In an update issued on Wednesday evening, the UKHSA said “the risk to general public remains very low”

Advertisement

Two people who returned independently to the UK from the cruise ship MV Hondius that was hit by a hantavirus outbreak have been told to self-isolate, the UK Health Security Agency has said.

In an update issued on Wednesday evening, the UKHSA said “the risk to general public remains very low”, adding that neither of the two individuals who have been asked to self-isolate had reported symptoms.

The organisation said: “They are receiving advice and support from UKHSA and have been advised to self-isolate.

“UKHSA are supporting a small number of individuals identified as close contacts of those on the boat. They are being offered support and are also self-isolating. None are reporting any symptoms. The risk to the general public remains very low.”

The statement continued: “UKHSA is working closely with the FCDO, the Home Office, and Border Force to trace further individuals who may have been on the same flight as a confirmed case, in order to carry out public health risk assessments and ensure appropriate precautionary measures are in place.”

Dr Meera Chand, deputy director for epidemic and emerging infections at UKHSA, said: “Our thoughts are with all those affected by the hantavirus outbreak onboard the MV Hondius.

“It’s important to reassure people that the risk to the general public remains very low.

“We are standing up arrangements to support, isolate and monitor British nationals from the ship on their return to the UK and we are contact tracing anyone who may have been in contact with the ship or the hantavirus cases to limit the risk of onward transmission.

“UKHSA will continue to work closely with government partners to offer all necessary support.”

Hantaviruses are a family of rodent-bourne viruses, with each strain tied to a specific host species.

It’s spread when people come into contact with infected droppings, saliva, urine or nesting materials, but is extremely rare, and rarely passed from person to person.

If caught, hantavirus can lead to two main illnesses, one of which affects the lungs (Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome or HPS) and the other which affects the kidneys (Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome or HFRS).

The incubation period for this illness is generally two to four weeks, according to the government, but can range from as little as two days to as long as eight weeks.

What are the symptoms?

Early symptoms of hantavirus are similar to the flu, and include headaches, dizziness, chills as well as abdominal problems like diarrhoea, vomiting and nausea.

If it progresses into Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, patients can experience headaches, dizziness, chills and abdominal problems like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea.

If you develop Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome, initial symptoms will include intense headaches, back and abdominal pain, fever or chills, nausea, and blurred vision.

If the disease progresses, later symptoms include low blood pressure, acute shock (lack of blood flow), internal bleeding, and acute kidney failure, according to the CDC.

Hantavirus can be fatal, so it’s important to keep an eye on symptoms if you believe yo

A retired police officer said the case was “particularly striking” and opportunities to take action were overlooked

A mum feels her son “could still be here” if more had been done to help him after he was stabbed. Following a review into his death four years after the incident, the mum said she was left “dumbfounded” and “shocked” he had “received so little support”.

The man, referred to under the pseudonym Joe in an Oldham Safeguarding Adults Board report, was found dead in a wooded area of Oldham in September 2024. He was 27 years old when he died.

Following his death, the board commissioned a review led by David Mellor, a retired police officer which was published in April 2026. The purpose of the review is to look at whether any lessons needed to be learned.

Click here to get the biggest stories straight to your inbox in our Daily Newsletter

Mr Mellor said the case was “particularly striking” due to “the rapid disengagement by services from working with Joe” in the months before he died. He also said “abuse in the form of suspected cuckooing and financial abuse and self-neglect may have contributed to [Joe’s] death”.

Cuckooing is where vulnerable people are exploited by a criminal gang or individuals to use the property for criminal purposes such as drug-dealing, hiding weapons and other criminal activities

In response, Dr Henri Giller, the independent chair of Oldham Safeguarding Adults Board, said all partner agencies “have committed to act in response” and the board will be “closely monitoring progress to ensure that the learning from Joe’s circumstances leads to meaningful and lasting change across Oldham’s safeguarding system to reduce the risk of similar incidents occurring in the future.”

