By OLIVIA CHRISTIE, NEWS REPORTER

Published: 20:25 BST, 14 July 2026 | Updated: 22:55 BST, 14 July 2026

A man whose body was found inside a suitcase by families taking part in a teddy bear hunt has been pictured for the first time. 

Dale Mundell, 34, from Islington, was discovered inside the case that was reportedly covered in ‘hundreds of flies’ and left at Borstal Recreation Ground in Rochester, Kent.

Police had been alerted to a potential murder at an address on Kingfisher Court, off Queensmere Road, in Wimbledon at 10.55pm on Thursday.

Officers found nobody inside the property during the search but believed someone had been hurt at the scene and launched a murder investigation.

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They later arrested Joshua Miller, 32, and Jamie Cooper, 27, who have since been charged.

Miller, 32, appeared via videolink to Medway Magistrates’ Court on Monday charged with the murder of Mr Mundell on July 8, and preventing a lawful burial on July 9.

He appeared alongside co-defendant Cooper, of the same address, who is charged with preventing a lawful burial on July 9.

The victim and the two suspects were known to each other, police previously said. 

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Dale Mundell, 34, from Islington, was discovered inside the case that was reportedly covered in ‘hundreds of flies’ and left in Borstal Recreation Ground in Rochester, Kent

Police are pictured at the scene on Friday following the discovery of the case that was reportedly covered in ‘hundreds of flies’

One resident, who wished to remain anonymous, was at the park attending a teddy bear hunt organised as a fundraiser for a local nursery when the suitcase was discovered.

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She told KentOnline: ‘I saw the luggage before the police. I was with my niece and nephew, so I was busy keeping them from seeing it.

‘What I saw was the suitcase covered in hundreds of flies. I actually heard the buzzing from them first.

‘I noticed that it was a large suitcase and had a snow sledge next to it.’

Mr Mundell’s family are being supported by specialist officers.

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Miller will next appear at Maidstone Crown Court on July 15.

Miller and Cooper will then both appear at the same court on August 10 for a plea hearing.

Detective Inspector Ben Dalloway, who is leading the investigation, previously said: ‘Our thoughts remain with the victim’s family who are understandably distraught at their loss.

‘We will continue to offer them every support.

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‘This has been a fast-moving investigation and we are working tirelessly to establish the exact circumstances of the incident.

‘Although we have made two arrests and do not believe there is any wider risk to the public, we would ask that anyone with information comes forward to police as soon as possible by calling 101 with CAD 9504/9JUL.’

Boris Johnson has said an exhibition showing the horrors of the October 7 attacks is ‘the bucket of cold water people need’ – as he reiterated his support for Israel.

The former prime minister visited the Nova Exhibition on Tuesday, a memorial set up in Shoreditch to the 413 people killed by Hamas terrorists at the festival in 2023. 

He called for people to visit the display as a ‘dose of reality’ and to understand what ‘really happened’ on October 7. 

Mr Johnson also criticised Andy Burnham‘s pledge to impose sanctions on those ‘involved in the violence on Gaza’ and to implement ‘measures to ban trade in goods with illegal settlements’.

Speaking to the Daily Mail at the exhibition, Mr Johnson also paid tribute to Ann Widdecombe following her alleged murder last week at her home in Devon. 

He said that the former prisons minister was a ‘great platform speaker’ who had ‘Tory audiences in the absolute palm of her hand’. 

The October 7 attacks by Hamas-led militants killed nearly 1,200 people in Israel and saw 251 others taken hostage.

The former prime minister visited the Nova Exhibition on Tuesday, a memorial set up in Shoreditch to the 413 people killed by Hamas terrorists at the festival in 2023

One of the exhibits is a burnt out car from the festival in 2023 

Israel’s attacks have since killed more than 73,000 Palestinians, half of which are women and children, according to the Gaza health ministry.

Specifically, the Nova Exhibition – which has travelled around the world – is set up to commemorate Nova Festival goers who were killed in the October 7 attack.

Mr Johnson told the Mail: ‘People need to understand that the people who committed these massacres were motivated by an absolutely nihilistic ideology, that hates equality between sexes and hates the idea of people having fun at a music festival.

‘Hamas are Islamists – how can we support that? 

