A donkey handler has violently attacked a female activist protesting against the use of the animals to transport tourists on the Greek island of Santorini.
The woman was among a small group of German activists demonstrating on the Karavolades steps – a steep, scenic route where donkeys and mules are used to carry holidaymakers – when the incident unfolded.
Footage appears to show the activist walking away from a man brandishing a stick when he suddenly raises his hand toward her, hits her in the face and pushes her against a wall.
The woman then lets out a scream and falls on to the paved steps as other activists yell: ‘Don’t touch her!’
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She is then seen screaming and crying as onlookers rushed to her aid.
Separate footage taken before the incident shows a group of donkey handlers surrounding the group of activists and telling them not to take photos, as one man appears to shove a camera out of a woman’s hands.
One man is seen holding a stick, while another yells at the activists to leave and threatens to call the police.
The activists are part of the animal rights group Peta. The organisation condemned the incident, which occurred while a small group of female activists were protesting at the steps.
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Footage shows the moment a donkey handler attacked a German Peta activist in Santorini
The shocked woman was seen sitting on the steps crying and covering her face after the attack
Video grab shows one of the donkey handlers holding a stick as he tells the group of activists to leave
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Peta Germany said the men ‘destroyed their protest signs and tried to prevent them from filming further’, adding they ‘roughly grabbed the young women, insulted them and forced them down the steps. At times, they pushed them against a wall. One of them punched one of the young women in the face.’
‘The animal rights activists wanted to make a statement against the exploitation of donkeys as “tourist taxis”. On Santorini, donkeys are forced to drag travellers up the 500 steps from the port of Fira to the town in sweltering heat. The Peta activists planned to demonstrate to locals how to climb the stairs in an innovative and animal-friendly way using robotic legs—so-called exoskeletons,’ it added.
Peta Germany also said it will file criminal charges against the donkey drivers who attacked the activists, and has asked tourists who witnessed the incident to get in touch.
For decades, donkeys and mules in Santorini have made countless journeys up and down hundreds of cobbled steps on the cliff-side path that leads to the town of Fira.
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The plight of the donkeys, which are marched from fields at dawn in hot temperatures, has been condemned by locals and tourists but the practice continues.
In recent years, there has been an increase in donkeys suffering spinal injuries, saddle sores and exhaustion, while images on social media showing overweight tourists riding donkeys have sparked anger.
A five-cabin cable car was introduced on the island leading to donkeys being used less frequently by travellers ascending the steps.
When the volcanic isle became a popular tourist hotspot, attracting up to 17,000 holidaymakers each day from cruise ships, demand for the donkey rides increased again.
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The animals walk up in lines of two to ten, offload at a ‘donkey station’ just before the summit of the steps and then return for their next load, often bumping into walkers or squeezing them into walls that look over steep drops.
In recent years, thousands of people have signed petitions calling for the use of donkeys to carry tourists to be banned.
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Moment enraged donkey owner attacks activist after she vowed to ‘defend’ animals being used to transport tourists in Santorini
Constant scrolling can create more problems than you think.
Many of us are guilty for sitting on our phones or tech devices for hours on end after a long day of work. While it can be an easy way to relax, being on your phone “too much” can actually be having an affect on your health.
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Issuing a warning that some people may want to cut back on their phone usage, ITV’s resident doctor Amir Khan has taken to social media to share his advice.
While he does admit that phones have become a regular part of our daily lives, from keeping in contact with family, checking the news or streaming a new show, it can also be doing more damage than you think.
Taking to TikTok yesterday (September 7), the NHS GP has shared a few ways too much time phone use can affect your health. In the clip, he said: “Phones are amazing. We depend on them for lots of different things and for many people they are a lifeline. But constant scrolling can do more to your body than you think.
Below are five science-backed effects that may make you think twice about spending extra time on your phone after a long day.
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Five ways excessive phone use can impact your health
1. Digital eye strain
Otherwise known as computer vision syndrome, spending too much time on your devices can have an impact on your eye health.
According to Dr Amir, your blink rate can drop up to 60 per cent when you stare at screens. Drying out the surface of your eyes, this can cause headaches, blurred vision and eye fatigue.
To combat this, he recommends taking a break every 20 minutes and to go outside in nature. This will help as your eyes will be able to switch between focusing between items that are nearby and far away.