Having lived with his family until his early 20s, the review said Joe “survived a serious stabbing incident which took place when males armed with knives entered the family home in June 2020”. Joe’s mum said he “never got over it” and “was reluctant to discuss the incident because she felt that he did not wish to relive it”.

According to Joe’s aunt, Joe had been trying to protect his mum and his two younger siblings. Described by his family as a “lovely lad” who was “pleasant, caring, and helpful”, the stabbing incident left him “tortured” and “started taking drugs to blot things out”.

The mum said she “eventually stepped away from supporting her son as it became ‘pointless’ because he would spend any money she gave him on alcohol and drugs and would pawn any phone she bought him”.

Over time, she said her son’s behaviour changed and he became “such an angry person” and on one occasion, he barricaded himself in his flat. The mum said an arrest in July 2024 was the “nail in his coffin” as bail conditions isolated him from family support, adding this isolation “tipped him over the edge”.

The family criticised local services over their response to their son. The review said his aunt “was very upset to read of the difficulties Joe experienced in the last few months of his life when several agencies closed his case and she felt that opportunities to make safeguarding referrals were missed”

His mum also said she “felt angry because she felt that if Joe had received the support he needed “he could still be here”.

The review said Joe had moved out of the family home following the stabbing incident “after a series of reported familial domestic abuse incidents in which he was perceived to be the perpetrator”. When receiving support, he was described as “angry and aggressive” and his GP planned to refer him for an autism spectrum assessment and in 2023 he was imprisoned for common assault and obstructing police.

In 2024, staff at the Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust believed Joe “may be experiencing a first episode of psychosis” but the case was later closed. Before he died, the review said Joe was de-registered by his GP and attended the Royal Oldham Hospital “in considerable distress on several occasions”.

Mr Mellow said: “There were indications that he was being financially exploited but opportunities to make safeguarding referrals were overlooked. With hindsight, the risks to Joe appeared to be escalating but this was not recognised by the various agencies with which he came into contact in the months before he died.”

An inquest will be held to look into Joe’s death. A total of 16 recommendations have been made to local service providers, the Sanctuary Trust, and the Probation Service while good practice was found in six areas.

Dr Henri Giller, the Independent Chair of Oldham Safeguarding Adults Board, said: “On behalf of Oldham Safeguarding Adults Board, I would like to extend our sincere condolences to Joe’s family and friends. We are profoundly sorry for their loss and are grateful to Joe’s mother and aunt for their valuable time and insight and the courage they showed in contributing to this review.

“This review was undertaken to identify learning that can help prevent similar tragedies in the future. The review highlights examples of committed and compassionate practice by individual professionals, but it also identifies significant shortcomings in how risk was recognised, how services responded to non engagement, and how effectively agencies coordinated their safeguarding responses.

“The review reinforces the need for more trauma informed practice, stronger professional curiosity and challenge and strengthening of responses to adults experiencing homelessness, exploitation, and self neglect.

“The Board are taking the findings of the review seriously and have accepted all its recommendations in full. Our priority is to learn from this case.”

More than five years after receiving final court approval, a massive $2.67 billion antitrust class-action settlement involving Blue Cross Blue Shield is finally entering its payout phase.

Eligible claimants could begin seeing money deposited into their bank accounts within days, as the distribution process is scheduled to begin in May, according to the settlement website.

The settlement comes from a long-running lawsuit that accused Blue Cross Blue Shield and its affiliated insurers of violating antitrust laws by limiting competition in the health insurance market. Plaintiffs argued that the Blue Cross Blue Shield system was structured to reduce overlap among its regional plans, thereby restricting competition in certain parts of the U.S. As a result, the lawsuit claimed it was harder for rival insurance companies to enter those markets. This lack of competition may have reduced consumer choice and contributed to higher healthcare costs for customers in some regions, according to the allegations.

