The man has been banned from drinking alcohol for two months

A man “frightened” a police officer after threatening him with a glass bottle. Benjamin Arksey, 50, was the passenger in a car stopped by Cambridgeshire Police officers on May 16 in Sutton Road, Mepal.

At Peterborough Magistrates Court on Monday (August 24), prosecutor James Quelch told the court that Arksey “threatened a police officer as he was asked to leave the car”.

Mr Quelch told the court that Arksey, who was carrying two bottles of alcohol, threatened to “knock them out”. Arksey threatened one officer with a glass bottle and also assaulted the same officer.

The defence lawyer Mr Willett told the court that Arksey was “genuinely remorseful”, and he was “genuinely motivated” to get back into work.

Before passing sentence, District Judge Richard Jepson told Arksey that there were “various features” of the incident that were “disappointing”. The judge said: “The reality is this was a straightforward traffic stop for someone else and not you. It may have been that you were not happy.

“The reality is you responded with not only words but actions. I understand why the two officers were frightened by this. Officers don’t go to work to have people shout at them. This could have ended up worse.”

The judge added that he was again “disappointed” that Arksey committed the offences, with him “being of a certain age”. He added: “Where this came from is a mystery. There is a lesson to be learnt from this, the drinking needs to be stopped.”

Arksey, of Victoria Street, Littleport, was handed a 26-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, for threatening a person with an offensive weapon in a public place. He was also given a 16-week concurrent prison sentence, also suspended for 12 months, for assaulting a constable in the execution of his duty.

Arksey was also ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work, given a 60-day alcohol tag which bans him from drinking alcohol, and ordered to pay £200 in compensation.

A memorial for one of the men killed in the A66 crash has divided opinion after masked bikers set off flares while police watched on.

Hundreds of people turned up to remember Jakub Matusiak, 23, one of the five men who were killed inside the Volkswagen Passat near Middlesbrough on Saturday morning.

It had driven down the wrong way on the A66 seconds after a police chase had been called off before it smashed head-on into another police vehicle, killing PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38.

People gathered on a field in the South Bank neighbourhood of Middlesbrough, where the fatal crash happened, to release balloons, many in Matusiak’s favourite colour orange.

Around 20 masked young men on scooters and quad bikes rode around the field and set off flares with colourful smoke filling the air.

One woman in the crowd insisted that the 23-year-old was a ‘lovely, caring lad’ and ‘not some scumbag who should just be written off and forgotten,’ referring to coverage of the five men.

Matusiak, Theo Rae, 17, Cole Worthy, 17, and Makai Saddington, 18, are said to have several convictions and charges, including motoring offences.

Their friend, Michael Robert Cahill, 23, was also killed in the crash.

The woman continued: ‘It was an accident that those police officers died, they weren’t trying to kill anyone and they lost their own lives but they’ve just been written off as if they don’t matter. 

‘The number of people who have come out for Jakub today should show you that they do matter, they were loved and they will be missed.’

Officers from Cleveland Police’s team that late PC Blades and PC Clough were part of observed the gathering nearby.

One grandmother living near the field appeared dismayed over the celebration.

The 58-year-old said: ‘What must they be thinking right now? This is nothing but a mockery of the lives of those two policemen.

‘I’ve watched them walking down there drinking and smoking weed and razzing about on their motorbikes. There’s nothing here to celebrate.’

Posters were shared online for a separate balloon release for Worthy today in Trimdon Park, Middlesbrough.

A fundraiser for the killed officers has reached over £685,000 within a day of its launch.

The A66 crash and another deadly incident on the M9 in County Kildare, Ireland, involving young joyriders have raised questions about dangerous driving videos and social media.

Some of the men involved in both crashes are said to have previously posted clips showing them driving recklessly.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has labelled the glorification of dangerous driving as ‘unacceptable’ and said those sharing footage are ‘doing something that’s truly reprehensible.’

Cleveland Police said it has arrested 12 people following the A66 crash, including for firearm possession and participating in an organised crime group.

