work, at home, and on their way to work.

In the face of his new cruelty, and his new ruthlessness, we need a new seriousness from the West.

We need to help them to open the Black Sea ports, and get Ukrainian grain and other produce moving again.

We need to give them Starlink access to the skies above Russia, so they can take out the missile sites and bases that are being used to attack their populations.

We need to unfreeze the hundreds of billions of Russian cash – in Brussels and other Western capitals – and allow the Ukrainians to use it to fund their effort.

Putin will squeal. He will accuse the West of escalation – as he has at every stage in this conflict, of which he was the sole author, and which he could end tomorrow.

He will squeal because he is increasingly desperate. In the attacks on passenger trains, we see the bared teeth of a cornered rat. Sooner or later, he knows he will have to desist, and the more pressure we apply now, the sooner that moment will come.

Mark Wakeman, owner of Bakewell Pet Supplies, has been receiving multiple calls over undelivered online orders, despite his business not having a website

Hundreds of customers have been demanding to know where their online orders are after being scammed by fraudsters posing as a well-established Peak District pet shop.

Mark Wakeman, who owns Bakewell Pet Supplies, in Derbyshire, has been getting an average of 30 calls a day from people who are waiting to receive online orders from what they believe to be his store.

However, Mark’s store does not have a website and he knows nothing about their orders. This is because someone has stolen his business’ name, including his email and location, and is subsequently impersonating the store, Derbyshire Live reports.

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The shop owner has reported the situation to Report Fraud – formerly Action Fraud – however he says he is receiving no help for the problem. Mr Wakeman, also a local councillor, says the problem, which first came to light at the end of May, is getting worse and he is worried his business is going to suffer as a result.

He said: “Sometimes we have had as many as 50 calls in a day, and we have also had people turning up at the shop wanting to know where their goods are that they have paid for, and they can get quite angry. I have to break the news to them that there aren’t any goods and that they need to report the problem to the fraud people or at least to the police.

“They don’t seem to understand that there is nothing we seem to be able to do to get the other site taken down or stopped, and they blame us for the situation. I am very upset that nothing seems to be being done about it, and I feel so helpless.

“Initially, when we told the fraud people, it seemed to calm down, but in recent weeks it has just got worse. We have contacted everyone we can to try to get this sorted, but no one seems bothered.

“We are being warned to look out for fraud and scamming all the time, and then when it happens, nothing. Other businesses without websites could also be under threat.”

The 47-year-old took to his genuine Facebook account to explain the situation, but he says this doesn’t seem to have helped. The fake business is getting bad reviews on the uk.trustpilot.com site, which appears to be linked to the USA, but Mr Wakeman says people could interpret them as relating to his own genuine business.

He said: “In desperation, I have gone to Derbyshire Live to help get the message out there that people should not trade online with a company posing as us. We have also put our own message on the uk.trustpilot.com site, trying to warn people.”

The message says: “Please do not buy from this site, they take your money and no goods are received. We are Bakewell Pet Supplies, a small shop in Bakewell and do not have a website. These fraudsters are imitating our company and using our details. We are doing everything to get this site taken down. If you have purchased, please contact Report Fraud.”

Mr Wakeman added: “At one point, the fraudulent site seemed to be removed, but then when Report Fraud decided not to pursue it further, it went back up again – so I am at a loss to know what is going on.

“And we haven’t had any help from Report Fraud Victim Services support, probably because we are not the direct victims claiming money back, although the damage which is being done to our business could be incalculable.

“Anyone who has been affected by this should report it to Report Fraud, and maybe if some of the hundreds of people who have been in touch with us do that, then someone will please take notice.”

When contacted for comment on the action they would be taking in response to the incident, Report Fraud told Derbyshire Live: “Report Fraud can confirm that it received the complaint on May 29, 2026. It was assessed by the Report Fraud Analysis Service at the City of London Police, but has not been passed to a police force for investigation at this time.

“Over 850,000 reports are made every year. These reports are assessed against several criteria; unfortunately, not every case will be sent to law enforcement for investigative opportunities.

“There are different ways a report can be dealt with when it isn’t passed to a police force. These include the Report Fraud Victim Services supporting victims of cyber crime and fraud with specialist advice and helping victims to recover losses.”

Report Fraud does not have investigative powers but sends its reports to the Crime Services department, which decides if there is enough information to send to a police force for investigation, according to the Report Fraud website.

It recommends that any business, charity or organisation under a cyber attack should contact 0300 123 20240, and Victim Support is available on 08081 689111.