Usher dismissed claims that he used a “clone” or body double during a recent concert after footage from a show in New Jersey prompted speculation about whether the performer on stage was really him.

The rumours started after videos filmed at his 7 August performance at MetLife Stadium spread on social media.

“Usher you can’t fool New York, that’s not you bro, I want my money back,” one fan posted on X.

“The Usher clone stuff is hilarious because I was watching someone’s live of the show last night and was thinking during his first set something was off about him,” another said.

“Usher, why’d you have to play us all like that last night? That is NOT Usher,” a third fan wrote on TikTok.

In some of the clips circulating online, Usher’s face is obscured by a hat and sunglasses, which many users say makes him look just different enough to raise eyebrows, with one fan dubbing the alleged double “Unsure”.

The “Yeah!” singer responded directly to the allegations. “Ya’ll are funny,” he said, “clone? They can’t clone this?”

“How ya’ll come up with this? AI ain’t that advanced,” he said in a comment on Power 105.1’s Instagram post debating who was really on stage.

Usher is co-headlining the “Raymond & Brown Tour” alongside Chris Brown. The North American stadium run began on 26 June in Denver and was scheduled to continue through December, with performances in major cities like Detroit, Washington, DC, and Toronto.

Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music

Sign up now for a 30-day free trial. Terms apply.

Advertisement

Try for free

ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

Usher faced similar claims in 2024, when fans questioned whether he had used a body double on stage during the Past Present Future tour, which was delayed after he suffered a neck injury doing rehearsals, forcing him to postpone the first shows in Atlanta.

“My hope was that with physical therapy and medical treatment, I would be able to overcome the injury and be ready for opening night,” he said at the time. “Unfortunately, the injury hasn’t healed yet, and my doctors have instructed me not to perform any shows this week.”

During the Nashville leg of the ongoing tour last month, Usher had to stop a planned onstage serenade after a fan appeared visibly uncomfortable. The segment, a regular feature of his performances, saw the singer paused mid-song and tell the crowd that he didn’t think the fan wanted to be on the stage before she was escorted off.

The incident sparked a debate online, with some criticising the fan for agreeing to go on stage. She later defended herself on social media, saying “nobody is declining to go on stage” and that she had hoped to be brought up by Chris Brown instead.

Degree courses with some of the worst employment records in the country will be trying to scoop up students in Clearing on A-level Results Day this week.

New analysis by the Daily Mail has identified the top 20 course groupings, by university, for graduates being out of work five years after leaving.

The worst one, Creative Arts and Design at the University of West London, had almost a quarter – 23.7 per cent – of graduates out of work, while the median salary for those that did work was just £24,900.

The university is entering courses from this category into Clearing which have historically admitted students with A-level grades of just DDD.

Meanwhile, the second worst in the analysis was Business and Management at the University of East London, with 22.6 per cent out of work.

The top 20, which also included Law and Psychology at other universities, all had at least one in six graduates out of work, while five have median salaries of less than £25,000.

This is despite many graduates having racked up more than £50,000 in debt during their degrees, including three years of tuition fees charged at more than £9,000 annually.

All of the listings in the top 20 are entering Clearing – with the vast majority allowing students entry with a string of C,D and E grades.

Last night, Tory education spokesman Laura Trott said of the Daily Mail’s analysis: ‘Too many young people are leaving university saddled with debt and facing poor job prospects.

‘With youth unemployment rising on Labour’s watch, many will never be able to pay off their loans, taken out to pay for courses that aren’t delivering a return.’

Chris McGovern, of the Campaign for Real Education, added: ‘A generation of less academically able kids have been led along a pathway to financial and career ruination.

‘They are left with huge and unpayable debts that will have to be picked up by hard working taxpayers.

‘Too many universities have placed their own financial survival above the best interests of young people and of the country.

‘Universities should be excluding most youngsters whose A-Level grades fall below A and B.

‘We need to convert half of universities back into vocationally orientated polytechnics.’

On Thursday, hundreds of thousands of pupils will pick up their A-Level results, with those who fail to make their grades entering Clearing to find an alternative course.