The Volkswagen Passat, with the five men inside, had cloned number plates on, the force said.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

MORE: Twelve arrested after deadly A66 crash that killed seven

MORE: Two more people killed on roads overnight after crash involving three Seat Leons

MORE: Seven people killed including two officers in wrong-way crash on A66

FULHAM 2-3 CHELSEA: The Blues have kicked off their season in the best way by squeezing past their West London rivals at Craven Cottage on Monday evening

Xabi Alonso enjoyed a dream Chelsea debut as his new side edged Fulham in a five-goal thriller at Craven Cottage on Monday evening.

Joao Pedro gave his new boss an ideal start to life in West London, scoring the opener after just 30 seconds. But Fulham hit back through the Josh King.

Morgan Rogers was to have a say on his Chelsea debut, with a goal just before the break, while Cole Palmer then got on the scoresheet. The drama was not finished there, with Gonzalo Garcia scoring for the hosts on his debut.

Pedro thought he had wrapped things up late on as he fired in following Bernd Leno’s save but his celebrations were cut short by the linesman.

Here are all of the talking points from Craven Cottage:

Pedro on point

Just a few days after putting pen to paper on a new deal and being entrusted with the number nine shirt at Stamford Bridge, Brazilian forward Pedro celebrated with a goal.

One simple ball from the back split apart the Fulham defence, with Palmer playing Pedro through. The former Brighton man then deftly lifted the ball over Bernd Leno.

After 23 goals last season, Pedro looks set to be a crucial player for Chelsea once more.

Sanchez shockers

While Pedro has shone ever since arriving at Chelsea, the same cannot quite be said of Robert Sanchez. The Spanish goalkeeper has dropped a number of clangers as a Chelsea player and that was no different at Craven Cottage.

Josh King – who has caught the eye since breaking through into the side – was afforded far too much room to charge into the Chelsea penalty area. He let fly with an effort that appeared to be relatively easy for Sanchez to collect at his near post.

But he was positioned woefully and let the shot squirm through his hands and into the net. He then parried a later shot from back into the danger area, with Garcia heading home and reducing the deficit.

If Chelsea want to achieve anything this season, they might need to look at upgrading their goalkeeper.

Rogers off the mark

Chelsea regained the lead just before the half-time interval and it was £117m man Morgan Rogers with the goal – albeit he did not have to do much.

A brilliant bit of play from Cole Palmer saw defender Maxence Lacroix find room down the right. The Frenchman showed plenty of skill to draw Leno into a challenge, before playing a ball across the box to Rogers, who had the simple task of tapping home.

He will no doubt score more spectacular goals for Chelsea but regardless, he will be delighted that he’s managed to get off the mark so soon for his new employers.

Palmer back to his best

There might have been a bit of a debate in the Chelsea dressing room at full time about Rogers’ celebration – and whose it actually is. Palmer also pulled out the move moments after the restart as he scored his first goal of the season.

Pedro held the ball up and waited for his teammate, who was on the overlapping run. The ex-Manchester City man then finished coolly between the legs of Leno.

After a season in which he endured a frustrating time of things – and missed out on a place in England’s World Cup squad – Palmer looks back to his best.

Alonso gets the better of Arbeloa

There won’t have been a more poignant game for both Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa to start their Premier League managerial careers. The pair have of course been closely associated throughout their careers.

After being teammates at Liverpool, they were reunited at Real Madrid. They also both had managerial stints at the Bernabeu last season, both of them left with points to prove after leaving the club.

And then turning to their spells with Chelsea and Fulham, it was Alonso who came out on top. It’s still early days but it appears that the same result could be said of the Premier League table at the end of the season.

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

Countdown to Kickoff: The Essential 26/27 Sky Sports Bundle

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

£51

£35

Sky

Advertisement

Get the deal here

Sky’s Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle includes at least 215 live Premier League clashes across the 2026/27 season, with more than 1,500 games from the EFL and beyond, plus F1, golf and darts.

This introductory offer saves £384 compared to the standard price, with every package also providing 100 regular channels alongside free Netflix and discovery+ subscriptions.

Legends has been hailed as “Netflix’s answer to Slow Horses”.

Netflix crime thriller Legends has been given a major update that fans have been desperately waiting for.

Released back in May, Legends was an overnight hit revolving around ordinary customs officers who go undercover to infiltrate drug gangs in the 1990s in the UK.

Not only was the six-part drama loosely based on real-life undercover operations, it also took inspiration from the 2022 memoir of former customs officer Guy Stanton, The Betrayer.

