The truck was completely alight when fire crews arrived

Plumes of smoke were seen in Cambridge on Friday (July 17) after a food truck caught fire. Fire crews were called to Cambridge Square at around 3.37pm to reports of a fire.

At the scene, fire crews found a food van completely alight at Cambridge North railway station. They remained at the scene as of 5pm damping down the area and making it safe.

There were no reports of any injuries as of 5pm. A spokesperson from Cambridgeshire Fire & Rescue Service said: “At 3.37pm on Friday July 17 a crew from Cambridge and the south roaming fire engine were called to a fire on Cambridge Square in East Chesterton ward, Cambridge.

“Firefighters arrived to find a food van well alight. Wearing breathing apparatus they extinguished the fire using hose reels. They remain at the scene damping down the area and making sure it is safe.”

Kelvin Graham tried to evade responsibility and justice during the investigation into his activities and subsequent court proceedings.

The 45-year-old defendant sexually abused the teenage schoolgirl at an address in Newcastle, acting aggressively to force her to comply.

Kelvin Graham, jailed today (Fri July 17) for 11 years after being found guilty of three child sex offences following a trial earlier this year (Image: Northumbria Police)

She was to describe feeling ‘petrified’ of Graham in the moments leading up to the assaults.

Having lived with the effects of his crimes for several years, a report was made to Northumbria Police, and an investigation was launched.

When he became aware the police were looking for him in connection with the allegations, Graham fled his address but was soon apprehended by officers.

He was later charged in connection with the abuse.

When he then failed to attend court for his trial, he was remanded into custody.

Following an eventual six-day hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, on March 30, Graham, of Fawdon Lane, Kenton, was found guilty on unanimous jury verdicts of three child sex offences.

They were two counts of causing or inciting a female under 16 to engage in a sexual act and one of sexual assault by penetration.

He was brought back to court for his sentencing hearing today when the trial judge, Judge Penny Moreland, imposed the 11-year prison term.

Graham will also spend the rest of his life having to register as a sex offender and will also be subject to the terms of a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order plus restraining order.

In a statement provided by the victim and read before the court, she described the effects of Graham’s offences.

She said: “I didn’t want him to touch me, and I made that clear to him.

“I said ‘no’, but he persevered anyway, against my will.

“I was scared of him and confused with what was happening.

“He was larger than me, older than my years.

“He was overpowering and I was scared and intimidated by him.

“I didn’t know who to tell or whether I would be believed and to speak out would have blown up my life at that point.

“Shortly after the incidents, I started experiencing panic attacks.

“This became a regular occurrence, and I became scared to leave the house.

“It’s hard to explain but I felt dirty and worthless, and the journey to justice has been all-consuming and traumatic, and, at times, has felt too much to cope with.

“There are things that have been borne out of this abuse that have affected my life so profoundly and will continue to do so long into the future.”

The officer who led the investigation, Detective Constable Lisa Herron, said she was both “grateful and proud” of the “victim-survivor” for showing “immense courage from day one of this investigation”

The detective said: “After understandably initially feeling scared to come forward, a report was then made allowing us to bring the perpetrator to justice.

“The fear abusers such as these distil into their victims is something which keeps that control over them, even long after the offences have taken place, which is something we’ve seen all too well in this case.

“It’s clear from events during this investigation just what type of person Kelvin Graham is.

“Not only did he commit horrendous abuse against a child, but then has attempted to evade both accountability and justice by attempting to flee and making the victim-survivor re-live her experiences through a trial.

“He is both a coward and a child sex offender.

“We won’t tolerate this kind of abuse in our communities, and we’re here to listen and support anyone who may want to make any form of disclosure to us.

“Whether the incident occurred yesterday, last week, last year, or 30 years ago, we’re committed to taking action.”

Dear Coleen,

A close friend got married recently to a woman he met through someone at work, so we didn’t know her before they got together. He’d been seeing her for just over a year when they got married, so everything happened very quickly.

This raised a few eyebrows among our group, but we were happy for him, as he’d been on his own a while. A few months ago, he invited us over for drinks to meet her and we were all taken aback. She’s very different to us and unlike any of his previous girlfriends. She’s quite loud and “in your face” and a bit rude.

She said a few things that maybe she thought were funny, but they didn’t land well, including, “I’ve finally met my sugar daddy”. My friend is doing well in life and he’s a bit older than her, although there’s only a six-year age gap. We’ve met her a few times since and our impression of her hasn’t changed.

He seems genuinely happy, although we never see him on his own any more – she’s always with him. Recently, I met one of his colleagues who knows her quite well and it was clear from the expression on her face that she didn’t like her either, although all she said was, “She’s an interesting character”.

I am a bit worried about him and she’s changed our close-knit friendship group, but what can I do?

Coleen says,

Nothing I’m afraid. Look, we don’t always like the partners our friends choose, but maybe your annoyance is more to do with the fact that she’s changed the dynamic of your group and he’s less available, but that can happen.

He’s married now and he’s happy so, unless he tells you otherwise, you have to accept it. You don’t know what makes their relationship work, but it obviously does. Maybe it’s a case of “opposites attract” and he likes that she’s confident and outgoing, and not afraid to be herself.

The sugar daddy thing probably was a joke or maybe she was being a bit provocative because she knows that none of you approve. It’s not nice to pick up on a vibe that your husband’s friends don’t approve of you.

My advice would be to give her a chance and try to get to know her better – you might even like her. However, if it does turn out that she’s the wrong person, then be a shoulder to cry on and don’t say, “I told you so”.

In the meantime, your friend won’t like you judging or excluding his new wife, so try to be supportive of the marriage and give it time. If you don’t, you might lose your friend.