2. Tech neck and posture changes
The GP said: “Tilting your neck forward by 60 degrees to look at your phone increases the load on your neck to around 27kg. That is like carrying a seven-year-old on your neck all day.”
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Over time, this can lead to muscle strain and could potentially change the curvature of your spine. Along with taking regular breaks, you should aim to do some neck exercises.
3. Sleep disruption
The blue light from your phone screen can suppress melatonin, which signals when it is time to go to sleep. Dr Amir warns that even 30 minutes of phone use before bed can delay you falling asleep, as well reduce deep restorative sleep.
4. Mental Health
The Good Morning Britain doctor adds: “Multiple studies link high screen time with increased rates of anxiety, depression and reduced life satisfaction, especially in teenagers and young adults.”
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Due to constant notifications on our phones, the brain is kept in a state of alert which stops it from resting. It is important to keep meeting up with friends and family in person to keep the connection strong rather than staring blankly at your screen.
5. Reduced physical activity
Quite self explanatory, the more time we spend on your phones the less time we are engaging in physical activity. Constant sedentary behaviour has been linked to a variety of worrying health conditions, such as obesity, higher risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
These concerns can also arise even if you exercise later in the day. The doctor advises moving regularly as “sitting is the new smoking”.
Miriam Margolyes was nonplussed when her comments about the Reform party seemingly provoked some audience members to walk out of a recent Q&A.
Over the weekend, the Bafta winner took part in a public interview in Southend to promote her new book Miriam’s Full English, in which she reflects on modern British society.
Speaking from the stage, the always-unfiltered actor said (in footage that was later shared on TikTok): “Listen, if you think that Reform is going to make things better… fuck off out of ’ere!”
“Learn,” she then urged Reform voters. “Learn a bit about the world that you live in. Learn what it’s like to have nothing. Learn to be poor. Learn. Don’t just blame those of us who try to change things for the better, for caring for our children, for caring for your children…”
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Stopping in her tracks, the Harry Potter actor appeared to have spotted audience members leaving, commenting: “There they go. Are you off? Right… all the best.”
Around a week earlier, Miriam had taken part in an interview with The Mirror, in which she made her feelings on both Reform and its leader Nigel Farage clear.
“I want Britain to be the best of itself. Not the worst,” she claimed. And if Nigel Farage gets to have any position of power, we are going downhill fast. And I don’t want that.”
Miriam continued: “I don’t think he tells the truth, and I think he knows that he doesn’t tell the truth, and that upsets me.
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“If I had a Christian heart, I would say I feel sorry for him. But I don’t. I feel sorry for us, having to listen to the lies. And for some people who don’t have the background to be able to deal with the lies, to know how to sift the truth when it comes, and the lies when they come.”
“He’s bad for Britain. And he must be stopped at all costs,” she concluded.
Speaking from the stage in Southend, Miriam addressed the furore for the first time, insisting that she never wanted to “embarrass or hurt Andi, because he seems very nice” and instead simply hoped to start a conversation about identity.
United focused on bolstering Carrick’s midfield options in the summer window as the club spent around £150 million on the signings of Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba.
Rooney feels United needed to sign a left-back to provide support for Luke Shaw and also insists a new striker was required to ease the burden on Benjamin Sesko, who is yet to start a Premier League game this season.
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‘I just felt, and the Everton game showed me what I felt as well, they [United] were the better team, had a lot of control in the game, but a lack of a No.9, so for whatever reason Sesko is not fully fit, he missed pre-season,’ Rooney said on Stick to United.
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‘Lacking a No.9, full-back position in terms of competition for places.
Wayne Rooney believes Manchester United needed to sign a striker to ease the burden on Benjamin Sesko (PA Wire)
‘I thought Luke Shaw was really good [against Everton], possibly could have got closer for the first goal but I thought he played really well, and that connection with Rashford was good.
‘But I think with Dalot and Mazraoui coming on, for a team who want to compete and compete at the top end of the Premier League, great getting back in the Champions League but you want to get in the Champions League and try to compete as well. Are we going to win the Champions League? Probably not, you never know but probably not.
‘But you want a squad of players who are going to compete and I think Michael has been left short on that.
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‘Luke is not going to play every game, Dalot and Mazraoui coming on at left-back, again, we’re seeing too many players player in unfamiliar positions to them. And I think that’s where the club should have went out and got players to help.
