The pub’s owners describe it as a ‘strength of community spirit’

A Cambridgeshire pub that’s a “favourite spot” to visit for locals has been named as one of the best pubs of the year. The Great British Pub awards celebrates all of the best boozers on offer across the UK.

Celebrating the 27th year of the awards, the winners of its 17 categories have been announced for 2026. Taking the crown for the Admiral Taverns Pub of the Year is The Crown in Fordham, Ely.

In 2023, the pub had to close due to a devastating fire. However, with a mission to get it up and running again, the owners were determined to “rise once more”.

The pub was taken over by new management in 2025 and since it reopened, it has become a “vibrant hub created with the community”, as stated on the pub website. Today, it has a loyal customer base behind it and has become a “strength of community spirit”.

The pub offers a menu filled with “smoky goodness”, with a lot of great meat options on offer. Menu options range from buttermilk chicken thigh bites and smoked pork belly burn ends to battered king prawns and smoked mozzarella sticks. There are also a wide range of baked potatoes on offer with lots of different toppings.

The pub also serves a range of cask ales, regular beers and other refreshing drinks. The Crown is also a hit with locals, as one reviewer said it was a “favourite spot”.

Another person who visited the pub with friends for a Sunday roast said she was “not disappointed” with the food and its portions. Staff at the pub are also praised for being “super friendly and helpful”.

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Michael Schumacher’s wife, Corinna, has opened up on her relationship with the Ferrari legend in the new documentary Schumacher ’94: The Birth of a Legend

Michael Schumacher’s wife, Corinna, has admitted that she cries to herself in the car, when she hears Paul Abdul’s song Rush Rush. The 1991 hit holds a special place in the hearts of the couple as it was their song in the early days of their relationship.

Corinna has offered a rare insight into the family’s life following the horrific skiing accident Schumacher suffered 13 years ago. Corinna remains the Formula 1 legends primary carer, supportered by a team of nurses.

She has opened the door to their world for a new documentary, Schumacher ’94: The Birth of a Legend. Corinna has been protective of her husband’s privacy, and it marks the first time she has spoken publicly about their life since her involvement in the 2021 Netflix documentary Schumacher.

“That was our song back then,” she said, recalling the early days of her relationship with Schumacher. “When I hear it today and I’m in the car, I cry to myself.”

Corinna also opened up on her mother’s disapproval. “My mother was completely against it,” she said.

“Michael was always at the go-kart track and was always pushing others out. My mother always said: “Look at Schumacher! They have a go-kart track at home, they throw out anyone who does anything wrong, and now he’s throwing people out!

“My mother would say: ‘Schumacher, Schumacher.’”

In the 2021 documentary Schumacher, Corinna provided some insight into Schumacher’s condition “Michael is here. Different, but he’s here, and that gives us strength, I find,’ she said. ‘He still shows me how strong he is every day.

“We live together at home. We do therapy. We do everything we can to make Michael better and to make sure he’s comfortable. And to simply make him feel our family, our bond.

“And no matter what, I will do everything I can. We all will. We’re trying to carry on as a family, the way Michael liked it and still does. And we are getting on with our lives.

“‘Private is private’, as he always said. It’s very important to me that he can continue to enjoy his private life as much as possible. Michael always protected us, and now we are protecting Michael.”

Anti-migrant activist Daniel Thomas has been arrested over a video appearing to show him slashing at a boat in the English Channel with a knife.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said a 37-year-old man of no fixed abode had been arrested after a “boat that had an emergency responder on board” was damaged in the Channel.

He was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage with intent to endanger life and endangering the safety of a ship on Wednesday. He remains in custody.

The force previously said it was looking at the video which Thomas, known to his supporters as Danny Tommo, had live-streamed on social media on Tuesday.

A French coastguard official was on board when Thomas appeared to slash at it. Some 50 migrants who had travelled in the boat from Normandy had already been taken to Dover for processing.

Far-right activist Tommy Robinson shared a video of Thomas’s arrest on social media late on Wednesday, claiming it was in relation to an attempt to “stop the invasion of our country”.

Thomas organised anti-migrant protests in Dover and Portsmouth in early September which saw roads blocked by hundreds of demonstrators, including groups of men in black balaclavas.

