Some images are etched into our collective memory. Pictures such as the one of Lissie Harper so happy after marrying her childhood sweetheart PC Andrew Harper, which was released by her after he was killed in the line of duty.

She so tiny as she reached up to kiss her new husband who towered over her with his arm wrapped tight around her.

Nor can we unsee the video online of two of her husband’s killers, Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers both 17 in 2020, laughing as they were taken down after being sentenced to 13 years each for his manslaughter.

The couple had been married for only four weeks. They had not even had a chance to go on their honeymoon and were about to do so.

But four hours after his shift had ended, PC Harper had responded to a late-night call about a stolen quad bike. Only to be dragged by a car to die down a country lane as the two teenagers and the vehicle’s driver fled the scene in Berkshire.

So when Lissie was informed her husband’s monstrous killers were set for early release under Labour’s ‘progressive’ prison policy, her cry of outrage and pain was so primal it reverberated throughout the nation. We all felt it.

She condemned the decision as ‘deplorable’, accusing politicians of ‘making decisions from behind a desk that will have real and lasting consequences for victims’ families like mine’.

She added: ‘It has taken me years to rebuild a life that was torn apart in a matter of moments. Years to pick up the pieces left behind by the actions of men who stole our future.’

Another image we won’t forget is the one of Albert Bowers (left) and Jessie Cole (centre) laughing as they were taken down after being sentenced to 13 years each for his manslaughter

Small comfort for Lissie that the driver of the car, Henry Long, is serving a longer sentence and is so far ineligible for early release.

The fact is that Andy Burnham’s Labour was preparing to release his co-killers before they had even served half their sentence – and almost certainly would have done so had she not spoken out.

Our new unelected PM, Andy – as he prefers to be called – could have put an end to the notion of early release as soon as he took power.

Perhaps he was too busy visiting homeless shelters and playing the man for all seasons, pulling pints in a pub.

It was only when tiny Lissie unleashed her scorn over him and his ilk that he took notice.

She shamed him into executing a screeching U-turn and he announced he would hold back the early release scheme until it has been reviewed. It meant two of her husband’s killers would remain in prison – for now.

How ironic that a young lass who once designed wedding cakes for a modest living should be the one to show our new PM what justice really means.

Driven by her sense of loss and injustice she successfully campaigned for years for Harper’s Law – a mandatory life sentence for anyone who kills an emergency worker in the line of duty – and it was passed four years ago, gaining her an MBE in the process.

As Lissie devastatingly declared this week: ‘For victims’ families this is not about politics. It is about whether a sentence means what a judge says it means. It is about whether justice means something we truly believe in.’

Adding passionately: ‘Andrew deserves better. Every victim deserves better. And the British public deserve a justice system they can have faith in.’

Her words echoed the anger of millions of Brits who feel let down by the system, not just Lissie but the countless victims of crime who are appalled that we let rapists and sex offenders and cop killers out half way through their sentences.

Lissie has spoken out publicly since her husband’s brutal murder, calling Labour’s early release decision ‘deplorable’ and branding Andrew’s killers ‘the men who stole our future’

‘How ironic that a young lass who once designed wedding cakes for a modest living should be the one to show our new PM what justice really means,’ writes Amanda Platell

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True, our new man of the people has at least paused this early release scheme after Lissie’s outburst. But it’s not a review we need – the scheme should be scrapped without hesitation.

Unless Andy truly takes Lissie’s message on board, the ‘hope’ he promised us this week on the steps of Downing Street will prove nothing of the sort.

Or, to put it another way, if he fails to listen to her, the Messiah from the North will have proved himself utterly hopeless.

Why women love Amanda

55-year-old Amanda Holden shows off her figure while on holiday to Greece. Is she the Insta Bikini Queen?

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Is Amanda Holden, 55, battling 61-year-old Liz Hurley for the title of Insta Bikini Queen?

Posting pics of herself in an itsy bitsy on a yacht in Greece, the happily married mum of two jokes: ‘And so begins the annual onslaught of bikini shots – you have been warned!’

