Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves entered Parliament with a massive majority, but just a couple of years into the job, both left Downing Street and headed straight to the pub

Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves were spotted at a pub with drinks in hand just hours they left Downing Street.

The former Prime Minister and Chancellor rocked up to The Pineapple pub in Kentish Town, north London, while Ex-Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham put together his Cabinet. Rather than appearing downtrodden, photographs published today showed the pair in seemingly good spirits.

Mr Starmer was seen chatting and texting on the phone while holding a pint in his hand after he arrived. Another snap at the pub showed the dad of two leaning by the door after putting his pint down and speaking to someone on the phone.

The Pineapple brands itself as northwest London’s “beloved back street boozer.” In addition to a selection of pints and spirits, the pub also offers Thai food, although it is unclear if any of the ex-Prime Minister’s team tucked into any tasty treats.

Just hours before he left Downing Street, Mr Starmer said his “work is done.” He later added: “I go with a smile and I go proud of everything that we have achieved.”

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The outgoing Prime Minister said he wished Mr Burnham “every success” before exiting Downing Street, Mr Burnham is now the UK’s seventh Prime Minister since 2016, an unprecedented position in Post War Britain.

At the pub, Ms Reeves was surrounded by friends and colleagues while sipping some wine. The former Chancellor was also seen being embraced by one of her aides at the pub.

Ms Reeves had reportedly been offered the role of Defence Secretary, but she ultimately declined the offer. She was the first female Chancellor in British history, but her position became uncertain after it became clear Mr Burnham would become Labour Party leader and, later, Prime Minister.

Ms Reeves said on social media after leaving Downing Street: “It has been the privilege of my life to serve as the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The economy today is stronger, fairer and more resilient because of the choices we have taken as a Labour Government over the past two years.”

The mum of two added: “Stability restored, investment delivered and reform to our economy under way. I said when I was appointed Chancellor that I would judge my time in office if the lives ordinary working class people have been improved. I’m proud to say that they have.

“And to every young woman and girl let my time in office show there should be no ceilings on your ambitions, your hopes or your dreams. I wish the very best of luck to my successor, Andy and his cabinet. You have my full support, and I will continue to play my part in helping this Labour government deliver the change the country needs.”

Going into the judges dressing rooms and taking some of their prized possessions might not be the best way of getting them on your side.

Smashing those items with a hammer is even less likely to help your chances.

Yet that is exactly what Mawhinney did, leaving Mel B, Sofía Vergara and Howie Mandel stunned before revealing that every item had somehow survived.

Mandel’s phone appeared inside a locked box that had been sitting in front of the judges throughout the audition.

The phone then began receiving texts from Mawhinney revealing where the other judges missing valuables had ended up.

Vergara’s framed picture of her dog was hidden inside her seat cushion, while Mel B’s bracelet was concealed in one of the famous Got Talent red buzzers.

“I don’t know how you do it. I believe in magic but I loved it,” Mel B said when giving her verdict, which was a yes.

Vergara laughed and said the “magic was very impressive”. She also voted yes, adding: “I don’t know if this was necessary, but it was very exciting.”

Mendel called Mawhinney “charming, you’ve got a good look”, but it was a no from the comedian, calling the performance “too slow”.

Simon Cowell agreed on the length of the performance and said “you can’t do that on a live show”.

“Our audience love magic, which is exactly the reason I’m going to say yes.”

With three yeses, Mawhinney progressed to the next stage and remains in with a chance of winning the cash prize.

The White House is “deeply concerned” about Ed Miliband’s appointment as foreign secretary, with a warning that Donald Trump has not forgotten scathing remarks the former Labour leader has made about him in the past.

New prime minister Andy Burnham has been cautioned that Mr Miliband has some “serious diplomatic repair to undertake” in the US, after his promotion to the role on Monday sparked anger from the Trump administration.

The former energy secretary has previously clashed with Mr Trumpover net zero and his attitudes to democracy and in 2016 he described the president as “a racist, misogynistic, self-confessed groper”.