‘How can nice, clever, sensible, young students in Britain, let alone the dons effectively support this ideology by backing them against Israel.’ 

He added: ‘What’s so odious about what Hamas did was that they knew by committing these atrocities, on that scale, being quite so barbarous. 

‘The cruelty they elicited was enormous. They knew that by doing that they could trigger a violent response as well. 

‘And then they could ratchet up their claim to martyrdom and the rest of it.’  

The former prime minister criticised students joining pro-Palestine demonstrations and chanting ‘from the river to the sea’. 

He said: ‘All these students out on the streets, saying from the river to the sea. Then what are they doing in the evening? 

Mr Johnson speaks to people at the exhibition in Shoreditch on Tuesday 

Rows upon rows of discarded shoes, trainers and sandals meanwhile are reminiscent of a scene from Auschwitz

‘They’re going off to discos exactly like the Nova Festival. They’re taking their clothes off. 

‘They’re having fun. They’re expressing themselves in a way that Hamas finds repulsive, right?’

He also called anti-Semitism a ‘virus’ which hides ‘beneath the floorboards’ and is currently out in the open.

Singer Boy George and actor Martin Freeman were also looking around the Nova exhibition on Tuesday afternoon.

The display has run for six weeks in Shoreditch and visitors can experience the timeline of terror that took place at Nova. 

Burned out cars, toilet cubicles riddled with bullet holes and abandoned camping gear are among the personal possessions, hairbrushes and half-eaten food items left behind by those who fled for their lives – and those that never returned.

Rows upon rows of discarded shoes, trainers and sandals meanwhile are reminiscent of a scene from Auschwitz inside a room filled with memorial candles and photographs of the young lives taken that day.

More than 40,000 people have visited the exhibition, including Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and senior government figures including Wes Streeting, David Lammy, and Angela Rayner.

Horwich-born Vernon Kay, Bolton-born Clive Myrie and Little Lever’s Sara Cox all feature in the top 20 of the list of BBC stars who earned more than £178,000 during the financial year ending March 31, 2026.

Vernon Kay (Image: BBC)

Vernon Kay is the highest-paid of the trio, ranking joint fourth on the list with earnings of £405,000 to £409,999.

His salary increased from £390,000 to £394,999 the previous year.

The former Radio 1 presenter now hosts the mid-morning programme on BBC Radio 2 after taking over the slot previously held by Ken Bruce.

Clive Myrie

News presenter and Mastermind host Clive Myrie is listed in the £320,000 to £324,999 pay band, placing him joint 17th.

His earnings were down slightly from £335,000 to £339,999 in 2024/25.

Sara Cox, who grew up in Little Lever, also appears in the £320,000 to £324,999 pay band alongside Myrie.

The Radio 2 Drivetime presenter received a pay rise from £310,000 to £314,999 in the previous year.

Sara Cox (Image: Ian West/PA Wire)

The BBC publishes the salaries of presenters earning more than £178,000 each year as part of its annual report.

The figures cover staff paid directly by the corporation and do not include presenters employed through BBC Studios or independent production companies.

Former Radio 2 Breakfast Show presenter Scott Mills topped this year’s list with earnings of £745,000 to £749,999, followed by Radio 1’s Greg James and BBC Radio Ulster presenter Stephen Nolan.

Other familiar names in the top 20 include Laura Kuenssberg, Alan Shearer, Naga Munchetty, Fiona Bruce, Gary Lineker and Sophie Raworth.

Speaking ahead of the annual report’s release, deputy director-general Rhodri Talfan Davies said he felt there had been “remarkable progress” on salaries, claiming that talent above the £500,000 threshold had been reduced by 50% across the past seven years.

He said: “If you look at all our on-air presenter costs over the last seven years, they’ve come down by about £20 million pounds, so we have been focused on it, there is always a balancing act.

“We want to be a broadcaster that can attract the best talent, but we’re also very mindful of the financial pressures that we’re facing.

“But I think we’re striking that balance very, very carefully, and I think you’ll see that downward trend continuing in the months to come.”

The full list:

Here is a full list of BBC on-air pay above £178,000 for 2025/26, as published in the corporation’s annual report.

The list is ranked by pay band, starting with the highest.

The equivalent pay band for 2024/25 is shown in brackets, with a description of the year-on-year change.