My money’s on Amanda because, unlike Liz, she’s down to earth with a self-deprecating sense of humour and women actually like her. 

Even after Robbie Williams’ weedy World Cup performance, the singer says he wants the Glastonbury Legends slot next year. ‘If they saw me do it, I would take their heads off,’ he said. What, nodding off to sleep Robbie?

Matt as hunky hero? He was Bourne to do it 

Following the release of The Odyssey men want ‘Matt Damon arms’. 

Crikey, why has it taken more than two decades after he stripped off in The Bourne Identity in 2002 for everyone to realise how ripped he is? 

Anyway, Matt will need strong arms to carry his share of the $303million the movie made in its first week, a sum that’s expected to grow by $70million this weekend.

Since starring in The Odyssey, Matt Damon (left) has gained attention for his muscular arms, but fans of The Bourne Identity will already be familiar with them…

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Much nostalgia after the death of Kevin Keegan as friends recall his sporting genius and decency. Me? I remember him as the man who back in the Seventies popularised the bubble perm – I loved a football perm back in the day. Kev said it made him feel 6ft tall, like a Coldstream Guard, although when his wife saw it she couldn’t stop laughing for 20 minutes.

Meghan’s Insta war

Meghan posts pictures of the back of her kids on their UK trip as they’re walking down an avenue of trees believed to be Althorp, where Harry’s mother Diana is buried. 

They show Dad and Archie carrying bouquets of flowers and were snapped, coincidentally, the day after Kate released her own pictures marking Prince George’s 13th birthday. 

Can Meghan not help herself trying to out-Insta Kate – not least with her kids’ concealed faces suggesting they are more important and more of a security risk than George?

TV star Vanessa Feltz, 64, will be pivoting to YouTube, to host a new show called At Home With Vanessa

After being axed from her TV show, Vanessa Feltz has picked herself up, regrouped and will be broadcasting her new offering At Home With Vanessa on YouTube, interviewing celebrities from her bedroom. 

Good luck girl, although even as a born survivor you must realise that, now you’re 64 and single, it’s harder to entice anyone into your bedroom. 

Great to see King Charles indulging his quirky sense of humour by arriving with Camilla in a Tardis for the opening of the Commonwealth Games. Although it’s not quite up there with Queen Elizabeth ‘jumping’ from a helicopter, with Daniel Craig as James Bond, for the opening of the London 2012 Olympic Games, it brought a smile. 

Madeleine McCann’s brother Sean, 21, who was two when his sister disappeared, explains how he got to swim for Scotland at the Commonwealth Games. He began competitive sport at eight and never stopped, getting up at 4am most mornings to train for more than 20 hours a week, while studying at university. 

Many children having suffered the loss of a sibling might never recover emotionally. So what a testament Sean is to Kate and Gerry McCann’s strength.

Westminster wars

• Andy Burnham’s team had been planning to knife Keir Starmer for more than a year – which now casts suspicion on John Healey and his ‘surprise’ appointment as Chancellor. A lifelong Burnham ally, it was Healey who triggered Starmer’s exit with a defenestration of the then PM over the defence budget and his ‘honourable’ resignation as Defence Secretary on June 11. Then, little more than a month later, he gets the keys to No 11. Was he so honourable after all?

• Clever of Andy to choose hefty bruiser Anneliese Midgley as his Chief Whip. She stomped into Downing Street like a cage fighter. If she can’t whip MPs into submission, she can just sit on them.

Having worked with Ann Widdecombe for years, my only consolation after her brutal murder is that the staunch Roman Catholic’s faith would have meant that, even as her attacker struck, she’d have firmly believed her last journey on Earth would be into the arms of a loving Christ.

Hopefully Ann Widdecombe’s unwavering Catholic faith will have brought her some solace in her awful final moments on Earth, says our columnist

Anger over killer Axel’s move

To the despair of the families of the three girls he murdered, Southport killer Axel Rudakubana – who was sentenced to life – has been moved from Belmarsh prison to Broadmoor psychiatric hospital over fears for his and others’ safety. Now he’ll be spared the true justice he deserves from Belmarsh inmates, even the most hardened of whom despise child killers. 