One source close to the president told The Independent: “There’s genuine anger about this appointment.”

The two men have been attacking one another for more than a decade. Mr Miliband previously said of the president: “We must do our best at home and abroad to resist the worst of Trumpism… These are dark days for America and the world. There can be little solace right now.”

In 2017, he said Mr Trump had “lowered the bar for idiocy” and later joined a Stop Trump March in London. He also criticised the president’s “incredibly peculiar relationship with Russia” and accused him of lowering standards in politics.

The new foreign secretary has also described Mr Trump’s criticism on social media of the UK’s stance on drilling for oil and gas as “irrelevant”, with the president highly critical of his “net zero zealotry” and accusing him of blocking the UK from expanding oil and gas operations in the North Sea.

On Mr Miliband’s past remarks, one ally close to the president told The Independent: “Trump doesn’t forget. He will not forget. Miliband has some serious diplomatic repair to undertake.”

A consultant who works with both the White House and State Department added: “It [Mr Miliband’s appointment] is going down like a lead balloon. The US government no longer takes the UK seriously.

“Ed Miliband is known in Washington for all the wrong reasons. Ed Miliband is seen as an unreasonable ‘nut zero’ extremist who blocked North Sea oil production but was happy for the UK to purchase Norway’s fossil fuels from the North Sea.”

The White House is said to be “deeply concerned” about the appointment even though Mr Miliband has previously described how much he loves the US.

They also noted that Mr Burnham himself said in 2021: “Any UK politician who gave Trump the time of day should be ashamed.”

Mr Burnham chose Mr Miliband as foreign secretary partly because he decided against making him chancellor, following a backlash from those on the right of the party.

However, the plan, as revealed over the weekend by The Independent, is for Mr Miliband to reform the Foreign Office around the UK’s climate goals and find a roadmap back to spending 0.7 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on overseas aid, which was slashed under Sir Keir Starmer.

But there is also anger in the US over Mr Miliband’s time as Labour leader when he withdrew his support for bombing Syria after the regime there was responsible for a number of atrocities in 2013. The coalition government lost the vote in parliament as a result and the US was left alone in wanting to take action.

Former prime minister Boris Johnson, who is close to senior Republicans, suggested on Tuesday that this emboldened Vladimir Putin to invade the Crimea in Ukraine in 2014.

He wrote on X: “The failure to stand up to Bashar al-Assad – for which Miliband bears much guilt – led directly to Putin’s first invasion of Ukraine. An appalling choice for foreign secretary. The Kremlin will be delighted.”

Mr Miliband lived in Boston, Massachusetts, as a boy for brief periods while his father, the Marxist academic Ralph Miliband, was teaching there. He is big fan of baseball and a supporter of the Boston Red Sox. He later returned to the US as an adult in the early 2000s to spend several semesters teaching economics at Harvard University.

Another ally of the president working on his Iranian policy told The Independent that Mr Miliband was not the only choice raising eyebrows in the US.

They said: “Miliband is a bit of an odd choice – as is Wes Streeting as defence secretary.”

But former Labour foreign minister Bill Rammell said he believes Mr Miliband and Mr Trump will be able to put their differences behind them.

He pointed out that both Sir Keir Starmer and former foreign secretary David Lammy had developed a good relationship with President Trump despite their previous remarks about him.

Added to that, vice-president JD Vance had never been a Trump supporter before becoming his pick for vice president in 2024.

Mr Rammell told GB News: “I am sure Ed Miliband will be able to build a working relationship.”

In a statement following his appointment, Mr Miliband appeared to look towards the EU first, promising to deepen ties with the bloc before speaking about Britain’s “essential alliance with the United States”.

Mr Miliband pledged to fight for “Britain’s interests and our values of democracy, freedom and the rule of law on the world stage”.

He added: “I will seek to deepen and strengthen our strategic alliance with the European Union, which is so important for our prosperity and security and at the same time nurture our strong, enduring and essential alliance with the United States.”

