Nigel Farage has won the Clacton by-election but did not attend the official declaration at Clacton Leisure Centre

Nigel Farage has secured victory in the Clacton by‐election, though the result was immediately clouded by a dispute over whether police had urged him to stay away from the count due to a “credible threat” to his safety.

The Reform UK leader declared he had won “fairly convincingly” long before the official announcement, hailing the outcome, delivered on the hottest day of the year, as an “overwhelming endorsement” of his leadership.

Farage said he would not attend the declaration at Clacton Leisure Centre after being informed of what he described as an “organised campaign to disrupt and degrade the result“. A party spokesperson later insisted Essex Police had advised him not to appear because of a credible threat.

Despite this, the Press Association understands that Essex Police did not advise Mr Farage, or any other candidate, to stay away from the count.

A spokesperson for Essex Police said: “We have a proportionate and robust policing operation to ensure the safety and security of all participants in the count.”

Deputy Reform leader Richard Tice later indicated it was Mr Farage’s “team” who concluded that “there was sufficient anxiety, and concern, and threats” to warrant him staying away from the count.

When pressed for further details on the information the party claimed to have received, he told GB News: “No, I can’t. But I think we should just trust those tasked with keeping Nigel safe and alive, I hesitate to say, but that’s what the task is.

“And if a credible threat is perceived or a deep anxiety, whatever you want to term it, clearly they’re going to err on the side of caution, and that’s just the reality.

“So, yes, of course, it’s a shame he would have loved to have been there, but security is paramount, and everybody knows we’ve had a very, very difficult few weeks and last couple of months.”

Mr Farage triumphed with 22,239 votes, with Count Binface coming second on 9,455 votes. Mr Farage claimed a 12,784 majority, representing 62.82% of the vote.

This marks an increase from his 8,405 vote majority, 46.2%, when he prevailed at the 2024 general election. The declaration came shortly after 6am. Turnout stood at 44.37%, a drop of just over 14%. A total of 32 of the record 34 candidates forfeited their deposits.

Mr Farage informed supporters at an all-night “Farage-fest” gathering organised by Reform in Essex that he wouldn’t be attending the count: “I’m not scared of these people, far from it.

“But I’m damned if I’m going to stand on a stage, having won a resounding victory, a ringing endorsement of all that I’ve tried to fight for, and you’ve tried to fight for, and be demeaned and humiliated by nobodies, and I will not sadly be attending the count.”

Mr Farage had been due to deliver what was promoted as a “major speech” in Clacton at 10.30am on Friday, but Reform scrapped it, stating he had “already commented on the expected result of the by-election”. In his address, Mr Farage declared, hours before the outcome was officially announced: “The verdict is now in, and it is a convincing, overwhelming win with more votes than we got in the general election of 2024.”

He continued: “Today the voters in Clacton have stuck up two fingers to the entire political establishment.”

He previously told GB News: “Look, this is an overwhelming endorsement of me. I have had enough of being judged by mainstream media, being called a criminal.

“Do you know, if I made one sin, if I haven’t filled in a piece of paper, I’ve broken no law, I’ve broken no tax law, I’ve taken no public money, I don’t even own a motorhome.”

Council acting returning officer and chief executive Ian Davidson confirmed he was unaware Mr Farage would not be attending the count until the Reform UK leader revealed it during his speech to supporters.

“It is up to individual candidates’ wish to or do not wish to attend the count, but as far as we’re concerned we will be able to complete this count successfully and safely for all the candidates, my staff here and all the visitors,” Mr Davidson stated. “I am not aware of what has been said, or what that threat is.”

Mr Davidson noted that Essex Police had deployed an assistant chief constable as part of a “Gold Command” policing operation. He indicated he did not believe there was any threat sufficiently serious for the count to be called off, though he could not comment further on security matters.

The by-election was triggered by Mr Farage’s resignation over scrutiny of donations from cryptocurrency tycoon Christopher Harborne. Labour and the Conservatives insisted his win wouldn’t put an end to the furore.

Ensure our latest stories always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as your Preferred Source in your Google search settings.

A record 34 candidates contested the seat, with satirical contender Count Binface emerging as Mr Farage’s primary opponent, after the other mainstream parties declined to stand.

Speaking to Sky News, Count Binface, a character created by comedian Jonathan David Harvey, alluded to the prospect of a second by-election in the constituency should Mr Farage be found to have broken Parliamentary rules.

He said: “You just said at the beginning of this interview that Nigel Farage is claiming victory, but in that case it’s going to be a two-legged match like the Carabao Cup or the Cold War, because we’re going to be back again in a few weeks aren’t we? We’ll see what happens then.”

He added: “Even if I got to 12%, so one-in-eight people in Clacton would rather vote for a space warrior shaped like a bin than Nigel Farage.”

Labour chairwoman Ms Phillipson said: “This is no victory for Nigel Farage. The mountain of sleaze and scandal he and Reform are now engulfed in has grown and grown while he’s been trying to distract the public by fighting a by-election against a bin.

“This morning, Nigel Farage shouldn’t be celebrating – he should wake up and smell the coffee. He must come clean with the public and put all the facts on the table over his secret £5 million gift, his relationship with a convicted fraudster, and the other scandals his Party is drowning in.

“Farage’s distraction by-election doesn’t clear his name – it just shows he likely has so much more to hide.”

A Conservative Party spokesperson said: “Nigel Farage called this fake by-election in a desperate attempt to draw a line under the questions surrounding his fishy £5 million donation.

“Whatever the outcome on Friday, this stunt has not done that.”