Blue Cross Blue Shield has denied any wrongdoing in the case but agreed to settle the lawsuit, with the final agreement approved in October 2020. To receive payment, claimants were required to file before the deadline, which closed in November 2021.

Eligible participants are expected to receive payments that vary widely based on individual circumstances. Earlier estimates suggested the average payout will fall between $300 and $333 per valid claim, though final amounts will vary.

The total settlement fund is reduced to roughly $1.9 billion after legal fees and administrative costs are deducted. From that remaining pool, payments will be calculated based on factors such as how long a claimant was enrolled in a Blue Cross Blue Shield plan and the amount of insurance premiums they paid between 2008 and 2020.

By the end of the filing period, approximately 6 million claims had been submitted nationwide. Those claims will determine how the settlement funds are distributed, with payout amounts expected to vary depending on factors such as the type of coverage, how long someone was enrolled and the amount of premiums paid during the eligible period.

“This settlement ends a long-running legal challenge to the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association license agreements and related rules,” a company spokesperson said in a 2024 statement upon reaching the agreement. “We deny the allegations made in the lawsuit. However, to reach a settlement and put years of litigation behind us, we have agreed to make some operational changes and a monetary payment to the provider class involved in the case.”

“Our members and health care provider partners can rest assured that Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies continue to be strong and ready to deliver exceptional services. We remain committed to providing access to affordable, high-quality care and improving the health of the communities we serve, just as we have for 90 years,” the statement concluded.

The Independent has contacted Blue Cross Blue Shield for comment.

Aurelien Tchouameni is on Manchester United’s radar ahead of the summer, and the French midfielder has reportedly been embroiled in a spat at his current club Real Madrid

Manchester United transfer target Aurelien Tchouameni has reportedly had a training ground ‘fight’ with Real Madrid team-mate Ernesto Valverde. Tchouameni was previously linked with a move to United before he opted to sign for Real in 2022.

Ahead of this summer, United’s interest is still there and the Reds are understood to view him as one of nine midfield targets they are considering. While United consider their options in the transfer market, reports from Spain have claimed Tchouameni and Valverde came to blows in a training ground incident.

This week, the focus has been paid to Tchouameni’s French colleague Kylian Mbappe allegedly having an argument with a Real Madrid coach. As the tension rumbles on, an incident around Tchouameni has come to light.

FOLLOW OUR MAN UNITED FB PAGE! Latest news and analysis via the MEN’s Manchester United Facebook page

Spanish outlet Marca has claimed Ernesto Valverde and Tchouameni had a physical exchange during a heated training session. It claims they pushed each other on the pitch and carried on their intense dispute in the changing room.

It was reportedly triggered by a foul during a training session, which led to both players coming together in an explosive row. Both players are said to have raged at each other in front of stunned team-mates.

With Real out of the Champions League and the Copa del Rey, and seemingly out of the La Liga title race, tensions in the Spanish capital are as high as they can be.

Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our United WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our United Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.

Carreras, who left United in 2024, responded this week to claims he was slapped by Rudiger during a training session. He did go on to insist the drama was over, with other reports stating Rudiger apologised.

Mbappe has also been at the heart of drama, having allegedly raged at one of Real Madrid head coach Alvaro Arbeloa’s staff members. The World Cup winner was then snapped on a luxury yacht with his girlfriend, in the week leading up to Real Madrid’s El Classico clash with Barcelona.

These incidents emphasises the high pressured, tense environment currently absorbing the club. In and amongst the chaos, Tchouameni has been linked with a summer move to Old Trafford.

Advertisement

With United looking to sign a replacement for the outgoing Casemiro, the ex-Monaco midfielder could yet head for the red side of Manchester. United are also understood to be willing to part with Manuel Ugarte as they look to raise funds.

While Kobbie Mainoo has signed a new deal at the club, as many as three midfielders have been tipped to arrive this summer. Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace and Newcastle United ace Sandro Tonali are three others who are admired.

