Pictures and videos shared on social media show revellers trudging through churned-up fields and waterlogged walkways at the Daresbury festival.

Campers in ponchos and wellies have been navigating the muddy conditions as wet weather continues to affect parts of the site.

Headliners include Calvin Harris, Sonny Fodera, Armin van Buuren and Underworld.

(Image: TheRealChosen7/X)

Some DJ sets were also cancelled due to the extreme weather which resulted in power cuts.

Those attending Creamfields, which finishes Sunday night, are being urged to prepare for wet conditions, including wearing suitable footwear and bringing waterproof clothing, as further unsettled weather is possible across the weekend.

Jamie Foxx grew emotional as he recalled how his daughter ‘saved his life’ following his stroke in 2023.

The Hollywood star, 58, has very few memories of suffering the near-fatal medical emergency or the immediate aftermath of his surgery in an Atlanta hospital.

The actor has seldom spoken about the extreme health scare, which required extensive rehabilitation, only sharing scant details of his sister’s concerns for his health and his gratitude to the healthcare professionals who delivered life-saving care.

Now, in a new interview alongside his daughter Corinne, 32, the father-daughter duo grew emotional as they spoke about that difficult time, with Jamie offering nothing but praise for his daughter’s resilience and tenacity.

Speaking on the podcast Baby, This Is Keke Palmer, Jamie visibly teared up as he reminisced about Corinne’s response to the crisis, in which she kept a cool, calm head while fending off the public.

Explaining that he had a word with his doctor once he had started to recover, Foxx shared: ‘He says: “Man, your daughter saved your life”. He talked about Corinne. “She saved you,” he said, “She’s the reason that you’re here.”‘

He continued: ‘She had to deal with a lot of stuff. She had to deal with the internet.’

Corinne, who also works as a producer for his various projects, agreed that the internet ‘was a part [she] was not prepared for’, with the trio all laughing over the ‘clone’ conspiracy theories after Jamie disappeared from the public eye to recuperate.

She explained: ‘As soon as he went dark, it was scary the places the internet went with the cloning and the conspiracy.

‘I just wanted to be like: “It’s not that interesting. Actually, it’s a human thing, but it also was not my place to ever release his medical information.’

She concluded that that was ‘the toughest part’ of the experience.

Previously, the Django Unchained star has credited his sister Deidra with saving his life by pushing him to go to the hospital after he started feeling strange.

He wrote in a social media message: ‘Without you I would not be here… had you not made the decisions that you made, I would’ve lost my life…. I love you forever and ever happy birthday sis.’

The screen star has also previously described his recovery experience as ‘going to hell and back’.

‘I went through something I never thought I would go through. I know a lot of people [were] waiting or wanting to hear an update, but to be honest with you, I didn’t want you to see me like that man,’ he tearfully told followers.

The death toll from this week’s Himalayan flash floods has risen to 669 in Nepal and Tibet combined, authorities said, as Kathmandu appealed for foreign technical assistance while insisting it did not need help with general search and rescue.

Nearly 3,000 people remain unaccounted for across the two countries, authorities said on Saturday. Nepal’s disaster agency put the missing in the country at 2,426, while more than 550 remain missing in Tibet, according to Chinese state media. More than 3,700 people have been rescued in Nepal so far, and hundreds of those missing are foreign nationals who had been working, trekking or travelling on pilgrimage in the region when the flood struck.

Nepal’s foreign minister, Shisir Khanal, told Reuters the government needed foreign expertise in specialised areas where it lacks the necessary skills, including rescuing people trapped in flooded tunnels, DNA testing, and storing bodies for longer periods as hospitals struggle to cope with the number of dead.

“We have already made requests for such specialised services and technical assistance in areas where we don’t have enough expertise and technical knowhow,” he said.

The risk of a second, catastrophic flood has begun to ease, Chinese authorities said on Saturday. When the glacier collapsed on Wednesday, debris blocked a river near the border crossing at Gyirong, forming a natural dam and a lake behind it. Officials warned that if that dam gives way, it could send another wall of water downstream.