Before quitting Westminster, Mr Farage was being investigated by the parliamentary standards commissioner Daniel Greenberg over a £5 million gift from Mr Harborne, which he received before taking his seat in the Commons.

Under Commons rules, new MPs are required to register any gifts worth more than £300 they received in the previous 12 months, except where the gift “could not be reasonably thought by others” to relate to their political activities.

That investigation was paused when Mr Farage resigned his seat but will resume if he wins the by-election – as bookmakers have made him the firm favourite to do.

Mr Farage could also face an investigation over support provided by George Cottrell, a long-term ally. If he is found to have broken the rules and a suspension of more than 10 days is imposed, it could trigger a recall petition and the prospect of Mr Farage facing a second by-election.

David Kelly had been drinking on the flight, when he started ‘arguing about politics’, before making racist and homophobic remarks

Advertisement

An intoxicated man left families in fear after shouting racist abuse and making a Nazi salute on their flight home from Turkey.

David Kelly, 56, was on a Jet2 flight from Turkey to Newcastle when he became drunk and offensive on December 19 last year.

Newcastle Crown Court heard he committed racially aggravated harassment to airline staff and members of the public and also made a homophobic remark. Saba Shan, prosecuting, said: “When he initially boarded the plane and, it would seem, in the first couple of hours, he was enjoying himself. He was loud and boisterous with lots of laughter.

“Regrettably as he became visibly more intoxicated, his behaviour deteriorated. There are statements from staff and passengers which describe how the defendant became angry and animated and started ranting.”

Among the offensive behaviour, Kelly said “Hitler knew” followed by making a Nazi salute. He also pointed at a Turkish passenger and called him a terrorist and made other racist and one homophobic remark.

Miss Shan said: “A young family were distressed by his actions and were moved from the row behind him.” Members of staff did their best to manage his behaviour by offering alternative seating to passengers alarmed by his behaviour.

Kelly, of Bek Road, Newton Hall, County Durham, stood in his seat and initially refused to sit down and put his seatbelt on as the plane began its descent to land. Staff had alerted police, who were waiting to arrest him at Newcastle Airport.

Kelly, who has four previous convictions, including for arson and drugs offences, pleaded guilty to being drunk on an aircraft and a racially aggravated public order offence.

READ MORE: “Don’t be scared” Delivery driver attacked during far-right protest urges others to speak out

READ MORE: Public warned ‘do not approach’ missing man after ‘cops seen at East Kilbride hospital’

Jailing him for ten months, Recorder David Gordon said: “Those who become drunk and disorderly on board an aircraft must ordinarily expect an immediate custodial sentence because of the fear and distress caused to passengers and crew and because of the potential implications with regard to safety.

“You repeatedly shouted abuse, including racist and, on one occasion, homophobic abuse and made threats of violence and ignored efforts by cabin crew to calm the situation.

“The offences occurred in the uniquely confined environment of an aircraft in flight. Passengers and crew could not remove themselves from it. Families and other passengers were alarmed and distressed.

“Cabin crew were required to divert their attention from their own duties to manage your behaviour. Your conduct created genuine fear among those on board and carried an inherent safety concern, particularly during the landing phase of the flight.

“This offending caused distress and alarm to numerous passengers and crew members and it included vile repeated racist utterances and a homophobic utterance.”

Brian Hegarty, defending, said he is remorseful and said the incident started after Kelly argued with another passenger about politics. He added that Kelly did not need to be restrained and did not assault anyone and said: “His behaviour was reprehensible and unpleasant but was restricted to words alone.”

The court was provided with character references about Kelly, including from a magistrate and a former Metropolitan Police officer. He was said to be hard-working, helpful and community minded.

Get More of Our News on Google. Set Lancs Live as a ‘Preferred Source’ to get quicker access to the news you value.

The event takes place at Bothwell parish church centre on September 12 and 13

Talented Lanarkshire artists are getting set for their popular annual exhibition.

Members of Bothwell art club will showcase their works at a two-day display in September, taking place at the town’s parish church centre on Main Street.

It will allow visitors to see original art by the club’s members, with many of their pieces available for sale during the weekend event.

The art show takes place on September 12 and 13, opening at 10am on Saturday and 11.30am on Sunday, running until 5pm on each day.

It will be hosted at Bothwell parish church centre on Main Street, and admission is free.

All are welcome to attend, and more details about the club including examples of the talented members’ creations is available on Facebook, Instagram and Tiktok.

* Don’t miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.

And did you know Lanarkshire Live is on Facebook? Head on over and give us a like and share!

The U.S. has received several warnings from Israel over the past year that Iran intended to assassinate President Donald Trump.

The warnings, passed to U.S. intelligence agencies and in some cases relayed directly by Israeli officials to senior White House officials, included possible plots to shoot Trump with a sniper or recruit someone to attack him with a knife at a large public event, the sources said.

The tips began in the lead-up to the 12-day war in June 2025 and intensified before the U.S. decision to go to war in Iran in February, the sources said.

The most detailed warning came ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara in July, the U.S. official and the other person familiar with the matter said. 

Israeli officials briefed the White House about intelligence that indicated Iran may try to kill Trump, potentially with a shoulder-launched missile, while he travelled on Air Force One for the summit, the officials said.

The U.S. intelligence community has long assessed that Iran wants to retaliate for Trump’s killing of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani in 2020. 

But the Central Intelligence Agency has not been able to corroborate some of the specific threats against Trump’s life shared by Israeli intelligence since early last year, the officials said.

