Proposals to overhaul legislation affecting every cat in the UK will see a showdown

Proposals to overhaul legislation affecting every cat in the UK have reached a pivotal moment, with a crucial parliamentary debate now scheduled involving MPs. A soaring petition demanding new laws requiring motorists to report collisions involving cats amassed nearly 190,000 signatures on the Parliament website, after public backing surged.

It has now been confirmed that the debate will take place on Monday, October 26, placing the government under mounting pressure to set out its stance and potentially outline prospective changes. Those behind the petition are urging cat owners to contact their local MPs beforehand, encouraging them to attend and bolster the prospects of meaningful reform.

The petition states: “It is legal in the UK to hit a cat when driving and not need to stop or report collisions, leaving them scared, alone, and in pain. Cats are important, loved, valued family members for many, and we believe the law should reflect this.

“We want the Government to legislate to require drivers to stop, check and report any road collisions with cats if they’re injured on the road, and hold drivers accountable if they fail to stop and report a collision involving a cat on the basis that they left a cat to unnecessarily suffer. We believe asking drivers to be made responsible for seeking help for an injured cat is a perfectly reasonable and simple ask.”

Cats Matter said: “While the Government has stated that it currently has no plans to amend legislation, the public response tells a very different story. Cat owners, vets, rescues, and communities across the UK have made it clear that the status quo is not good enough and them keep throwing back the same old dated arguments simply doesn’t wash anymore. Families deserve to know when their cats have been harmed, and cats deserve the same basic recognition already afforded to dogs.”

“The upcoming debate is a pivotal moment. It represents not only the strength of public feeling, but also a growing expectation that the law should reflect modern attitudes toward companion animals. We anticipate strong cross‐party contributions, with MPs raising both the emotional and practical implications of the current gap in reporting requirements.

“In these days leading up to the debate, we are encouraging supporters to contact their MPs and invite them to attend.”

The organisers added: “What we can not accept and do not understand is the drivers who drive off and leave the cats scared, alone, in pain, or worse, roadside. Not stopping to help a cat, or any animal, is unforgivable in our view and we want the law to stand with us on that. We do not want drivers to have criminal records or pay our vet bills, we simply want drivers to help our cats should the worst happen. If they fail to do so, we want them to, by law, be accountable and face justice.”

Latest figures from PetPlan show that roughly 230,000 cats are struck by vehicles annually – that’s 630 every single day – while 35 per cent of motorists have admitted to hitting a cat. Britain remains a nation of cat lovers, with approximately 12.2 million felines living in UK households, making them the nation’s second most popular pet after dogs, with 27 per cent of homes having at least one cat.

Under section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, motorists must stop and report accidents involving horses, cattle, ass, mules, sheep, pigs, goats or dogs – but cats are notably absent from the list. The distinction was originally drawn to safeguard working animals.

A 2018 survey conducted by Carbuyer discovered that nearly 60 per cent of respondents believed the law ought to be amended to include cats as well.

The petition prompted a response from the Department for Transport. It stated: “The Government has no current plans to require drivers to report collisions with cats. However, the Road Safety Strategy will improve road safety for all road users, including cats and other animals.

“This is a compassionate country and although there is no obligation to report all animal deaths on roads, drivers should, if possible, make enquiries to ascertain the owner of domestic animals, such as cats, and advise them of the situation.

“Under section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, a driver is required to stop and report an accident involving specified animals including horses, cattle, ass, mules, sheep, pigs, goats or dogs, but not cats or wild animals. This requirement arises from their status as working animals rather than as domestic pets. To introduce such a measure within the provision of section 170, would require primary legislation. (Note that certain legislation still uses the word ‘accident’, although the preferred terms are collision or crash.)”.

“Because cats are much smaller than other specified animals, and often most active at dawn or dusk, in many cases drivers may not be aware they’ve hit them – particularly with larger vehicles. Because of that, it would be difficult to prosecute drivers if the law was changed.”

The complete government response and petition can be viewed here. Further information, including template emails for constituents, is available at: www.catsmatter.org/downloads.

The secondary school in Bromley announced on Thursday morning that it would be closed to students for the day after the leak left the site without a gas supply.

Engineers are now on site working to resolve the issue after Cadent Gas crews attended last night.

Headteacher Sam Gorse said the leak was discovered late on Wednesday night.

Turton School (Image: Nq)

She said: “The engineers are just here at the minute.

“It was late last night and Cadent came out last night and the engineers came out this morning.