He has been rallying support for “mass resistance” to “take our country back” through his venture Patriot Platform, which he founded earlier this year.

“Last night, a 37-year-old man, of no fixed abode, was arrested on suspicion of destroying ships or fixed platforms or endangering their safety under Section 11 of the Aviation and Maritime Security Act 1990, criminal damage, criminal damage with intent to endanger life, and conduct endangering ships, structures or individuals under Section 58 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995.

Lorraine Kelly and HP are collecting family recipes for the National Book of Bakes, as a poll of 2,000 adults found 51% believe traditional British baking is being forgotten.

Lorraine Kelly is on a mission to stop classic recipes from disappearing for good. The TV favourite has teamed up with HP to launch a new appeal asking Brits to share their best-loved family baking recipes. Once they’re sent in, the recipes will be printed out using an HP Smart Tank printer, bound together and kept in a special printed collection called The National Book of Bakes.

The initiative comes after a survey of 2,000 adults revealed that many beloved traditional treats are being prepared with decreasing frequency – amongst them spotted dick, lemon drizzle cake and even the iconic Victoria sponge.

Even fan favourites like chocolate brownies have only been created by 39%, along with chocolate chip cookies (38%) and the classic hot cross buns (11%).

More than half of those polled (51%) say traditional British bakes are being forgotten, while 67% have a family recipe handed down through generations that they fear could be lost. Of these, 18% put this down to it being written on a scrap of paper which is falling apart, while 22% said it’s just in their heads.

Lorraine said: “There’s something so special about having an old family recipe, especially when it’s written by hand by someone you love.

“On paper it might just look like instructions on how to make a cake, but it’s so much more than that. It’s a piece of family history. Especially if it has been handed down through generations.

“I found my Granny’s recipe for a Dundee cake in one of my old recipe books. It’s a bit battered and tatty round the edges but it’s one of my most precious possessions.

“I’ve printed her recipe off to keep for myself and to pass copies onto my daughter and my friends and other family members. This will keep it safe and ensure my granddaughter Billie will be able to bake the same cake one day.

“I’d urge everyone to preserve these precious memories by doing the same. It’s quick and easy and a wonderful way to remember those we love.”

The study also revealed that 61% of people believe fewer bake nowadays compared to older generations. Only 11% bake on a weekly basis, while 17% admit they never bake at all.

Despite this, Gen Z appears to be reviving the tradition, with younger adults using the oven more than twice as frequently as Boomers (22% vs 11%).

Overall, 72% were in favour of preserving family recipes so they could be handed down through generations, with 79% stating that printing them out is the most reliable way to safeguard them.

A third said they trust a printed recipe book most when it comes to keeping a beloved family recipe safe for the future.

The survey, commissioned through OnePoll, revealed that 42% said family recipes make them feel closer to their family, while 41% said they feel connected to their childhood.

Jaina Mistry, UK and Ireland home print category manager at HP, said: “A family recipe can be incredibly precious, but also surprisingly fragile – scribbled on an old piece of paper, buried in a camera roll or simply remembered by one person.

“This project is about using print to give those recipes a more permanent home.

“With HP Smart Tank and three years of ink included, we can bring recipes from families across Britain together on the printed page, preserving not just how something is made, but the handwriting, notes and stories that make it part of a family’s history.”

THE TOP 30 BAKES AT RISK OF DYING OUT:

1. Cream fingers
2. Battenberg cake
3. Eccles cakes
4. Chelsea buns
5. Spotted dick and custard
6. Blondies
7. Treacle tart
8. Bakewell tart
9. Custard tarts
10. Hot cross buns
11. Profiteroles / eclairs
12. Banoffee pie
13. Jam roly-poly
14. Sticky toffee pudding
15. School cake / school dinner cake
16. Millionaire’s shortbread
17. Donuts
18. Coffee and walnut cake
19. Bread and butter pudding
20. Gingerbread
21. Lemon drizzle cake
22. Christmas cake / fruit cake
23. Carrot cake
24. Trifle
25. Shortbread
26. Banana bread
27. Chocolate chip cookies
28. Chocolate brownies
29. Scones
30. Victoria sponge

Social media algorithms are ‘normalising’ violence against women and girls, with one in three subjected to ‘shocking levels of abuse’ every day.