In the case of the NATO episode, a Turkish official said the country’s intelligence agencies also did not have any evidence to corroborate the Israeli claim about the threat to Trump’s life, an assessment the host country shared with Americans.

Despite the lack of verification, White House officials and the Secret Service have taken steps to mitigate the threats out of an abundance of caution, including an extraordinary deception operation during the Turkey trip that involved moving Trump from Air Force One to a different aircraft for his flight out of the country.

That episode underscores how Israeli intelligence is influencing the Trump administration’s decision-making about Iran at a time of heightened tensions with Tehran – and broader disagreement between U.S. and Israeli intelligence assessments on Iran’s threat overall.

Earlier this year, American intelligence agencies assessed that Iran was not actively building a nuclear weapon, even as Israel argued Tehran posed an urgent threat.

Despite the reports from the U.S. intelligence community, Trump moved forward with strikes in Iran in February. 

Trump also took into consideration intelligence shared by Israel that Tehran had tried to assassinate him before launching the military campaign, Reuters previously reported.

A spokesperson for the Israeli embassy disputed that Israel was using its intelligence to influence U.S. policy on Iran.

‘The same people who claim that Israel is trying to influence U.S. policy through alleged intelligence sharing would just as soon accuse Israel of concealing critical information if it benefited their own agenda,’ the spokesperson said.

Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi declined to discuss specific intelligence matters but said the agency remains focused on Trump’s security amid recent assassination attempts and an increase in threats against the president. 

‘The U.S. Secret Service continuously analyses a wide range of information to guide our protective operations in real time and across every location we secure,’ he said.

The U.S. has long relied heavily on Israeli intelligence on Middle East matters, particularly as they relate to Iran.

The current and former officials said Israeli intelligence on Iran typically flows to the CIA or the National Security Agency through formal channels and is subsequently analysed, two former U.S. officials said.

The U.S. intelligence agencies often cannot verify Israeli intelligence but will use other forms of information to make judgment calls on its authenticity and accuracy, the officials said.

In several instances over the course of the two U.S. military offensives in Iran, the CIA assessed it had ‘low confidence’ in the Israeli intelligence about the threats posed by Iran, including any plans to assassinate Trump, according to one former official and another person familiar with the matter.

It is unclear how widely those assessments have been circulated inside the administration.

Two of the former U.S. officials described to Reuters several instances in which senior Israeli officials and representatives over the last year called the White House, including in the Situation Room, to brief senior Trump officials on Iranian threats directly.

The direct engagement comes amid a breakdown in U.S. intelligence sharing inside the Trump administration.

Last year, amid increased tension with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the CIA stopped working on joint assessments with the National Intelligence Council, the former officials said.

The council is the U.S. intelligence community’s elite analytical group overseen by ODNI to turn out reports reflecting the view of the broader intelligence community, with the CIA being the largest contributor to its assessments.

Fewer recent Iran assessments by the NIC have stemmed partly from recent layoffs at ODNI, the officials and another person familiar with the matter added.

A passenger on the train that derailed in East Sussex has described how people and gadgets sailed through the air after a ‘violent jolt’, before passengers broke out ‘screaming’.

Twenty people were hospitalised after the Southern Rail train carrying 150 people came off the tracks near Lewes station just before 4pm on Thursday, including two with ‘severe’ injuries.

The rear three carriages were thrown on to their sides after apparently hitting a section of badly buckled track, leaving around 40 passengers trapped inside.

Teddy Birkbeck, 18, boarded the train from London Victoria at Gatwick after flying back from a lads’ holiday in Albufeira, Portugal, with his cousin and friend.

He said the train had already been delayed in its journey to the airport, with officials explaining over the intercom that it was ‘due to the heat’.

Mr Birkbeck, a farmer from Sussex, told the Daily Mail: ‘It felt like there was something wrong from the start. There were two sudden jolts soon after we left Gatwick. My mate even joked, “That hurt!”

‘Then it was all smooth going – until we got near Lewes.’

The trio were among eight people travelling in the rear carriage, which ultimately careered furthest down the bank.

Mr Birkbeck described people and gadgets sailing through the air 

The rear three carriages overturned and fell off the rail track

Advertisement

Images appeared to show a section of badly buckled track just behind the train, with experts suggesting this may have happened due to the extreme heat 

Mr Birkbeck was watching TikToks on his phone, nursing a ‘slight hangover’ from the holiday, when he felt a ‘violent jolt’. 

He said: ‘The train suddenly started to lean from side to side, and things were floating around the carriage in slow motion, like we were in space.

‘I saw my mate’s laptop go through the air, and a bottle of water as well. Then we slammed down on our side.

‘I screwed my eyes shut, but it felt like we were in a car that was drifting after the brakes had been slammed on. I thought to myself: “I am going to be seriously hurt here.”

‘We were sitting on the left of the carriage, so it wasn’t too bad in the end, but people on the right flew from their seats and fell down on to our side.

‘Everyone was silent for about 30 seconds – though it felt like an hour – and then people started screaming. Some were really panicking. It was difficult to know which way was up or down.

‘I had smacked my head on something, and saw that some people were bleeding.’

Charlie Hobden, Mr Birkbeck’s cousin, said it felt like they were ‘in a washing machine’ when the carriage tumbled over onto the embankment.

The rear carriage, in which Mr Birkbeck and his friends were travelling, skidded furthest down the embankment

Some passengers were able to clamber through the emergency doors onto the sides of the overturned carriages

Mr Birkbeck’s view from the track after being helped out of the carriage by emergency workers

Advertisement

Images from the scene show that the rear carriage slid around ten metres down the slope to the left of the track, bulldozing trees and coming to rest in the adjacent field.