‘You would certainly be asking questions. I know Michael has come out and said he’s happy with the players they’ve got in. I don’t think any manager is happy, you always more more, more players and help for your team on the pitch.
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‘The back line I don’t think is the strongest. Harry Maguire is probably the first-choice centre-back, then you’ve got Martinez who has got his injury problems, Heaven, who has got a lot of potential and I really like but it is potential and we’ve not seen enough of him. Full-back area is a big concern.’
If Ashe can help 23-year-old Shelton earn his first career win over Alcaraz, there is guaranteed to be an American player in the final.
Home stars reaching the men’s semi-finals has not been uncommon this century, but only Taylor Fritz has reached the final – two years ago when he lost to Jannik Sinner – since Roddick was beaten by Roger Federer in the 2006 final.
Tiafoe, who is seeded 11th, lost to Fritz in another all-American semi-final and was also eliminated by Alcaraz at the same stage in 2022.
Now the 28-year-old is aiming for a third opportunity to reach his first Grand Slam final.
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Tiafoe reached the Cincinnati final last month and, thriving off the energy of the New York crowd, has maintained his momentum.
On what it is like to receive such support, he said: “It’s an out-of-body experience, no question. No real explaining that type of feeling.
“It’s like you’re not even touching the ground at one point. Energy is so high, and it seems like the level of play matches that.”
While Tiafoe is one of the sport’s great entertainers, 22-year-old Michelsen is more understated.
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The world number 46 admits he has been happy to fly “under the radar” at Flushing Meadows while the likes of Tiafoe, Shelton, Fritz and Tommy Paul soak up the attention.
But earning a place in a Grand Slam quarter-final for the first time, and not dropping a set on his way, means Michelsen will find himself under the spotlight on Ashe.
“First, second, third rounds, all matches I’m feeling nerves. It’s a human experience,” he said.
“But it’s just about going out there and managing them to the best of my ability. I feel like I’ve done that very well.”
If you thought you needed soil to plant a garden, you’d be mistaken. Forward-thinking gardeners are using leftover builders’ waste – concrete, gravel, sand and the like – to create gardens that are drought-tolerant and full of biodiversity. Here’s how to do it
London’s Horniman Museum and Gardens is located just off a busy A road; buses thunder past at all times of day, while commuters pass on their walk to and from the Overground. With its original 1901 building and clock tower, it’s hard to miss. In fact, head of horticulture Errol Reuben Fernandes calls the entrance gardens their “shop window”. So, filling them with building waste might feel like a bold move.
But for Fernandes it makes perfect sense: so-called ‘rubble gardens’ offer an eco-friendly way to use discarded materials and create a perfect habitat for hardy, drought-resistant plants, something that’s becoming increasingly important as the climate shifts.
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He also believes it can offer something beautiful too: “It was previously quite a monoculture; on one side of the path was Agapanthus, which were beautiful for maybe three weeks of the year, but the rest of the time not doing so much. And on the other side, you had bamboo and phormium; nice enough, but no flowers and no real multi-seasonal change.”
Want to find out more about climate-resilient gardening? Errol Reuben Fernandes, John Little and Nathan Apperley will be speaking at the upcoming Yeo Valley Organic Garden Festival from 17-19 September. Hear from a host of expert gardeners on the future of nature-friendly gardening Find out more
Now, with the help of 25 tonnes of waste concrete aggregate from a path redevelopment, the team has planted a diverse selection of xerophytes – plant species that are well-adapted to life without much water. At the Horniman, the selection hails from across the Mediterranean, as well as Peru, Chile, Bolivia and Mexico. “Plants in those regions often experience very hot summers and very cold winters,” Fernandes explains.
The Horniman isn’t the only one experimenting. Over in Malmö, Sweden, garden designer Peter Korn has pioneered the use of sand-based planting, while ‘brownfield gardening guru’ John Little has taken an innovative approach to these types of sites from his base in Essex. It feels like alternative garden designs are on the up, but this isn’t entirely true. After all, it was back in the ‘90s that leading gardeners Beth Chatto and Derry Watkins first experimented with gravel gardens.
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For Nathan Apperley, head gardener at Yeo Valley Organic, rubble gardening is something that could have much wider implications for the way we design and build new homes. Last year, more than 40,000 new houses were built in England, but Apperley says the gardens of these homes can often leave incoming residents disheartened.