Satellite imagery now shows the lake’s surface area has shrunk to about 99,000 square metres, roughly the size of 14 football pitches, as water has gradually drained through the blockage, China’s water resources ministry said.

A separate, larger body of water has also formed at the base of where the glacier collapsed, covering more than 120,000 square metres, according to Chen Hongqi, a senior engineer at the ministry of natural resources’ Geological Disaster Technical Guidance Centre, though its depth is not yet known. Nepal’s disaster management authority said the risk of further flooding would persist until both lakes have fully drained.

Britain, India, China, the United States, Britain, Japan, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have all asked to send their own search-and-rescue teams, according to the Kathmandu Post, but Mr Khanal said Nepali rescuers were already handling that work.

“We think there is no need for repetition in this,” he said.

A British rapid response team was due to arrive in Kathmandu on Saturday, tasked with assisting relatives of the more than 30 British nationals missing in the disaster. Forming part of the UK’s wider response to the flooding, which includes £5 million of humanitarian support for relief and recovery efforts, the team will also work with families in the UK concerned about loved ones in the affected area.

Nepal has also asked India and China, the two larger neighbours between which it sits, to supply bailey bridges – portable, fast-assembly truss bridges that don’t need heavy machinery to install – to restore transport links after roughly two dozen bridges were destroyed in the flooding.

China on Saturday sent tunnel experts to Nepal on government’s request, Xinhua news agency reported.

Mr Khanal said many bodies had been recovered as far away as Chitwan and Nawalparasi, on the plains around 100 kilometres from the disaster zone, and that hospitals there had run out of refrigeration space to store them. He said the flood had caused extensive damage to schools, hospitals, hydropower plants, roads and bridges, and that Nepal would need further foreign support during reconstruction.

Rescue operations entered a fourth day on Saturday, hampered by poor weather that grounded helicopters. Brig Gen Raja Ram Basnet, an army spokesperson, told the AP that rescue teams remained focused on the Upper Trishuli-1 hydropower project in Rasuwa district, where more than 100 people are believed trapped in a tunnel filled with thick mud.

Rescuers have used ropes and baskets to reach some of those trapped, he said, though the operation has been slowed by up to five feet of mud and a shortage of locations where helicopters can land. Teams have also had to relocate temporarily on at least one occasion after further flood warnings were issued.

There is no sign of survivors at the Chinese border crossing which was engulfed by a ferocious flood wave earlier this week, rescue officials told state media, according to CNN.

Chinese rescuers arrived on Friday afternoon at the land port, an area over 3,800 meters above sea level.

“The buildings within the mudslide’s impact zone have largely been flattened, with no discernible outline of any structures,” Liu Maolin, a rescue team leader, told state broadcaster CCTV.

“The ground is covered by thick layers of mud and rubble, with extensive and deep deposits, while the port’s infrastructure has been particularly severely damaged.”

So far, no survivors have been found, but the team “will never give up as long as there is even the slightest hope,” Liu said.

The altitude is also making the search dangerous, with crews carrying dozens of kilograms of equipment while working through conditions that can trigger “severe chest tightness, shortness of breath, dizziness and headaches,” according to China Emergency Management News.

At Kathmandu’s main government hospital, families gathered from early Saturday morning searching for news of missing relatives, moving between the help desk and a noticeboard displaying photographs of both patients and unidentified bodies.

“I came here with the hope that I might find him,” said Dil Maya Lama, who travelled from Ramechhap district in search of her 26-year-old brother, a hydropower company driver in Rasuwa. “There is no information about him,” she told the Associated Press.

Gajendra Rawat, a security official at the hospital, said families had registered around 1,600 missing-person reports there alone. “People are coming from all parts of Nepal,” he said.

Search teams also reached Gyirong Port, the border crossing on the Chinese side that was severely damaged in the flooding, with some rescuers reaching the area on foot, by raft, or via equipment lowered from drones.