Three of the carriages whipped over, while the front five remained upright. Behind the stricken rear carriage could be seen a section of track that looked to have buckled severely, with several sharp swerves along it. 

James MacCleary, the Lewes MP, said concerns had been raised about the condition of tracks in the area due to the sustained heatwaves.

He told Times Radio: ‘I had a meeting literally last week with [Greater Thameslink Railway], who are the parent company of Southern Rail, and we did discuss the track and the fact that it has been a bit bumpier in recent months, which is possibly a result of the incredibly hot weather we’ve had recently.’

A temperature of 38.1C was recorded at Kew Gardens in west London on Thursday, making it officially the hottest day of the year.

Mr Birkbeck continued: ‘Another passenger eventually managed to get the emergency exit open so people could climb out on top, but we decided to stay inside because it was actually cooler to begin with.

‘There were also a couple of elderly ladies who were distressed, so we wanted to stay and help them.

‘I had to force the door into the driver’s compartment at the back of the carriage to get the first aid kit.’

South East Coast Ambulance Service said around 150 people were on board the train, and 20 were injured. It said two people were rushed to the major trauma centre with ‘severe’ injuries, while a further 18 patients were also in hospital. 

Three air ambulances and at least 20 other emergency vehicles raced to the scene, while a number of passengers who did not require hospital treatment were taken to a local community centre to be triaged and supported.

People had to readjust their bearings inside the carriages that had completely turned onto their sides

Emergency workers used a stretcher to transport a passenger away from the train

Three air ambulances took off from the scene at around 6pm, evacuating the last of the passengers rescued from the train

Advertisement

Josh Babarinde, MP for Eastbourne, the train’s destination, said that one of his constituents had suffered a broken rib, while other passengers described seeing people bloodied and with head wounds. 

Photographs from the scene show emergency workers stretchering off wounded passengers and guiding others by the hand down the tracks.

The air ambulances took off at around 6pm, carrying the last of the passengers rescued from the carriages.

Of the emergency responders, Mr Birkbeck said he ‘couldn’t credit them enough’.

He told us: ‘They were absolutely brilliant. They put ladders down inside the carriage so we could climb up onto the train’s side, and then helped us down onto the ground.

‘All the passengers were in total bewilderment; everyone was quite quiet. But the ambulance crews and police were amazing at keeping us calm.

‘It’s all such a blur. I am still shaking hours after getting back from the adrenaline.’

Another passenger, father-of-two Liton Miah from Eastbourne, travelling with his wife and daughters, said he had noticed going past a warning sign at the side of the track.

He said: ‘I saw on the big board there was a problem with the track. I don’t know why they didn’t take any precautions. I saved my family and tried to help another couple. The guy was bleeding heavily and there was not much I could do to help him.’

Rob Bradley, who was travelling from London Victoria to Eastbourne with his six-year-old daughter Mabel when the crash happened, said they were in the carriage next to those that overturned.

He said his daughter had been dancing between the carriages just 30 seconds before the derailment.

Mr Bradley told the BBC: ‘As she sat down we felt the train speeding up and started to rock. Then our carriage jumped vertically upwards and we could tell it was a derailment.

‘The emergency brakes went on the train and everything got thrown forward.

‘The train skidded for quite a while before it stopped. We turned around and we saw the whole back of the train was open and smoke and dust were pouring into the carriage and we saw the fifth carriage had gone on its side.

‘We are doing okay. We were very lucky.’

The cause of the derailment has not yet been confirmed

Advertisement

A huge emergency response including ten fire engines descended on the scene near Lewes station

A passenger dragging her luggage across a field after evacuating the stricken train

The cause of the derailment has not been confirmed but transport experts have raised the possibility that the exceptional heat contributed to the crash by causing the rails to buckle or the dry ground beneath them to collapse. 

One suggestion from transport expert Christian Wolmar was that the prolonged heat and drought could have caused the ground beneath the train to dry out and crack, causing part of that bank to give way, leaving the rails without proper support.

He told the Daily Mail: ‘Well, there are two possible reasons this has happened.

‘Obviously, the train track might have buckled before the train arrived. But because the first carriages didn’t derail, it might be that the dryness from the heat has led to the embankment collapsing, and then the train made the rails buckle rather than the other way round.

‘I noticed yesterday when I was out on Hampstead Heath for the eclipse. There’s just great big fissures in [the ground], big openings like there’s been an earthquake, and that must be happening in many places.

‘So it could be that there’s something like that that caused the embankment to partially collapse, and then the rails buckled under the weight of the train because the rails were unsupported. Which could be the more likely explanation given that the first four carriages didn’t go down.’

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said she was ‘deeply concerned’ following the incident.

She wrote on X: ‘Grateful to emergency services who are on the scene supporting those impacted. We are working quickly with the rail industry and local partners to assist passengers.’

Network Rail said it had launched an investigation into the cause of the derailment.

Southern Railway said all lines through Lewes had been closed to allow emergency services to reach the scene and warned passengers to expect major disruption until 10pm.

The operator said: ‘A train has derailed in the Lewes area. This has closed all lines running through this station.

‘As a result of this, trains are currently unable to run through the area to allow the emergency services to attend the incident.

‘Major disruption is expected until 10pm.’

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch deployed investigators to establish how the Southern service came off the tracks.

A former schoolboy who has accused a teacher of having had a sexual relationship with him from the age of 14 has told a court he is not a ‘fantasist’ who made up the allegations.