Steve Bannon, an outspoken ally of President Trump, told The Telegraph: “The Trump administration took the extraordinary step of warning the new prime minister that the United States would view the appointment of “red diaper” baby and self-described socialist Ed Miliband as very injurious to the “special relationship”.

“Burnham could not care less – he appointed this twit anyway.”

The Independent has contacted Mr Miliband’s office but they have declined to comment.

Downing Street today failed to commit to new Chancellor John Healey’s demand of spending 3 per cent of Britain’s GDP on defence by 2030.

In Andy Burnham‘s first full day as Prime Minister, No10 also ruled out issuing ‘defence bonds’ to raise billions of pounds for extra military spending.

Mr Healey was named as Chancellor to replace Rachel Reeves after Mr Burnham took office on Monday. 

The former defence secretary was handed the Treasury role little more than a month after he quit Keir Starmer‘s administration amid a furious row over defence spending.

When he resigned, Mr Healey raged at Sir Keir’s and Ms Reeves’ failure to commit to a timetable for spending 3 per cent of Britain’s GDP on defence.

In an explosive resignation letter, he said it was a mark that needed to be reached by 2030. But Downing Street on Tuesday afternoon dodged on whether Mr Burnham was also committed to Mr Healey’s demand on defence spending.

The PM’s official spokesman said: ‘As the PM said yesterday, we will honour our commitments on defence to our international partners. We’ll set out more on defence in due course.’

The spokesman also noted how Mr Burnham, in a phone call on Monday with NATO boss Mark Rutte, said that appointing Mr Healey as his Chancellor ‘is a signal of his intent’.

Mr Healey is said to have been keen on a ‘defence bonds’ scheme to fund a boost to military spending. But it is understood it is not something the Government is working on.

Sir Keir, the former PM, and Ms Reeves had previously ruled out the idea and cautioned defence bonds are ‘just another form of borrowing’.

The Tories earlier warned Mr Healey against trying to find an ‘easy way out’ by issuing defence bonds, as they branded the proposal a ‘total gimmick’.

They instead urged the new Chancellor to ‘deprioritise’ spending in other areas in order to fund a defence boost, rather than just add to Britain’s debt pile.

Mr Healey has previously indicated he would consider the use of defence bonds, borrowing allocated specifically for the military, to help boost its financial resources. 

Wes Streeting, who is now the Defence Secretary, has also suggested inheritance tax-free defence bonds could help fund military spending and pointed to a Canadian-led initiative.

In comments last month, Mr Streeting claimed such a scheme would see ‘the huge amounts of money that are currently sat in all sorts of other savings and investments, probably not earning a great deal of interest, actively investing in the defence of our nation today’.

Lord Dannatt, the former Army head, told Times Radio on Tuesday morning that Mr Healey will ‘probably want to look at the notion of a defence bond’.

‘If we think collective security is something that involves us all, then why shouldn’t those who are concerned about these things and have the ability to put their hand in a pocket, why shouldn’t they be invited to contribute?,’ he said.

‘It’s been done before and I think it’s an idea that’s certainly worth looking at; it’s not the complete solution but if John Healey is going to be true to himself, knowing exactly what the defence budget needs, he’s going to have to work very, very cleverly and very carefully at finding ways of raising more money.’

But Paul Johnson, the former head of the Institute for Fiscal Studies think tank, said there was ‘zero economic difference’ between defence bonds and extra borrowing.

He posted on X: ‘I’m sorry but ‘defence bonds’ is literally just another way of saying ‘more borrowing’. Fine. If that’s what you want to argue for just say so. There is zero economic difference.’ 

Rupert Harrison, another leading economist who was formerly George Osborne’s chief of staff in the Treasury, agreed with Mr Johnson’s comments.

He wrote: ‘This 100% And doing it with eg an IHT (inheritance tax) exemption for defence bonds is a textbook example of financial repression – using policy to divert capital away from the private sector and towards the state – and crowding out private investment.’

Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge said defence bonds are ‘a total gimmick’.