Not only did it’s real inspiration draw Netflix fans in, so did its cast with Legends starring none other than Alan Partridge’s Steve Coogan as supervisor Don.

So it doesn’t come as too much of a surprise that Legends has now officially been given the green light for a second season on Netflix.

Watch Jose Mourinho Netflix doc with free Netflix subscription

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

£5.99

FREE

Advertisement

Netflix | Sky

Get the deal here

Jose Mourinho’s three-part Netflix documentary is available to watch at no extra cost for Sky customers as the provider gives away free subscriptions with each of its Sky Stream TV bundles.

Created by Neil Forsyth, also known for writing The Gold and Guilt, shared his excitement.

He said: “I’m delighted to have the opportunity to tell a new story in the fascinating and unique world that Legends offers, and to show just how dangerous, thrilling, and important their work became in the late 1990s.”

Sadly, fans are still going to have to wait quite some time for its return, given that production on season two will begin sometime in 2027.

Depending on when shooting for the new episodes start, Legends season two may not return until late 2027 or even early 2028.

Singing its praises on IMdB, a fan wrote: “This series is now the best TV drama series I’ve ever watched.”

A second agreed: “Terrific watch, just needed more episodes. A 10+ rating from me”, while another said: “This series is brilliant. They got 90s Britain down perfectly.

“The acting is some of the best I’ve ever seen.”

Legends is one of a number of Netflix shows that have been renewed today, with other hits including House of Guinness and The Gentlemen for a third outing.

Legends is available to watch on Netflix.

The sanctuary which is home to dozens of birds has been open for almost three decades

A beloved owl sanctuary which has looked after sick and injured birds for decades has announced it is closing to members of the public. Ebbw Vale Owl Sanctuary, which is run by 87-year-old Malcom Jones who has dedicated his life to caring for birds of prey and owls, has been open to members of the public seven days a week since it opened in 1998.

The owners are said to be “heartbroken” to have had to make the decision to close to members of the public for the majority of the year.

A statement shared by the sanctuary said they have been forced to make the decision due to difficulties in meeting the expectations to secure a license to operate, as well as “haters” who have made reports to trading standards after vising the sanctuary. Always keep on top of the latest Welsh news with our newsletter

The sanctuary, which Mr Jones runs with his partner Patricia Webb, is located at Festival Park in Ebbw Vale. The pair rehabilitate and care for injured, abandoned uncared for wild owls, hawks and falcons, with the main aim of caring for these animals until they can be released back into the wild.

Some of the birds cannot be released and so remain at the sanctuary, which is currently home to around 60 birds, with members of the public allowed to visit for free. While the sanctuary will be closed to the public going forward, Mr Jones and his partner will continue caring for the birds at the sanctuary, as well as rescuing any birds which may need help.

The sanctuary said it will be allowed to open for six days a year without a license, and will update people on what days these will be as soon as a decision is made.

It will be closed from August 31. The announcement encourages people to visit before then, and “cheer up” volunteers who work there.

Mr Jones thanked the public for their support over the last two decades.

In a statement posted on social media, they said: “It is with a very heavy heart that we have to announce the closure to the public of our site.

“Unfortunately, we are governed by a Zoo Licence in order for the public to visit. It has become harder and harder to meet their expectations.

“With the added interruption of people coming into our sanctuary and then making complaints to Trading Standards.

“We will remain here dedicating ourselves to the welfare of our amazing birds. We will be allowed to open 6 days a year. We are going to look which 6 days would be best. We will attend as many event that we are invited to, in order to raise the necessary funds to keep going.

“As many of you know we do invite members of the public to sponsor our birds. If you would like to sponsor, please get in touch.

“We have also been approached to take a monthly donation from our wonderful followers. If you would wish to help in this way, please get in touch. We will still be accepting volunteers to help us keep up the good work.

“We are truly sorry, but we are left with no alternative. We would like to thank all of our followers over the years. Your kind words and support has helped and encouraged us to continue for so many years.

“I hope our haters are very proud of themselves. An 87-year-old man is heartbroken; Malcolm has dedicated the last 40 years to protecting and helping these beautiful birds, allowing visitors free entry so that all children have access to nature.

“We will continue to keep you all updated via our Facebook page. We will announce the 6 open days in due course.

“As you can imagine this is a very difficult decision and one we have been forced to take. All our dedicated volunteers will still be here caring for our birds.