Sally-Anne Bowen, 65, is on trial at Harrow Crown Court accused of eight counts of indecent assault against two boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

She is alleged to have had sexual relationships with both boys in the late 1980s, when they were around 14 to 15 and she was in her mid-20s, the court previously heard.

Jurors were told one of the complainants said he had sex with Bowen, who was then a teacher at Christ’s College school in Finchley, north London, ‘about 20 or 30 times’.

Bowen denies all the charges, with jurors previously being told she claims to have had a medical condition at the time that made having sex all but ‘impossible’. 

Giving evidence on Thursday, the complainant told the court he had not invented the allegations against the teacher.

Asked by Bowen’s defence barrister Mark Kimsey whether he knows what a fantasist is, the complainant replied that he did.

‘I believe it’s someone that indulges in fantasies,’ the complainant said.

Asked whether he would agree that a fantasist is someone who has ‘unrealistic ideas’ and blurs the lines of reality with fantasy, he replied: ‘I think the question’s quite insulting.’ 

Mr Kimsey said: ‘Just to make clear, so you know, Miss Bowen’s case from the start is that she doesn’t accept, at all, engaging in any form of sexual activity.’

‘Well then, that is the definition of a fantasist,’ the complainant replied.

He told the court that some of the sexual acts Bowen asked him to participate in were ‘perverse’, adding: ‘I’m a “fantasist”, right? That’s not a part of anyone’s fantasy, to be involved in perversion.’

The court previously heard that Bowen maintained a sexual relationship with the complainant for several months, and he often visited her home.

He told jurors he felt compelled to ‘protect’ the teacher, who had ‘drummed it’ into him that he was not allowed to tell anyone about their relationship.

The complainant said: ‘In the months I was having sex with her… I never spoke to any other schoolboy about the fact I was having sex with her.

‘I never, ever spoke to anyone about it. I was always really aware, she drummed it into me.

Jurors were told one of the complainants said he had sex with Bowen, who was then a teacher at Christ’s College school in Finchley, north London , ‘about 20 or 30 times’

‘To indoctrinate a 14-year-old child is one thing, to have sex with a 14-year-old child is another thing… to remain silent to everyone.

‘I had this secret I couldn’t speak to anyone. I spoke to one person who was my best friend who didn’t go to this school.’

He added: ‘Years she got to teach, because I remained silent.’

In a police interview played to the jury, the complainant said that when Bowen worked at the school, she dressed in a way which was ‘sexually provocative’.

He said: ‘Sally-Anne Bowen used to wear tight Levi jeans and black skinny pants that you could see everything in, and a black mini skirt up to there.’

‘My introduction to the world was completely governed by Sally-Anne Bowen,’ he told police.

‘I had no experiences, so it was her experiences that laid the groundwork for the sexual interactions that we had.’

In the video, the complainant said he cannot deny that he enjoyed having sex with Bowen, the ‘games’ and ‘secrets’ she engaged him in, and the feeling of having ‘one-up’ on his teachers.

‘But for me it was the destruction of my education,’ he added.

The complainant told police: ‘All those aspects of me at that young age – I had no respect for authority, no self-respect. My mother never forgave me.’

He added: ‘I would like to get in a room with all those teachers, and Sally-Anne Bowen, and say, “that’s my life”, because you only get one.’

Bowen denies the charges against her and the trial continues.

Reform UK’s claims have been challenged

Essex Police says there were ‘no incidents or issues’ surrounding the Clacton by-election amid a war of words fuelled by Nigel Farage’s failure to attend the count. The Reform UK leader won the by-election which he triggered by resigning as Clacton MP while facing scrutiny over donations he received from a cryptocurrency tycoon.

Mr Farage received 22,239 votes, a share of 62.8 per cent, with his nearest competitor Count Binface picking up 26.7 per cent. Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party and Restore Britain all shunned the by-election, which was described by Labour as a ‘circus’.

While declaring he had won hours before the result was announced, Mr Farage said he would not be attending the by-election count. A Reform UK spokesman said overnight: “Essex Police advised Nigel not to attend the count tonight due to a credible threat against him.”

Click here for the latest on Greater Manchester’s politics in our newsletter

But that claim has been roundly disputed. Ian Davidson, acting returning officer and chief executive at Tendring District Council, said there was a ‘robust’ policing operation in place and that it was ‘a candidate’s decision whether or not to attend’.

In a new statement issued this morning (August 14), Essex Police said there were ‘no incidents or issues’ during polling day or throughout the night as votes were counted. “We have a full and robust policing operation in place around the Clacton by-election, as we do with all significant elections in our county,” a force spokesperson said.

“Throughout polling day our officers were visible right across Clacton and the Tendring district. We visited all 51 polling stations, our officers were out and visible on foot, in vehicles and our drone team patrolled by air. Our aim was to ensure the people of Clacton were able to go about their daily business, that people were able to cast their vote safely and that the count took place without issue.

“We are pleased to say all of these things happened and there were no incidents or issues throughout yesterday and into the early hours of this morning. We worked closely with Tendring District Council and their security teams throughout. We take the safety and security of our elected officials extremely seriously and, equally, we take our policing responsibilities around the democratic process seriously too.

“The decision of candidates to attend or not attend the election count is a decision for individuals and their security teams, our role is to make sure our policing operation is sufficiently robust to ensure the safety of all, and we are grateful to all of our officers, staff and the staff at Tendring District Council who worked through the night to ensure the safety of all.”