Coleen’s words of wisdom

Remind yourself it’s never too late to make ­changes, whether it’s in your daily habits, your attitude, your job or the people you surround yourself with. You don’t have to stay stuck where you are.

By CAMERON CHARTERS

Published: 16:47 BST, 17 July 2026 | Updated: 17:18 BST, 17 July 2026

A Tory MP wept as he was cleared of sexually assaulting two women at London‘s exclusive Groucho club today.  

Patrick Spencer, the MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, was accused of touching the breasts of the women on August 12, 2023, at the private members club.

He told a jury his behaviour on the night in question had been ‘wildly misjudged’ and ‘ultimately inappropriate’ but insisted he never intended to touch either woman sexually.

Giving evidence at Southwark Crown Court, the father-of-two, 38, said he had spent the day watching rugby before arriving late at the Soho private members’ club, where he admitted he was drunk but ‘not out of control’.

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He denied deliberately touching either complainant’s breasts, while his wife, Anna told jurors he is a ‘kind’, ‘gentle’ and ‘compassionate’ husband. 

After seven hours and six minutes of deliberations the jury cleared Spencer of two counts of sexual assault. 

He wept in the dock as he was told by Mr Justice Garnham: ‘You have been found not guilty on both counts. You are free to go.’ 

He then embraced his wife and left the court room with her. 

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Patrick Spencer, the MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, was cleared of two counts of sexual assault

In a statement delivered outside of the court, the MP said: ‘Our shared nightmare is now over. 

‘I have always maintained my innocence, and today’s not guilty verdict draws a very long and challenging period in my life to a close. 

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‘I would like to thank the jury, the court, my legal team and most importantly, my incredible wife, children, family, friends and colleagues – whose support has been unwavering throughout.

‘I would also like to thank my constituents in Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, many of whom have reached out to offer their reassuring support.

‘For the time being, I’m looking forward to getting home to see my kids and getting back to work representing my constituents.’

During the trial he was asked by his barrister Eleanor Laws KC whether he had deliberately placed his hands on either woman’s breasts, he replied: ‘No.’

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When asked if he had intended to sexually touch anyone, he again answered: ‘No.’

Anna Spencer (pictured right) described her husband as ‘kind’, ‘gentle’ and ‘compassionate’

Mrs Spencer, a teacher, said she had watched CCTV of the alleged incidents at the club and was fully aware of the allegations against her husband. 

She said she had never known him to inappropriately touch, look or make sexual remarks about ‘any woman ever’ in 20 years.  

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‘As a husband Patrick is kind, he’s gentle, he’s compassionate,’ she said.

‘He’s thoughtful, he supports every hobby, phase, whatever it is I choose to do. He makes me feel braver than I really am.

‘He is the most wonderful father, they adore him.’

Asked to describe his personal qualities, Mrs Spencer replied: ‘The first word that comes into my head is kind. He’s kind, he’s honest.’

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A driver has admitted killing a woman in a two-vehicle crash which left two other people seriously injured. Lydia La Polla died in hospital following a crash in Wrexham in March last year. Her husband, Robert, and a teenage passenger were also badly injured in the smash.

In a tribute following her death, the 47-year-old’s family said she had a “true heart of gold” and was “always there for others”.

Michael Connors, of Landen Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving when he appeared in the dock at Mold Crown Court via videolink, having been extradited to the UK following his arrest by the Garda in Dublin. Full details here.

I cook frugal meals a lot, mostly because it means I don’t have to shop every day. There’s always beans and pulses, pasta and rice, eggs, cheese and vegetables in the kitchen, plus a good stock of spices and pots of herbs.

For this recipe, change the herbs you add depending on the time of year. Basil is great in the summer. (Padella is italian for ‘pan’.) 

Casa de Vaca, based in Saville Street, Malton, aims to offer the best of modern dining.

The restaurant, which opened at the end of June, is owned by Emily Queen, who previously ran Chapter Two in Malton’s market place.

Emily said: “I took over my dad’s business, Chapter Two Bar, just over two years ago and completely put my own stamp on it.

“It was a lot of hard work, but it gave me the confidence to take on an even bigger project.”

Emily added: “I’m 30-years-old and have always been passionate about hospitality.

“For years I’ve wanted to open a modern steak and burger restaurant in Malton.

“When the former El Gringos became available, I saw the perfect opportunity to bring that vision to life. “With a huge amount of hard work and help from friends and family, we completely transformed the building into Casa de Vaca.

“I’m very ambitious and determined, and I certainly don’t plan to stop here.

“My aim was to create a stylish, modern steak restaurant using the best local ingredients and British beef, while offering something a little different for Malton. I wanted to create somewhere people could come for great food in a modern, welcoming setting.

“Our first few weeks has honestly exceeded all expectations. We’ve been much busier than we anticipated, and I’ve been overwhelmed by the fantastic feedback, reviews and support from everyone. “It’s been incredible to see people enjoying the restaurant, and it makes all the hard work worthwhile. I have a really positive feeling about what the future holds for Casa de Vaca.”

For more information go to Casa de Vaca on Facebook.

Mr Spencer said in evidence that he cannot recall the incidents at the centre of the trial, but he insisted that he would not have pestered the two women to have a drink with him and asked personal questions of one about her marriage.The women told jurors they were left “shocked” after being grabbed by Mr Spencer, and one said she “froze” when she says her breasts were touched.

A tsunami alert has been triggered following a huge earthquake off the coast of Mexico.

The earthquake hit near the city of Puerto Madero, a redeveloped port area and fast-growing neighbourhood, which is also a site of several high-rise buildings and luxury hotels.

Originally recorded at a 7.4 magnitude, the earthquake was later revised and shifted down to 7.3.

It struck at a ​depth ⁠of 10km (6.21miles), as per the United States Geological Survey (USGS), with tremors felt in Guatemala and El Salvador.