“Our final day open to the public is 31 August 2026. Why not come down and cheer up our lovely volunteers.

“Malcolm would love to thank all our lovely followers for their wonderful support over the last 28 years and is truly sorry he can no longer open daily to the public. Let’s give Malcolm a lovely day on the 31st by everyone coming to see him and his beautiful birds.

“We will continue to care for all injured bird of prey its just unfortunate. We will give updates and news on Facebook.”

A Blaenau Gwent Council spokesperson said: “We have been made aware that the owl sanctuary has decided to change how it operates and reduce access for the public.

“We have worked with the sanctuary over many years to support them in meeting the requirements of their licence, which can be subject to change to reflect standards of modern zoo practice.”

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The California Supreme Court is weighing whether a Southern California sheriff who seized election ballots must return them to county election officials.

The high court heard oral arguments Monday regarding Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco’s seizure of approximately 650,000 ballots from a November 2025 special election on redistricting. The measure passed in the county by roughly 80,000 votes.

Bianco in March seized 1,000 boxes of election materials to investigate a complaint from a local citizens group that the count was off — though not by an amount that would’ve changed the outcome. Local election officials had previously said the complaint was unfounded. Bianco was running for governor at the time.

Democratic Attorney General Rob Bonta immediately launched a legal challenge in March, arguing the sheriff has no authority over election materials and warning the seizure was designed to sow distrust in elections. He ordered Bianco to return the ballots, but Bianco did not. The University of California, Los Angeles Voting Rights Project also sued the sheriff on behalf of several Riverside County voters. The state Supreme Court heard arguments in both cases.

Chad Dunn, legal director and co-founder of the UCLA Voting Rights Project, told the court there are mechanisms to contest election results, and Bianco failed to follow them.

“The elections code provides a process. Citizens could have triggered a recount within, I think, it’s five days of the canvas, and they chose not to do that. They could ask the Attorney General, the Secretary of State, and there’s other officials to trigger an official recount,” Dunn told the court.

Bianco began recounting the vote using sheriff’s officials under the supervision of a special master appointed by a court but suspended it days later, citing mounting legal challenges from the state attorney general and a voting rights group. But he has not returned the ballots.

“Nowhere else in election law, in this state, in any other that I’m familiar with, does anybody get to handle ballots on their own in the back room with their deputies,” Dunn he told the judges.

Xavier Becerra, a former state attorney general and Democrat running for governor, is part of the UCLA lawsuit to halt Bianco’s efforts.

The ballot investigation came as President Donald Trump has repeatedly disputed the results of the 2020 election, citing unsubstantiated instances of fraud. His administration recently seized ballots and other documents from an election office in Georgia. Some Republicans have mirrored Trump’s rhetoric on voting in their states.

Photos taken on the street show officers in tactical gear holding rifles parked up outside a home.

Armed police have swarmed a housing estate in Fife following an ongoing incident. Emergency services, including Police Scotland, raced to Walnut Crescent in the town of Methil this evening, Monday, August 24.

Firearm officers were among those in attendance. A police presence is understood to still be at the scene with the nature of the incident currently unknown.

It also remains unclear how many people, if any, are involved, or if there have been any injuries. Photos taken on the street, and shared with the Record, show officers in tactical gear holding rifles parked up outside a home.

One armed cop is seen staked out in the back garden of one of the properties. Several firearm officers have also been recorded storming up the garden path of one house. Cop cars can be seen parked up on nearby streets.

Advertisement

In another image, the street can be seen filling with spectators, as worried residents come out their homes to see what is happening. Police Scotland has been contacted for comment.

A plasterer carried out a vicious assault on a property developer who had refused to pay him following “substandard” work. Lewis Hayde, 28, filmed himself racially abusing and headbutting the 39-year-old victim, Rebwar Rashidi, as well as punching him to the head 10 times and breaking his jaw.

Judge Carl Harrison said the self-employed tradesman, from Cardiff, had done plastering for Mr Rashidi on two previous projects. On those occasions the developer had been happy with his work.

However, Mr Rashidi was not satisfied with the quality of Hayde’s work on a property he was renovating in Robert Street, Cathays.

“He was refusing to pay you in full unless you completed the work to the necessary standard,” Judge Harrison told Hayde during the sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court.

