Joshua Kerry, 28, is charged with the murder of former Conservative MP and Reform UK spokesperson Ann Widdecombe – he appeared in court for the first time earlier this week

Ann Widdecombe’s family have issued a major update to the public days after her alleged killer appeared in court for the first time.

The former Conservative minister, MP, and Reform UK spokesperson, 78, was found dead at her remote home of Widdecombe’s Rest’ in Haytor, on Dartmoor in Devon, on July 9. She suffered ‘blunt force injuries to the head’, a court heard.

The man charged with murdering Miss Widdecombe appeared in court for the first time on Tuesday (July 21). Joshua Kerry, from Rotherham in South Yorkshire, allegedly killed her with a hammer.

Prosecutors say on July 8, Miss Widdecombe had been eating lunch when Kerry, 28, allegedly pulled up outside the front of her bungalow in a red Vauxhall Corsa, driven several hundred miles from Rotherham, and entered through the front door.

Advertisement

Kerry then allegedly used a hammer to hit Miss Widdecombe on the top of her head 21 times, the Old Bailey heard on Tuesday. Detectives are still investigating any possible political or terrorist motivation.

Her family announced on Thursday (July 23) that a public memorial will be held later this year for Miss Widdecombe.

In a statement, her family said: “We understand that there is significant public interest in the funeral of Ann Widdecombe. A private service for family and close friends will be held in the coming weeks, and invitations for this ceremony have been distributed.

“A more public memorial will follow later in the year, the details of which will be released in due course. While we are very grateful for the wide expression of condolences, the family would ask that this initial service is limited to those closest to Ann.”

Miss Widdecombe was first elected as a Conservative MP in Kent in 1987, rising the ranks to become prisons minister in the 1990s. After unsuccessfully attempting to lead the Conservative Party and become Speaker of the House of Commons, she stepped down as an MP in 2010.

A television career followed as she surprised viewers on Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother, also performing in multiple pantomimes.

She returned to politics in 2019, winning a European Parliament seat to become an MEP for the Brexit Party. From 2023 onwards, she was Reform UK’s immigration and justice spokesperson.

Her death provoked an outpouring of grief from politicians across the ideological divide. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “This was an appalling act of violence against someone who has contributed so much to our national life. My thoughts go out to Ann’s friends and family and all who loved her.”

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: “Ann Widdecombe was an extraordinary woman, without doubt the best known female politician in Britain since Margaret Thatcher.

“Ann never, ever sought popularity. She stood up and fought for what she believed in.”

It sounds like the plot of a Hollywood blockbuster. The world-class developers of a highly secretive tech company are building their latest AI model in what they believe to be a secure, private network. The model cannot and should not be able to escape.

If it did ever manage to slip the digital confines made by its developers, this dangerous and untested software could wreak havoc on the open internet.

To their utter horror, that worst-case scenario unfolds. The AI model breaks out of its electronic prison, hacks into a private company and internal chaos ensues.

But this isn’t a movie. It happened last week. On Wednesday, Industry giant OpenAI, creator of ChatGPT, revealed exactly this.

As a campaigner for safe technology, who has worked at a tech company and in Westminster, I can say with certainty that this is a warning shot heralding the start of a dystopian new age. Humanity is no longer in control of its most awesome creation since the atomic bomb.

OpenAI’s new model, GPT-5.6 Sol, was being tested in a ‘sandbox’ – essentially, a secure and confined digital environment where technology can be developed without real-world consequences. Or so those at OpenAI thought.

The technicians set the model a task. We don’t know exactly what was asked of it, but we do know it was along the lines of: ‘How capable are you at hacking websites?’

This is where things took a further turn for the worst. The model decided to hack Hugging Face in order to complete OpenAI’s internal cyber testing, before returning to the sandbox and acting as though it had never escaped.

Professor Alex Tabarrok, from George Mason University in Virginia, estimates the model could have been in the Hugging Face systems for as much as a week, lurking undetected. Not even OpenAI employees realised what the model was doing, let alone the victim.