The senior Tory MP congratulated his former opposite number Mr Healey on getting ‘the second most powerful job in Government’.

But he added that ‘there’s already been talk around defence bonds, which he himself, when he was asked MoD (Ministry of Defence) questions, was always, in my view, relatively enthusiastic about in his responses, primarily from the Liberal Democrats’.

Mr Cartlidge told Times Radio: ‘My view is this is a total gimmick, it’s simply borrowing.’

A paper from the ‘independent, very respected’ House of Commons Library said the bonds make ‘no difference in the impact on Government borrowing costs or on the national debt’, he added.

‘With defence bonds, they both go up – it’s just like any other borrowing, that’s the easy way out, that is not a policy,’ he continued.

‘A policy implies you have to make a difficult decision about what you’re going to deprioritise to prioritise the spending we need on defence.’

The Lib Dems have called on Mr Healey to introduce defence bonds as a means of raising extra cash for defence.

Party leader Ed Davey said: ‘John Healey has seen up close the need to rebuild our Armed Forces after years of Conservative cuts and Starmer dithering.

‘Now as Chancellor, he should take up Liberal Democrat plans for defence bonds to invest £20 billion in our sovereign capability.’

A statement from Liverpool’s owners FSG was released following the news

A consortium headed up by British-Indian millionaire Amit Bhatia has expressed an interest in buying a minority stake in Premier League giants Liverpool.

Bhatia has a long association of being involved in English football, and was was director and co-owner at Championship club QPR for 18 seasons but on Tuesday stepped down from his role and relinquished ownership of the Hoops.

He is the son-in-law of Indian billionaire businessman Lakshmi Mittal, who is believed to be backing the move. The Mittal family’s net worth was most recently valued at over £26billion by Forbes.

Liverpool’s owners, Fenway Sports Group (FSG), released a statement to BBC Sport acknowledging the news.

“An investment consortium led, managed, and represented by Amit Bhatia has expressed interest in making a strategic minority investment in Liverpool Football Club,” the statement read.

The BBC add that the deal has not yet been finalised with FSG.

Current owners FSG purchased the Anfield club in 2010 for a fee in the region of £300million.

According to the Financial Times, as quoted by the BBC, the consortium led by Bhatia would value the Reds at more than $6bn (£4.5bn).

Back in 2022, FSG made their stance clear over investment into the club.

It said at the time: “FSG has frequently received expressions of interest from third parties seeking to become shareholders in Liverpool.

“FSG has said before that under the right terms and conditions, we would consider new shareholders if it was in the best interests of Liverpool as a club.”

FSG has sold a minority stake in the Reds before; in 2023 they struck a deal with global sports investment firm Dynasty to own a percentage of the Merseyside outfit.

Bhatia started his career on Wall Street, working as an investment banker for Morgan Stanley.

The 46-year-old has since moved into the realms of construction, real estate and private equity.

His departure from Loftus Road earlier this week was unexpected.

“Since joining the club in 2007, QPR has been a deeply important part of my life and my family’s life,” Bhatia told the club website.

“Over nearly two decades we have shared promotions, relegations, unforgettable highs and painful lows, and the memories we have made at Loftus Road alongside the supporters will stay with us forever.”

“I step back from my formal responsibilities with pride, gratitude and affection. I want to thank the players, managers, staff, the Community Trust, my fellow board members and, above all, the fans, who have made me and my family feel part of the QPR family for so many years,” he added.

A drugs courier caught with almost 44kg of cannabis hidden in his luggage after landing at Glasgow Airport has been jailed for 12 months, as the National Crime Agency warns of a sharp rise in smugglers recruited through social media.

A man has been jailed for trying to smuggle around £430,000 worth of cannabis into Scotland on a flight from Thailand.

Zane Jamahl Hutton-Lewis, of Haringey, London, was stopped as he tried to make his way through Glasgow Airport on January 21, 2025, and was caught with 43.8kg of the Class B drug hidden inside his luggage.