The list does not include people who are paid through independent production companies or the BBC’s commercial arm BBC Studios.

1 Scott Mills £745,000-£749,999 (up from £355,000-£359,999)

2 Greg James £440,000-£444,999 (up from £425,000-£429,999)

3 Stephen Nolan £425,000-£429,999 (up from £405,000-£409,999)

4= Vernon Kay £405,000-£409,999 (up from £390,000-£394,999)

4= Laura Kuenssberg £405,000-£409,999 (up from £395,000-£399,999)

6 Alan Shearer £390,000-£394,999 (down from £440,000-£444,999)

7 Justin Webb £375,000-£379,999 (up from £365,000-£369,999)

8 Naga Munchetty £360,000-£364,999 (up from £355,000-£359,999)

9 Fiona Bruce £345,000-£349,999 (down from £410,000-£414,999)

10 Sophie Raworth £340,000-£344,999 (down from £350,000-£354,999)

11= Mark Chapman £335,000-£339,999 (up from £325,000-£329,999)

11= Nick Grimshaw £335,000-£339,999 (not listed in 2024/25)

13= Trevor Nelson £330,000-£334,999 (up from £245,000-£249,999)

13= Nick Robinson £330,000-£334,999 (down from £410,000-£414,999)

15= Reeta Chakrabarti £325,000-£329,999 (up from £300,000-£304,999)

15= Gary Lineker £325,000-£329,999 (down from £1,350,000-£1,354,999)

17= Sara Cox £320,000-£324,999 (up from £310,000-£314,999)

17= Clive Myrie £320,000-£324,999 (down from £335,000-£339,999)

17= Amol Rajan £320,000-£324,999 (up from £315,000-£319,999)

20 Anna Foster £315,000-£319,999 (not listed in 2024/25)

21= Emma Barnett £305,000-£309,999 (up from £285,000-£289,999)

21= Evan Davis £305,000-£309,999 (up from £300,000-£304,999)

23= Ros Atkins £300,000-£304,999 (up from £295,000-£299,999)

23= Tina Daheley £300,000-£304,999 (up from £295,000-£299,999)

25 Nicky Campbell £295,000-£299,999 (down from £300,000-£304,999)

26= Gabby Logan £290,000-£294,999 (not listed in 2024/25)

26= Jason Mohammad £290,000-£294,999 (up from £230,000-£234,999)

28 Chris Mason £275,000-£279,999 (up from £270,000-£274,999)

29= Victoria Derbyshire £270,000-£274,999 (down from £275,000-£279,999)

29= Jeremy Bowen £270,000-£274,999 (up from £260,000-£264,999)

29= Simon Jack £270,000-£274,999 (up from £225,000-£229,999)

32 Jeremy Vine £265,000-£269,999 (down from £310,000-£314,999)

33 Sarah Montague £255,000-£259,999 (up from £250,000-£254,999)

34 Jo Whiley £250,000-£254,999 (up from £230,000-£234,999)

35= Katya Adler £245,000-£249,999 (up from £240,000 -£244,999)

35= Sarah Smith £245,000-£249,999 (up from £230,000-£234,999)

37 Fergal Keane £240,000-£244,999 (up from £235,000-£239,999)

38= Faisal Islam £235,000-£239,999 (no change)

38= Lauren Laverne £235,000-£239,999 (not listed in 2024/25)

40= Matt Chorley £230,000-£234,999 (not listed in 2024/25)

40= Lyse Doucet £230,000-£234,999 (up from £205,000-£209,999)

40= Rick Edwards £230,000-£234,999 (down from £235,000-£239,999)

43= Jon Kay £225,000-£229,999 (down from £240,000-£244,999)

43= Johnathan Joseph £225,000-£229,999 (not listed in 2024/25)

45 Orla Guerin £220,000-£224,999 (up from £210,000-£214,999)

46= Rachel Burden £215,000-£219,999 (down from £220,000-£224,999)

46= Kelly Cates £215,000-£219,999 (not listed in 2024/25)

46= Katie Razzall £215,000-£219,999 (down from £220,000-£224,999)

49= Matthew Amroliwala £210,000-£214,999 (up from £200,000-£204,999

49= Ben Brown £210,000-£214,999 (up from £200,000-£204,999)