With a hosepipe ban upon us, one canny but distant acquaintance of mine thinks he’s found a way around it. Drill a hole in the back of a watering can, feed the hose through it then pretend to refill it at regular intervals. Although I’d never condone such action.

A spokesperson for the Met said: “At around 3.45pm on Friday July 24 a boat from the Met’s Marine Policing Unit struck Westminster Bridge.

“A number of officers entered the water but were recovered.

“Additional officers responded alongside the London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade.

“We understand five officers were injured and are receiving treatment. We await an update on the extent of their injuries.

“At this stage, we don’t believe any members of the public were involved or injured.

“The circumstances of the incident will be thoroughly reviewed, but at this stage our priority is the wellbeing of the officers involved.”

EXCLUSIVE: The Chase star Anne Hegerty has recalled a behind-the-scenes green room moment where co-star Shaun Wallace silenced Welsh football pundit Robbie Savage.

Robbie Savage has been blasted as “obnoxious” after comments he made in 2013.

The Welsh footballing manager has appeared on the likes of Strictly Come Dancing and BBC Radio 5 Live.

However, it was behind the scenes of The Chase that sparked a memorable moment.

According to quizzer on the beloved ITV programme, Anne Hegerty, Robbie was making “obnoxious” comments before his appearance on a celebrity edition.

Prior to the launch of the new Chase spin-off, The Chase Around The World, The Governess shared: “I’ve sat in a green room with Shaun [Wallace] and watched him take Robbie Savage to pieces,” reports the Mirror.

“He was being obnoxious and asking dumb questions, and then Shaun suddenly turned around to him, started firing football questions at him and he was just sitting there like… he had no idea.

“It was a thing of beauty!”

Her remarks followed Shaun, known to fans as The Dark Destroyer, opening up about mistakes he’d made on the show.

He said: “Questions are only easy if you know the answer, so one thing about us as quizzers is we’re brilliant quizzers, but we’re human, we make mistakes.”

Shaun, who won Mastermind in 2004 before The Chase, went on to talk about his experience on the ITV quizshow, saying: “I use my transferable skills as a barrister, I think on my feet, I’m fearless.

“I’ve appeared in the Court of Appeal, I’ve done Old Bailey trials, so to answer the question in the final Chase or Mastermind grand finals is not going to phase me, but the one thing which has stood me well is my steadfast dedication to preparation because the more you prepare, the more chances you can be successful.

“And it’s not a chore… when we’re researching, it might seem like we’re going back to school. No, we’re doing it because we love it.”

He went on to share his gratitude for fans, saying: “I will always stop and take photographs with people who recognise us because it’s my way of saying thank you to the public, and they love the show and it’s our way of giving back. As long as they’re not rude or intrusive, we’ll stop.”

The Chase Around The World is available to watch on ITVX.

What sports shoes do you recommend?

Robert, South West

The sports shoes that I’m currently wearing are from Puma. They’re very comfortable and have support. I actually wear a basketball shoe at the minute to have more support up the ankle.

A lot of the girls wear Asics as well, which I know is the netball shoe. I’ve worn Puma for the last four years, so I would recommend them.

But honestly, whatever works best for you, you have to try them out. Whatever is best for your instep and whatever is comfiest. And if you need more ankle support, you can put some ankle braces on.

How has playing for Manchester Thunder helped you develop as a player?

Jason, London

Manchester has massively helped me develop as a player. I’ve been playing here since 2012. As a young girl, it created me as a person, to be honest with you. It’s such a family environment that I think a lot of my values come from this club. So my family values, being connected, creating energy – all those things come rooted from this club, which is incredible.

I think whatever step you are in your career, whether you’re a young athlete or senior, they help you develop. Even now I’m 31, they’re still helping me learn new things on the court. The coaches are incredible, and I’m constantly learning and being inspired by them every single week.