OpenAI claimed frankly this was ‘something we expect to become more commonplace with the proliferation of increasingly cyber-capable models’. Absurdly, the company will face no fines or prosecution because, in the words of US legal academic Orin Kerr, ‘there was no intentional unauthorised access or intent to cause damage without authorisation’.

In other words, strap in – because all your worst nightmares about AI are coming true. Not even the disaster movies can keep pace with our blighted reality in which ‘large language models’ – trained on trillions of words and pictures from across the internet – run havoc with nothing to stop them.

This is partially because AI firms such as OpenAI follow a process in which they continually release new, improved versions of their products. But to keep up with the competition, this has increasingly become a case of ‘release the software and ask questions later’.

This dystopian reality is also emerging because the AI models are trained to complete whatever tasks their users have set for them, above all other goals: the ends invariably justify the means.

Indeed, in a separate test conducted by Anthropic in 2025, models were asked to achieve ‘harmless business goals’. And yet, in several instances, the models resorted to malicious behaviours including ‘blackmailing officials and leaking sensitive information to competitors’ in order to achieve their aims.

AI cannot ‘think’ in precisely the way human beings do. Nor is it restricted by our laws or morality – quite the opposite, in fact.

If OpenAI’s latest model chose to escape its sandbox because it was the best way to complete its task, how far will AI go if prompted to do something more heinous? How much data could it steal, how many lives will it consider dispensable? And how easily could the latest AI models fall into the wrong hands?

Industry professionals estimate it takes a major state actor with the necessary basic talent – such as China – only six to nine months to copy and mimic any publicly released AI model.

GPT-5.6 Sol is already publicly available. Cyber terror groups are already, you can be certain, working on their own version. And once they have it, their hacking capabilities will be inconceivable.

OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman (pictured in 2023) predicted more than a decade ago that ‘AI will probably lead to the end of the world’

I can assure you, the NHS has less sophisticated cyber security than Hugging Face. The Bank of England, too. All High Street banks and pharmacists could be easily infiltrated by a rogue or malignant AI model. Picture the scene: hospital generators shutting down simultaneously, billions wiped from bank accounts, personal data leaked online. The Hugging Face hack proves beyond any doubt that such a future is not only possible – but probable.

We have got to this point, I believe, because governments around the world naively see AI as the silver bullet to all their problems. Be it curing diseases, reducing debt or improving the cost of living, ignorant ministers assume it will be the answer to everything. As a result, AI companies have been afforded almost free rein.

In June 2015, OpenAI founder Sam Altman uttered this chilling prediction: ‘I think that AI will probably lead to the end of the world. But in the meantime, there will be great companies.’

Back then, companies like OpenAI were tech firms. Today, the US sees them as weapons corporations. And these companies are no longer in control of their arsenal.

The US believes if they can beat China to an AI which can take out their adversaries, America rules the world for many more decades to come. After this week’s terrifying episode, I fear it won’t be long before Altman’s decade-old prophecy comes true.

Connor Axiotes is the chief executive of Tail End Films whose documentary Making God, an exposé on the race for artificial general intelligence, has finished filming and is released later this year.

He praised George Black, the chair of Glasgow 2026 Organising Company, saying: “This organisation had 18 months to save the Commonwealth Games and the team led by George Black have done exactly that, working with the city council in Glasgow and with partners in Commonwealth Games Scotland to make sure the Games can be well organised.”

Manchester United are busy sorting out transfers with a number of stars already emptied from Old Trafford

Michael Carrick has already approved the departures of Casemiro, Rasmus Hojlund, Jadon Sancho, Tyrell Malacia and Andre Onana. The Manchester United boss might contemplate more exits as he brings Youri Tielemans, Karl Darlow and Andrey Santos to Old Trafford.

Carrick was handed the United role on a permanent basis in May and the roster of released players was announced just a month afterwards. The manager was afforded time to assess which stars he wished to keep and therefore approved all exits.

Malacia, Sancho and Casemiro’s deals all ran out this summer, with the latter confirming his decision in January. Meanwhile, Hojlund made his loan switch to Napoli permanent after the Serie A outfit activated his £38million release clause.