49= Paddy O’Connell £210,000-£214,999 (not listed in 2024/25)

49= Jonny Dymond £210,000-£214,999 (up from £205,000-£209,999)

53= Owain Wyn Evans £205,000-£209,999 (up from £195,000-£199,999)

53= Lucy Hockings £205,000-£209,999 (up from £200,000-£204,999)

53= Caitriona Perry £205,000-£209,999 (up from £185,000-£189,999)

53= John Simpson £205,000-£209,999 (up from £190,000-£194,999)

53= Sumi Somaskanda £205,000-£209,999 (up from £185,000-£189,999)

58= Maryam Moshiri £200,000-£204,999 (up from £195,000-£199,999)

58= Sally Nugent £200,000-£204,999 (no change)

60= Sally Bundock £195,000-£199,999 (up from £190,000-£194,999)

60= Christian Fraser £195,000-£199,999 (down from £205,000-£209,999)

60= Jane Hill £195,000-£199,999 (down from £200,000-£204,999)

60= Annita McVeigh £195,000-£199,999 (up from £190,000-£194,999)

60= Alex Scott £195,000-£199,999 (down from £205,000-£209,999)

65= Craig Charles £190,000-£194,999 (no change)

65= Steve Rosenberg £190,000-£194,999 (not listed in 2024/25)

65= Charlie Stayt £190,000-£194,999 (no change)

68= Adrian Chiles £185,000-£189,999 (not listed in 2024/25)

68= Michael Vaughan £185,000-£189,999 (not listed in 2024/25)

70 Steven Lai £178,000-£184,999 (no change)

A large-scale emergency services response has been seen in the area on Tuesday evening

A huge fire has taken hold in Mumbles on Tuesday evening, prompting a large-scale emergency services response. Billowing smoke has been seen in the popular seaside area and from miles away this evening, as the fire service deals with the blaze.

South Wales Police confirmed it was a wildfire, which originated near Mumbles Cricket Club. Never miss a Swansea story by signing up to our newsletter here.

It said in a statement that there is currently no threat to the public, but advised the public to avoid the area.

A spokesman said: “At this moment the fire is not being treated as suspicious.”

County councillors for Mumbles, Angela O’Connor, Will Thomas and Hannah Williams thanked the emergency services for their efforts to bring the fire under control.

They said in a joint statement: “A huge thank you to our incredible firefighters and emergency services who responded so quickly to the fire along the cliff path this evening.

“Thankfully, it appears no one has been injured, and the fire is now almost completely out.

“Early indications suggest it was caused by natural factors.

“We are incredibly fortunate to have such dedicated crews who work tirelessly, often in difficult conditions, to keep our communities and our beautiful coastline safe. Thank you for everything you do.

“Please continue to avoid the affected area until it is declared safe by the emergency services.”

The fire service has been contacted for comment.

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Teesworks, the vast industrial site on the former Redcar steelworks, is the UK’s largest freeport and industrial zone, sitting on 4,500 acres on the south bank of the River Tees.

The multibillion-pound regeneration project is turning Europe’s largest brownfield site into a hub for clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and low-carbon industry, with thousands of roles expected as more firms move in.

The latest 26 vacancies have been posted on the Teesworks jobs portal and span a wide range of careers in engineering, construction, project management, commercial, administration, finance, health and safety, and port operations.

Roles include junior site cost controller, junior structural engineer, work package engineer, civil and structural superintendent, welding repair specialist, assistant accountant, QA systems lead, and cost accountant, alongside site design coordinator, port operations supervisor, and materials controller.

There are also openings for construction and engineering leads, section engineers, sub-agents, welding engineers, package managers, assistant quantity surveyors, commissioning engineers, painting and insulation superintendents, completions leads, and other specialist posts linked to major projects on the site.

Many of the jobs are permanent, full-time positions based across Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, and Stockton, with competitive salaries and benefits highlighted in their job adverts.

Mayor Houchen said: “More investment means more opportunities for local people.

Mayor Ben Houchen at Teesworks (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

“There are currently 26 live vacancies advertised through Teesworks, with roles across engineering, construction, project management, commercial, administration, health and safety and more.

“Every new business that chooses to invest here creates more opportunities for local people to build a career close to home – and we’re seeing that happen right across the site.