New analysis by the Daily Mail has identified the top 20 course groupings, by university, for graduates being out of work five years after leaving (pictured: the University of West London tops the list)

Included in our top 20 analysis is Computing at London Metropolitan University, which had 19.7 per cent out of work, Law at Middlesex University and Psychology at the University of Greater Manchester, both with 17.3 per cent.

For comparison, Cambridge had no graduates recorded as unemployed for its Veterinary Sciences courses.

Meanwhile, Southampton’s Computing courses had only 2.1 per cent out of work, and Bristol’s Business and Management courses had only 3 per cent.

The Daily Mail’s analysis looked at the Department for Education’s Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) data, which is based on tax and benefits records.

It examined employment figures in the year 2023-2024 – the latest available – for those graduating in 2017-2018 from various subjects at individual mainstream universities. Similar subjects were grouped together into course categories.

The Daily Mail ranked categories at different universities according to the proportion of UK graduates who were not in sustained work or further study in 2023/24, with only those with 50 or more graduates included.

This captured those living in the UK who do not have a job, were not studying and were not self-employed, as well as those who may have intermittent but not consistent work.

It comes after the Government announced new vocational routes for 14-year-olds to sit alongside academic subjects, to offer an alternative route for those who are less suited for university.

The Government is also consulting on introducing a minimum requirement of a pass in GCSE English to access student finance.

A Department for Education spokesman said: ‘A university degree remains a worthwhile investment, but too many courses don’t deliver the outcomes promised to students.

‘We are taking action to restore universities as engines of opportunity, aspiration and growth by cracking down on poor quality courses.

‘Going to university isn’t the only route to success which is why we’re putting technical and academic education on an equal footing by announcing plans to provide more, prestigious vocational routes from aged 14 and introducing V Levels from aged 16.’

A University of East London spokesman said it had redesigned its curriculum since 2018, with the more recent Graduate Outcomes Survey – which is self-selecting – showing improvements in outcomes.

They added: ‘There’s a reason the University of East London has achieved the fastest, largest increase in graduate outcomes… This is the multi- award-winning careers-first advantage for the UK’s most socially inclusive student population – graduates going further, faster.’

A London Met spokesman said it had made ‘significant changes in teaching, student support, and employability provision’ since the graduates measured had left in 2018.

They said the same survey shows London Met now ‘leads all London post-92 universities for graduates entering managerial and senior roles’.

A spokesman for London South Bank University said the employment data was not reflective of today’s courses because only some of the subjects included are still running.

A Wolverhampton spokesman said: ‘Creative Arts and Design graduates often pursue portfolio careers, self-employment, freelance work and entrepreneurial opportunities, many of which are not always fully reflected in traditional employment datasets. Graduates may also move between projects, commissions and short-term contracts in the years following graduation as they establish their careers.’

The other universities were contacted by the Daily Mail.

A spokesman for Universities UK, which represents most vice chancellors, said: ‘The evidence is clear that a university degree still pays off in a big way for the large majority of people – and that the Treasury makes a strong return on investing in students.

‘The graduate premium is holding up, despite growth in the minimum wage and the generally poor performance of the economy which has held back wage growth.’

Ben Jones, who played Cooter Davenport in the TV show Dukes of Hazzard, has died aged 84.

The actor suffered a ‘massive heart attack’, according to his wife who shared the news on Facebook on Sunday.

Alma Viator wrote: ‘I lost the love of my life today.

‘Ben passed from a massive heart attack. He was home resting in his favourite chair waiting for the Braves to come on and whoop the Yankees.

‘Ben had the most amazing rich full life. He loved and was loved by so many.

‘He will be missed. I loved him so so much.’

As well as starring as the mechanic ‘Crazy’ Cooter Davenport in all seven seasons of The Dukes of Hazzard, Jones had roles in TV and film projects including ‘Smokey and the Bandit’, ‘As the World Turns’, and ‘Moonrunners’.

Jones also served two terms in the US House of Representatives as a Democrat from Georgia.

Fans mourned Jones’ loss under Viator’s post on social media.