United booked their place in next season’s Champions League by overcoming Liverpool 3-2 at Old Trafford. One more victory for Michael Carrick’s side will also see the club finish third in the Premier League.

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

Advertisement

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

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

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

A rat was filmed inside the Greggs on Ferguslie Walk in Paisley earlier this week.

A Greggs store was forced to close temporarily this week after a rat was caught on video inside the bakery. A passing member of the public spotted the rodent inside Greggs on Ferguslie Walk in Paisley after it had closed earlier this week.

The woman filmed the rat during its escapades as it rummaged through a bin cage and was spotted combing through the bakery‘s supplies. She captured the pest as it scurried along the shop floor from the street outside the store, filming through the window.

In the video, which was shared to Facebook, a person behind the camera can be heard retching, reports Glasgow Live. Another person is heard to say: “Oh my god, look at that, they must be in that shop.”

Greggs closed the Paisley branch after the “disgusting” video circulated online but it has since reopened.

A spokesperson for Greggs said: “We take all matters of food hygiene extremely seriously and have strict procedures in place across all of our shops.

“Our shop on Ferguslie Walk in Paisley was temporarily closed for a short period earlier this week, but has now reopened.”

Get more Daily Record exclusives by signing up for free to Google’s preferred sources. Click HERE.

President Donald Trump got the first major political scalps of his second term on Tuesday when five state legislators in Indiana who resisted his push to redraw the state’s congressional map lost their primaries.

It’s the latest example of Trump exacting revenge on Republicans whom he sees as crossing him. He’s already pushed Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) out of Washington and into retirement. Many of the Republicans who voted to impeach or convict him either lost their primaries or preemptively retired to save the embarrassment.

A defining trait of the second Trump administration has been his push for vengeance. The Justice Department indicted former FBI Director James Comey, and when a judge threw out the case, it indicted Comey again. He publicly gloated about the death of Robert Mueller, Comey’s friend and the former special counsel who led the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

And May represents the perfect opportunity to make two Republicans who criticized Trump in the past pay.

The first comes in Louisiana. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) always faced an uphill battle after he voted to convict Trump for the president’s actions on January 6. But Cassidy had just been re-elected in 2020, meaning he was on borrowed time.

Now the bill comes due. Trump made Cassidy, a gastroentrologist, bend the knee when he nominated Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist who had spent years promoting lies about public health, to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Cassidy relented and voted to confirm Kennedy, spending much of his time since trying to avoid questions about Kennedy.

That did not work. Instead, Trump endorsed Rep. Julia Letlow (R-La.) in the Louisiana primary. In addition, Cassidy faces former Rep. John Fleming in the primary.

To boot, Louisiana also changed its law. Previously, Louisiana had an open “jungle primary,” wherein the top two vote-getters advanced into a runoff regardless of party affiliation.

On May 16, each party has a primary and then the top two vote earners advance to a June 27 runoff if neither candidate wins a majority.

This puts Cassidy at a structural disadvantage. A former Democrat, he can no longer rely on crossover voters who might admire him for standing up to Trump or his work with Joe Biden on the bipartisan infrastructure bill. Even then, he probably lost plenty of goodwill by saddling up to Trump as much as he has.

Cassidy seems to understand Republicans back home don’t like him. Hence why he offered a limp opposition to Kennedy when the secretary testified on the Hill last month.

The second state where Trump seems more than get his pound of flesh comes in Louisiana’s neighbor Texas. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) is not as Trump-critical as Cassidy.

But he did vote to certify the 2020 presidential election results, negotiated a bipartisan gun control bill and when Trump ran again in the 2024 cycle, said Trump’s time had “has passed him by.”

Cornyn is running against ultra-MAGA Attorney General Ken Paxton–whom despite being impeached and acquitted by fellow Republicans and his wife divorcing him after multiple alleged affairs–earned enough votes to go into a runoff later this month in March.