Hayde sent messages demanding payment but the developer stood firm. The dispute culminated on February 25 when Mr Rashidi went to the property in Robert Street and took a video of the plastering work that Hayde had carried out.

The court heard Mr Rashidi sent the footage to Hayde and warned he would be posting it on Facebook to expose the alleged deficiencies in the plasterer’s work. Later the developer told police he had never really intended to do this.

“Within moments of the message, you turned up and stormed towards Mr Rashidi,” said the judge. “You came within inches of his face, shouting, ‘Where’s my money? I want it now you little c***.’

“He again told you the job was not finished so you would not be paid. You then headbutted him to the centre part of his nose, which was extremely painful and knocked him to the ground, briefly rendering him unconscious.

“When he came around he was dazed and weak. He got to his feet and the attack continued. You punched him to the head 10 times, using both fists. He described you punching him so hard he thought he was going to die.

“He tried to protect his head but you were too powerful. This was a man who had only just regained consciousness having been knocked out by the initial headbutt.”

Hayde was shouting at the victim: “Look at you. I told you what I’d do.”

The attack left Mr Rashidi with a broken jaw as well as swelling to his left eye and double vision. This “transient eye injury” meant he was unable to drive or work for around two weeks, causing lost earnings of £2,000, the court heard.

He reported the attack to police and officers arrested Hayde, on whose phone they found a video the plasterer had taken of himself assaulting the victim.

Hayde, of Blackbirds Way in Old St Mellons, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated GBH (grievous bodily harm). The racial element was identified because the footage showed him aiming a racist slur at Mr Rashidi during the attack.

The video also showed Hayde had been accompanied at the Robert Street property by another person, who appeared to be carrying a pool cue but had not faced any charges.

Hayde’s solicitor Derrick Gooden told the court his client had lost his home to a fire shortly before the incident. He was experiencing financial pressures and dealt with them “in the wrong way”, said Mr Gooden.

“In his view, he had carried out the work to the same standard as previous jobs for the same developer.

“He is ashamed of what he said but he has to accept it was racist and would have been perceived as racist by the complainant. Let’s face it, he’s the person who filmed it. It’s his own evidence that has forced him to enter a guilty plea.”

Mr Gooden said the defendant had no previous convictions and continues to work as a plasterer, employing “a number of individuals”. He earns £800 a week after tax, the court heard.

Judge Harrison took into account that there had been some “victim-blaming” from Hayde in his interview with the probation service. But he also accepted the defendant was “thoroughly ashamed” by his behaviour during a “stressful time” in his life.

The judge imposed a two-year jail term suspended for two years. He also ordered Hayde to pay compensation of £5,720 for the injuries and £2,000 for the lost earnings. It must be paid within three years.

Before concluding the hearing, the judge told Hayde: “You’ve come as close as you can come to prison.”

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

CHICAGO (AP) — Honey. Makeup. Christmas decorations. And hockey sticks.

Those are just a few of the hundreds of different Canadian products that President Donald Trump’s administration has slapped with a 50% tax to enter the United States. The new tariffs, which kicked in Saturday, are expected to affect about $20 billion in Canadian goods, which represents roughly 5% of the $381.92 billion worth of products that the country sent to the U.S. last year.

While that’s far from the majority of Canada’s exports, 50% is a punishing rate. And households could feel the strain of higher prices the longer this import tax stays in effect — on top of spikes already spanning from previously-imposed levies. That’s because tariffs are taxes paid by importers, or businesses that buy products from abroad, and at least some of those costs are almost always passed on to shoppers.

The wide scope (and at times incredibly specific) list of goods now levied at 50% means that consumers could see price hikes in many different shopping aisles, as well as other core expenses like home-building. Countermeasures are also around the corner. Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney has promised to roll out “dollar for dollar” retaliation next month. All the while, Trump has made more threats to escalate his trade war with America’s northern neighbor, notably suggesting he could hike already steep U.S. import taxes on automobiles next year.

Here’s a look at some of the products in the crosshairs, on both sides of the border.

Long list of Canadian goods face Trump’s 50% tariff

When first announcing the planned 50% tariffs last month, the Trump administration said that the new taxes would be levied on Canadian products ranging from hockey sticks to wine and cement. And the list is long — covering more than 550 goods.