The floods are expected to deal a heavy blow to an economy already reliant on remittances, tourism and hydropower. Nepal’s finance minister, Swarnim Wagle, told Reuters the country may need $4 billion to $5 billion to rebuild, equivalent to nearly a tenth of its economy.

“The initial estimate is between $4-5 billion. Just an estimate,” he said.

“We will require much less than what we needed for the 2015 earthquake. Loss and damage is being assessed.”

That earlier disaster, Nepal’s worst on record, cost around $9 billion to recover from and wiped out roughly a third of the country’s economy. Wednesday’s floods have already damaged hydropower stations that account for more than 12 per cent of Nepal’s electricity generating capacity.

Earlier this week, the brand announced a closing-down sale for customers over the bank holiday weekend, with prices from just £2.

Denby had originally planned to shut remaining stores at 4pm on Sunday, August 30.

However, due to high demand for the brand, the remaining stock has sold much faster than expected, seeing all remaining Denby stores close today, Saturday, August 29.

Denby closes all stores for the final time

Administrators for the brand confirmed to Newsquest that support from the public and a much higher footfall than expected meant stock sold faster than predicted.

As a result, Denby has now closed all stores across the UK.

The final remaining outlets for the historic brand were Ashford, Portsmouth, Braintree, York, Dalton Park, Castleford and Cheshire Oaks.

Administrators told Newsquest that all have now shut, with the Somerset location expected to close for the final time in the next few hours.

Following the store’s closure, around 600 jobs will be lost.

Denby, known around the world for making crockery including plates and mugs, entered administration this year and will close all of its UK stores as a result.

An increase in costs has caused the pottery company, which has been going for more than 200 years, to struggle financially.

The firm is Derbyshire-based and was founded in 1809, 217 years ago.

Despite the outlets’ closures, Denby will continue to trade under a different name, Tony Wright, joint administrator of the Denby group of companies and partner at FRP, has explained.

Discussing the closed stores, Tony said it’s a “sad moment to see the Pottery Village close after so many years”.

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He hopes the firm will get the “send-off it deserves”.

Denby will still exist with a new ownership, he assured customers and fans of the firm.

He said: “While the stores are closing, the Denby brand itself will continue under new ownership, ensuring its legacy lives on.”

Will you miss Denby? Let us know in the comments below.

Stuart Robertson and his son Ashton were taken to hospital with serious injuries after the incident.

A dad has been left stranded in a Greek hospital after suffering severe injuries in a horror 50ft plunge down an embankment. Stuart Robertson, 53, jetted out on holiday to Corfu with his wife Fiona, 50, and son Ashton, 28, on Monday,

That night, Stuart and Ashton were walking along a narrow pathway on the roadside when the dad stepped aside to avoid an oncoming car. The ground gave away under him and Stuart, from Kelso, plunged 50ft down the rocky ridge and was knocked unconscious.

Speaking the Record, his daughter, Stephanie, explained her brother also suffered a serious head injury when he fell clambering down to try to help their dad.

The 33-year-old said: “My step-mum was tired and went to bed early but she woke up early and discovered they hadn’t come back and raised the alarm.

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“Fiona phoned me straight away to ask if I had heard from them and then started ringing the local hospitals and learned both had been admitted earlier that morning.

“She raced up to the hospital and was told how they had both been found unconscious at the bottom of the embankment.

“Dad was lucid at the point but he suffered a broken arm and his left leg was completely shattered and the bone was sticking out of the skin. Ashton suffered a bleed on the brain and was drifting in and out of consciousness.”

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Stephanie explained how her brother was stabilised and released on Thursday, August 27, but is still suffering from slurred speech. Her dad had an operation in hospital this week to reposition the bone inside his leg but faces follow-up surgery.

He is desperate to return to Scotland for the treatment but Greek medics have advised that he will have to lie flat on a stretcher if he is to get a plane home.