Onana extended his loan spell at Trabzonspor for another campaign after helping the Super Lig club to a third-place finish and a Turkish Cup victory. This indicates that Carrick has permitted five first-team players to leave to date and with three new senior signings confirmed, the club’s overhaul is really gathering pace.

FOLLOW OUR MAN UTD FB PAGE! Latest United news and more on our dedicated Facebook page

Following his United exit, Malacia has yet to secure another club and remains available on the free-agent market. Celtic and Napoli were previously linked with interest.

Sancho has been linked with a potential comeback to Borussia Dortmund after returning to form during his loan spell there from United in 2024. Casemiro appears set to link up with Lionel Messi at Inter Miami, having also held discussions with MLS outfit LA Galaxy.

With these five players removed from the wage bill, freeing up a substantial £830,000, Carrick can turn his attention to further additions that will strengthen the squad. Midfielder Andrey Santos was the first arrival of the summer, signing a five-year deal worth an initial £48m.

Next came a shrewd piece of business from Leeds in the shape of goalkeeper Karl Darlow, who arrived on a free transfer. The club bolstered their midfield with former Aston Villa man Youri Tielemans, who signed for £35m.

Winger Tynan Thompson has also been snapped up from Spurs and is expected to divide his time between the first team and the Under-21s. United remain keen on several targets as they press ahead with their rebuild, including Bournemouth’s Alex Scott.

The club received an apparent boost in their pursuit of Scott this week, with the understanding that he is their primary midfield priority. Scott has turned down a new contract at Bournemouth, which has undoubtedly improved United’s prospects of securing his signature this summer.

The Cherries expect the midfielder to stay put this season, but Carrick remains firmly interested. United are expected to face stiff competition from Arsenal and Chelsea for the midfielder, though his refusal to sign a new contract suggests he may be open to leaving.

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

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

Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott’s transfer stance has now emerged following Chelsea’s initial £64million bid, with Manchester United and Arsenal also admirers

Alex Scott is reportedly pushing to secure a move to Chelsea after the Blues saw a £64million bid rejected. The midfielder is subject of interest from Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham.

However, Scott is keen to join Chelsea, according to the Standard, and has no intention of committing to an extension at Bournemouth. The former Bristol City midfielder has two years left on his current deal on the south coast.

Despite his determination to secure a summer switch, Bournemouth insist he is not for sale and remain hopeful of convincing him to agree fresh terms. The Cherries offered Scott a new contract in March, but talks have stalled, with the Guernsey‑born midfielder focused on leaving.

Scott featured in all but three Premier League fixtures for the Cherries last season. He contributed to the club’s sixth-place finish in the top division and secured their spot in the Europa League.

In addition, Scott received his maiden England senior call-up last November, although he didn’t feature in any matches.

He was selected as one of five players – alongside Rio Ngumoha, Jason Steele, Josh King and Ethan Nwaneri – who would link up with the Three Lions squad for the preparation camp ahead of the World Cup.

Meanwhile, Chelsea kept a watchful eye on Scott and his development throughout last season.

With central midfield firmly in Xabi Alonso’s sights as an area requiring improvement, the Blues have stepped up their pursuit of Scott, lodging a £64m bid – though Bournemouth were quick to send it packing.

Prior to the move for Scott, Alonso had hoped to reunite with Granit Xhaka, with Chelsea submitting an £8m offer to Sunderland for the 33 year old last month, only for it to be promptly knocked back.

FOLLOW OUR CHELSEA FB PAGE! Latest Blues news and more on our dedicated Facebook page

The Blues initially received positive signals from the Switzerland international regarding a potential switch to Stamford Bridge, and a second offer was being mulled over – however, Xhaka subsequently pledged his allegiance to the Black Cats, prompting the west Londoners to walk away from talks.

Chelsea also harbour a longstanding interest in Adam Wharton, sources say, with the Crystal Palace midfielder’s future at Selhurst Park far from certain.

The Blues have monitored Wharton’s progression closely at their London rivals over the past couple of seasons, though in a central midfield market, one that has seen Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes cost almost £100m, the England international is unlikely to come at a bargain price.

Meanwhile, United have added Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Karl Darlow to Michael Carrick’s squad at Old Trafford in this transfer window.