“If you’re looking for your next role, or know someone who is, it’s well worth taking a look.

“More jobs. More investment. More opportunities for local people.”

You can have a look at teesworks.co.uk/jobs/jobs-careers

The mayor has repeatedly argued that the site will ultimately support tens of thousands of jobs across the region as more businesses choose to base themselves there.

Jobseekers are being encouraged to visit the Teesworks Jobs and Careers website to view the current vacancies.

You can also register with the Teesworks Skills Academy to receive alerts about new roles and training as they go live.

A self-injectable drug that slows Alzheimer’s progression by up to eight years has been approved in the US and could soon be available on the NHS.

The ‘game-changer’ jab is taken once a week and can be administered at home in just 15 seconds, sparing users the need to visit a hospital.

It was previously given via intravenous drip, which took an hour to infuse and placed a heavy burden on patients, medical staff and beds.

The drip version is available privately in the UK but drugs watchdog NICE ruled it should not be offered on the NHS as it did not offer value for money.

This was largely due to the resource-intensive delivery method, which could be hundreds of pounds a time, excluding the cost of the drug itself.

The US Food and Drug Administration today approved the use of the injectable version of lecanemab for the treatment of early Alzheimer’s disease, saying patients could go straight to jabs without needing to start on infusions.

It will be available to purchase in the US from next month.

Charities tonight said the development raises hopes that the drug would pass NICE’s affordability tests, paving the way for it to be offered on the NHS.

The US Food and Drug Administration today approved the use of the injectable version of lecanemab for the treatment of early Alzheimer’s disease.

Hilary Evans-Newton, chief executive of Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: ‘An injectable version of lecanemab from the start of treatment would be a game-changer in terms of convenience for people and affordability of administration for health services.

‘The UK is at risk of falling further behind as we continue to wrangle on the licensed treatments which are not currently available on the NHS.

‘The cost of IV infusions has been identified as one of the key barriers to cost effectiveness.

‘UK patients and their families are waiting for these advances to be available and the government needs to fulfil its manifesto commitment to put Britain at the forefront of transforming treatment for dementia.’

The UK regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), is expected to follow the FDA’s ruling when they consider an application from Japanese drug maker Eisai.

A trial presented at an Alzheimer’s conference in December showed lecanemab could delay disease progression from mild cognitive impairment to moderate Alzheimer’s disease by 8.3 years among patients with low levels of amyloid protein in the brain and who started treatment at an early stage.

Mild cognitive impairment due to AD is the earliest symptomatic stage of Alzheimer’s disease and can appear with subtle symptoms such as forgetfulness, confusion, or feeling at a loss for words.

Announcing the FDA approval, Eisai said the weekly jab is expected to be as effective as the intravenous treatment and have a similar safety profile, while placing less of a ‘burden’ on healthcare systems.

Hilary Evans-Newton, chief executive of Alzheimer’s Research UK, said an injectable version of lecanemab from the start of treatment would be a ‘game-changer’.

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It added that the new formulation was ‘highly preferred by patients’, with 97 per cent saying they were satisfied with it.

Users loved its speed, convenience and less painful administration, along with the ability to travel away from home and not be near a hospital.

Lecanemab represents a huge step forward in research because it targets a known cause of the disease, rather than just treating symptoms.

It binds to amyloid, a protein which builds up in the brains of people living with Alzheimer’s disease.

By binding to amyloid, the drugs are designed to help clear the build-up and slow down cognitive decline.

Dr Richard Oakley, associate director of research and innovation at Alzheimer’s Society, said people living with dementia are ‘desperate’ for new treatments that offer them more time before symptoms worsen.

But he cautioned: ‘The reality is that even if lecanemab was made available on the NHS tomorrow, our healthcare system isn’t ready to deliver it.

‘A third of people with dementia in the UK do not have a diagnosis, and services aren’t equipped with the staff and tools needed to diagnose more people at pace and monitor people on new treatments were they available.

‘We need to see urgent investment in preparing health systems for delivering new treatments, coupled with clear national targets on early and on accurate diagnosis to ensure the right people can access the right treatments at the time when they’re most effective.’

The list price for the subcutaneous treatment in the US is £288 per auto injector, which equates to an induction treatment cost of £29,900 per patient per year.