Kyle Willis wrote: ‘So sorry Miss Alma I’ve grown up watching Ben on the Duke’s of Hazzard my whole life he made the show worth watching. I wish I could’ve met him, you and your family will be in my prayers.’

And Thomas Lake said: ‘I’m so sorry miss Alma, meeting you and Ben was a highlight for me as my younger life was guided by Cooter.’

More to follow.

MORE: Madonna pays tribute to legendary producer William Orbit after death: ‘You were so otherworldly’

MORE: Spider-Man: No Way Home star Mary Rivera dies aged 82 after suffering stroke

MORE: Comedy legend Jimmy Cricket dies aged 80 after short illness

Anne Hathaway was roasted by some fans over her maternity outfit while making an appearance at The End Of Oak Street premiere in Los Angeles on Sunday. 

The 43-year-old actress, who announced her third pregnancy back in June, proudly showed off her growing baby bump as she paused for a photo session on the red carpet at Warner Bros. Studios. 

The Odyssey star flashed a cheerful smile wearing a sleeveless, light blue top that was cropped at the front and flowed down behind her into a short train. 

Vibrant red material could be seen on the inside for a unique flare, and Hathaway also opted for a pair of low-waisted, denim jeans. 

She additionally slipped into a pair of closed-toed, red pumps and pulled back her brunette locks into a sleek ponytail. 

Hathaway accessorized the look with dangly earrings and a flashy bracelet on her left wrist. 

The actress proudly showed off her growing baby bump as she paused for a photo session on the red carpet at Warner Bros. Studios

Social media users offered their thoughts on the red carpet ensemble, with one penning that it ‘looks ridiculous.’ 

Another wrote, ‘This one is so wrong sorry,’ and a fan typed, ‘Jeans? JEANS?! That dazzling top deserves a better companion.’

One X user commented, ‘The jeans make it worse.’ 

Over on Instagram, a fan shared, ‘I love her. I do not understand why her stylist did this to her.’

‘Ya no to her outfit,’ one penned, and another typed out, ‘That’s very tacky.’ 

An Instagram user added, ‘Unflattering styling for a beautiful pregnant woman,’ and another said, ‘love her – outfit just No.’ 

Other fans shared on X, ‘She looks radiant…,’ as well as, ‘Anne hathaway at a world premiere is always a win, she looks stunning.’

Jersey Shore alum JWoww penned on Instagram, ‘I love her so much omg.’ 

The Odyssey star flashed a cheerful smile wearing a sleeveless, light blue top that was cropped at the front and flowed down behind her into a short train

She additionally slipped into a pair of closed-toed, red pumps and pulled back her brunette locks into a sleek ponytail

Along with Hathaway, the cast also includes Ewan McGregor, Maisy Stella and Christian Convery

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Social media users offered their thoughts on the red carpet ensemble, with one penning that it ‘looks ridiculous’

Daily Mail has reached out to reps for Hathaway for comment, but has yet to hear back.

The star has been showcasing her adventurous maternity style on recent outings, such as when she stepped out in NYC late last month in a white netted top. 

The actress recently took on a leading role in the upcoming sci-fi adventure The End Of Oak Street which hits theaters on August 14. 

Along with Hathaway, the cast also includes Ewan McGregor, Maisy Stella and Christian Convery. 

The premise is: ‘The Platt family bands together to navigate their new surroundings after a cosmic event transports their suburban neighborhood to someplace unknown,’ per IMDB. 

‘It’s just so much fun and it’s such a great time at the movies,’ she told Extra during an interview on Sunday. 

‘It’s a family horror movie which I’ve never had the opportunity to be a part of and I’m excited.’

Hathaway has had a busy year thus far by additionally starring in The Devil Wears Prada 2 and Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. 

Hathaway has had a busy year thus far by additionally starring in The Devil Wears Prada 2 and Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey

Advertisement

The actress has since garnered critical praise and Oscars buzz based on her performance as Odysseus’s wife Penelope. 

Hathaway is also preparing to welcome her third child with husband Adam Shulman, whom she tied the knot with in 2012. 

She made her pregnancy announcement two months earlier in June by sharing a video to Instagram. 