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.

By ELEANOR MANN

Published: 02:06 BST, 23 July 2026 | Updated: 02:31 BST, 23 July 2026

A search and rescue mission is underway for a group of people at an Essex beach. 

A number of people are feared to have drowned in what police have described as an ‘ongoing incident’ at a beach in West Mersea, Essex. 

An Asian family, including children, are believed to have become trapped by the rising tide after possibly walking out to a sandbank off the holiday beach some time around 5.30pm on Wednesday. 

At least six ambulances, a dozen police cars, a fire engine, a lifeboat, two air ambulances and a coastguard helicopter were sent to the scene as the incident unfolded.

Advertisement

One coastguard truck remained on the shingle beach into the night near an area which was cordoned off with a wind break. 

Other emergency vehicles were parked behind a row of multi-coloured pastel beach huts beside the West Mersea Holiday Park. 

The area is known for its strong currents, which can take swimmers and tourists by surprise.

One holidaymaker said: ‘We heard that the incident involved an Asian family. Children got into difficulty and adults went in the water after them, only to get into difficulty as well. 

Advertisement

A search and rescue mission was underway on Wednesday night in West Mersea, Essex 

A number of people are feared to have drowned after a family are believed to have entered the water

‘Other people on the beach went into the water to try and help, but it looks like there were fatalities.’ 

Advertisement

Two air ambulances landed on the green beside the caravan park’s Sandbanks bar and restaurant while the coastguard helicopter is reported to have landed on the beach. 

Witnesses reported seeing at least one casualty being loaded into an air ambulance, while others said they had heard reports of ‘multiple people in the water’. 

A caravan owner said: ‘The first we knew something was wrong was when we heard a helicopter overhead. 

‘I spoke to someone who saw the emergency services working on someone and pumping their chest on the beach. 

Advertisement

‘People were shouting, ‘Come on you can do it’. They couldn’t tell if it was a man or a woman.’

Essex Police said in a statement on Wednesday night: ‘Emergency services are currently on scene of an ongoing incident in West Mersea.

‘While we remain on scene, we would ask the public to avoid the Seaview Avenue and beach area.

‘We appreciate that this will cause some local issues, but would ask for your patience and understanding as we may be there for some time yet. Thank you.’

Advertisement

An identical statement was issued on social media by Essex Fire and Rescue Service.

A spokesperson for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said they could not comment. 

An RNLI spokesperson confirmed its West Mersea lifeboat was launched earlier this evening and its lifeboat from Clacton was also sent to the emergency. They added that they did not know the nature of the incident at this stage.

A spokeswoman for the East Anglian Air Ambulance said it had also sent a helicopter to West Mersea, but that they had no further information at this stage. 

Advertisement

I feel embarrassed to admit that when I first bought my four-bedroom cottage in Somerset, it was with a fantasy that I’d meet the love of my life and we’d fill the house with children. Instead, I ended up with a cohort of lodgers.

I bought my rural, almost-off-grid home, just outside Frome, after leaving my fiancé. Together, we’d often talked about selling my cramped studio flat in London and moving to a farmhouse in rural North Wales, where I grew up.

So when I left him, I bought my own cottage – half-thinking that he would come and find me in it. When he failed to materialise, I started dating again.

Of course, it’s a miracle really that I, a 45-year-old Millennial, had been able to afford to buy in the first place – thanks to a bit of family money, selling my London flat and earning enough to get a good mortgage. For many, it’s almost impossible to get on the property ladder.

So my friends were initially protective over the risk of gold-digging men. ‘You don’t want a man who’s only after you for your house,’ they would tease.

Some were more positive, suggesting that flaunting my lovely, detached home – on a third of an acre! – might bag me a husband.

Boy, they could not have been more wrong. At best, I have found men are totally indifferent to the fact that I own a home and, at worst, it seems to act as a man repellent.

I met a nice solicitor who impressed on me that he owned his own place in a nearby village. We went for a few drinks, the conversation flowed, the attraction seemed matched.