His holiday insurers are also deliberating on paying out for his repatriation home because Stuart had been drinking alcohol the night he fell. Stephanie has decided to set up a GoFundMe page to try and raise the funds and get her dad home.

She continued: “I was stunned to hear the insurance company say that. Who doesn’t have a wee drink on holiday?

“He is in complete agony and with the language barrier he doesn’t really understand what is happening so we have to get him home.

“I’ve decided to try and try and raise the cash while the insurers make up their mind. We looked into the costs and a private jet was way too expensive but we can hopefully do it on a commercial flight.

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“They will take out about nine chairs from the back of a plane and put up a curtain for privacy and dad can be placed in a stretcher at the back of the plane.

“We are just so desperate to get the money together now and for dad to be on the road to recovery.

“He is a very proud man and I was worried how he would react to me setting up the page but he just quietly accepted it because he is so desperate to get back to Scotland.”

Donations to Stuart’s fundraiser can be made here.

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

By HARRY BAMFORTH, LIVE SPORTS COVERAGE REPORTER

Updated: 13:18 BST, 29 August 2026

Lead singer Jarvis Cocker delighted the 30,000 strong crowd but left them concerned they may not play again

Britpop legends Pulp cemented their spectacular comeback on Friday night – then left 30,000 fans wondering if they’d just seen the end of an era.

Headlining Manchester’s Live From Wythenshawe Park, hip-swivelling frontman Jarvis Cocker told the crowd: “We’ve been touring for a while and this is our last big concert… not forever hopefully, but you never know do you!”

He teased fans about the band’s Manchester history and said: “The first time Pulp played in the Manchester area was Salford University, 28th May 1992… then it was the 13th of October 1992 at the Boardwalk in Manchester…. You weren’t there, you weren’t born!”

Introducing another one of his hits, he said: As I said this is the last big concert we’re gonna do for a while…. So instead of saying Do You Remember the First Time, I should say, will you remember the last time?”

Flanked by Candida Doyle, Nick Banks and Mark Webber, the Sheffield icons had the park bellowing every word of Common People and Disco 2000.

They then proved they’re no heritage act with the crowd favourite Spike Island, from More, their first album in 24 years.

Despite downpours during the week, even the weather behaved. Jarvis joked: “It’s Friday night, it’s stopped raining – that cost a lot of money actually!”

Introducing Got To Have Love, he turned philosopher and said: “I’ve discovered something more powerful than anger, do you know what it is? It’s not Nurofen, this isn’t an advert, this isn’t an item you can go out and buy it’s something you have to search for… love.”

And as the set closed, the clouds parted — leaving Jarvis gobsmacked. Pointing skywards, he added: “Just for a moment looking through the sky, at the end of that song a full moon came out, look everyone!”

Self Esteem’s Rebecca Lucy Taylor warmed up the park with a fearless pop set. The gig closed the 2026 Wythenshawe Park series — and proved Pulp still land like nobody else.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued several “do not eat” warnings covering products sold at retailers including Tesco, Waitrose and Home Bargains, with some potentially posing a health risk.

With multiple recalls announced, households are being urged to check their kitchens now to make sure they do not have any of the affected products.

Cheese recall

Shoppers in Northern Ireland are being urged to check their fridges after two Macroom Buffalo Cheese products were recalled over Listeria concerns.

Macroom Buffalo Cheese Products is recalling Mozzarella (125g) and Bocconcini (160g), both with a use-by date of September 7, 2026, after Listeria monocytogenes was found.

Customers who have bought the affected cheeses are being told not to eat them, even if they look and smell normal. They should return them to the retailer for a full refund.

Friday 28 August – Macroom Buffalo Cheese Products recalls Macroom Buffalo Cheese Mozzarella and Macroom Buffalo Cheese Bocconcini due to contamination with Listeria monocytogenes #FoodAlert https://t.co/zPlJT0mZI4 pic.twitter.com/rUKzpFmBVi

— Food Standards Agency (@foodgov) August 28, 2026

Listeria symptoms can include a high temperature, muscle aches, chills, sickness and diarrhoea. In rare cases, infection can cause serious complications including meningitis.