The induction IV treatment list price in the US is £19,800 a year for a patient weighing 70 kg, excluding the cost of delivering the drug.

Both treatments can be reduced to a less frequent ‘maintenance’ regime after 18 months, which will cost less per year.

NICE’s appraisal committee met earlier this month to consider new evidence after its decision to reject the use of intravenous lecanemab and a similar drug on the NHS was appealed. It is expected to deliver its finding next month.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said the government is delivering the ‘biggest expansion of NHS diagnostics in a generation’.

They added: ‘We will continue to invest in the latest technology and expanding the workforce so patients can get the care they need quickly.’

The post, allegedly made by a University of Aberdeen employee, claimed the former MP’s killing was “good news” and hoped it was an “extremely painful death”.

Police are looking into reports of a social media post that apparently celebrated the death of Ann Widdecombe. The post, allegedly made by a University of Aberdeen employee, claimed the former MP’s killing was “good news” and hoped it was an “extremely painful death”.

Former MEP Miss Widdecombe, 78, was found dead at her home in Haytor on Dartmoor, Devon, last Thursday. It has since emerged terror cops believe she was killed in a “targeted attack”.

On Tuesday, a Police Scotland spokesperson said the force was looking into the incident. They added: “We received reports on Saturday, July 11 relating to a post made online. Following further assessment, additional enquiries are being carried out.”

It comes as Heather Herbert, a former Scottish Green election candidate who works at the university as a web developer, reportedly wrote on Bluesky that the Reform UK member’s death was “some good news for once” before adding: “And I hope she was handcuffed to the bed as she screamed in agony.”

University rector Iona Fyfe condemned the posts saying complaints would be dealt with through the appropriate procedures. In a statement on X, she wrote: “I have been made aware of criticism regarding comments made by a member of the university staff.

“I have received a significant volume of emails regarding this to my Rector email. Please note, as Rector, it is not my responsibility to oversee complaints regarding the behaviour of staff.

“This will go through correct and proper complaints procedure. The university is aware of the comments being referred to online and are looking into the matter.

“There is no further comment right now, only that in my personal capacity, I’d like to condemn any comments which glorifies violence of any sort, against anyone.”

A spokesperson for the university previously said: “The comments that have been shared are entirely the individual’s own and do not represent the views of the University of Aberdeen. We do not condone violence or hateful behaviour in any form.

“We are cooperating with Police Scotland as they carry out their enquiries and cannot comment further.”

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In The Mixer’s World Cup special

Everything you need to know about the World Cup – England updates, the games to watch and stories you missed – in five minutes, at 1pm, every day.

When John Terry and Ashley Cole played for Premier League giants Chelsea, there was a long-running joke among staff about which of the pair was the most prolific womaniser.

Terry, the club captain, was a mainstay of the now very much defunct ‘kiss and tell’ pages of the tabloid press, including one confession in 2013 by a glamour model that they’d enjoyed a ‘tryst’ in a nightclub toilet even though she had broken her leg.

Cole, meanwhile, was caught cheating on his beautiful pop star wife Cheryl Cole with hairdresser Aimee Walton, who he had met in a London nightclub back in 2008. But more on their romantic misdemeanours later.

The pair became close after Cole joined Chelsea from Arsenal in 2006 – a move that prompted his nickname ‘Cashley’, courtesy of his high-wage demands (the star reportedly wanted £60,000 a week) – and lived just a stone’s throw away from one another in the footballer enclave of Cobham, Surrey.

Cheryl and Terry’s super-tolerant wife, Toni, also became such close friends that after the Aimee scandal Cheryl reportedly only trusted Cole to behave without her if Toni was there.

‘Ashley and John were both party boys,’ says my source. ‘They had a bromance but at times it could get very toxic. They had a lot in common. They had these two beautiful women who loved them, life was brilliant for them. They were rich, talented and very, very famous.’

Fast forward to this week and Ashley and John, both 45, reunited in Miami as they sat side by side and watched England’s 2-1 victory over Norway in the World Cup.

