Richard Locker vanished on January 4, 2024, and police found his car the next day on Mill Lane in Torquay – but his body was not found for more than two years

The remains of a man who disappeared two years ago have been discovered close to where his car was found at the time.

Richard Locker, from Paignton in Devon, went missing on January 4, 2024. He was last seen on a street in Torquay, four miles away.

Officers found his car parked on Mill Lane in Torquay the following day. Now, his stepdaughter has confirmed that his remains were found at a property on Mill Lane last month – more than two years after he vanished, according to Devon Live.

His stepdaughter Nicola confirmed the news in a social media post on Tuesday evening, September 1, saying “finally after all this time, we have found you”.

Nicola said they never “stopped looking for him” and that the past two years had been filled with “wondering and pain of not knowing” whether he was safe.

In a post within the Finding Richard Locker Facebook group, Nicola wrote: “After two years, seven months and 27 days of wondering where you were… we finally know.

“We wanted you home, we wanted answers, and more than anything, we wanted another chance to see you, hear your voice and tell you how much you are loved.

“But amongst all of the heartbreak, there is a tiny piece of peace in finally knowing where you are.

“You have never been forgotten, Rich. Not for one single day.”

Richard left his Paignton home in his car on January 4, 2024. His vehicle was discovered the next day on Mill Lane, Torquay, during police searches, yet Richard himself was nowhere to be found.

Police confirmed the death is not being treated as suspicious. A statement released by Devon and Cornwall Police read: “Formal identification is yet to take place, but the family of a man reported missing in 2024 has been informed of this development.

“His death is not being treated as suspicious, and a file is being prepared for the coroner.”

RCPCH officer for mental health Dr Sam Jones said there was a lack of wider mental health care and, in particular, crisis support available in many parts of the country that meant these vulnerable children and young people were not getting the help they needed.

“Behind every one of these figures is a child or young person in distress and a family who didn’t know where lese to turn.

“Emergency departments are a vital safety net, but they were never designed to be a place where children in mental health crisis wait for days at time.

“This is a national crisis that will only get worse without urgent intervention.”

She said alongside greater investment in children’s mental health services, staff from key agencies across health, social care and education needed better training in helping children who are struggling with their mental health.

Dr Mark Buchanan, of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said children and young people facing a mental health crisis were ending up in A&E by “default”.

“They deserve care within systems and settings that are designed to meet their needs.”

Gemma Byrne, of the mental health charity Mind, said: “A&E can be a frightening environment for anyone in mental health crisis, let alone a child. Making them spend more than 12 hours there is simply unacceptable.

She said children were not getting the support they need early enough.

“The current system, where many mental health services only provide support when young people are considered ‘unwell enough’ to qualify, clearly isn’t working.”

She said expanding the network of young future hubs, which bring together a range of support covering mental health, employment, sports and volunteering, was a crucial step.

The government is planning to publish a new mental health strategy later in the summer.

But a Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said improvements were already being made with investment in mental health teams for schools and more than 150 new mental health hubs in community locations such as banks and libraries.

“No child should have to reach crisis point before getting the support they need,” he added.

Claire Evans, of Anna Freud, a mental health charity for children, young people and families, said the figures were deeply concerning.

“The new mental health strategy must place children at its heart, creating the conditions for lifelong positive mental health and accelerating investment in accessible, community-based support.”

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By KATHERINE LAWTON, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER

Published: 07:32 BST, 2 September 2026 | Updated: 07:45 BST, 2 September 2026

The Met Office predicted “unsettled” September conditions with rain and wind

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Ireland, Scotland and some parts of the UK could drop to 1C due to a cold snap that has been forecast this month. Temperatures look set to plunge from September 11, with the GFS weather model showing highs of just 11-12C around southern and eastern coasts at around midday.

Meanwhile 9C is coming in the Midlands and Northern Ireland, and lows of 2C on the cards in parts of Scotland. The Mirror reports by 6pm on September 11, the data shows highs of just 15C in the south-east – well below what is expected for this time of year – with afternoon temperatures remaining below 10C in Wales, northern England, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Further cool conditions should follow on September 12, with temperatures dropping to just 1C in parts of northern England and Scotland. Every single county could see temperatures below 10C at midday, the data suggests.

The maps show temperatures peaking at just 13C in the south-east at around 6pm on September 12, with the Midlands reaching 11C, 12C in Northern Ireland and 10C in Scotland.