In the clip, the Hollywood star could be seen stepping into frame wearing a white linen co-ord with her arms initially covering her stomach. 

She then dropped her arms to unveil her baby while flashing an excited smile on her face. 

During an appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers, Hathaway opened up about her ‘buzzer beater’ pregnancy. 

‘I mean, we knew what we were doing, but we were so shocked it worked! We knew, and yeah, but no, we were just – we were so shocked it went this way,’ she said. 

Hathaway made her pregnancy announcement two months earlier in June by sharing a video to Instagram

Advertisement

She is preparing to welcome her third child with husband Adam Shulman, whom she tied the knot with in 2012; the couple seen in May in NYC 

Back in April, she also talked about motherhood while talking to People. 

‘I know that not everybody who wants to be a parent gets to be. I’m just blown away by how fortunate I am. It went really well for me twice, and that’s really lucky.’

The actress also gushed about her supportive husband, adding that, ‘I’m so lucky that he’s my partner that I spend my life with.

‘If I didn’t know that before this past year, I think I really know it now because with absolutely everything he’s just, he’s on it. He holds it down. I hope that doesn’t sound like I’m bragging, but he’s a dream partner to me.’

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand’s Electoral Commission launched a campaign Monday urging New Zealanders at home and abroad to register to vote or update their details in the system, warning that a legal change ahead of November’s election means voters must be enrolled in advance.

Measures enacted by government lawmakers in December and lambasted by their opponents removed a policy allowing New Zealanders aged 18 and older to enroll on election day, including when they arrived at a polling place to cast their vote.

New Zealanders must now be registered and have their addresses and other details updated in the system 13 days before election day, or they will be turned away from polling places. This year’s enrollment deadline is Oct. 25 ahead of the Nov. 7 election. They can begin voting from Oct. 26 in the country, or from Oct. 21 if they are overseas.

The country’s center-right government, which is seeking a second term in power, introduced the enrollment cut-off in a suite of changes to electoral law, which also included a ban on prisoners voting and approval for larger anonymous political donations.

Enrollment deadline introduced to speed up the result

Governing parties said the deadline to enroll was enacted to curb the increasing length of time taken to reach a final result after election day.

“The experience last time was by virtue of having on-the-day enrollment we ended up in a situation where it took us three weeks to count the vote, which was the longest it had ever taken us as well,” Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, leader of the National party, told Radio New Zealand in July.

Detractors, including the center-left opposition parties, said the government wanted to curb so-called special votes, which are cast by New Zealanders abroad or away from home and by those not already registered to vote on election day and counted afterward. Special votes have favored left-wing parties in modern times.

“Something that potentially disenfranchises tens of thousands of New Zealanders is not the sort of change that an individual government should make,” Chris Hipkins, leader of the opposition Labour party, told reporters in July when he pledged to reverse the measures if he became prime minister.

The Electoral Commission, an independent agency that runs New Zealand’s vote, said about 700,000 special votes were still expected. Officials predicted that even with the new enrollment deadline, reaching an election result would take 20 days after voting finished, instead of 23 days without the cut-off.

New Zealanders can vote from abroad if deadline is met

A total of 89% of those allowed to vote in New Zealand were enrolled so far, according to Electoral Commission figures. Voting is optional in New Zealand but enrollment for those eligible and living in the country is compulsory, with failure to do so punishable by a fine of 100 New Zealand dollars ($59).

There are up to 1 million New Zealanders living abroad, although it isn’t known how many are eligible to vote. Those eligible can vote from overseas by downloading ballot papers from the commission’s website, having them signed by someone else and uploading them online.

A council has ordered for the caravans to be removed from the site

A man is appealing for mobile homes to remain on his land after a council ordered for them to be removed. On June 11, East Cambridgeshire District Council sent an enforcement notice for caravans to be removed from land at The Produce Connection in Ely Road, Chittering.

The council said the land was being used without planning permission and it had breached a “material change of use of the land to the siting of caravans for residential purposes”.

In an enforcement notice, the council said that the caravans on site were of a “poor quality”. The council also said the land is in Flood Zone 3, the highest risk of flooding.