A new report from Refuge, the UK’s largest domestic abuse charity, and the End Violence Against Women Coalition reveals 36% of women experienced some form of violence online.

That number rises to 47% for women aged between 16 and 24.

A fifth of those said they encountered the same misogynistic content pumped into the manosphere ‘to maximise ad revenue’ most of or every time they logged on.

The online harms are having significant real-world consequences, with victims suffering anxiety or panic attacks and being driven from the platforms completely.

Most worryingly, 7% of women who experienced online violence said they felt suicidal – a figure which more than doubles (15%) among those aged 16 to 24.

Refuge CEO Gemma Sherrington said their findings ‘are reflective of a system that has continued to prioritise profits over safety, leaving women to pay the price’.

Jodie’s story

In January 2021, Jodie* opened an anonymous email directing her to images of herself which had been shared online, along with details identifying her and where she lived.

Weeks later she discovered explicit ‘deepfakes’ of her on an online forum.

Her ‘shock and desperation’ turned to ‘complete fear, anger and disbelief’ when she found out the perpetrator was her male best friend.

This Is Not Right

On November 25, 2024 Metro launched This Is Not Right, a campaign to address the relentless epidemic of violence against women.

With the help of our partners at Women’s Aid, This Is Not Right aims to shine a light on the sheer scale of this national emergency.

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You can find more articles here, and if you want to share your story with us, you can send us an email at vaw@metro.co.uk.

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Among the women polled by Refuge and EVAW, one in 50 reported they had personally experienced an AI-generated or ‘deepfake’ intimate image of them being shared without their consent.

Nearly three quarters (72%) identified the perpetrator as male, with current or former partners and friends or relatives each responsible in roughly a fifth of cases.

The most commonly identified perpetrator (53%) was a stranger.

When Jodie went to the police to report the abuse, she was told there was ‘nothing they could do’.

She had to track down the images and videos herself, contacting the online forum and porn site directly to get the material taken down. 

‘Gathering the evidence was incredibly distressing and retraumatising. It felt as though the responsibility for proving the harm had been placed entirely on me,’ she told Metro.

After going through that process and collecting the evidence, Jodie was told the creation and sharing of sexually explicit deepfakes had not broken any laws, so her abuser could not be prosecuted. 

‘Despite the threats and risks we were facing, we did not have a liaison officer, and we were told that we were unable to access an Independent Sexual Violence Adviser because the abuse was not considered sexually motivated,’ Jodie said.

‘Survivors should not have to repeatedly explain, document and prove their abuse while navigating systems that do not understand the nature of online harms.‘Evidence gathering and reporting need to be trauma-informed, coordinated and designed around the safety of the person experiencing the abuse.

‘The burden should not fall on survivors to become experts in criminal investigations, technology and platform reporting while they are trying to recover.’

Jodie successfully campaigned with EVAW for the creation of non-consensual sexually explicit deepfakes to become a crime, which came into effect last year.
 
Despite this, the report shows that 66% of women surveyed continue to feel concerned about the role of AI technologies in enabling violence against women and girls.

Jodie said: ‘The risks extend beyond deepfake images. We are also seeing concerns around AI chatbots providing detailed guidance on stalking, simulating rape or abuse through roleplay, and reinforcing misogynistic ideas.

‘These are serious risks from systems that have been deployed without sufficient safeguards, oversight or meaningful consideration of the people who may be harmed.

‘There are also emerging risks from technologies such as smart glasses and other wearable devices, which could make covert image capture, surveillance and violations of consent easier.’

The report also shows that chillingly, 1 in 7 women who have experienced digital VAWG have left the platform altogether, as a direct result of the abuse.

Almost a quarter reduced commenting or posting on social media following violence.

‘My relationship with social media changed significantly,’ says Jodie. ‘I became much more conscious of what I shared. Something that had previously felt ordinary, such as posting a photo with work colleagues, or in my home, began to feel like a potential safety risk. 