Similar conditions are expected on September 13 too, with the GFS model once again showing single-digit temperatures across the country at midday – with London at just 7C. Afternoon highs may reach just 14, with the warmest conditions expected in Northern Ireland and the south-west.

Temperature anomaly maps for this period show the UK shaded in areas of dark blue. This indicates that temperatures are expected to drop well below the seasonal average.

The Met Office anticipates “unsettled” conditions for the first half of September, with rain in northern and western regions and drier spells in the south and east.

The Met Office forecast for September 5 to 14 states: “An unsettled period is likely, with many places seeing showers or longer spells of rain at times. Rain is expected to be most frequent across northern and western areas, while the south and east are more likely to see longer, drier spells. There is also the potential for some strong and gusty winds, particularly in the northwest.”

The BBC forecast for September 7 to 13 says conditions should soon turn “cooler”, with “wet and windy or showery weather” on the cards.

It states: “Atlantic weather systems should continue to dominate conditions into the second week of September, with low pressure and frontal systems tracking near or across the UK, so further periods of wet and windy or showery weather look most likely.

“Short-lived drier and sunnier spells should occur in-between, especially in the southern and eastern UK where conditions may be less wet overall than the north and west.”

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Sixteen people were killed and ⁠28 injured in a bus accident in eastern Egypt on Wednesday, local authorities said.

Egypt’s health ministry said the incident occurred on the Dahab-Nuweibaa ⁠road in South ⁠Sinai, on an area along the ‌Red Sea ‌coast that is popular ⁠with tourists.

According to the AFP news agency, 20 ambulances rushed to the scene of the accident in a popular diving area on the country’s eastern coast.

The nationalities of those who died have not yet been released.

Last month, 15 people were killed and 32 injured in ‌a ​road accident in ‌Egypt’s ⁠Ismailia governorate.

More to follow…

A flight attendant has explained the aeroplane exit row requirements and who is not allowed to sit there – and it’s about much more than extra legroom on a flight

Getting an exit-row seat with extra legroom for free can feel like a major win, but imagine paying for it and then being told you’re not actually allowed to sit there? It would feel like a real blow. But a TUI flight attendant has explained that there are quite a few people who aren’t allowed to sit in an exit row.

An exit row isn’t simply a nice upgrade offering additional legroom throughout your journey – it actually fulfils a far more critical function should your aircraft encounter any difficulties. In reality, passengers seated in an exit row may be required to assist the crew if necessary, and before departure is complete, the cabin crew will discuss this responsibility with you to ensure you’re comfortable with it.

Miva, a flight attendant, stated: “An emergency exit seat is not just a seat with extra legroom. In an evacuation, the passenger sitting there may need to assess the situation outside, open the exit, direct other passengers and help the crew.”

Fortunately, it’s extremely uncommon that a passenger would genuinely need to provide assistance, but you must be prepared to do so should the cabin crew require your help.

This explains why there’s a specific list of travellers who aren’t permitted to occupy exit row seats, as they wouldn’t be capable of providing support during a real emergency.

Who cannot sit in an exit row?

Children aren’t permitted to sit in the exit row. Each airline maintains different policies regarding the minimum age requirement for passengers allowed to occupy these seats.

Adults travelling with an infant or child in their care are also prohibited from sitting in the exit row.

Anyone with restricted mobility or with an injury cannot be seated there, nor can anyone unable to comprehend the instructions provided to them.

Passengers who are incapable of operating the exit mechanism cannot be seated there. Similarly, people who are uncomfortable with or incapable of assisting during an emergency situation are also excluded, as these seats serve a specific safety purpose.

Miva explained: “The reason is simple: every second counts during an evacuation. The person sitting at the emergency exit must be physically and mentally capable, willing to act immediately and able to help other passengers leave the aircraft safely.

“The cabin crew can move someone to another seat if they believe that person is unsuitable. Exact requirements may differ between airlines.”

In the comments section, some readers expressed confusion, questioning: “Then why charge extra to sit there for the extra leg room? Should be giving us money for being willing to help.”

Another contributor clarified: “Children, pregnant women, people with disabilities, elderly. Because in case of an emergency, you will have to help open/help passengers off, which is also why the floor must be clear at all times.”

A further commenter highlighted an additional restriction: “People who need a seatbelt extended can’t sit there either because the extender could trip people on the way out the emergency exit.”

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT Lawrence Brewer was one of three men who carried out the brutal hate crime murder of James Byrd Junior and was executed in Texas for the crime – but not before one final harrowing act

He was a brutal killer who claimed the life of a man simply because of the colour of his skin.