The 34-year-old was arrested by Border Force officers and an investigation was launched by the Scottish Organised Crime Partnership – a team of officers from the National Crime Agency and Police Scotland.

Lasr Friday, Hutton-Lewis was jailed for 12 months at Paisley Sheriff Court.

Brits caught smuggling cannabis from Thailand will now have to pay huge new fines or face up to two years behind bars. The NCA has been working with Thai authorities to reduce the number of air passengers smuggling cannabis into the United Kingdom.

It comes after an explosion in the number of drugs couriers trying to smuggle cannabis. In 2023, 142 cannabis smugglers were caught arriving in the UK. In 2024 that number rocketed to 801 – a 464% increase.

The figure rose again in 2025 to 976. And 2026 is on track to be even worse with 600 air passenger couriers arrested at UK airports in the first six months alone.

Social media influencer Ellie Cramspie from Glasgow was jailed for 16 months at Edinburgh Sheriff Court for smuggling £150,000 of cannabis through Edinburgh Airport.

Crampsie was found to have more than 37lb of the Class B drug stuffed into a suitcase as she travelled home from a holiday in Thailand in April last year.

Under the new fines regime that started on June 17, smugglers will have to pay Thai Customs 30,000 Baht (around £680) per kilo of cannabis.

The ‘average’ smuggler is caught in Thailand with 26 kilos – equalling a fine of £17,680, and, if not paid will lead to a criminal prosecution with up to two years in jail.

Beki Wright, Head of the NCA’s Borders Threat Team, warned would-be couriers – who are normally recruited on social media – to think again if they are tempted to smuggle cannabis from Thailand.

She said: “You will be kept in Thai detention until you have found the money to pay or for two years.

“The crime groups that paid you to smuggle it will leave you high and dry.

“If convicted, you face potentially life-changing jail sentences both in the UK and especially abroad. You’ll also have a criminal record, which could wreck future job prospects and your ability to travel abroad.

“It just isn’t worth the risk.”

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Smoke from a major wildfire in Blaenavon has spread across South Wales, with people reporting the smell as far away as Newport and Cardiff. The fire services has warned those affected by the smell to close their windows and doors.

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service (SWFRS) said crews remain at the scene tackling the blaze, which has generated a large number of 999 calls since it first broke out on Monday.

The fire service said smoke from the fire could be seen up to 10 miles away and urged residents not to be concerned if they could smell or see it.

A SWFRS spokesperson said: “Crews are continuing to deal with a significant wildfire in the Blaenavon area, and smoke from the incident can be seen up to 10 miles away.

“We are receiving a large number of calls for this incident and we want to reassure residents, particularly those in the Abergavenny area, that we are aware and we are dealing with it.

“Thank you for your concern.”

In a further update on Tuesday morning, the fire service said the smoke had travelled much further than first reported.

It said: “Smoke from a significant wildfire in the Blaenavon area has spread as far south as Caerphilly and Cardiff this morning.

“If you’ve woken up to this smoke in the air, please be reassured that our crews are continuing to deal with the incident which is causing it.

“If you are living or working in one of the areas affected, please close your windows and doors.

“We’re receiving a significant volume of calls to report this smoke, however we want to let you know we are aware.”

Keir Starmer headed straight to his local pub after stepping down as prime minister yesterday as he enjoyed a drink with his closest allies.

The ousted leader gathered his former colleagues, including Rachel Reeves, at a watering hole in Kentish Town, north London, after making way for Andy Burnham.

Sir Keir was pictured clutching a pint of cloudy brown ale as he chatted on the phone while Ms Reeves, who was sacked as Chancellor by Mr Burnham, giggled between gulps of white wine.

Aides of Sir Keir and Ms Reeves were seen drinking and holding vapes as they milled around the two deposed politicians.

Some even sported T-shirts paying tribute to the ex-PM, with one white garment emblazoned with the slogan: ‘Sparkle with Starmer’. 

At another moment, Sir Keir struck a relaxed pose leaning on a door frame with a hand on his hip and shirt sleeves rolled up.