‘I have had to think about how visible I want to be and whether participating online is worth the potential risk. That is an exhausting position to be put in.
‘Women and girls should not have to make themselves smaller or disappear to stay safe.’

Threats of sexual violence

Anybody can be a victim – young girls and older women, social media users with relatively few contacts and celebrities with followers numbering the thousands or millions.

Ashley James, the DJ, broadcaster and bestselling author of Bimbo, told Metro that online misogyny and abuse have followed her ever since she entered the public eye and gained a following in 2012.

‘At that time, it was horrifically graphic sexual videos on Snapchat. Since them, it’s always [been] men reaching out with sexualised insults, comments about my appearance, threats and abuse,’ she said.

Recently, the threats have escalated to rape and are now being directed at her three-year-old daughter through DMs online.

‘I felt sick,’ she said of seeing those messages coming through.

‘When it comes to my children, I would die to protect them. Everything I speak about is for them, to hopefully make the world a better place.’

This harrowing message was not a one off. Since, Ashley has received multiple similar threats from different men. 

‘It’s devastation and guilt. Any kind of threat to them makes you feel like a failure as a parent,’ she said.

‘I frequently receive rape threats myself. The threat of sexual violence to myself and my daughter is 100% gendered.

‘I think often my content ends up on the wrong side of the algorithm, being pushed towards [people who support] the manosphere.’

Ashley says that despite all of this, she refuses to let ‘trolls’ drive her away from social media.

‘We shouldn’t have to choose between having a voice and being safe. No one should be bullied into silence,’ she said.

‘Misogyny didn’t start with social media, I just think social media has given it an algorithm and an audience, and kind of made it a business model. 

‘I’ll continue using my platform, because I don’t want my daughter to think that being a woman online means accepting sexual harassment, misogyny or graphic imagery as the price of participation.’

Real-life impact

Jodie said ‘the line between online and offline harm is continuing to collapse’, with the impact stretching ‘far beyond the internet’.

‘It affected my mental health, my sense of safety and my ability to trust people,’ she said.

‘I experienced PTSD symptoms linked to a previous assault, as well as depression, and needed weekly private therapy for months.

‘The abuse became something I had to carry into every part of my life, including my relationships, work and everyday interactions.’

The Dangerous by Design report shows that 40% of those who have experienced online VAWG experienced anxiety, while 15% of those between 16 and 24 reported feeling suicidal as a result. 

Dr Sophie Nightingale specialises in researching the psychological impacts of online VAWG, particularly image-based abuse.

‘We’re seeing this overlap between the online, and in-person physical threats of sexual violence. Whether these are threats people are going to carry out or not, this still impacts the victim,’ she said.

‘People will respond by withdrawing, feeling afraid and petrified to go out and leave their house.

‘It’s another way to oppress women, and keep them isolated.’

The psychologist explains that the risk of online VAWG leading to suicidal thoughts is particularly intensified by threats of sexual violence.

‘There can be these feelings of embarrassment, shame and guilt that should never actually be attributed to the victim.

‘You’re already scared because of the abuse itself, but then you also feel isolated, not knowing where to turn. 

‘Sometimes, people think that the only option is to end things, which can be heightened by the thought that because of the online element, the abuse will never go away. 

‘This is often the case with non-consensual sharing of intimate imagery, as it carries a digital footprint that people live in fear of. They question ‘When is it going to emerge again?”’

Dr Nightingale says growing threats to women online are part of a wider cultural regression.

‘At the moment, we are seeing the growth of misogynistic views and social, cultural norms,’ she said.

‘From a young age, children are growing up thinking this is normal behaviour, that it’s okay to do these things, and share an intimate image of a woman or girl without her consent, because that’s what people do and they get away with it.

‘If we don’t do something drastic soon to stop that, it’s going to snowball even further, and we’re going to take a huge step backwards in terms of women and girls’ rights.’

What needs to be done

The report shines light on how women are dealing with this widespread issue alone. 

One in five did not tell anyone about the abuse. Less than a third reported it to the platform where it occurred, meanwhile only 12% reported it to the police.

Over half of women who did report abuse to the platform itself were not satisfied by the handling of their report, demonstrating the urgency for tech companies to change their designs and approach.