Mr Farage did attend a ‘Farage-fest’ in the Clacton constituency while the count was taking place. He told fans there: “I’m sad to say that after 33 years of being a candidate in active politics, I’ve been advised tonight by Essex Police that there is an organised campaign to disrupt and degrade the result that will take place in a few hours’ time. Once again it shows you the sheer intolerance, the sheer loss of fundamental democratic principles that those that went before us, fought in world wars, to fight for and preserve.”

Mr Farage added: “I’m not scared of these people, far from it. But I’m damned if I’m going to stand on a stage, having won a resounding victory, a ringing endorsement of all that I’ve tried to fight for, and you’ve tried to fight for, and be demeaned and humiliated by nobodies, and I will not sadly be attending the count.”

Advertisement

After the claim was disputed earlier this morning, Reform MP Lee Anderson appeared on BBC Breakfast, insisting he believed his leader over the authorities. “Sometimes some of these police forces that we’ve been dealing with recently are about as honest as you lot at the BBC,” he said.

Mr Anderson added: “I’ve not spoken to Nigel about this. I’ve not spoken to Essex Police. If Nigel gets up on stage and says that he’s been advised not to attend the event, then I believe Nigel above the police, and especially above you lot at the BBC.”

Bridget Phillipson, chair of the Labour Party, told Sky News that viewers would ‘come to their own conclusions’. She said: “Well, of course, the safety of politicians is of the utmost importance and no-one should face threats or intimidation because of who they are and the job that they’re seeking to do.

“I don’t know exactly what’s gone on here, but like you, I’ve heard what the police have had to say, that they’ve pushed back a bit on on that suggestion, and I know that Nigel Farage is facing some criticism, even from within his own ranks, that he’s not, wasn’t, prepared to be at the count.

“And, you know, those who are responsible for running counts and the police oversight of that, they’re used to dealing with high-profile situations. But, you know, I think people will come to their own conclusions. It’s hard to know. Nigel Farage has given one version of events and we’ve heard something a bit different from the police responsible.”

Charred remains of homes burned by ‘apocalyptic’ wildfires could be seen today as drought-hit Britain continued to bake in a heatwave after the fifth warmest day ever.

Six properties were destroyed as 100 firefighters fought the blaze near a golf course at Stourbridge in the West Midlands, which spread rapidly through dry grass and woodland yesterday afternoon – setting alight homes with residents forced to flee.

A train derailment in East Sussex on a Southern service near Lewes that saw 150 people evacuated and two seriously injured may also have been a result of the heat.

Extremely hot weather will continue in south-east England, East Anglia, Lincolnshire and the Midlands today with temperatures reaching between 29C and 34C.

East Midlands Railway issued an ‘essential travel only’ alert for the third day in a row; while c2c, Great Western Railway and West Midlands Railway axed some services.

The UK hit 38.1C at Kew Gardens in London yesterday, making it the warmest day of 2026 so far. Yesterday was also the ninth day of 2026 when temperatures hit at least 35C, the fourth day for 36C, and the third for 37C – all three being new records.

The heatwave is set to continue into this weekend with temperatures of up to 30C in southern England, before highs slip to around 27C to 28C by the start of next week.

A UK Health Security Agency amber heat health alert remains active for all of England until 9pm tonight, which warns of increased demand on health services and a ‘rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions’.

Officials urged people to take precautions such as staying hydrated, checking in on vulnerable friends and family, and staying out of the sun at the hottest part of the day.

A fire engine stands near a burnt-out house this morning following the fire in Stourbridge

Advertisement

The blaze in Stourbridge forced some people to flee after it started tearing through homes

More than 100 firefighters were sent to Stourbridge after the fire started in nearby grassland

Two people were seriously injured following a train derailment in East Sussex yesterday

Rail bosses will investigate whether the steel tracks expanded in the heat and started to warp 

Advertisement

Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and West Sussex have now gone 63 days without rain as the drought intensifies, with Surrey close behind on 58 days and London on 52 days.

Some 45million people in England are now in drought-stricken areas, and 27million customers are under hosepipe bans – with many areas desperate for downpours.

The Met Office said some thunderstorms could hit central and south-eastern England tonight, but there is no meaningful rain in the forecast for the most parched areas.

Forecasters are however watching an area of low pressure which could influence UK weather from the southwest towards the end of next week and potentially bring rain.

Met Office chief forecaster Neil Armstrong said: ‘Friday will be a less hot day, with temperatures forecast to reach highs of 34C in the south-east.

‘Into the weekend temperatures could still hover over 30C in the south, with a gradual return to average over the next few days.’

Providing an outlook for rain, deputy chief forecaster Steven Keates said: ‘Many people are desperate for some rain to alleviate the impacts of the prolonged dry spell.

‘There is a chance of some thunderstorms developing in central and southeastern parts of England later on Friday into Saturday, however these are very uncertain.

‘A front moving south eastwards across the UK on Monday and Tuesday could bring northern areas some rain but amounts of rain in the south will be small at most and the majority will fall over Northern Ireland and Scotland.

‘The next meaningful rain forecast for these very dry areas could be towards the end of next week as an area of low pressure influences our weather from the southwest. The detail on this will become clearer over the coming days.’

It comes as a fire chief said crews were making progress tackling huge blazes in the West Midlands that led to thousands of 999 calls and caused ‘extensive’ devastation.

Chief fire officer Simon Tuhill, of West Midlands Fire Service, said one huge blaze in Stourbridge, which forced some people to flee after it started tearing through homes, was ‘one of the most significant’ incidents the region’s fire service has ever dealt with.

West Midlands Fire Service said this morning that crews were ‘making progress’ and ‘tactically working across several different areas of the site’.