“It was people in the leisure centre who suspected that they could smell gas.”

Earlier, the school told parents: “Turton School is closed to students today.

We have had a gas leak and have no gas currently.

We expect this to be sorted today and intend to reopen tomorrow.”

Pupils have instead been set work to complete remotely, with schools now equipped to move lessons online during emergency closures.

Ms Gorse said engineers remain at the site and the school is hoping to reopen on Friday, subject to the gas supply being restored and the site being declared safe.

Jill Roberts attended the Hoops’ 3-0 win over Aberdeen on September 2 at Celtic Park.

Boston Jill has hailed Celtic Park as “breath-taking” after dumping Tartan Army Tommy as big-hearted Hoops fans gifted her a free match ticket.

Jill Roberts, 42, announced the end of her summer romance with Tommy Morrison in August, after the Record revealed her former lover was facing serious criminal charges. The pair had met in Boston during Scotland’s World Cup adventure, when thousands of fans descended on Fenway Park on June 16.

The whirlwind romance between the Massachusetts mum and the 38-year-old joiner from Bonnyrigg captured the attention of fans online, with Jill even booking flights to Scotland to visit Tommy. Despite their split, she decided to make the trip across the Atlantic anyway and was given a warm welcome at Parkhead.

Jill headed to the home of the Scottish Premiership champions on September 2 to watch the Hoops beat Aberdeen 3-0 after kind-hearted supporters gifted her a ticket and merchandise – and she was later seen wearing a home shirt and hat.

Her football adventure began at Grace’s bar, where she enjoyed Guinness and fish and chips before meeting her friend and heading to Tollcross Tavern. Then came the walk to Celtic Park.

Jill said: “When we took that corner and I saw the stadium, I was blown away. It reminded me of my first Patriots game I went to with my dad.”

Her excitement was mixed with nerves when she discovered her seat was close to the travelling Aberdeen fans.

She said: “I didn’t know there would be this much separation between the teams. I get why but it was a little nerve-wracking.”

From there, however, the night became unforgettable. Jill watched all three Celtic goals from the stands and was swept up in the atmosphere before tucking into a traditional scotch pie and Bovril at half-time.

She continued: “There’s something magical about a stadium full of people rooting for the same thing. I really, really enjoyed that part.”

The Boston singer later admitted she got lost after the match before meeting friends and heading for a night out at the Polo nightclub.

Jill stressed that she had gone to Celtic Park as a tourist rather than a committed supporter, explaining that someone had simply offered her a free ticket after she announced she was still travelling to Scotland.

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Although, after a night surrounded by passionate Hoops supporters, she signed off her video with a cry of, “C’mon the Hoops.”

However, Jill also revealed she wants to experience the other side of Glasgow’s Old Firm divide by visiting Ibrox for a Rangers game.

The pair first crossed paths after Jill went to watch the Boston Red Sox take on the Toronto Blue Jays for Pride Night, unaware thousands of Scotland supporters would also descend on the famous ballpark. As she walked to her car, she bumped into Tommy, who was heading towards the train station.

The pair chatted briefly and Jill recorded a video of their encounter, but they went their separate ways without exchanging numbers. She later admitted she immediately regretted not getting his contact details.

Fate intervened when one of Tommy’s ex-girlfriends spotted Jill’s social media post and commented that she knew him, before passing over his number and Jill began messaging him on WhatsApp.

At the time, Jill described the relationship as an unexpected gift from Scotland’s World Cup adventure.

Tommy had also spoken excitedly about their planned reunion, joking that Jill believed everyone in Scotland lived in castles and wore kilts every day. He had promised to organise a special surprise so she could experience the country in full.

The Record then revealed Tommy had appeared in court earlier this year on charges of offences under Solemn Procedure, usually dealt with by trial before a judge and a jury of 15 people.

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Police were called to Turton Road following on Wednesday evening.

Greater Manchester Police said a juvenile was arrested on suspicion of common assault after officers attended at around 7pm.

A police car and van were spotted at the scene, and the force confirmed there is no further risk to the public.

A GMP spokesperson said: “We were called to Turton Road to a report of a domestic disturbance.

“A juvenile has been arrested on suspicion of common assault.

“There is no further risk to the public.”

Red and orange alerts are in force across parts of Catalonia and Valencia

A British man has reportedly died after his car was swept away in devastating floods in Spain as authorities issued the highest level weather warnings amid torrential rain.