There were “concerns that the occupants of the mobile homes may not be safe in the event of a breach of any flood defences”, as stated in the notice. The notice also raised concerns about how long the mobile homes have been on the site.

It said: “Given the length of time the mobile homes have been in place and that their numbers have increased, this suggests that their use is now permanent and not temporary which the Environment Agency has advised is essential to control.”

The notice requires the following steps to be taken:

• Cease the use of the land for the siting of caravans for residential purposes;
• Remove the caravans from the land;
• Remove all associated development including but not limited to concrete pads, pathways, gravel and sheds;
• Return land to its original condition.

Land owner Mr S Ripley is appealing against the notice. Mr Ripley is appealing on the ground that:

• Planning permission should be granted for what is alleged in the notice;
• There has not been a breach of planning control;
• The steps required to comply with the requirements of the notice are “excessive and lesser steps would overcome the objections”.

If anyone wishes to make a comment, they can do so online here by September 15. Mr Ripley has been contacted for comment.

Our thoughts are with those who have lost someone

Tributes have been paid to a former volunteer at Addenbrooke’s Hospital among the death and funeral notices from Cambridge News this week. Announcing the passing of a loved one in local news media is a long standing tradition and we are proud of the trust placed in us to make these important announcements.

Every notice published to our newspaper and news site also appears on funeral-notices.co.uk – the UK’s number one site for death notices and memoriams. Every notice remains online forever providing friends and families with a lifelong tribute to their loved one, a safe place online to share memories, add tributes, photographs and make donations in memory.

Each week we pay tribute to the loved ones remembered in our area with a funeral notice and online tribute page. To read the latest announcements and add tributes to those from our area who have passed away, or to create a funeral notice yourself, click here. Alternatively, you can create a notice by calling the team on 01482 908084.

Here are a selection of notices published earlier this week.

Death Notices

John Charles GALLEY

Formerly of Trumpington Uncle of Tim Draper and Susan Chapman, formerly of Barclays Bank and volunteer at Addenbrooke’s Hospital. Passed peacefully to rest in Heathlands Care Home, Bullen Close Cambridge on Sunday 19th July, aged 92 years. Funeral service and committal 12.30pm, Cambridge City Crematorium, East Chapel on Thursday 20th August.

Lynne HAMMOND

Of Ely. Passed away on Saturday 18th July 2026 at home, aged 71 years. Dearly loved mother to Tom and Rosie. Treasured granny to Max, Annie, and Ernie. Lynne shall be deeply missed by all. Service to be held at Cambridge Crematorium, on Wednesday 19th August at 11.30am, followed by a reception at The Waterman, 32 Chesterton Road from 1.30pm. Donations, if desired, to the benefit of Woodgreen Pets Charity may be made online via Lynne’s personal In Memory page at www.peasgoodandskeates.co.uk All other enquiries to 617 Newmarket Road Cambridge CB5 8PA Tel: 01223 415255

Betty O’BRIEN

Sadly, passed away suddenly on 20th July 2026, aged 86 years. Loving partner of Brian. Cherished mum to Darien and Fran, mother-in-law to Gilly and adored Grandmother to Conor, Jamie, Grace, Toby, Angus, Kieran and Darcey. Funeral service to take place at Cambridge City Crematorium, West Chapel on Tuesday 11th August 2026 at 2.15pm. Family flowers only please. Donations, if desired to Petals Charity and can be made by visiting her In memory page at www.peasgoodandskeates.co.uk or sent c/o Peasgood and Skeates 45 Moorfield Road Duxford CB22 4PP

Tony SHIPP

Of Cambridge. Passed away peacefully on Wednesday 22nd July 2026 aged 93 years. Devoted husband to Peggy. Tony shall be deeply missed by many. Funeral service to be held on Tuesday 18th August 2026 at Cambridge City Crematorium, East Chapel at 10:30am. Donations, if desired, to the benefit of Alzheimer’s Society may be made online via Tony’s personal In Memory page at www.peasgoodandskeates.co.uk All other enquiries to 617 Newmarket Road Cambridge CB5 8PA Tel: 01223 415255