A University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs poll showed that Paxton narrowly beats Cornyn 48 percent to 45 percent with only seven percent of respondents saying they are unsure. That’s a stunning number for a four-term incumbent senator, former attorney general and former Texas Supreme Court justice like Cornyn. But it’s a sign of where the party has moved in Texas.

Moreover, Trump has withheld his endorsement of Cornyn, despite the fact Trump knows that Paxton opens the door for James Talarico, the telegenic baby-faced Bible-quoting seminarian Democrats chose as their nominee, winning the seat in the Lone Star State. Trump’s brain might know Cornyn is the right choice. But his heart is with Paxton.

Lastly, there’s Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky. Massie has been the biggest thorn in Trump’s side in the lower chamber. He led the charge to release files related to Jeffrey Epstein, voted against the One Big, Beautiful Bill last summer and opposed making Mike Johnson speaker. Trump has endorsed former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein in the race.

But so far, it looks like Massie pull it off. Plenty of voters in the district like the fact he is idiosyncratic like his fellow Kentuckian Sen. Rand Paul.

And cutting loose Republicans and cleavng them could have unintended consequences.

Trump excommunicating Tillis to be an own-goal since former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper leads Trump-endorsed former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Whatley. And Tillis helped push out Kristi Noem as Homeland Security Secretary and forced the Department of Justice to–at least temporarily–back off of its probe into Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.

And Cassidy already has shown quiet signs of rebellion, as Trump blamed Cassidy for sinking the nomination of Trump’s pick for surgeon general Casey Means, an ally of Kennedy.

Trump has shown a stunning level of party discipline. And he’s a transformational figure in the Republican Party. But doing so will have consequences that will reverberate long after he leaves.

Immigration is receiving much attention in the run-up to the Welsh election. This might seem odd at first because the Welsh parliament (the Senedd) has no power over immigration. It can’t make laws on who enters the country, how asylum claims are handled or who gets citizenship. All of that is controlled by the UK government in Westminster.

But since 2019, Wales has considered itself a “nation of sanctuary”. This means the Welsh government can support refugees and asylum seekers through the services it controls, such as health, education and housing.

À lire aussi :
Voters in Wales face Senedd election amid confusion over who holds power over what

A YouGov poll from April 2026 shows that immigration is a priority for 25% of Welsh voters, tied with the economy. Health (46%) and the cost of living (51%) are ranked higher. Among intended Reform UK voters, immigration is ranked as the highest priority (55%).

In December 2025, there were 3,353 asylum seekers in Wales, most of whom were in Cardiff. Of the £64 million spent on the nation of sanctuary since 2019, 91% has been to support refugees from Ukraine.

Data from the Welsh Election Study shows that 53.8% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with the statement “people from different backgrounds get on together” in their local area, compared with 14.4% who disagree or strongly disagree. Only a small minority feel that there are tensions in their areas.

Yet, Wales has not been exempt from the wider tensions around immigration in the UK. There have been several protests against housing asylum seekers in Penally in 2020, Llanelli in 2023 and Mold in 2025.

It is, therefore, unsurprising that some political parties have highlighted this as an electoral issue. Reform UK and the Welsh Conservatives have pledged in their manifestos to scrap the nation of sanctuary policies.

The nation of sanctuary policy is a vision that connects the Welsh government with global issues. Academics have described it as an example of “moral” or “progressive” nationalism.

It was introduced largely in response to the UK government’s “hostile environment” approach on immigration. The hostile environment was a series of policies put in place by Theresa May during her time as home secretary to make life harder for people who overstayed their visa to continue working and accessing public services, such as the NHS. For example, it required employers, landlords and service workers to check immigration status.

Alongside putting clear water between Cardiff and Whitehall, the nation of sanctuary also took inspiration from Holyrood’s New Scots strategy in creating a more welcoming environment for immigrants in Scotland.

À lire aussi :
How immigration is playing a role in the Scottish election, even though policy is set in Westminster

The UK government is responsible for who is granted asylum and the housing of asylum seekers. The Welsh government can – and does – make policy in devolved fields such as health and education, for all residents in Wales, including people seeking sanctuary.