Those most vulnerable include over-65s, pregnant women and unborn babies, young babies and people with weakened immune systems.

Wraps recall

Shoppers are being urged to check their fridges after a small number of filled wraps were recalled over possible E. coli contamination.

The company said: “As part of our routine testing, we have identified a potential food safety issue affecting a small number of our wrap products.

“We are working closely with the authorities and our customers to recall the affected products.

“Consumer safety remains our highest priority. We are sorry for any concern or inconvenience this may cause.”

The recall affects Snacksters Chicken Fajita Wrap, Snacksters Hoi Sin Wrap, East Street Deli Sweet Chilli Chicken Wrap and Target a Snack Chicken Fajita Wrap.

All use-by dates up to and including September 5, 2026 are affected.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) said the products could contain Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), which can cause severe diarrhoea, including bloody diarrhoea, and abdominal pain.

In some cases, infection can lead to haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), a serious condition that can cause kidney failure and can be fatal.

Friday 21 August – Summit Foods is recalling various products because of possible contamination with Shiga-toxin producing E. coli (STEC) #FoodAlert https://t.co/MGnLjK0Al6 pic.twitter.com/OMs3rdsvoY

— Food Standards Agency (@foodgov) August 21, 2026

If you have bought any of the affected wraps, do not eat them.

Instead, dispose of the product and email sales@summitfoods.co.uk with proof of purchase, stating when and where it was bought, to request a refund.

The recall is listed by the FSA under reference FSA-PRIN-40-2026.

Seeds recall

A.Vogel Ltd is recalling Rapunzel bioSnacky Das Original Red Clover Seeds for Sprouts and Seedlings because of the presence of Shiga toxin-producing E.coli.

Symptoms can include severe diarrhoea, abdominal pain and occasionally haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious condition that can lead to kidney failure and can be fatal.

The affected products come in 30g packs, have a batch code of 11293 and a best before date of December 2028.

Monday 8 August – A.Vogel Ltd recalls Rapunzel bioSnacky Das Original Red Clover – Seeds for Sprouts and Seedlings due to contamination with E. coli (STEC) #foodalert https://t.co/vR2Mt6161P pic.twitter.com/zritLd5U5v

— Food Standards Agency (@foodgov) August 10, 2026

A spokesman for the Food Standards Agency warned: “A.Vogel Ltd is recalling the above product. Point of sale notices will be displayed in all retail stores that are selling this product and/or on their website. These notices explain to customers why the product is being recalled and tell them what to do if they have bought the product.

“If you have bought the above product, do not grow it or consume the sprouts or seedlings. Instead, return it to where you bought it from for a full refund.

“Symptoms can include severe diarrhoea (including bloody diarrhoea), abdominal pain and occasionally haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious condition that can lead to kidney failure and can be fatal.

“If you are experiencing these symptoms, you should stay away from work, school or nursery until you have stopped having symptoms for at least 48 hours to avoid passing it on to others.”

 A Rapunzel spokesman added: “We are very sorry for this incident and sincerely apologise.

“Please be assured that we are doing everything we possibly can to resolve this matter.

“We hope you will continue to place your trust in us.”

Home Bargains Recall

Crisps sold at Home Bargains have been recalled, with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) warning shoppers of a potential health risk.

ASR Solutions Ltd has recalled the Lays Sour Cream & Dill Crisps sold in Home Bargains stores in the UK, because of a labelling error.

The crisps contain milk and wheat (gluten) which are not mentioned on the label, meaning they are a “possible health risk” to anyone with an allergy or intolerance to the ingredients.

The affected products come in 125g packets and have best before dates up to and including October 31.