Cole and Terry playing for Chelsea in 2011… there was a long-running joke among staff at Stamford Bridge about which of the two was the most prolific womaniser

Terry lost a battle with the now-defunct News of the World newspaper over their scoop that he had had an affair with his Chelsea teammate Wayne Bridge’s wife Vanessa Perroncel

The men looked deep in conversation as the television cameras flashed up a shot of them on the stadium big screen. John, a failed football manager who has now turned his hand to punditry work on Piers Morgan’s World Cup 2026: Uncensored show, has barely aged since his heyday. Cole has recently ‘stepped down’ from managing the Italian Serie B side Cesena after just eight games and looked a little weathered.

But regardless, I was shocked to see them sitting together and looking so friendly – especially after the speculation I heard about them 16 years ago in the early months of 2010. A time which both men, I’m sure, would rather forget.

For in the January of that year, Terry, known as ‘JT’ among his teammates, had lost a battle to injunct the now defunct News of the World newspaper over their scoop that he had had an affair with his Chelsea teammate Wayne Bridge’s wife, Vanessa Perroncel.

It dominated column inches for weeks as Britain despised JT and sympathised with both his wife and Wayne – a longstanding close pal of his. The scandal led to Terry being sacked as England captain as his reputation fell into the gutter.

At the time there was perhaps only one thing that was ever going to shift the dial and the attention of the press: another footballer being caught out for cheating on his high-profile wife. So, step forward Cole, who in March 2010 was left reeling when it was his name plastered across the red-top papers.

The footballer’s life began to unravel when, that month, it was claimed he sent naked pictures of himself to model Sonia Wild, then 28 – something he profusely denied.

Then Vicki Gough, a 30-year-old secretary working for Chelsea’s rivals Liverpool, claimed she had sex with the former England defender on two occasions before big matches. Next up was American Ann Corbitt, who alleged that Ashley slept with her in his hotel room in Seattle while on a tour with Chelsea the previous summer.

So where was this flurry of stories coming from? Sources within the football community at the time told me to note the timing, suggesting that there were some friends within Terry’s circles that seized the opportunity to ‘drop Ashley in it’.

‘It’s certainly the theory we are working with,’ an associate of Team Cole told me at the time. ‘John and a lot of his friends knew much of what Ashley had been getting up to and then there you go, the focus turns from JT to Ashley.’

Terry with his super-tolerant wife Toni… Cheryl became such close friends with Toni that she reportedly only trusted Cole to behave without her if Toni was there

Ashley and Cheryl Cole in 2006… they divorced four years after getting married

Cole arrives at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in 2012, where he was a key witness in Terry’s trial for a racially aggravated public order offence

Indeed, even today, those familiar with the scandal suspect that it was those in JT’s camp who may have tipped off the press about Cole’s affairs.

‘John had hired a very well-connected and very aggressive PR team at the time,’ says my insider. ‘John was fuming that he couldn’t stop the barrage of stories but literally within weeks the world had forgotten about him and Vanessa and moved on to Ashley.

‘There’s obviously no suggestion that John did anything to cause Ashley upset but there were some of his associates who wanted to save him from the pile-on he was getting.

‘The next thing you know, Ashley was at the centre of it all and, given his wife Cheryl was a superstar, a national treasure, it was always going to be a big story that he had cheated on her. The timing was all very convenient.

‘It was enough to knock Terry off the news agenda. It was literally one after the other, like buses. Ashley was getting it from all quarters. It was a masterstroke by someone. John then had to watch Ashley go through what he had been through, you wonder how he felt about that.’

The accusations left Cheryl heartbroken and later that year she decided to end their four-year marriage. It was a move that devastated the Girls Aloud singer. ‘Ashley was the love of Cheryl’s life,’ a friend told me at the time. ‘She’s heartbroken, bereft, but she knows it has to end.’

While Cheryl ditched Cole, he and John remained friendly. And in July 2012, when Terry stood trial for a racially aggravated public order offence against Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand, Cole attended Westminster Magistrates’ Court as a key witness for his teammate.

He told the court that he did not hear the alleged racial remark on the pitch at QPR’s Loftus Road stadium and stated that the incident was a minor dispute that ‘shouldn’t have come to court’. John was cleared but later suspended and fined by the FA.

But back to the Miami stadium on Saturday night where the former footballers were seen cheering their country on.

There would also have been plenty for the pair – both now dads – to reminisce about.

‘Well, they would have had an awful lot to talk about, wouldn’t they?’ says an associate of the two men from back in their heyday.

‘And we probably don’t know the half of it!’