Mr Tuhill was in touch with Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who released a statement to pay tribute to the firefighters on the ground battling the wildfires.

Advertisement

The Prime Minister said: ‘Awful to see homes and communities hit by fires across the country tonight as the heatwave continues.

‘My thoughts are with everyone affected, particularly those who have been injured or forced from their homes, and with the firefighters who have been taken to hospital.

‘I’m in touch with local leaders (including West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker) and will be speaking to emergency services on the ground as they continue their response.

‘Our firefighters are working in incredibly difficult conditions and putting themselves at risk to keep others safe. A huge thank you to them and everyone supporting the effort tonight.’

Mr Tuhill said that ‘the emergency service presence here will likely run into days’ and asked people to stay away from the area.

Nathan Hudson, from West Midlands Ambulance Service, said six people were treated by crews at the scene in the town, with two taken to hospital after suffering from smoke inhalation.

Mr Burnham has pledged to support fire and rescue services in the region with any additional resources they need, the county’s mayor Richard Parker told Sky News.

Angela Rayner, Secretary of State for housing, communities and local Government said: ‘We are working closely with the local Fire and Rescue Service and partners on the ground in Stourbridge and are being regularly updated.

‘I would like to thank the brave emergency services, and my thoughts are with people who have been forced to leave their homes.’

Speaking at the scene of the Stourbridge blaze, Mr Tuhill said more than 100 firefighters were sent to the scene, saying the fire is believed to have started in the grassland before spreading to homes nearby.

An investigation into how the fire in Stourbridge, West Midlands, started will now begin, the chief fire officer said.

‘Of course, we will carry out a joint investigation with police colleagues and our specialist fire investigation team,’ Mr Tuhill told a late-night press conference on Thursday.

‘They will be here on scene as soon as they can to start investigating the possible cause.’

Before the press conference, Mr Parker described the ‘multiple fires across our region’ as an ‘extremely worrying and fast-moving situation’.

In neighbouring Worcestershire, Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service said a number of homes had been damaged and 30 properties were evacuated in Pershore following a large fire on Lancelott Court.

The fire service said one person was treated for smoke inhalation following the incident at about 4.30pm, and about 200 homes in the area were left without power.

In Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire, another blaze hit ‘a small number of properties and gardens’ in the Goldenhill area of the city.

Severn Trent Water warned of disruption to water supply across the West Midlands as a result of the wildfires.

The company said customers in Kidsgrove, near Stoke-on-Trent, may experience lower pressure and discoloured water because firefighters needed to use hydrants.

An aerial view shows destroyed houses following the wildfire in Stourbridge yesterday

Advertisement

A firefighter sprays water on burnt-out area following the grass fire in Stourbridge yesterday

A view of a burnt-out house today following the grass fire at Stourbridge in the West Midlands

A view of a burnt-out house today following the grass fire at Stourbridge in the West Midlands

In Warwickshire, the county’s fire and rescue service said it was responding to a ‘large fire’ in Salford Priors, Stratford-upon-Avon, which has been declared a major incident.

Elsewhere in the region, smoke from nearby wildfires forced the closure of the M6 northbound between junctions five and six – causing more than two hours of delays.

Explaining the closure, National Highways West Midlands said in a statement: ‘The fire keeps igniting. Fire commander at the scene not happy for M6 to be reopened until fire fully extinguished.’

Wollaston and Stourbridge Town councillor Andrew Southall said care home residents were evacuated alongside others as a result of the fire near Stourbridge golf course.

Resident Phillip Jones, who lives close to where the fire in Stourbridge took hold, told Sky News: ‘It was quite hard to breathe, actually, when we left the car, getting to the home.’

He added: ‘We have the golf course and then the cricket club between us and the fire.

‘So, at the moment, we have grab bags by the door, ready to leave if we have to leave, but it hasn’t come to that yet, thankfully for us.’

Footage on social media showed multiple buildings on fire and huge plumes of smoke coming from a nearby field.

The fire service said flames were spreading ‘across roads in places’, with people urged to stay indoors.

A fire engine stands near a burnt-out house this morning following the fire in Stourbridge

An aerial view shows destroyed houses following the wildfire in Stourbridge yesterday

A view of a burnt-out house today following the grass fire at Stourbridge in the West Midlands

Firefighters examine the burnt-out area following the grass fire in Stourbridge yesterday

Advertisement

A fire engine stands near a burnt-out house this morning following the fire in Stourbridge

Drone footage published by the force showed a heat map of flames threatening to engulf homes in the area as smoke billowed across the town.

Stourbridge town hall has been set up as a rescue centre for people who have had to flee their homes.

Councillor Andrew Tromans, who represents Wollaston and Stourbridge Town on Dudley Borough Council, described the scene of the fire in Stourbridge as ‘apocalyptic’.

In a statement on Facebook, he said: ‘The apocalyptic scenes in Norton and across Stourbridge are sadly just a taste of what is to come if we don’t act.’

He added: ‘It is my view, and it has been for a while, that Dudley councillors must have an emergency meeting about (how) we protect our borough from the impacts of climate change.’

Elsewhere, two people were taken to major trauma centres with ‘severe’ injuries following a train derailment in East Sussex, as rail bosses announced an investigation into the cause of the incident.

A major incident was declared by British Transport Police (BTP) after three carriages derailed on their side, trapping passengers on board the Southern train near Lewes yesterday afternoon.

Around 150 people had been on board the service travelling from London Victoria to Eastbourne, and have since all been evacuated.