But things went sharply downhill on our second date, when he picked me up for dinner at the local pub. My house – a fat cottage but no country pile – was bigger than he’d expected, he said. He noted how much I must be earning to live in it. He stopped trying to discover who I was and instead began making assumptions: I must come from a privileged background; I must be very independent; I must never usually date men from his background.

This was insane talk to me, as he was solidly middle-class. But it seemed I’d dented his pride. He did not offer to pay for dinner and I was relieved not to hear from him again.

Another man I briefly dated – who, despite being in his 40s, still lived with his parents – showed his irritation by making endless digs about what a poor job I was making of the renovation work – and how he’d tackle it differently.

The defensiveness of these men was off the charts. My dates would, unbidden, launch into a full rundown of their own financial position and their intention to get a mortgage, while aggressively listing the reasons they hadn’t yet – when I hadn’t enquired and didn’t care.

Friends report similar experiences. ‘My ex-boyfriend was so jealous of my house that he became fixated on buying one of exactly the same value,’ said one. ‘He started sending me Rightmove links to properties, which he seemed to think would impress me. Instead, I just thought he was delusional because I knew he couldn’t afford it. He was always making nasty remarks about how “not everyone can just buy a house and do it up”.’

She sold her cramped studio flat in London and moved to a charming four-bed farmhouse in rural North Wales

Advertisement

One of Katie’s dates said that her property, on a third of an acre, was bigger than he expected. Another made snide comments about how he’d tackle the renovation work differently 

Another friend admits: ‘Even if they like you, it pushes them away.’ Her ex-husband was so frustrated that she held the house deeds in their marriage that he ‘wouldn’t work and was constantly angry with me’.

All of this comes as a surprise to me. Property ownership is not something I look for, but if I was dating a man with a decent-sized home, I’d consider it a bonus. I have a male friend I’d never particularly fancied, until one evening, drinking in the garden of his gorgeous Georgian pile, I found myself dreaming about marriage. I also dated a lord whose stately home impressed me far more than his title.

Yet men don’t seem to find women’s houses nearly so intoxicating. Perhaps this is because women’s interest in equity stems from a time when we married because our financial – and domestic – security depended on it. Until 50 years ago, lenders refused single women mortgages. It was only after the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, which banned discriminating against someone because of their sex or marital status, that things changed.

Now more women than ever are applying for mortgages on their own. Skipton Building Society has recorded up to 11.5 per cent more solo female applicants than solo male applicants in recent years, especially among younger women – in their 20s and 30s.

Only one man I dated stands out as an exception. The first time he came to my cottage, he cooed and compared himself to Elizabeth Bennet arriving at Pemberley. To be honest, that gave me the ick.

I haven’t felt truly disheartened. Indeed, I’ve found men hating my house to be a boon – I’ve thrived alone among the peace and roses.

But I do wonder if it will turn out that men simply don’t like girlie pink cottages with beams to bang their heads on? Anyway, soon I plan to swap it for a penthouse in London or a one-bedroom garden flat – because I’m bored of country living. Perhaps then they’ll come running.

The Liverpool latest centres on club owners Fenway Sports Group and new head coach Andoni Iraola

This summer has perhaps not gone entirely as expected for Liverpool. It began with the seismic news of Arne Slot’s dismissal and the subsequent appointment of Andoni Iraola.

Following that, the club acted swiftly in the market by securing the services of Spanish winger Victor Munoz from Osasuna for £34.5million. Transfer activity has since cooled, with the Reds still needing major surgery on their squad following the departures of Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate.

Matters have been somewhat complicated by news that the club’s owners, Fenway Sports Group (FSG), have confirmed that a consortium of investors have made an approach regarding a stake in the club. Today’s latest news sees FSG break their silence on the investment bid, while Iraola has underscored his transfer objectives for the Reds.

FSG break silence over investment claims

Liverpool owners FSG have confirmed that a consortium led by British-Indian businessman Amit Bhatia has approached them about a stake in the club.

The group is backed by the Mittal family, whose net worth was most recently valued at over £26 billion by Forbes. On Tuesday, Bhatia was confirmed to have left his role as co-owner of Queens Park Rangers, with the London club announcing his departure on its official website.

FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FB PAGE! Latest Reds news and more on our dedicated Facebook page

Our sister title, the Liverpool ECHO, says the negotiations are being viewed as similar to the agreement with Dynasty Equity in 2023, which was worth between £82m and £164m.

An FSG statement given to the ECHO said: “An investment consortium led, managed and represented by Amit Bhatia has expressed interest in making a strategic minority investment in Liverpool Football Club.”

No agreement is in place and talks remain at an early stage according to sources briefed on the matter. Matters were also complicated by the news that Amazon founder Jeff Bezos was approached with an opportunity to join a new consortium of investors eyeing a stake in Liverpool..

According to Sky Sports, there is a notable sense of caution regarding Bezos’s potential involvement and it is far from certain that he will ultimately proceed with the move. FSG bought Liverpool for £300m in October 2010. The 20-time Premier League champions are currently valued at £5.2bn by Forbes.

Iraola makes demands clear

Andoni Iraola has outlined his ambitions for the remainder of Liverpool’s transfer window. Speaking from the United States after the Reds touched down in Chicago for the first step of their pre-season tour, the Basque made his demands clear.

Following the departure of Salah this summer, the Reds remain in the market for at least one winger. Iraola also admitted that right-back could be an area of focus, depending on Conor Bradley‘s recovery from a long-term knee injury.

The Liverpool boss said: “I think it is difficult to say a number when the market is open. You have to be always open to new options to improve the squad. There are obvious situations where we need to sign players.

“A winger for example, we definitely need to sign a winger, but there are other situations where we will have to analyse what the market gives you, what is the cost, how we also see the players we have.

“We have some tricky positions where we have injured players, that we trust, but it is still not the ideal situation, so it will depend on a lot of things.

“[At right-back] I think it depends on the Conor situation, at the end if you have a fully fit, healthy Conor Bradley, we are very happy, ready to go, and we would not be asking ourselves these questions.”

Join our LFC WhatsApp community and get all the latest LFC news, views, transfer gossip and more, as it happens 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.

Get Liverpool’s new 2026/27 home kit

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

£85

LFC Shop

Advertisement

Buy Now on LFC Shop

Liverpool FC have launched their new home kit for the 2026/27, inspired by iconic adidas strip worn during the club’s 1989/90 title-winning campaign.

Youth and community organisations working across the area have issued a joint statement condemning anti-social behaviour

Youth, community and sports organisations working across West Belfast have issued a joint statement condemning threats towards youth workers, anti-social behaviour, and violence that has left their community living in fear.

On Saturday night, July 18, large crowds of up to 100 people gathered in the Stewartstown Road area. A police officer was injured, and several PSNI vehicles were damaged in the incidents.

Bins and loading cages were placed across part of the road at its junction with Bell Steel Road, with fires being set from some of those bins. Throughout the day, police launched an operation relating to dangerous driving in the area with a large number of young people travelling at speed on scrambler-type bikes. The PSNI said many riders had their faces partially covered and were not wearing helmets.

The trouble came after weeks of sporadic disorder in the area, with scenes of anti-social behaviour outside flats over weeks, and trouble breaking out at the beginning of May at a diffing event in memory of Shea McGreevy, who died in a jetski incident in Lough Neagh.

Groups including the West Belfast Partnership Board, Lagmore Youth Project, Colin Gaels, St Lukes FC, Féile an Phobail, the Upper Springfield Development Trust and more have issued a joint statement condemning such scenes of violence.

The statement reads: “Colin is a proud, resilient community with a wealth of outstanding youth, community and sports organisations that work every day to improve people’s lives.

“In recent weeks, these organisations have gone above and beyond, providing additional programmes, increasing outreach, supporting families and engaging directly with young people on the streets to help keep them safe. Their commitment has been unwavering.

“The scenes witnessed on the Stewartstown Road have no place in our community. They offer nothing but fear, intimidation, destruction and an unacceptable risk to residents, businesses, road users and, most importantly, our young people.”

Advertisement

In a message to those behind such disorder, the statement continues: “Those orchestrating and encouraging this behaviour need to stop living in the past and come into the 21st century. They are exploiting young people for their own ends while placing lives at risk and undermining the work of those who dedicate themselves to creating opportunities and hope.