The nation of sanctuary built on existing Welsh policies. For example, giving rejected asylum seekers access to specialised medical care, and creating routes for refugees to work as doctors and dentists in the UK.

However, Wales is not exempt from UK-wide immigration policies. Welsh employers and landlords must continue to verify their employees’ and tenants’ immigration status, and Cardiff airport can be used for deportation flights. Nor does it mean that people seeking sanctuary are diverted to Wales from elsewhere in the UK. In this sense, Wales is less of a sanctuary than many north American cities, which can pass ordinances prohibiting deportations or inquiries about immigration status.

Nation without sanctuary

What could happen should the next Welsh government decide to revoke its nation of sanctuary vision?

Election polls have constantly shown Plaid Cymru and Reform UK in the lead. Plaid Cymru have committed to protecting the nation of sanctuary, and called for the devolution of some immigration powers to Wales. Reform UK has committed to scrapping it, and changing planning regulations to limit hotels being used to house asylum seekers. However, given Wales’ new electoral system, any party would probably need support from another to govern.

Should a future Welsh government decide to abandon the nation of sanctuary, this alone is unlikely to lead to significant changes in practice. The activism and networks that support it would continue, as would the housing of asylum seekers in Wales. These are matters for the UK government. Other policies around health and education that existed before the Nation of Sanctuary was declared would also continue.

Other specific issues relating to refugee status are subject to international agreements, such as the 1951 refugee convention. So, while immigration is a priority for some voters, no election result is likely to see immediate radical policy changes in Wales.

However, it could have a radical impact on the lives of migrants and others already affected by harsh immigration policies and rhetoric. It should be remembered that hate crimes increased during the 2016 Brexit referendum campaign and its aftermath, leading to many people feeling that they no longer belonged in the UK.

The current heated political discourse dehumanises migrants, whose experiences of fleeing conflict and persecution are largely missing from discussions. Election coverage and campaigns would benefit from bringing calm, nuance and sensitivity into its approach on immigration.

College for vulnerable teens is a ‘lifeline’ but their council has now put the brakes on funding transport for young people who would not be able to keep themselves safe if they travel alone

Mums say their Reform-controlled council has started “targeting the most vulnerable” including their children.

Tina Andrews, 59, from Borough Green in Kent, says she is appalled after finding out her daughter has become a victim of the latest savage cost-saving at Kent County Council.

Kimberly, 20, is autistic and has complex needs and is currently taken to and from her college by taxi, alongside five other vulnerable students.

But now they’ve been told their safe transport is being taken away, leaving parents “feeling very anxious and stressed”.

Tina says they have been “trying to shield” their children from the worry about how they will be able to carry on attending college come September.

READ MORE: Nigel Farage’s band of ‘racists, rogues and misfits’ expose Reform UK’s hidden truthREAD MORE: Sir Richard Branson’s wife died of blood clot two weeks after fall, coroner hears

“It’s appalling they are targeting the most vulnerable people in society. To me, Reform has a culture of ignorance and marginalisation,” Tina told the Mirror.

Kimberly added: “I just think it’s absolutely appalling because I have autism and I like a routine. When that routine is destroyed I get really upset and distressed and for me that’s just discrimination for people with disabilities.”

Mum of two Karen Whitehead, 55, a charity worker from Meopham, is also worried, after being given a ‘no’ for the next term for her son Aaron, 20.

He has autism and severe delay in speech, language and communication. He also has osteoporosis and curvature of the spine.

“It’s absolutely shocking. He is the most loving, caring individual you’d ever meet. He’s adorable. His college is his lifeline, it would affect his mental health severely if he couldn’t get there.”

Advertisement

Kent County Council has now completely changed their policy and many families who are currently receiving transport are being told ‘no’ for the new college year.

“These people are talking like people with no lived experience of disability,” Tina told The Mirror, pointing out comments previously made by the Reform leadership.