Ms Reeves grinned as she relaxed in the warm weather outside, a pair of sunglasses balanced in her hair.

Sir Keir’s farewell drinks came just hours after he formally handed over power to Mr Burnham.

The ousted leader gathered his former colleagues, including Rachel Reeves, at a watering hole in Kentish Town, north London, after making way for Andy Burnham

A collection of ‘Sparkle with Starmer’ T-shirts, costing £20 each, were sold by Labour in 2023 following that year’s party conference when Sir Keir was showered in glitter by a protester during his keynote speech.

In emails circulated by Labour less than 24 hours after the incident, the novelty T-shirt was described as ‘exclusive, limited edition merchandise’ after the speech’s ‘glittering reception’. 

Sir Keir delivered a short speech in Downing Street on Monday morning – this time without tears – before travelling to Buckingham Palace to offer his official resignation to the King.

The crestfallen PM said his two years in the job had been the ‘privilege’ of his life and that he left ‘with good grace and a smile’.

He claimed to have left the country in a better state than he found it, and declared: ‘My work is done.’

Sir Keir insisted Mr Burnham – who orchestrated a coup to secure the Labour leadership – would have his ‘full support’ as his replacement. 

Close Cabinet allies including Ms Reeves and David Lammy, now sacked as Deputy PM, had gathered with hundreds of aides in a sunny Downing Street to watch Sir Keir say goodbye.

London mayor Sadiq Khan, who has recently been handed a peerage by Sir Keir, was also present for the emotional moment.

Buckingham Palace confirmed shortly afterwards that Sir Keir had officially resigned after 745 days as PM, leaving a vacancy that was immediately filled by Mr Burnham.

Aides of Sir Keir and Ms Reeves were seen drinking and holding vapes as they milled around the two deposed politicians

Some even sported T-shirts paying tribute to the ex-PM, with one white garment emblazoned with the slogan: ‘Sparkle with Starmer’

Mr Burnham, the former Greater Manchester mayor, became the seventh PM in just a decade after his own audience with the King at lunchtime on Monday.

In his valedictory statement in Downing Street, Sir Keir said: ‘My work is done. In six and a half years, I took our party from a historic defeat in 2019, changed it so it was fit to face the country and won a landslide general election victory in 2024.

‘Since then, it has been the privilege of my life to serve you and this great country as Prime Minister, and I am confident that Britain is now stronger and fairer than it was two years ago.

‘Our economy is stronger. Our public services are on the up, with the biggest fall in waiting times for 17 years. Children are being lifted out of poverty every single day.

‘Immigration is down significantly. Our defence and security are on a far stronger footing and our international reputation is greatly enhanced.

‘Yet the thing I will always take away with me, the most humbling aspect of this job, is the front row seat you get to witness the greatest things of this country in action. To see, every day, immeasurable acts of resolve, grit, decency and compassion.

‘From people who serve our country, whether that’s in their regimental colours, NHS scrubs, or simply the millions of people in their communities who volunteer their time and their effort to the ground beneath their feet.’

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Nature Minister Mary Creagh has visited the site of last year’s blaze on Langdale Moor, near RAF Fylingdales, which at its height covered 10 sq miles (25 sq km).

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The North York Moors National Park has been leading a recovery project, backed with more than £3 million in funding from the Government, which will be used to restore damaged peatland habitats, repair 17 kilometres of firebreaks that were dug to stop the spread, reinstate the public rights of way that were closed off, and build resilience in the moors to future wildfires.

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The restoration work is also supported by the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority and other partner organisations.

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On a visit last week, Ms Creagh said: “The Fylingdales wildfire was an unprecedented event that caused serious and lasting damage to one of England’s most treasured landscapes.

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“This funding will help bring the moorland back to life – restoring the deep peat that stores carbon, supports rare wildlife, and protects communities downstream.”

Langdale Moor. Courtesy North Yorkshire Fire And Rescue Service. Copy

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However, the Government has been criticised by MPs and councillors for not providing compensation to local businesses, farmers and landowners impacted by the largest wildfire in North Yorkshire’s history.