Ms Sherrington said: ‘This report comes almost one year after Ofcom introduced its guidance for tech companies on how to tackle VAWG on online platforms.

‘Despite being a welcome step forward, Refuge has long-been clear that voluntary guidance lacks the force needed to address the shocking levels of abuse and violence faced by women and girls online every day.

‘Our report testifies to this, shining a light on the sheer scale of harm that women in this country are experiencing and the lack of confidence they have in tech companies, the criminal justice system, and policymakers to protect them.

‘These findings are reflective of a system that has continued to prioritise profits over safety, leaving women to pay the price. This cannot continue.

‘The government and Ofcom must go much further in holding tech companies legally responsible for combatting the normalisation of misogyny, holding perpetrators to account, and keeping all women and survivors safe.’

The report contains several recommendations, calling for the Online Safety Act to be updated, allowing Ofcom’s VAWG guidance to be upgraded to a legally enforceable code of practice. 

The report also demands safety by design, through the introduction of a Safety by Design code of practice.

EVAW’s interim director, Janaya Walker, said: ‘All women and girls deserve to live free from violence and abuse.

‘This report is a stark reminder of the ways in which online VAWG is a major feature of women’s everyday lives to devastating effect, particularly for young women.

‘The status quo is untenable and the government’s efforts to prevent VAWG needs to confront the business model of big tech, with a regulatory system which has the teeth to hold them to account.’

Earlier this year, Labour asked Ofcom to report on which social media companies are failing to implement measures to protect women and girls online.
Then-technology secretary Liz Kendall said companies ‘must go above and beyond’ to make their platforms safer.

She warned that the Government would be prepared to intervene if firms failed to use every tool at their disposal to protect women and girls from abuse and misogyny online.

‘This government has taken tough action to tackle intimate image abuse, deepfakes and the online harms women and girls face every day.

‘Now, tech companies must go above and beyond to use the tools readily available to them to make their platforms safer.’

As part of the Government’s VAWG online crackdown, cyberflashing was made a priority offence under the Online Safety Act earlier this year.

The change means that rather than reacting after such images have been received, platforms must take proactive steps to prevent such content appearing in the first place.

The Government also vowed to close legal loopholes which have allowed chatbots to create deepfake nude images and is planning further curbs on social media.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

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Right-wing activist Danny Tommo was arrested last night after filming himself apparently slashing the side of a dinghy with a rescue crew member still on board.

The 37-year-old, real name Daniel Thomas, was detained at a BP petrol station on suspicion of destroying ships or fixed platforms or endangering their safety.

Tommo was also arrested on suspicion of criminal damage; criminal damage with intent to endanger life; and conduct endangering ships, structures or individuals.

Video posted by Tommo on YouTube as well as his associate Tommy Robinson on X from an undisclosed location showed Tommo asking to ‘say goodbye to my kids’.

An officer then tells Tommo to ‘step out of the car’ and explains the arrest, while a woman off-camera is heard saying: ‘The cameras are on, let go of the phone.’

It comes after Tommo appeared to shout ‘traitors’ having used a knife to cut the side of the vessel that people smugglers had used to transport migrants in the Channel.

Tommo could be seen in footage on YouTube slashing and stabbing the dinghy after a crew member boarded to apparently take the vessel back to France on Tuesday.

Hundreds of activists then gathered in Gosport later that day after Tommo filmed himself going out to sea to try to intercept a dinghy carrying dozens of migrants.

Last night, officers arrested Tommo – and both he and Robinson posted a 55-second clip of the incident at about 10.30pm, which has since been viewed 350,000 times.

A police officer explains to Danny Tommo last night that he is being arrested

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The clip begins with Tommo – who is not on camera – saying: ‘Yeah okay, okay, if I could just speak to my kids quick, I’ll try and say goodbye to my kids before.’

An officer then tells him: ‘Step out of the car please sir, okay? At this moment in time we have information to suggest that you were involved in criminal damage.’

Tommo replies: ‘Yep, yep, can I just… give me my phone. I want my phone to be on, please.’ An unknown woman adds: ‘The cameras are on, let go of the phone.’

The officer continues: ‘At this point in time, you are under arrest – you do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence…’ Tommo then says: ‘I understand.’