The victim was in Olivella, near Barcelona, when his vehicle approached a stream and was allegedly “swallowed by the force of the water” as floodwaters surged through the area.

According to La Vanguardia, the driver was caught off guard by the torrent at the Begues stream near a bridge before his car plunged into the raging water and was dragged away.

The tragedy unfolded as violent storms battered eastern Spain, with red and orange alerts in force across parts of Catalonia and Valencia amid fears of dangerous flooding, The Mirror reports.

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Local fire crews reportedly received calls of a vehicle falling into water in Olivella at around 11pm on Wednesday (September 16). An update at around 12.30pm on Thursday confirmed the fire service had discovered the lifeless body of a man, roughly 500 meters from where the vehicle was found in the water.

The rescue operation was made up of eleven crews with the assistance of drones and rescue divers. The victim is understood to be a “middle-aged British man” who lived in the Las Colinas neighbourhood of Olivella in Catalonia, according to local media,

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office has been approached for comment but it yet to respond at the time of publication.

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Despite becoming embroiled in a war of words with Earl Spencer over claims made in his upcoming book, today is business as usual for the King as he prepares for an engagement at Dumfries House in Scotland.

Later today, the monarch will convene leaders from the artificial intelligence sector, Government, and thought leaders to discuss how AI can be developed and deployed in ways that benefit society.

Charles, 77, who has never owned a mobile phone, is understood to have taken a keen interest in AI’s development and the risks it posed.

A source said he hopes the summit would encourage tech leaders to consider “the responsibilities of developing this technology, as well as the opportunities”.

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A couple was flogged 100 times each for adultery under an Indonesian province’s strict Sharia laws. 

The caning in Banda Aceh on Thursday was so severe that the woman was seen begging for mercy before collapsing from the pain. 

The couple was convicted of adultery and were sentenced to 100 lashes each by the Banda Aceh Sharia Court last month.

Unmarried couples are not allowed to have sex under the harsh laws in the region of Aceh, which is the only place in Muslim-majority Indonesia to administer Sharia law.

Caning is used to punish a wide range of offences, including gambling, drinking alcohol, homosexual acts, and having sexual relations outside marriage.

Images from the public caning today showed the woman grimacing in pain and holding her hand up as she pleaded for mercy while she received lashes on her back. 

However, later pictures showed the woman being helped off the ground after she collapsed to her knees. 

Images of her partner also showed him wincing as he was struck.

Officers assist the convicted woman after she received 100 lashings 

Pictured: A man found guilty of adultery under Sharia law grimaces in pain as he is whipped 100 times 

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According to local news outlet AJNN, the man’s caning was halted temporarily after he received 60 lashes over concerns for his health. 

Head of the General Crimes Section of the Banda Aceh District Attorney’s Office, Darma Mustika, said: ‘Perhaps his health was a little compromised, or he simply couldn’t handle the whipping. So we stopped him first to give him a chance to rest.’

The caning then resumed until the man received 100 lashes in total. 

The couple was among a group of 10 people who received lashings on Thursday. 

The remaining eight convicts – men and women – were sentenced to between 16 and 21 lashes after being found guilty of intermingling at a birthday party. 

Under Sharia law, the mixing of men and women who are unrelated is strictly forbidden. 

The public nature of canings in Aceh is intended to shame as well as inflict pain on people found to have violated Sharia law. 

Canings are often staged outside mosques or in community squares, with crowds watching and documenting the event on their mobile phones. 

The woman puts her hands to her face after she received 100 lashes 

Pictured: A man reacts in pain as he is whipped 100 times. The caning was halted temporarily over concerns about his health

Pictured: A separate man who was accused of intermingling with women at a birthday party was also lashed on Thursday 

The public nature of canings in Aceh is intended to shame as well as inflict pain on people found to have violated Sharia law

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A man grimaces in pain while serving a public caning sentence in Taman Sari, Banda Aceh, Aceh

Canings are often staged outside mosques or in community squares

Local officials have defended the practice as a deterrent and as part of the province’s identity

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have repeatedly condemned the practice

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A man found in violation of Sharia law received water from an official during his public caning in Banda Aceh, Aceh Province, Indonesia, on Thursday

Human rights groups say the humiliation adds to the cruelty and causes lasting psychological damage.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have repeatedly condemned the practice, saying it violates Indonesia’s constitution and its obligations under international law.

Amnesty said in a statement: ‘Caning contravenes Indonesia’s constitution and is in clear violation of international human rights law and standards.