Early speculation has focused on the possibility that the steel tracks expanded in the heat and started to warp, but investigators have yet to establish what caused the train to leave the rails.

Christian Wolmar, a transport expert, told the Daily Mail: ‘Well, there are two possible reasons this has happened. Obviously, the train track might have buckled before the train arrived.

‘But because the first carriages didn’t derail, it might be that the dryness from the heat has led to the embankment collapsing, and then the train made the rails buckle rather than the other way round.

‘I noticed yesterday when I was out on the heath for the eclipse – there’s just great big fissures in Hampstead Heath, big openings like an earthquake, and that must be happening in many places.

‘So it could be that there’s something like that that caused the embankment to partially collapse, and then the rails buckled under the weight of the train because the rails were unsupported.

‘Which could be the more likely explanation given that the first four carriages didn’t go down.’

Norman Baker, who is a former Lewes MP and an ex-transport minister, also suggested the derailment may have been caused by a section of the track buckling in the heat.

He told Times Radio: ‘They’ll want to make sure that the railways are completely safe before any trains are allowed back on them and if it has been the case – that the rails have buckled – that will take considerably longer to repair.’

South East Coast Ambulance Service deputy chief paramedic officer, Michael Bradfield, said there had been a ‘mix of injuries of varied severity’ among the 20 people taken to hospital.

He told a press conference in East Sussex: ‘We have conveyed 18 people to several hospitals in the region.’

He added: ‘My colleagues said there were 20 people who went to hospital – we believe there were two who have made their own way and have self-presented at hospital.

‘There are a range of injuries, two of which were categorised as severe and were conveyed to a major trauma centre. The remaining are a mix of injuries of varied severity.’

He described the derailment as ‘complex and challenging to deal with’ and required ‘a carefully co-ordinated multi-agency response’.

Lucy McAuliffe, Network Rail’s route director for Sussex, said the railway between Haywards Heath and Lewes is likely to remain closed for some time as specialist teams carry out assessments.

‘I understand that people will have lots of questions about what has happened today,’ she told reporters.

‘I would like to reassure everyone that we are working closely with the Rail Accident Investigation Branch, who are on site to establish exactly what has happened.

‘At the moment, it would be inappropriate to comment as to the cause of this incident but more information would be provided as soon as we can.’

Outside a community centre hosting passengers nearby to the incident, Yana Ludwig, who was travelling alone on the train from London to Lewes, told reporters the experience was ‘completely terrifying’.

‘There was a banging. Everything just went topsy-turvy,’ the 56-year-old from the United States said. ‘It seemed like a really long time but it probably was 10 seconds of that before the carriage actually fell on the side.’

Ms Ludwig described being propped up over the top of another passenger. She added: ‘I’m pretty banged up.’

She said everyone in the train was checking their fellow passengers were OK, adding: ‘These moments everybody kind of pulls together.’

Fire engines, ambulances and police have been stationed along Landport Road in Lewes, alongside a double-decker bus, which was parked up by the community hub waiting for passengers to board.

Local resident Oriana Evans said she and her son helped casualties who were led off the train towards the community centre along the street, showing them where to go, including some passengers who were on holiday.

‘I walked and chatted to some of them in shock really,’ the 54-year-old jewellery maker said.

She said they told her they were alright but ‘really bruised’.

Photographs circulated online show at least two carriages of a train lying on their side, with two passengers standing on top.

On the trains today, East Midlands Railway said it was ‘advising that unless your journey is essential, you should not attempt to travel today’ because of the hot weather.

c2c cancelled 17 trains between London and Essex this afternoon and evening, starting with the 2.27pm service from Shoeburyness to Fenchurch Street.

Great Western Railway said a reduced service would run between London Paddington and Oxford from 1pm until 7pm; while trains in Cornwall between Truro and Falmouth were reduced to hourly; and the Okehampton branch line was replaced by buses.

On West Midlands Railway, buses replaced trains between Rugeley Trent Valley and Hednesford; and between Stourbridge Junction and Worcester Foregate Street.

It comes after the UK was gripped by extreme heat yesterday – making it the second time this year the country has seen temperatures reach 38C.

The high also surpassed the previous hottest day of 2026 when 38C was recorded in the late June heatwave as the UK struggled under a rare ‘red warning’ for extreme temperatures.

The only other time temperatures have reached 38C twice in a year was in 2022 when the UK recorded its hottest ever temperatures.

The intense heat has made 2026 the first year on record to see three separate days where temperatures reached the 37C threshold, as well as the first year with four days at 36C or above, and extends 2026’s record-breaking run of days above 35C.

A Met Office amber warning for extreme heat was in place yesterday for a swathe of England from London to Sheffield, parts of Cheshire and Greater Manchester, into Gloucestershire and Wiltshire in the South West and Shropshire and Herefordshire.

With record dry conditions in July and a dry start to August, nearly three-quarters of England and the whole of Wales are in drought, heaping pressure on water resources for households, agriculture and the environment.

England and Wales have already seen as many wildfires this year as during the whole of 2025.

Some 1,017 wildfires have been recorded in England and Wales this year, according to data shared by the National Fire Chiefs Council, the same as last year’s record-breaking total.

Crews from the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service have continued battling a blaze which hit protected heathland in the New Forest after a van caught fire on the A31 near Ringwood on Sunday.

Record-breaking heatwaves in May and June led to the deaths of more than 2,800 people, while parts of the country were hit with two further heatwaves last month as England and Wales endured their driest July since records began in 1836.

A fifth heatwave of the year was declared early last week – and the Met Office has said summer 2026 is on course to be the hottest on record.