The officer adds: ‘The information that I’ve been given is that you’ve been involved in criminal damage that has recklessly endangered someone’s life, okay?’

Tommo interjects, saying: ‘Can I just… yeah, I understand that…’ And the officer says: ‘I will get the full information for you in terms of times and date and everything…’

A Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary spokesman said today: ‘A man has been arrested after a boat that had an emergency responder on board, was damaged in English Channel. We received a report of the incident on Tuesday evening.

‘Last night, a 37-year-old man, of no fixed abode, was arrested on suspicion of destroying ships or fixed platforms or endangering their safety under Section 11 of the Aviation and Maritime Security Act 1990, criminal damage, criminal damage with intent to endanger life, and conduct endangering ships, structures or individuals under Section 58 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995. He remains in custody at this time.’

In an update on X this morning, Robinson said: ‘Danny Tommo is currently sitting in the cells and facing serious charges. He needs our help, he needs your help. Danny rang me when the police were following him, saying “what do I do, what am I going to do?”

‘I know, because I’ve been in this situation, he’ll be scared, he’ll be worried, he’s going to be fearful, he’s going to be panicking about his kids and his missus, the mother of his kids.

‘He’s going to be panicking about his family. He’s going to be panicking about the time he’s away, because Danny is their sole provider. So there’s lots of things going on here.’

Robinson said he told Tommo on the phone that he needed help from Canadian political activist Ezra Levant, who has previously supported his own legal battles.

The activist, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, added that he phoned Levant last night, who confirmed that he will help fund legal representation for Tommo.

Robinson also said: ‘Danny didn’t stab that boat for himself. It’s for every one of us. And he might have done it impulsively, it might have been a mistake what he’s done, but he’s been driven to that.

‘All these men are being driven to it by failures of government, by the mess they’ve created in our country.’

Danny Tommo could be seen in footage on YouTube slashing and stabbing the dinghy after a crew member boarded to apparently take the vessel back to France on Tuesday

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Tommo slices through one side of the empty dinghy seconds before a rescuer stepped on

The French rescue worker did not react after the activist slashed the dinghy with a knife 

Separately, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said last night that three people were charged after they gathered at the marina where they thought the boat’s passengers were due to arrive.

Six people were arrested by officers during the evening, the force said.

Shannon Dodds, 32, of Gosport, has been charged with two counts of assault by beating of an emergency worker. She has been remanded in custody to appear at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court today.

Sally Pearson, 31, also of Gosport, has been charged with assault by beating of an emergency worker and a racially aggravated public order offence. She has also been remanded in custody to appear at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court today.

Toby Matthews, 33, from Gosport, has been charged with common assault of an emergency worker. He was bailed to appear at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court on November 9.

A 19-year-old man and a 36-year-old man from Salisbury, who were arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass, have been bailed with conditions until December 22 while inquiries continue.

A 67-year-old man from Gosport was handed a Fixed Penalty Notice for driving without due care and attention.

He was also arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker and has been bailed with conditions until December 22 while inquiries continue, the force added.

Some of the protesters in Gosport wore black clothing and face coverings, and chanted ‘send them back’, wrongly assuming the boat would be guided to the Hampshire coast.

In fact, it docked in Dover, Kent, at around 12.30am yesterday after 51 migrants on board reportedly refused help from a French ship and spent 33 hours at sea.

In a video published on X yesterday morning, Tommo branded the latest migrant arrivals a ‘sad day for the country’ but argued that pressure from protesters ‘worked in some respects’ because it stopped arrivals coming into Gosport.

The migrant dinghy left the Normandy coast on Monday and was shadowed by a French coastguard vessel, with authorities declaring the occupants had refused help as they were ‘determined to take all risks to reach the United Kingdom’.

British rescue boats were sent to collect the passengers on Tuesday, and the UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency said they would be transferred to Border Security Command.

A Government spokesman said: ‘The Border Security Command works around the clock to protect our border and will continue to detain, check and process every small boat arrival.’

It had been expected that the migrants would be taken to Gosport, with local MP Dame Caroline Dinenage saying the Home Office had told her it was ‘increasingly likely that a small boat will need to be disembarked in the local area in the coming hours’.