‘It constitutes a cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment and can amount to torture in violation of the UN Convention against Torture and other international covenants, to which Indonesia is a State Party.’

Local officials have defended the practice as a deterrent and as part of the province’s identity, while critics warn it has negatively impacted Indonesia’s human rights reputation and inflicted lasting trauma on those who endure it. 

Just weeks ago, a woman became the first person to be publicly caned in Aceh for ‘committing obscenity live with a man on social media.’

The punishment was handed down after she and her partner were accused of kissing during a TikTok livestream.

Images showed the woman kneeling and screaming in agony as a masked Sharia police officer repeatedly brought the cane down across her back.

The woman eventually lost consciousness and had to receive medical attention. 

Her partner was also caned over the TikTok livestream.

The number of casualties dipped after new law introduced but latest data show they rose again last year

The number of deaths and serious injuries on Welsh roads rose last year after initially falling when the 20mph speed limit was introduced, new data has shown.

The latest figures from the Department for Transport show that 91 people died on roads in Wales in 2025. This is up from 84 deaths reported in 2024, the first full year in which the default 20mph speed limit on roads was introduced.

The law, which came into force on September 17, 2023, proved to be hugely controversial. A petition against the speed limit broke Senedd records with just shy of 500,000 signatures, and the policy is still regularly brought up as an attack line by Reform and Conservative politicians, against Labour, who introduced the policy, and Plaid Cymru, who supported it.

Supporters have previously said data has shown that the aim of making Wales’ roads safer is being achieved with the speed limit.

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The Welsh Government said road safety remains a priority, and added that the number of deaths on roads with a 20mph limit stayed the same in the latest data set. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here.

The Department for Transport data on collisions on all roads in Wales show that in 2023 – the year the 20mph default limit was introduced – there were 101 deaths, which was up frojm 95 in 2022 and 86 in 2021.

In 2024, the first full year of data when the default speed limit was active, the number of deaths on Welsh roads dipped to 84. Last year, the figure rose back up to 91.

The Welsh Government said data shows there were 19 fatalities on 20mph roads in Wales in 2025, the same number as in 2024.

The Department for Transport data also reveals that the number of serious injuries on Welsh roads also crept up in 2025 after falling in 2024.

There were 1,361 people killed or seriously injured last year, which is the highest number of casualties since 2019, when 1,485 people were killed or seriously injured.

In 2025, the Welsh Government said were 1,469 collisions on roads with 20mph and 30mph speed limits (combined), 2% higher than in 2024 (1,445 collisions) but is the second lowest annual number recorded in Wales, the lowest being in 2024.

Collisions were 22% lower than in 2022 (1,886 collisions), the most recent full calendar year before the change in default speed limit was implemented.

Other data has suggested that levels of compliance with the speed limit steadily decreased after its initial implementation, with average speeds creeping back up.

Drivers in Wales are still driving more slowly overall than they were before 20mph was introduced. A report published by Transport for Wales in July 2025 looked at the impact of the 20mph default speed limit and how it has performed according to indicators. It says while there has been “some fluctuation” in speeds, “overall there has been a significant and sustained increase in vehicles being driven at or below 24mph”.

The Welsh Government made some changes to the 20mph law. Former Labour transport minister Ken Skates said he would allow Wales’ 22 councils to consult with local residents to hear which roads they think needed to change back from 20mph.

He said he would make an extra £5m available to fund the changes. Since then, a significant number of roads have reverted back to the 30mph limit, and there are regularly announcements about alterations that will be made on other roads.

Adrian Berendt, from campaigners 20’s Plenty for Us, previously said the 20mph limit has made “Welsh communities safer” and there are also signs within the insurance industry that it is allowing them to reduce the cost of car insurance premiums.

Insurer esure published a press release in June 2024 saying it had seen a 20% drop in claims for car accidents since the default limit was introduced. The company also said drivers in areas with the 20mph limit are likely to see an average of £50 off their premiums compared to people who don’t.

Head of motor underwriting Rob Clark said then: “People are not crashing as much and when they do they are not causing as much damage. We are able to reflect it in the premiums.”

The Welsh Government said: “Every death on our roads is a tragedy, and road safety remains a priority for this government.

“There were 19 fatalities on 20mph roads in Wales in 2025, and the same number in 2024. So numbers of fatalities on 20mph roads in Wales has stayed the same not increased.

“In 2025, 91 people were killed in collisions on all types of roads in Wales, compared with 84 in 2024 and 96 in 2022, the year before the 20mph default speed limit was introduced.”