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Speaking at a recent meeting, Cllr Carl Les, the leader of North Yorkshire Council, called again on the Government to “escalate developing a funding framework similar to that in place for flooding events, so that no other areas face the issues we experienced”.

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He added: “We have provided targeted financial assistance to the most impacted businesses, but we have significant financial pressures too and such support cannot be sustained in the long term. There must be a national solution.

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“Nearly a year on, the wildfire’s effects remain visible, and the lessons learned must be used to strengthen preparedness for future emergencies both locally and nationally.”

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Langdale Fire, 14 August. Courtesy North Yorkshire Fire And Rescue Service

Last month, Kevin Hollinrake, the MP for Thirsk and Malton whose constituency includes Filey, said: “The money to restore Fylingdales Moor is welcome and repairing the firebreaks, stabilising the slopes and bringing this precious landscape back to life is badly needed.

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​“But there is a glaring hole in the government’s announcement. Not a penny is going to the farmers, landowners and businesses who watched their livelihoods burn and who worked alongside our fire and rescue services for six weeks to save the moor. Had this been a flood, the Farming Recovery Fund and the Flood Recovery Framework would have been triggered within days. Because it was a wildfire, the people who suffered the losses are being left with nothing.”

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Alison Hume MP for Scarborough and Whitby said there were important lessons to be learnt from the wildfire.

“After establishing the APPG for Wildfire Prevention, I am determined to continue working with partners to strengthen our resilience, because unfortunately wildfires like this are likely to become more common and we must be prepared,” Ms Hume commented.

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She added: “Thanks to the bravery of North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, supported by local farmers, gamekeepers and crews from across the country, no lives, homes or critical infrastructure at RAF Fylingdales were lost. It was a real team effort.”

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Cllr Jenny Kent, Environment and Climate Portfolio Holder for the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, said: “It was inspiring to be able to show our Minister for Nature Mary Creagh MP the vital protection and restoration work already achieved on some of our most sensitive ecological and archaeological sites, made possible with Mayoral funding.

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“There is much more to do, but we’re lucky to have a wealth of expertise in our region dealing with the devastation that the wildfires have caused.

“Huge thanks to all those working on this vital restoration project.”

Two different women at separate TopGolf locations in the Houston area were badly hurt after getting walloped in the head by errant clubs wielded by nearby duffers, with one continuing to endure ‘persistent headaches’ more than a year-and-a-half later, according to a pair of recently filed lawsuits reviewed by The Independent.

TopGolf, headquartered in Dallas, is a souped-up driving range concept with more than 100 locations worldwide, describes itself as “a sports entertainment complex that features an inclusive, high-tech golf game that everyone can enjoy, paired with an outstanding food and beverage menu.”

The pair of suits come roughly 14 months after a Texas oil-and-gas executive who was taking a golf lesson at a Houston country club allegedly failed to make sure the surrounding area was clear before “negligently” swinging his club directly into his instructor’s face, necessitating emergency reconstructive surgery and resulting in “permanent disfigurement,” per a $1 million negligence lawsuit filed in that case.

At least three people have lost eyes at TopGolf, and last year, the chain was ordered to pay $15.8 million to the family of a 9-year-old boy who suffered a traumatic brain injury when he walked into the path of a player’s backswing, requiring emergency neurosurgery. Others have been severely injured or have even died after falling from balconies set up for players to practice their drives, with an entire subset of online videos devoted to “TopGolf fails” – compilations of people hurting themselves or others while on the premises.

In the most recent of the new suits, filed July 6 in Harris County District Court, 62-year-old Kelly Ann Auer, says she was hitting some balls last August at a TopGolf location in Webster, Texas – also a suburb of Houston – when the golfer next to her “lost control of his club and it flew in the air striking Ms. Auer in the head.”