“Gardens on new build sites are notoriously bad,” he explains. “The house gets finished and then the builders will chuck over some topsoil and lay lawn from fence to fence, which will obviously fail. Because beneath that topsoil is often a poorly draining, compacted subsoil. This is hugely discouraging for the owner. Instead we should be inspiring people.” There is an alternative to the typical, lush English sort of garden that people are used to, which is also really beneficial for wildlife, explains Apperley. Rubble gardens, with their natural, wild feel, tend to attract diverse populations of bees, beetles and other insects like spiders. “Spiders and their predators create a brilliant little ecosystem,” he says.
Like Fernandes, Apperley and his team are building their own rubble experiment at Yeo Valley Organic’s home farm in Blagdon, Somerset. Using crushed building site materials, they’re creating something “totally different” to the rest of the garden. It’s still a work in progress, with the team getting used to techniques such as planting with pickaxes, but the results through the drought this year have been “incredible”, he says. Apperley will be speaking alongside Fernandes about rubble gardening at a panel discussion during the Yeo Valley Organic Garden Festival this September.
Professionals are getting in on the trend, but these gardens aren’t just for public enjoyment. Elizabeth Waddington is a permaculture designer based in Scotland, who focuses on creating regenerative spaces with long-term resilience. “My husband and I have been doing up this old stone barn for many years,” she says. “And, as we were doing it, there was quite a lot of waste material, so we just ended up with a pile of rubble at the front and I left a heap of the spoils.”
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It’s since become home to a plethora of native wildflowers, and much fewer weeds than you might expect in a composted garden. “It’s not a manicured garden, it’s not going to be exactly the same as a really fertile bed. It looks like a hedgerow bank, or a wildflower meadow. That’s what happened without any intervention of planting.”
Fernandes agrees that rubble gardens might look a little different to what we’re used to, but that’s all part of the charm. He recommends explaining the vision to your neighbours.
“If you’ve got a great big heap of concrete, before it’s planted it can raise a lot of eyebrows,” he says, recalling a 92-year-old visitor who questioned the team’s pollinator garden. “She was asking me when we were going to remove it. I had to explain that actually it was quite purposeful and that we’re keeping it. But I think that intrigue is really important, that dialogue helps people to understand.”
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5 steps to create your own rubble garden
Designing a beautiful space from waste materials isn’t too tricky, but you will get better results if you plan ahead. Here are Errol Reuben Fernandes’ top tips.
1. Use the right waste
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Using materials that otherwise would have gone to landfill is a key part of rubble gardens’ eco credentials, but it’s important this isn’t offset by how far the material has travelled. “Wherever possible, we should be avoiding buying in waste material,” stresses Fernandes. “It’s really great if you can utilise what you have on site.”
If you’re not currently in possession of building waste, you could also team up with someone else in the local area. “We’re constantly building, doing construction in our cities. Wherever possible, strive to keep things as local as possible,” he adds.
Image: Yeo Valley Organic
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2. Shape your waste
While you can just let nature take its course, shaping your raw materials can make a big difference to a garden’s success. Ideally, you’ll want rubble of a variety of different sizes. Fernandes recommends looking at local tool libraries for equipment that can make the job easier, but that “taking out your frustrations with a good mallet” is also an option.
Image: Errol Reuben Fernandes
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3. Choose appropriate plants
“It really is about plant selection,” stresses Fernandes, though he highlights that many common garden favourites can work well. The bold purple bulbs of Iris reticulata, for example, can offer colour in the early spring. And Echinaceas, also known as coneflowers, can actually perform better in rubble than soil. Other plants that have adapted to desert-like conditions include the Ethiopian Acanthus sennii, with its striking red flowers, the delicate and wiry Polygonum scoparium, or the wooly and carpeting lamb’s ear.
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Image: Errol Reuben Fernandes
4. Mould a layered base
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How you layer your waste materials is just as important as what you choose to plant in them. “We’ve mounded and heaped it,” explains Fernandes. “What that does is it creates a varied opportunity for growing a broad range of different species.” Crucially, you’ll want at least some of your rubble garden to be south-facing.