Police officers in Gosport, Hampshire, on Tuesday night after hundreds of activists gathered

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Migrants heading to the UK yesterday morning in a dinghy from Hardelot in northern France 

But the vessel carrying the migrants headed east, later arriving in Dover where migrants were seen disembarking wearing orange life jackets and carrying personal belongings.

Around a dozen protesters were spotted in the area, with local police having blocked off a nearby road.

Routes used by small-boat people smugglers appear to be changing, and UK authorities are understood to have plans to deal with small-boat arrivals further west along the coast than Kent.

Earlier this month, a dinghy was met by lifeboats from the Isle of Wight having set off from the Cherbourg area, triggering protests in Portsmouth. It is thought to have made one of the longest journeys of any small boat in the Channel.

Similarly, departures from as far west in France as Normandy are rare.

Two other migrant boats have also managed to land undetected in the UK on Monday and Tuesday this week, the first time in a year that there have been unescorted landings and the only time since the start of 2023.

The thousands of migrants crossing the Channel are usually brought to shore by Border Security Command or RNLI boats.

A Home Office spokesman said 21 people who landed on Tuesday had been detained.

Education Secretary Lucy Powell said today that not every migrant boat can be intercepted.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Ms Powell branded the situation ‘not acceptable’ but insisted there was an ‘improving picture’.

Asked if the boats reaching the UK was embarrassing, the Cabinet minister responded: ‘[You] can’t stop everything all of the time.

‘Of course, it’s a concern. That’s why the Home Secretary has demanded and ordered this urgent review because this is not what we want to see. This is not acceptable.

‘But the overall picture is an improving picture. It is hard, difficult work that requires constant, constant effort by our border forces, our security services, police, our partnerships with France and other countries.

‘This is a mammoth and huge task, which is now starting to reap some dividends. But of course, you know where there are still issues arising, we must absolutely tackle them.’

French police are also investigating whether the death of a man found on a beach in northern France yesterday is linked to a Channel crossing.

Some 17,480 migrants have arrived after crossing the Channel by boat so far this year, including 5,011 since Andy Burnham became Prime Minister.

The total so far for 2026 is down 46 per cent on the same point last year.

“Last night, Wednesday, September 23, a 37-year-old man, of no fixed abode, was arrested on suspicion of destroying ships or fixed platforms or endangering their safety under Section 11 of the Aviation and Maritime Security Act 1990, criminal damage, criminal damage with intent to endanger life, and conduct endangering ships, structures or individuals under Section 58 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995.

Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao is in talks to return to boxing with plans for him to fight on the Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury card this December as part of a ‘double main event’ in Cardiff.

Joshua and Fury will finally meet in the ring with an official announcement expected this week or next. Cardiff’s Principality Stadium is set to host the Battle of Britain on 11 December.

The showdown is set to be broadcast on Netflix with it expected to be a late start time in the Welsh capital for UK fight fans to accommodate the US audience.

The streaming giant are pushing hard for another huge fight to be added to the bill with talks underway for 47-year-old Pacquiao to fight Shakur Stevenson in another generational scrap on the same night.

Boxing Scene report that fight is in the works with representatives for men in contact with the card’s Saudi Arabian backers, along with Netflix.

Pacquiao vs Stevenson was first discussed when Joshua vs Fury looked to be heading for New York’s Madison Square Garden – with Joshua and his promoter Eddie Hearn winning the battle to stage the fight on UK soil.

Despite the site change, Netflix are still eager to make Pacquiao vs Stevenson happen in Wales.

Eight-weight world champion Pacquiao retired from boxing following a punishing defeat to Yordenis Ugas in 2021.

After a four-year hiatus, he returned to the ring last summer at the age of 46 to challenge Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight title in a bout that ended in a draw.

Earlier this year, Pacquiao signed a deal to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr in a rematch between the two ring legends.

Issues on Mayweather’s side however saw the original September postponed with no rescheduled date.

Stevenson, one of the best pound-for-pound fighters on the planet, joined Zuffa Boxing earlier this year but is still to have his debut fight for the promotion.  

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