Police are investigating the incident as a sectarian hate crime

An Orange Hall in Co Antrim has been vandalised for the “fifth time in a year.” Graffiti was sprayed on the walls of the Rasharkin Orange Hall building, with messages including ‘up the ra’ and ‘IRA.’

Police said they are treating the incident as a sectarian hate crime. The incident took place in the early hours of Tuesday morning, July 14, at the site on Main Street.

In a statement, PSNI Inspector Armour said: “At 8am, we received a report that graffiti had been sprayed on a building in the Main Street area of the town at approximately 1.20am. This is being treated as a sectarian hate crime and enquiries are ongoing.”

The incident has been widely condemned, with Rasharkin Abod (Apprentice Boys of Derry) posting on social media that it was the fifth attack in a single year.

They said: “We can’t help but wonder if this was a Mosque or GAA hall what the response would be, 5 attacks in a year, simply not good enough from a society that has moved on!”

North Antrim MP Jim Allister said: “Last night’s attack on Rasharkin Orange Hall was but the latest in a long series on the building. But the truth is that Rasharkin Orange Hall is more than a building. It is symbol of the minority Protestant community in the village.

“The attack is made all the more chilling by the nature of the slogans crudely spray painted on the hall. Repeatedly they reference the IRA which waged a 30 year campaign of terror against Protestants and in so doing filled many grave.

“Just yesterday the self styled First Minister for all was hypocritically attacking loyalist bonfires. This is the same person who continues to defend, justify and even celebrate the wicked IRA who, as last night’s attack in Rasharkin illustrated, are still being used to intimidate Protestants.

“Her language of “no alternative” to IRA terror is the sort of rhetoric which formed the backdrop to last night’s attack. Sinn Fein need to not only condemn this cowardly attack carried out in the hours of darkness but also the murderous IRA who are celebrated in the vandalism.”

Issuing a joint statement in condemnation of the attack, DUP councillor Mervyn Storey, councillor Darryl Wilson and councillor John McAuley said: “While the majority of the residents of Rasharkin showed respect and tolerance for the 12th celebrations yesterday sadly there remains a small unrepresentative group who just want to display their sectarian intolerance of anything from a different tradition, even a building of bricks and mortar.

“Sadly this is the second time in weeks that the hall has been attacked and one of many over the years. Those who talk much about intolerance and demand respect for their culture and tradition seem incapable of displaying the same.

“It’s time for those in leadership in republicanism in the village to call this sectarian hatred out and condemn it for what it is, an attack on the Protestant community of the village.”

TUV Ballymoney councillor Jonathan McAuley added: “This morning we have learned of yet another sectarian attack on Rasharkin Orange Hall, carried out under the cover of darkness for no reason other than to raise tensions and, it would appear, intimidate the few remaining Protestants in the village into leaving.

“We have yet to hear any condemnation from local Sinn Féin representatives. This comes just a week after some of those same representatives were calling for the bonfire at Finvoy to be removed. That bonfire was not intended to intimidate anyone but to celebrate our loyalist culture, unlike the attack on the Orange Hall.

“I want to commend the young lads from Finvoy for the tremendous effort they put into this year’s bonfire. Their hard work and commitment deserve recognition.

“I have spoken with the PSNI this morning regarding the attack on Rasharkin Orange Hall, and I await to see what action, if any, will be taken. Those responsible should be identified and held accountable.”

Local councillor Alan Barr described the attack as “pathetic.”

The UUP representative for Braid and Mid and East Antrim said: “After a successful Twelfth, retrograde elements want to drag us into a dark past by glorifying PIRA terrorists by spraying their hate on Rasharkin Orange Hall.

“Let’s remember that not too far from Rasharkin, PIRA murdered a defenceless off duty member of the Royal Irish Regiment. It’s pathetic that they want to glorify such murderers.”

Rasharkin Orange Hall has been the target of attacks in previous years. Last year, on July 12, police investigated a sectarian hate crime at the site, when it was reported that paint had been thrown over the front of the building and graffiti daubed on the walls.

In 2024, pro-IRA graffiti at the hall was condemned as “sinister”, with the display appearing just before Orange Victims’ Day, when commemorations take place across Northern Ireland in memory of the members of the Orange Order killed during The Troubles.

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