Colin Arthur TAIT

Died peacefully at Cambridgeshire Care Home on 22nd July 2026. He was a beloved husband to Margaret, father to Nick, stepfather to David and Richard, and Grandad to Andrew, Katie, Joseph and Jennifer. The funeral service and celebration of his life will be at 2pm at St Andrew’s Church, Stapleford on Friday14th August, please wear something blue. Family flowers only please, but donations to Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) are welcome and can be made through Colin’s in memory page at www.peasgoodandskeates.co.uk or sent c/o Peasgood and Skeates, 45 Moorfield Road, Duxford CB22 4PP

To add your own tributes to the loved ones from our area, or to publish a notice for your loved one, visit funeral-notices.co.uk.

Our thoughts are with the family and friends of those we have lost.

Even two to three minutes can make a difference

Dropping even just a few minutes of vigorous exercise every day can push up the risk of cancer by 15%, research suggests. Experts found that swapping exercise for more sedentary behaviour – such as watching an episode of a TV soap opera or sitting at a desk – drives up the cancer risk.

They also warned that people who have been active during their lives should do all they can to maintain exercise, as even small drops in activity can affect health. Previous studies have found strong evidence that higher levels of activity are linked to a lower risk of several cancers – including of the bladder, breast, bowel, kidney and stomach.

The new research, published in the journal BMC Medicine, looked at people’s lifestyles and also used modelling to see how exercise was linked to cancer risk. The analysis included 59,218 people (55% female) with an average age of 61.7 from the UK Biobank, a database of half a million volunteers taking part in medical research.

Over an eight-year follow-up, some 2,385 cancers occurred in the group. Researchers looked at areas such as how long people spent sleeping, sedentary behaviour such as watching TV, standing and then any movement and at what intensity.

They found that the more people moved, the lower their risk of cancer. For example, replacing 15 minutes of sleep or sedentary behaviour with 15 minutes of movement were each linked to a 2% reduced risk of cancer.

Conversely, swapping 30 minutes of movement for 30 minutes of sedentary behaviour increased the risk by 8%, while swapping it for sleep increased the risk by 7%. Dr John Mitchell, lead author from University College London (UCL), said: “Our study showed that there’s an increased risk of cancer for those who spend a lot of time sitting down.

“We also explored what might happen if people leading active lives reduced their levels of physical activity and found that they also face a higher cancer risk. Based on theoretical modelling, our study showed even losing two to three minutes per day of vigorous activity, such as running for a bus, and replacing it with sitting down, sleep or light activity increased their cancer risk.

“Other examples of vigorous activity – that is, anything which elevates your heart rate and makes you sweat – include sport, rushing up the stairs and carrying home heavy grocery bags. The take-home message is that for people already leading physically active lives, it’s really important to maintain that level of activity as you get older.”

Current NHS guidelines say adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity a week. They should also do strength activities that work all the major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms) on at least two days per week.

Examples of moderate activity include very brisk walking (4mph or faster), cycling at 10mph-12mph, or badminton. Vigorous activity also includes hiking, jogging at 6mph or faster, fast cycling, basketball or tennis.

Fire crews were called to the fire in the centre of Tredegar just before 4.30pm on Sunday

A huge fire broke out at the site of an old bank on a busy Welsh high street on Sunday afternoon. Fire crews tackled the blaze which had spread to multiple floors of the old Midland bank on Commercial Street, Tredegar, for several hours.

Videos shared online show thick black smoke coming from the top of the building which could be seen across the town. At around 7.30pm on Sunday evening fire crews were still at the scene, damping down hot spots.

A spokesperson from South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said: “At 16:19hrs today we received multiple calls to reports of a three-storey building on fire in the former Midland bank building on Commercial Street in Tredegar.

“On arrival, crews were faced with a well-developed building fire on the second floor and roof space of the property.” For the biggest stories in Wales first sign up to our daily newsletter here.

The statement continues: “At the height of the incident six pumping appliances, a water bowser, rescue tender and an aerial ladder platform were in attendance.

“The fire was extinguished by crews with hoses, wearing breathing apparatus. Crews remain at the scene damping down hot spots.”

Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here. We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice.

A 50-year-old double death mystery which has been linked to ‘Bullseye’ serial killer John Cooper is being reviewed by a coroner again after police took a fresh look at the case. 

The 1976 case in which two siblings, Griff, then aged 73, and his sister Martha Thomas, 70, were found dead at their family farmhouse in December 1976 has haunted the small coastal town of Milford Haven in Pembrokeshire, Wales, for decades. 

The bodies of the elderly siblings were found inside their isolated Ffynon Samson farmhouse on a cold December morning by a postman, who raised the alarm after spotting unopened letters on the porch and smelling burning coming from the home. 

Inside, the badly bludgeoned body of Martha and burnt body of Griff were found. 

The scene, described as a ‘bloodbath’ by a surviving family member, was one of utter disarray. 

Martha, also known as Patti, was found lying slumped on a magazine rack in the corner of the living room, having suffered severe head injuries. 

At her feet was an overturned television, still switched on and eerily playing static noise. Chairs were scattered about the room and Griff’s burnt body lay nearby on the floor. 

Police opened a double murder investigation, yet failed to ever find the culprit. 

Griff Thomas (pictured) was found dead alongside his sister in December 1976 

Martha Thomas (pictured) was found with severe head injuries slumped on a magazine rack in the corner of the living room 

Advertisement

In January 1977, the detective leading the investigation decided that Griff had ‘probably’ killed his sister. 

An inquest decided that Martha was ‘unlawfully killed’ – by her 73-year-old brother, who had a curved spine and hand function issues, hitting her over the head with a kitchen chair before starting a fire, in which he then lay down and died. 

Their bereaved family members and friends of the churchgoing siblings never believed police’s theory, maintaining that they were both murdered. 

In fact, some argued that John Cooper, known as the ‘Bullseye’ serial killer after he appeared on the 1980s game show, was behind the deaths. 

The notorious killer, now aged 81, was behind a string of brutal murders and rapes in south Wales in the 1980s and 90s. 

He shot and killed two couples on separate occasions in 1985 and 1989, before holding five teenagers at gunpoint in a wooded area behind the Mount Estate in Pembrokeshire in 1996, and raping and sexually assaulting a 16-year-old and a 15-year-old girl. 

Cooper was eventually arrested in 2009 after a cold case review team used new forensic technologies and, ultimately, matched a police e-fit to his 1989 appearance on the TV game show Bullseye, which was an almost identical drawing to Cooper’s stature, his hair, and his face. 

Thereafter, Cooper would be dubbed the ‘Bullseye serial killer’. 

John Cooper, left, appears on television show Bullseye in 1989

A police artist composed this sketch of Cooper after the murders of Peter and Gwenda Dixon. It showed a near-identical image of Cooper as he appeared on Bullseye and allowed police to connect him to the unsolved murders 

I know why Jack the Ripper was protected for so long

 

Advertisement

Hi, I’m Alex Matthews, Editor of The Crime Desk.

In 2014, we revealed the bombshell evidence identifying Aaron Kosminski as the fabled Jack the Ripper. Now, we can reveal his astonishing connection to the Freemasons and claims this motivated his killings and protected him from life in prison. 

Sign up here to get our exclusive piece for free.

Advertisement

<!- – ad: https://mads.dailymail.co.uk/v8/de/truecrimeuk/none/article/other/mpu_factbox.html?id=mpu_factbox_1 – ->

It was not until 2009 that Cooper was arrested, finally going to jail on May 26, 2011 at Swansea Crown Court after being handed life imprisonment with a whole life order. 

His crimes bear similarities to the Thomas’ 1976 cold case, leading many people to connect the killer to the deaths over the years. 

Firstly, Cooper was from Milford Haven, in Pembrokeshire, where Griff and Martha were found dead in their country farmhouse, and lived there for much of his life. 

During the 1985 double murders of siblings Richard, 58, and Helen Thomas, 46, Cooper also set their home, Scoveston Manor, on fire after killing them. 

The case has sinister parallels to the 1976 unsolved double deaths, which also included the deaths of a brother and a sister, even of the same surname. 