Friday 31 July 2026 – ASR Solutions Ltd recalls Lay’s Sour Cream & Dill Crisps #FoodAllergy https://t.co/sx7VuhfXwi pic.twitter.com/Su9jxthEaG

— Food Standards Agency (@foodgov) July 31, 2026

An FSA spokesman warned: “ASR Solutions Ltd is recalling the above product from customers and has been advised to contact the relevant allergy support organisations, which will tell their members about the recall.

“The company has also issued a recall notice to its customers. These notices explain to customers why the product is being recalled and tell them what to do if they have bought the product.

“If you have bought this product, do not eat it. Instead, return it to the store from which you bought the product for a full refund or contact  support@home.bargains  if you require further information.”

A Home Bargains statement added: “If you have bought Lays Sour Cream & Dill Crisps as detailed above and you have an allergy, intolerance or sensitivity to milk or wheat, do not consume it.

“Check if you have bought the affected best before dates. Only these codes are affected.

“Return any affected product to your local Home Bargains store for a full refund or contact support@home.bargains if you require information.

“We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”

Chocolate Recall

A range of chocolate products sold in England, Scotland and Wales have been removed from UK shelves due to health concerns.

Bon Bons Wholesale Ltd has recalled various chocolate products due to the concerns, telling shops stocking the items to “remove them from sale”, while the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has told shoppers, “Do not eat”.

The items have been recalled because they may contain milk and soy which are not mentioned on the label, making them a potential health risk for anyone with allergies.

An FSA spokesman said: “These products contain milk and soya making them a possible health risk for anyone with an allergy or intolerance to milk or milk constituents and/or an allergy to soya.”

25th July – Bon Bons Wholesale Ltd recalls various chocolate products because of undeclared milk and soya #FoodAllergy https://t.co/WrIP1T09q5 pic.twitter.com/ps2AV2kcLh

— Food Standards Agency (@foodgov) July 25, 2026

These are the Bon Bons Wholesale Ltd items affected by the recall:

• Medium Coloured Ladybird with best before dates of March 1, 2027, and January 16, 2028
• Small Red Ladybird with best before dates of January 21, 2027, and January 25, 2027
• Large Red Heart with best before dates of November 22, 2027, December 23, 2027, and December 26, 2027
• Mini Butterflies with best before dates of March 21, 2027, and September 9, 2027
• Sports Car with best before date of August 15, 2027

An FSA spokesman said: “Bon Bons Wholesale Ltd is recalling the above products from customers and has been advised to contact the relevant allergy support organisations, which will tell their members about the recall. 

“The company has also issued a point-of-sale notice to its customers. These notices explain to customers why the products are being recalled and tell them what to do if they have bought the products.

“If you have bought the above products and have an allergy to milk and/or soya do not eat them. Instead, return them to the store you purchased them from for a full refund.

“For more information, or to receive a full refund, please contact enquiries@bonbons.co.uk or call 01937 840681.”

A Bon Bons Wholesale Ltd statement added: “We take our responsibility to consumers extremely seriously and always aim to ensure the highest possible standards of product safety.

“We are sorry for any inconvenience or disappointment this product recall may cause you.”

Gü recall

Shoppers at Tesco and Waitrose have been issued a “do not eat” warning after a Gü dessert was recalled.

The Gü Double Sea Salted Caramel Frozen Dessert, sold at Tesco and Waitrose, has been removed from supermarket shelves because it may contain hazelnuts and soya not mentioned on the label.

As a result, the dessert is a health risk to anyone with an allergy to nuts or soya.

The affected product has a lot number of 126135 and a best before date of June 30, 2027.

A spokesman for the Food Standards Agency (FSA) said: “Gü is recalling the above product from customers and has been advised to contact the relevant allergy support organisations, which will tell their members about the recall. 

“These notices explain to customers why the product is being recalled and tell them what to do if they have bought the product.

“If you have bought the above product and have an allergy to hazelnuts (nuts) and/or soya do not eat it. Instead return it to the store from where it was bought for a full refund.

“No receipt required. For more information, please contact recall@gupuds.com .”