Do players retire from elite netball quite young?

Helen, South West

I think it depends on the athlete. Some can retire at 40, and that’s because their bodies are so conditioned, and they might not have had any major injuries in their career. They’re able to continue to push themselves all the way until 40.

But I’d say the average is probably mid-30s. Now the Super League has become professional, the younger athletes are getting better training from a younger age. We want to keep pushing ourselves to play as long as possible.

How can netball get more coverage when women’s football is constantly pushed?

Sarah, South West

I think netball needs to have more sponsors to get more media coverage. Bigger sponsors.

Players need to put their personalities more out there on social media, so brands will want to work with us. Everyone’s got amazing personalities in netball. They [brands] should want to be a part of the netball players’ stories and the netball teams.

But it’s about getting as much exposure as possible, and making sure that everyone is going on YouTube or BBC, so more people are able to learn about the sport.

I loved netball at school. How do I get involved now in my 60s?

Sue, Yorkshire

Netball is for everyone. I personally love going to walking netball sessions and taking them through classes. You can go to the England Netball website and find out where you can play locally.

There’s also Back to Netball, depending on your ability and what you want to get out of it. Personally, I think walking netball is so much fun. The women who are in those sessions are a huge laugh, and I know when I retire, I’m going to be joining a group, for sure.

Apart from netball, what other hobbies do you have? How do they help you relieve the pressure of competition?

George, London

I feel like over the past few years I’ve really got into some new hobbies. I love reading. I love fantasy reading, like Throne of Glass. I love BookTok, so I’ve really got into that.

I’m also very crafty. I like making things – I’ve made little crochet bees for all the girls, and I like drawing, and painting occasionally – just wholesome activities to take me away from netball life. As soon as I zone in on an activity, I’m locked in and I have to complete it.

By ELIZABETH HAIGH, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER and SHANNON MCGUIGAN, NEWS REPORTER

Published: 16:43 BST, 24 July 2026 | Updated: 17:14 BST, 24 July 2026

Five police officers have been injured after a number had to be recovered had to be recovered from the River Thames when their boat hit Westminster Bridge. 

Emergency services rushed to the incident on the River Thames after the patrol boat crashed in central London at around 3.45pm today. 

RNLI responders could be seen treating casualties at the scene. The Metropolitan Police do not believe any members of the public were injured or involved. 

The cause of the incident has yet to be confirmed as the force has said their ‘priority is the wellbeing of the officers involved’. 

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The Metropolitan Police’s Marine Policing Unit (MPU) is not routinely armed, but they do work with armed officers from the Specialist Firearms Command (SCO19).

The two units work alongside each other to handle high-risk security, counter-terrorism, and armed response operations on the Thames.  

A large number of officers, fire crews and ambulances are on the scene, with an air ambulance and police helicopter spotted circling above.

Entrances three and four to Westminster Underground station have been shut, Transport for London confirmed, and traffic in the area is at a standstill.

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A police boat carrying armed officers has crashed near Westminster Bridge, with casualties being treated at the scene

A police cordon is in place at Westminster Bridge, with a large emergency service presence

Police cars and a fire engine are seen parked on Westminster Bridge on Friday afternoon

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The Port of London Authority earlier confirmed the incident at Westminster Bridge involved a police vessel.

A Met spokesperson: ‘At around 3.45pm on Friday July 24 a boat from the Met’s Marine Policing Unit struck Westminster Bridge.

‘A number of officers entered the water but were recovered.

‘Additional officers responded alongside the London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade.

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‘We understand five officers were injured and are receiving treatment. We await an update on the extent of their injuries.

‘At this stage, we don’t believe any members of the public were involved or injured.

‘The circumstances of the incident will be thoroughly reviewed, but at this stage our priority is the wellbeing of the officers involved.’

A Port of London Authority spokesperson said: ‘We are aware of an incident involving a police vessel at Westminster Bridge.

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‘We are supporting the response by providing river traffic management assistance where needed and are working closely with the Metropolitan Police, HM Coastguard and partner agencies to manage the situation.’