Lawrence Brewer was one of three men, along with Shawn Berry and John King, who launched a savage and harrowing attack on James Byrd Junior.

The victim was 49 when he was brutally murdered by the three men, two of them who were white supremacists, in Jasper, Texas in 1998. On June 7, James had accepted a lift from Shawn Berry, who was just 22 at the time. In the car with him were Brewer, then 31, and King, then 23.

Berry knew James as they both lived in the town but instead of taking him home the three men carried out an act of such violence it was leave the whole country appalled.

Taking James out of town and to a remote country road, they savagely beat him before tying a chain to his ankles and to the back of their pickup truck. Then then dragged him behind the truck for three miles. Brewer claims he slit James’ throat before the hellish journey began but horrifying forensic evidence showed the victim had been desperately trying to keep his head off the ground as he was dragged along.

It is thought he only succumbed to his injuries about half-way through the journey when his right arm and head were severed when his body hit a culvert. In addition, almost all of his ribs were fractured. When his head was discovered his brain and skull were still in tact, which lead forensic experts to believe he was still conscious as he was being dragged behind the pickup truck.

His killers then dumped his torso in front of a Black cemetery and heartlessly left the scene to head to a BBQ. James’ body wasn’t discovered until the following morning by a passing motorist. Close by police discovered a wrench with the word ‘Berry’ written on it and a lighter with the word ‘Possum’ written on it, which was King’s nickname while he was in prison.

Chillingly, officers discovered James’ remains in 81 locations and the harrowing killing was quickly labelled a hate crime and the FBI were called in to help with the investigation.

All three killers, Berry, Brewer and King, were arrested, tried and convicted for James’ murder, with King and Brewer sentenced to death while King was ordered to spend the rest of his life in prison.

Before Brewer’s execution on September 21, 2011, he requested a lavish final meal. He asked for two chicken fried steaks, a triple-meat bacon cheeseburger, fried okra, a pound of barbecue, three fajitas, a meat lover’s pizza, a pint of ice cream and a slab of peanut butter fudge with crushed peanuts.

However, he had one final chilling act to commit. After being presented with his final meal on earth, the brutal killer refused to eat a single mouthful. The act changed everything for those waiting to be executed on Texas’ death row – no last meal would ever be offered again.

Senator John Whitmire, chairman of the Senate criminal justice committee, said afterwards: “It is extremely inappropriate to give a person sentenced to death such a privilege.”

Instead inmates on the day before their death will now be served the same as all other inmates. After the ruling was passed, Whitmire said: “It’s long overdue. This old boy last night, enough is enough. We’re fixing to execute the guy and maybe it makes the system feel good about what they’re fixing to do. Kind of hypocritical, you reckon? Mr Byrd didn’t get to choose his last meal. The whole deal is so illogical.”

King was executed on April 24, 2019, while Brewer remains behind bars. He spends 23 hours per day in a cell measuring 8 by 6 feet, with one hour for exercise.

In an incredible act of forgiveness Ross Byrd, James Byrd’s only son, is now involved in Murder Victims’ Families for Reconciliation, an organisation opposed to capital punishment and he even campaigned to spare the lives of the men who had killed his father.

By QUENTIN LETTS, PARLIAMENTARY SKETCHWRITER

Published: 18:48 BST, 1 September 2026 | Updated: 06:46 BST, 2 September 2026

The drive on the highway by the Mediterranean in southern Lebanon, near the border with Israel, is scenic and, these days, desolate. Crops lie abandoned and buildings destroyed by Israeli air strikes, too many to count, are in ruins.

Near the town of Naqoura, a Lebanese military checkpoint, painted in the white-and-red colours of the national flag, is the last visible sign of the state’s presence. Soldiers are positioned behind concrete walls, but the road is empty. A few minutes further south, around a dozen Israeli flags indicate the start of occupied territory. Unless authorised by Israel, no-one can enter.

This part of the country is the heartland of Lebanon’s Shia Muslim community, from which Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militia and political party, gets most of its support. It has seen three invasions by the Israeli military in wars against the group in the last two decades alone. The most recent started in March, after Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel following the killing of the Iranian supreme leader, at the start of the US and Israel’s war against Iran.

Last month, a BBC team joined a humanitarian mission of the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, known as Unifil, which is one of the only ways to visit the area under Israeli control. There, as it did in Gaza, Israel has flattened entire villages, and air strikes and demolitions have continued even after a ceasefire was announced in June.