A Gü spokesman added: “The issue is limited to a very small number of products (believed to be less than 10 units). However, as a precautionary measure and in line with our commitment to consumer safety, the affected date code is being recalled.

“We have taken proactive steps to further mitigate the issue, including strengthened allergen and packing controls within production.

“We believe the majority of consumers who purchased the affected products will already have been contacted or notified.”

Recommended reading

What is a product recall?

If there is a problem with a food product that means it should not be sold, then it might be ‘withdrawn’ (taken off the shelves) or ‘recalled’ (when customers are asked to return the product).

The FSA issues Product Withdrawal Information Notices and Product Recall Information Notices to let consumers and local authorities know about problems associated with food.

In some cases, a ‘Food Alert for Action’ is issued.

This provides local authorities with details of specific actions to be taken on behalf of consumers.

WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT The woman had previously attacked a bear herself to stop it coming into her home. Tragically, one male bear succeeded in breaking in and bit her neck.

A murderous black bear broke into an 71-year-old woman’s home and mauled her to death. The tragedy came after the brave pensioner had fought off other bears with her bare hands.

It was the first fatal attack of the kind in the area in 2023. Patrice Miller, was killed by the bear in her California home. Police entered her home to conduct a welfare check, initially thinking the bear had found her dead body.

An initial investigation determined that the woman died before the bear came into the home, However, horrifyingly, an autopsy of Patrice’s body determined that the bear had actually killed the elderly woman.

“Upon showing up, [they] immediately saw evidence of bear intrusion into the house,” Mike Fisher, the county sheriff, told KCRA3. “The door was broken. There was bear scat on the porch.”

Patrice’s daughter said this was not the first time a bear had tried to get in he mother’s home “through broken windows, and that her mother had physically hit one to keep it from entering her residence”, KCRA reported. She had reportedly named one bear who attempted multiple break ins a “big bastard”.

Authorities said Patrice, who lived in the small mountain community of Downieville is often fed her cats on the porch and had trash on the property.

Patrice had previously physically hit one bear to stop it entering her home, according to her daughter.

“The coroner’s report confirmed that, ultimately, the bear caused the woman’s death,” the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said.

Police from the Sierra County Sheriff’s office said the bear was nowhere to be seen when they entered Patrice’s home when they discovered her body in November of 2023. The male bear was later found and euthanised, adhering to state policy with a DNA test of the bear confirming it was the killer.

Following the autopsy report, Sierra County Sheriff Mike Fisher told local media Miller was killed when the bear swiped or bit her neck.

Bear attacks on humans are uncommon, state wildlife officials said. However, the animals “lose their natural fear of people and their actions get bolder and bolder” when homes and campgrounds are viewed as easy food sources.

“This is the most extreme example we’ve seen in state history,” Peter Tira, a spokesperson for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, told the Los Angeles Times.

“Since early May, the sheriff’s office has been inundated with daily reports from distressed homeowners and business owners regarding bears breaking into residences and vehicles, creating havoc and endangering local residents,” the sheriff’s office said.

“Given the escalating danger posed by the bear’s behavior and the imminent threat it presented to residents, deputies were left with no choice but to euthanize the bear in the interest of public safety.”

There are between 50,000 to 81,000 black bears in California according to the state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife. Adult males can weigh roughly 400lb.

Ministers would be ‘stupid’ if they increased wealth taxes and ‘scared, lazy and constrained’ if they failed to tackle welfare reform, a senior Burnham ally has warned.

Lord Jim O’Neill, who turned down an expected government role only days ago, said more wealth taxes in the government’s crucial first budget would damage economic growth and see entrepreneurs quit the country.

The former Tory treasury minister, who was hotly tipped to be Andy Burnham’s Chief Economic Adviser, said rises in taxes like inheritance tax and capital gains tax could in fact ‘end up losing money’ for the Treasury with business owners deferring selling companies and moving money out of the country to avoid tax.