The Daily Mail has approached London Ambulance Service for comment.

This is a breaking news story and is being updated. 

Castle Howard’s dedicated Jellycat shop in its Stable Courtyard, featuring the summer collection of the playful and highly collectable soft toys only runs for another month.

Located in Castle Howard’s free-to-enter Stable Courtyard, the shop is open until Monday, August 31.

Adam Barber, head of retail at Castle Howard, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to host a Jellycat shop.

“Their jolly ranges make for beautiful gifts and souvenirs from a day out exploring the House and Gardens.

“We’re excited to continue to surprise visitors with top-quality shopping experiences in the Stable Courtyard, which permanently houses our Farm Shop and Gift Shop, and Garden Centre nearby.

“We hope Jellycat fans old and new will pay us a visit and add something lovely to their collection.”

The shop features popular Jellycat characters along with some items that were sold out on the official Jellycat website at the time of release.

Opening hours may vary and are available at www.castlehoward.co.uk.

“And obviously, the steps that have been taken by President Trump to apply tariffs on other areas of activity are not helpful for our economy, but on the issue of Scotch whisky, I’m glad that we were successful in persuading President Trump to remove the tariffs because they were resulting in a loss of jobs and opportunity here in Scotland.”

Two girls, aged 14 and 12, targeted a woman riding her bike on the cycle path beneath Melrosegate at around 2pm on Saturday (July 11).

The youths were caught throwing sticks at the woman from the bridge and when challenged by the victim, they were reported to have laughed at her, making her feel “intimidated”.

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The York woman said she could have suffered a serious head injury had she not been wearing a cycle helmet.

But she said that when she stopped to tell the girls how dangerous their actions had been, they just laughed.

And when she said she was going to call the police, they responded: “Go ahead, they won’t come and they won’t do anything.

“We can do whatever we want to do, they won’t stop us.”

The woman, who does not want to be identified, said she riding to an appointment and felt something heavy falling on her head.  

She said: “I felt very confused and pressed on my brakes.

“My first thought was that a branch had fallen off a tree as I saw it lying on the ground; I thought I was just slightly unlucky.

“However, I suddenly remembered reading on Facebook about a female cyclist being targeted under a bridge and went back to look up.

“Two girls were sitting on the bridge.

“I noticed that they had more sticks and branches with them. I cycled on to the other side of the bridge and started to call the police.

“The police were on the phone with me for 17 minutes and told me to share my location as they were going to dispatch a local unit.

“They told me there had been three reports of teenage girls throwing things.

“They asked me to describe what happened and what the girls looked like.

“In the meantime, I kept warning passers-by, especially cyclists.”

The woman said she was called back by another police officer, who asked whether she wanted to press a criminal charge.

“He mentioned that because the offenders were underage, even if that happened, the law was lenient on them. He said they were well known to police and repeat incidents had been reported already.”

She said she told him she didn’t want to press a criminal charge in this case because of the stress involved, having had a very bad experience in the past with another force when she was a victim of a more serious crime and had spent hours reliving the nightmare with various officers, but nothing had come of it.

“He then asked me what did I want them to do?”

I said in a bit of disbelief: “Stop them! They could hurt someone seriously next, as if I wasn’t wearing a helmet, I would’ve been hurt.

“He reassured me that a unit was in the area and told me I could go home.”

She said that from looking on Facebook, it was clear that multiple people had been targeted and the situation had escalated quickly, “starting with water and flour, even moving through tampons, and now sticks and branches”.

The woman added: “My confidence has really dropped down and I don’t think I’ll venture out like that again.

“I’m planning to talk to the councillors for the area and York Cycling Campaign to escalate this.”

Speaking about this, a North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: “Officers attended and the located the girls who are aged 14 and 12.

“They challenged them about their behaviour and explained the potential consequences of their actions.

“If you are a witness or a victim of this type of behaviour, please do not hesitate to report it on 101 or 999 if an emergency response is required.”