“On TopGolf’s website, they describe the TopGolf Houston-Webster location as ‘the premiere entertainment destination in Webster, Texas’ with ‘year-round comfort,’” Auer’s complaint states. “[H]owever, other than a red line warning customers that it is dangerous to stand or sit near the hitting area while a customer is holding and/or swinging a club, there are no warning signs to warn customers of the potential dangers of flying golf clubs or balls.”

Auer’s complaint points out that there is “an entire genre of social media [posts] dedicated to sharing videos of injuries that customers have sustained while on TopGolf premises.”

Attorney Scott Sanes, who is representing Auer, told The Independent that there was no netting or barriers “of any kind” between the golfers, no helmets required, and that TopGolf “only provided gloves for purchase.”

Auer now has ongoing headaches, dizziness, lost memory, nausea, blurry vision and sensitivity to bright lights, along with ringing in the ears, and “has moments where she gets confused and freezes,” according to Sanes.

“We are at the very beginning of the litigation stage and are looking forward to determining how often this problem has arisen, how it has been addressed by this huge company and what they have done, if anything, to protect their customers,” he said.

In a second suit, local resident Brandi Triplett was at a TopGolf last year in the Houston suburb of Katy, hitting balls with a friend, when she took a flying driver to the skull.

Triplett, 43, was “seated and watching her friend take a turn golfing when one of the men in the adjacent bay swung a golf club and released the club during the swing,” according to her complaint, which was filed June 4 in Harris County District Court. “The golf club flew from the adjacent bay and violently struck [Triplett] in the head and right eyebrow area.”

After Triplett went down, the golfer in question apologized, said, ‘I’m done,’ and quickly left the area, according to the complaint, which claims the group “had been consuming alcoholic beverages” while there.

The complaint says Triplett “immediately experienced pain and swelling to her head,” and that she “attempted to ice the affected area while remaining at the facility.”

However, it goes on, the pain was so intense that she “ultimately ceased participating,” and went home. The next day, Triplett saw a doctor “due to continuing pain and headaches,” and was referred to the emergency room for a more thorough evaluation, the complaint continues.

ER staff took a CT scan of Triplett’s head, which was negative for acute intracranial injury, the complaint goes on. Still, it contends, Triplett continues to suffer “persistent headaches and related symptoms,” nearly 18 months after the incident.

A paper published last year in the South African Medical Journal explained why getting hit in the head with a golf club, while rare, can be so destructive. For starters, the club head’s leading edge imparts a tremendous amount of force to an extremely small surface area, “resulting in more severe damage to the skull.” The “injury pattern” caused by a golf club is also especially damaging, and, for those playing a round outdoors, the “soil-contaminated” surface of the club head significantly increases the risk of sepsis.

To that end, the TopGolf website lays out a series of guidelines meant to keep guests out of the emergency room.

“Combining a few laughs, great food, and hours of Topgolf can create some epic memories,” the page tells visitors. “So to ensure everyone has a fun and safe experience, it’s important to follow our conduct and safety rules.”

Players are warned to keep an eye out for “flying balls and clubs,” and to “always check their surroundings before swinging a club,” adding that guests are responsible for “any damages or injuries they cause.”

Running starts and trick shots are prohibited, as is aiming for the ball picker in the outfield. Additionally, the site says, “No rough housing, pushing, horseplay or similar dangerous activity allowed. No throwing items of any kind. Use golf clubs and balls only for golf.”

Among other things, Ayers’ complaint accuses TopGolf of “failing to properly provide adequate supervision,” “failing to continually inspect for dangerous activities,” and “failing to install physical safety barriers or other adequate safety measures between bays despite having knowledge that the absence of such barriers and safety measures created a known risk of serious injuries.”

In her complaint, Triplett blames TopGolf for “[f]ailing to properly monitor and supervise patrons consuming alcohol while utilizing golf clubs,” “[f]ailing to intervene despite patrons consuming alcohol and engaging in unsafe conduct,” and “[f]ailing to provide adequate barriers, spacing, or safeguards between adjacent bays.”

Both argue they have experienced physical pain and suffering, physical impairment, and “disfigurement.”

A TopGolf representative did not respond to a request for comment.