Lord O’Neill, who last week said the government must tackle welfare spending to bring down debt and called for a ‘sensible, realistic approach to welfare spending’, said: ‘I do think it would be stupid. At a time where a lot of business still struggles from Brexit and struggles from the changes in national insurance and the labour market changes to zero hours to have that and inheritance tax, it’s just like it would be yet more, and obviously at a time where the country’s growth rate has been so weak.’

And the cross-bench peer told today’s Times that if ministers went ahead with tax rises in the budget on October 28 it would show they were not thinking about growth ‘as sincerely as they claim they are’.

‘I don’t get why they would raise tax,’ he said. ‘All that’s telling you is that they’re not thinking about growth as sincerely as they claim they are. They’re just being scared and lazy and constrained in dealing with the sacred cows.’

His comments will come as a blow to Burnham who apparently spent more than a month fruitlessly trying to persuade him to join the government.

Meanwhile, ministers apparently blind to calls to tackle spiralling welfare spending – which costs the country £1bn a day – have urged Burnham to instead increase taxes like capital gains tax which is levied on profits from assets ranging from shares to second homes, buy-to-let properties and personal possessions.

Lord Jim O’Neill (pictured), who turned down an expected government role only days ago, said more wealth taxes in the government’s crucial first budget would damage economic growth

Traditionally, CGT rates have been applied at lower rates than income tax because profits tend to come from people taking a risk – whether an entrepreneurial or an investment one.

The chancellor John Healey also faces a headache over how to fund shortfalls in defence spending to cover the promises in the defence investment plan, how to counter the impact of the Iran war on the economy and how to fund spending promises.

The fiscal headroom, a cushion against future spending, is thought to have shrunk from £22billion to £15billion.

Lord O’Neill, who is from Stockport and chairs the Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Advisory Board, also warned that Burnham would have to make some ‘hard choices’ when parliament returned after the recess and should focus on areas that could deliver growth like London, the West Midlands and the northern powerhouse region of Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield and Leeds rather than attempting to fulfil his ‘growth in every postcode’ pledge.

Formerly the chief economist at investment bank Goldman Sachs, Lord O’Neill said last week in a BBC interview that he was a ‘supporter of a lot more sensible approach to government spending and taxation’ and was not in favour of wealth taxes.

The well-respected economist said he had turned down the key government job because he did not want to be under ‘financial constraints’ and would rather just be a ‘voice’ to turn to when needed.

Yesterday economists warned that record capital gains tax receipts raked in by the government after former Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ tax hikes would not last as people adapted their behaviour to compensate, echoing Lord O’Neill’s concerns.

It was revealed the treasury had collected £24.2billion in the 2024 to 2025 tax year, an 89 per cent increase from the previous year as the hike to the main rates of CGT took effect midway through the year.

That followed rises in the 2024 budget raising rates from 10 to 18 per cent for basic-rate taxpayers, while higher-rate taxpayers faced a 24 per cent levy on disposals from 20 per cent previously.

A small number of taxpayers bore the brunt of changes to rates, with 45 per cent of receipts coming from those who made gains of £5million or more, representing less than one per cent of total CGT taxpayers each year.

But Elizabeth Bradley, partner at law firm BCLP, said the meteoric rise in CGT liabilities might offer ‘short-term relief, but it may be a sugar hit caused by forestalling’ meaning future declines in tax takes.

She said yesterday: ‘If today’s exceptional spike reflects forestalling before the 2024 Autumn budget, the behavioural response to potential CGT rate changes may now shift.’

Pete Fairchild, National Head of Private Clients at tax firm Crowe said: ‘The concerns over rising Capital Gains Tax rates have no doubt led many people to bring forward a transaction and sell an asset earlier than expected. Whether the rate ultimately increased, the government has collected tax anyway.’

He added: ‘While cabinet ministers will possibly pat themselves on the back for achieving this outcome, some words of caution – the trend of wealthy people leaving the UK continues because of these measures, not helped with further concerns about the potential of an exit tax being brought in.’