Forensic psychologist Dr Clive Sims, who helped profile the Suffolk strangler, is one expert who supported the theory that Cooper was behind the 1976 deaths. 

He argued in 2011 that the verdicts reached in the inquest were ‘unsafe’ and calling for the case to be looked at again as a cold case. 

He pointed out to BBC Wales the similarities between the two crimes and proposed the theory that the deaths of Martha and Griff were the result of a ‘botched burglary’. 

Cooper protested his innocence as he was led into court in 2009

He said: ‘There is an empty cash box, the bureau has been broken into, the back door is unlocked and certain aspects of it simply do not make sense.’

He also pointed out that during the 1985 double murder of Richard and Helen Thomas, Cooper had also taken their bank cards and jewellery. 

Cooper would have been 40 at the time that Martha and Griff were found dead in 1976. Dr Sims believes he likely started committing serious crimes long before he killed the Thomases in 1985, although this is, of course, unknown.  

He added: ‘It’s quite probable that he would have been offending earlier. 

‘It would be extremely unusual for someone to start that late in life on a criminal career, and to start with that level of violence.’ 

But others were unconvinced that the Bullseye killer is behind the Thomas’ unsolved deaths. 

Steve Wilkins, the former senior investigating officer for the John Cooper inquiry, welcomed the review into the deaths of Griff and Martha, but remained doubtful that the Bullseye killer was the culprit in that case. 

Mr Wilkins said it would be ‘surprising’ if Cooper had been responsible, saying that there were differences in the ‘modus operandi’ between their deaths and Cooper’s crimes. 

He argued, for instance, that Cooper was a ‘professional criminal’ whose motive had always been ‘financial gain’. 

But if someone had murdered the Thomases, they had left behind thousands of pounds in cash at the farmhouse. 

Dyfed-Powys Police reopened the cold case and launched a forensic review in October 2022. 

The review used new forensic technologies to collect enhanced fingerprints, make DNA enquiries, and examine blood-group evidence again. 

Police said among the evidence re-examined was Martha’s handwritten diaries, original investigation documents, fingerprint lifts, and postmortem moulds of their hands. 

Yet four years on, police have still been unable to find the answer of what happened to Martha and Griff Thomas in December 1976. 

Now, the case is being handed to HM Coroner, who will be asked to provide advice and guidance on how the force should proceed. 

It has not been confirmed whether the case will remain an active investigation or whether discussions with the coroner could result in a fresh inquest. 

Dyfed-Powys Police said in a statement: ‘We can confirm that a significant amount of complex work has been undertaken as part of the forensic review process, and the family of Griff and Martha Thomas have been updated of the progress made so far.

‘The scope of the review was to examine:

• Photographs, plans and scientific findings of the scene for interpretation using current knowledge and police practices.
• Fingerprint lifts from the scene for accuracy and consideration of further identification analysis.
• Original fingerprint lifts for blood, cellular material and hair with a view to obtain DNA evidence.

‘To ensure all available material was obtained, several detailed searches have been conducted by the force in line with an overarching forensic strategy.

‘Search locations included police stations in Pembrokeshire, our scientific support unit archive at Police Headquarters in Carmarthen, The National Archive of Wales, Aberystwyth, and the Forensic Science Service Archive, in Birmingham.

‘As a result of these searches the following items were identified:

• Handwritten diaries kept by Martha Thomas
• Original investigation documentation
• Fingerprint lifts and photographs of fingerprint marks
• Postmortem moulds of the hands of the deceased
• The tapestry, which remains with family in London

‘Following the retrieval of all available material, we have been able to carry out three phases of work: Fingerprint enhancement and analysis, DNA enquiries, and consideration of the blood grouping work carried out by the original investigation team.

‘The family has been updated on the findings from these enquiries, and the limitations faced in reviewing an incident that took place 50 years ago.

‘We are now at a stage where communication has begun with HM Coroner to keep them informed of the latest position, and to seek advice and guidance on how we proceed.

‘We will continue to keep the family of Griff and Martha updated on the review, along with any recommendations from HM Coroner.’