Some of the many items specified by the White House include:

• Natural honey
• Bulbs for plants such as tulips and lilies, as well as some fresh cut flowers
• Seeds for beets, onions and other vegetables
• Horsehair, tortoise shells, antlers and various animal products
• Alcohol such as beer, vermouth and cider
• Furniture knobs, wallpaper and lighting fixtures
• Plates, cups, bowls and other kitchen or tableware
• Paints, varnishes, vinyl tile floor coverings and various plywood sheets
• Ice skates, golf equipment, fishing rods and other sports accessories
• Perfumes, makeup and manicure preparations
• Suitcases, bags, gloves and coats
• Toys and certain “articles for Christmas festivities”
• Digital cameras and recording equipment
• Smartphones and video game consoles
• Envelopes, cigarette paper and toilet or facial tissue

Trump imposed these tariffs by reaching back to a long-dormant Great Depression-era law. Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, which has never been used before, authorizes the president to slap import taxes of up to 50% on imports from countries that have discriminated against U.S. businesses.

Trump claimed that Canada discriminated against autos, alcohol and dairy products, particularly following the implementation of his prior U.S. import taxes last year. It’s worth noting that the list of Canadian goods now facing the latest levy, as seen above, is far more diverse.

Canada says it will retaliate on US products next month

Shortly after the new 50% tariffs kicked in, Canada’s Carney promised retaliation.

On Saturday, the prime minister said his government would begin dollar-for-dollar countermeasures on Sept. 8. Carney noted Canada’s tariff increases would target U.S. steel, dairy, appliances, agricultural equipment, pulp and paper and electronics.

He said more details would be on the way.

The trade war might not stop there

Threats of stronger countermeasures and further escalation only ramped up on Monday, raising the possibility that additional products or sectors would come into the crosshairs of the trade war.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview Monday that “everything is on the table,” noting his province would be ready to cut off electricity and critical minerals to the U.S. if the trade war worsens.

Trump “underestimates Canada. We’re all in,” Ford said. He also called for Canada to consider using oil and potash — both major exports — as leverage.

Meanwhile, Trump took to social media to say that his administration would also increase tariffs on Canadian cars, trucks, automotive parts and steel to 50% starting Jan. 1, 2027. Like other countries, Canada currently faces a broader 25% tariff on autos. A 50% sectoral tariff on most steel imports is already in effect.

The remains of a dog discovered on a remote country lane have raised suspicions.

A dog walker stumbled upon a dead black lurcher on the side of a countryside lane on the border of England and Wales last week.

RSPCA was alerted after the discovery on Moor Lane, Kinnerton, near Chester, on Wednesday morning.

The animal, aged around three, appeared to have been dumped, the charity said.

The dog was still wearing a black collar, although the remains were badly decomposed, RSPCA said.

Thanks to a microchip, officers from the charity were able to trace the first owners, who, however, revealed they had rehomed the dog.

The traces stopped after the second owners said they had also had to give the dog away.

Bethany Newis, RSPCA’s animal rescue officer, described the dog walker’s discovery as ‘upsetting’ and said there are concerns about how the dog’s body ended up on the road.

She said: ‘The dog was microchipped and traced to an owner in North Wales but they said they re-homed the dog as a pup. We traced the next owner, also living in North Wales, who said they had rehomed the dog because it did not get on with another pet in the home.

‘We are now trying to trace the person who took on the dog after this.

‘The lurcher would have been three in October and the fact that his body appears to have been dumped does raise suspicions, but sadly the body was too decomposed to establish an exact cause of death.’

The animal rescue expert urged anyone with information to get in touch as the RSPCA issued an appeal.

The dog’s black collar featured metal bone-shaped studs, a blank nametag and bits of blue rope.

She added: ‘This blue rope could have been used as a lead or as a tether and I am hoping the distinctive nature of the collar on this black lurcher may help jog people’s memories as to who may have recently owned him.

‘The area is a popular dog walking spot so we are keen to hear from anyone who may have seen anything suspicious who can help with our enquiries.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

MORE: Dog stranded on Lake District mountain finally rescued after three weeks

MORE: Toodle-oo cockapoo — Taylor Swift has inspired a new middle class must-have dog breed

MORE: Urgent recall of dog food after pets suffer eye issues