“Our youth workers, community organisations and sports clubs provide positive pathways for young people every day. We encourage parents, families and the wider community to support that work by encouraging young people to get involved in positive activities and to reject those who seek to draw them into dangerous and criminal behaviour.

“Keeping our community safe is a shared responsibility. Parents, families, statutory agencies and the wider community all have a role to play in challenging this behaviour and supporting young people to make positive choices.

“We will not allow a small minority to drag our community backwards or to intimidate those who spend their lives working to improve it. Youth and community workers are frontline workers. They deserve to carry out their vital work free from intimidation, threats and abuse. There must be zero tolerance for anyone who targets them.

“As a sector, we stand in solidarity with every youth and community worker serving the Colin area. We will continue to support our young people, stand with our communities and work together to ensure that those who seek to spread fear and division will not succeed.”

Chief Inspector Kelly Gibson, PSNI West Belfast Area Commander, said: “We know the local community is very concerned about what took place in west Belfast on Saturday night – and of ongoing antisocial behaviour in the area.

“We’re continuing to progress our investigation and to review evidence from the weekend. As such, we intend to make further arrests following these shameful scenes.

“Our targeted patrols will subsequently continue in the Stewartstown Road and surrounding areas to detect offenders on bikes who are driving illegally.

“We would reiterate our appeal to parents and guardians to speak to their young people and warn them of the dangers of getting involved in behaviour which could result in them obtaining a criminal record.

“We’d also ask that the community continues to report the illegal and dangerous driving of scrambler-type bikes so we can help to make our roads safer for everyone. The safety of local communities is paramount, and our officers have been working closely alongside our partner agencies, local representatives and the community to address these problems.”

Any photos or digital footage, including CCTV, mobile phone or dash-cam footage, can now be shared with police through the Major Incident Public Portal here: https://mipp.police.uk/operation/PSNI26W20-PO1

Enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information can contact police using our witness appeal form at https://reporting.psni.police.uk/appeals, quoting reference 346 of 18/07/26, or call us on 101.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

The prize fund on the Powerball regularly exceeds a billion dollars with a record-breaking win of $2.04 billion won in 2022

Lottery players in Belfast bought the most tickets online on launch day as the UK joins the American Powerball lottery for the first time this week.

Powerball tickets went on sale across the UK on Tuesday. National Lottery players have been snapping up tickets for their chance to win the world’s biggest rolling jackpot game for the very first time tonight.

With hundreds of thousands of tickets sold across retail and online through the National Lottery website and app in the first 24 hours alone, Powerball fever is here as players take their chance on the life-changing estimated £300M jackpot.

When it comes to who is playing, digital players in Belfast purchased the most tickets in the UK on launch day.

Meanwhile, a customer at The Candy Bar in Ballymena was one of the first to buy a physical ticket when they went on sale at 5am on Tuesday morning.

Players have until 11.55 pm on Wednesday, 22nd July to secure their chance to be part of Powerball history, ahead of the first draw at around 4 am (UK time) on Thursday 23rd July. Following the launch, draws will take place three times a week from the Powerball studio in Florida.

The game is behind some of the world’s most extraordinary lottery wins, including the record-breaking jackpot worth more than $2.04 billion won in 2022. With uncapped jackpots starting at £10 million and capable of growing into the hundreds of millions, and even beyond £1 billion, Powerball offers prize potential unlike anything previously available through The National Lottery.

Andy Carter, Senior Winners’ Advisor at Allwyn, operator of The National Lottery, said: “What a brilliant start, as Powerball fever grips the UK and our players get their tickets for the very first draw! The £300M jackpot is bigger than any UK jackpot ever won so this is a massive moment for UK National Lottery players.

“A win of this size, scooping Powerball Money, opens up a world of possibility and allows you to dream bigger than ever before.”

Priced at £4 per line, UK players will play for a chance to win the shared jackpot by matching five main numbers plus the Powerball, with the jackpot paid to UK winners over 30 years.

Players choose five main numbers from 1 to 69 and one Powerball number from 1 to 26, or can opt for a Lucky Dip.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.