The party’s Deputy Leader Richard Tice described children wearing ear defenders in classrooms as “insane” and called for the practice to stop, arguing it reflects an “over-diagnosis” of special educational needs (SEN).

While Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has admitted they would cut support for many claimants of disability benefits if it won power at the next general election, with the cuts focusing on those he claims do not “genuinely deserve help”.

Tina said these comments showed “real ignorance” adding: “These types of comments are really, really damaging.”

“My daughter uses ear defenders, that’s not for fun, she has a sensory processing disorder and they help her to focus on her learning. They are a necessary tool – not a toy.”

She says to her it seems vulnerable young people like her daughter “don’t matter as much” to the party. “that’s what I see from Reform.”

Referring to their rejected transport application, she said the Reform-led council are not trying to assist exhausted families, “they are just trying to find ways of actively not helping us.”

Advertisement

She explained how Kimberly has been assessed as needing transport since she was eight years old. “Her needs haven’t changed at all but I’m being told now that at the moment, the answer is ‘no’ for this September. This is cost saving exercise. They are taking money from the most disadvantaged.

“It’s a 20 minute drive away which doesn’t seem far but for a young person who can’t access public transport, it might as well be three hours away!”

“She simply cannot travel by herself, she would not know how to manage if a train was cancelled or a bus was late. She also can’t manage loud noises such as sirens…She has no real concept of stranger danger and is an extremely vulnerable young person.

“They are putting pressure on families who already have to fight for everything, it is one more thing to worry about.”

About the policy change, Tina said: “The college has told us the situation is looking very bleak and even their most challenged students are being told ‘no’. They are supposed to consider applications on a case by case basis but it seems they are just saying no to everyone.

“Everybody in Kimberly’s taxi has been told no. So it seems to be happening across the board. ”

About the joy her daughter gets from college, she adds: “She does love it and she’s got friends there, it’s a lifeline for her.

“She is worried, she said to me ‘all my friends are talking about the transport mum, talking about their taxis’.

“Kimberly has generalised anxiety disorder as a lot of them do. So any slight change in routine, or anything uncertain, can be highly anxiety provoking.”

Aaron’s mum, Karen said she was told she had not sent supportive evidence – despite providing the council with two risk assessments.

“I don’t think they are reading them. He can’t go anywhere on his own. We have a little park two minutes away and he cannot even go there on his own, he has very little danger awareness. Anybody who appeared friendly he would possibly go with them.”

She explained how he holds her arm when they are out as he is extremely anxious. So college provides him with vital independence where he feels safe getting there in a minibus with his friends.

“She says to him college is ‘his job’ where he goes four days a week. It would have a severe impact on his life. It’s incredibly sad and I don’t know what they are thinking. I now need to appeal.

“It’s like you have to fight for everything. I feel really appalled and disgusted about it. These are individuals who want to go to college. Some of these young adults. That’s their job for them, without it Aaron would sit at home and rot away. There’s nothing else for him. It’s really distressing

“It’s always a battle for him. We shouldn’t have to fight for these young adults.

“When I die, It’s literally him and I’m trying to prepare him for the future. Without things like college what he is going to do. It’s an emotional roller coaster.”

Kent County Council has been approached for comment.

“I did overreact, yes, in the way I reacted. It could have been different but I ended up losing my head,” added Neymar.

“Everyone makes mistakes. It was my mistake, his mistake, I made a slightly bigger mistake.

“He’s a boy I like very much, for whom I have a special affection. It happens in football – you argue with your friend, your brother.

“That’s football, it’s part of the game.”

Robinho Jr said Neymar “realised straight away that he’d gone too far” and apologised “several times” for the altercation.

“It was a situation that upset me because [Neymar] has been my idol since I was a child,” he added.

“People around us say a lot of things that aren’t true and it’s sad to see it blow up to this level.

“But I’m fine, I like him a lot. We’ve already talked and it’s all sorted.”