Then, create layers. Start with larger material at the bottom, getting finer and finer as you reach the surface. This allows you to build in drainage, and helps xerophytes survive wet British winters, something they’d struggle with in traditional soil.
Image: Errol Reuben Fernandes
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5. Bed in properly
Finally, when it comes to planting, leave the compost at the garden centre. “It can feel sort of difficult, but you have to trust the process,” Fernandes explains. “Get rid of much of the soil that is in the pot; shake off the soil. And then you plant directly into aggregate.”
After an initial water, something he calls “puddling in”, it should take care of itself. He explains: “You fill the hole with water, you put the plant in, put some aggregate around, and then you’re watering in really, really well. But beyond that first year, you probably won’t need to water any more.”
Man Utd fans are set to protest against the club’s treatment of season-ticket holders amid the ticket-touting operation fiasco
Manchester United fans are set to protest against the club’s controversial operation to tackle ticket touting before facing Manchester City on Sunday afternoon.
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United received widespread backlash from some of their most loyal supporters in July following the launch of an investigation into touting, which caught some innocent fans in the crossfire.
The club described their operation to address touting as “successful”, but recognised that “some innocent supporters may have been affected” and apologised for the inconvenience during the process.
The Manchester Evening News spoke to several angry United season ticket holders across the summer following emails from the club alleging they had broken ticketing terms and conditions.
Now, United supporter group The 1958 have announced they will protest against the ‘season ticket banning crackdown’ before the Manchester derby, declaring that ‘a line has been crossed’.
A spokesman confirmed: “Manchester United supporter groups are being called upon to all stand together following reports of bans and season ticket sanctions without clear and compelling evidence always being presented.
“For generations, match-going Reds have given their time, money and loyalty to Manchester United, home and away. That loyalty deserves to be treated with respect.”
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The 1958 have urged supporters to gather peacefully outside The Bishop Blaize pub near Old Trafford in a show of unity from 3pm on Sunday.
The spokesperson added: “This is not about one group or one individual. It is about how Manchester United treats its match-going supporters. It may not affect you today, it may not next time but that day is coming for all of us.
“ALL REDS. ALL GROUPS. ONE VOICE. SHOW THE EVIDENCE. LIFT THE BANS.
“Supporters are now facing serious sanctions which can remove their right to attend matches. We believe nobody should face such action without being told clearly what they are accused of and being shown the evidence used to justify it.
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“This goes beyond individual supporters or supporter groups. If this approach is allowed to stand, it should concern every match-going Red.
“Whatever differences have existed between supporter groups in the past, this is a time to put them aside. A call has gone out for Manchester United supporter groups, Fans’ Forum representatives, supporters’ clubs and independent fan organisations to stand together on a simple principle:
“If there is clear, substantive evidence of serious wrongdoing or organised ticket touting, show it. No loyal supporter should be treated as guilty without being given a fair opportunity to understand and challenge the case against them.”
Over the years, I’ve accumulated various Carl Friedrik luggage items, including the carry-on hybrid in silver and tan, the Granville weekender in chestnut, and the compact weekender in nubuck. Durable, stylish and designed for ease while on the go, this trio has travelled with me around the world, from Marrakech to Vietnam and Australia.
Ioan Rhsy Jones general secretary of teaching union UCAC, said: “Whatever your views on Pisa as a way of assessing education, this year’s results are disappointing.
“However, it must be acknowledged that Pisa only provides a quick snapshot of the education system, across a limited range of skills. We must also remember that only a sample of schools participate in these tests every three years.
“Having said that, it is clear that there is a need to plan improvements, and attention should be accorded to basic skills across the country.
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We can only hope that the Curriculum for Wales, once fully established, will provide
a solid foundation for learners and that the new Foundation Literacy and Numeracy
Framework will be a means to plan, benchmark, and ensure national improvement in
the years to come.
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It is crucial that all improvement plans consider all aspects of education, including
the community and the home. We would welcome robust financial investment in our
schools, therefore leading ultimately to an improvement in standards. The education
workforce is currently working hard under challenging circumstances. Hopefully, we
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will see the present government appreciating the importance of investing in
education, thus providing solid and strong foundations for our students, who are our
A family of six has fled ‘apocalyptic’ wildfires in Suffolk just days after being forced to do the same by forest blazes in France.
Firefighters have been tackling the blaze in Dunwich Heath, near Leiston, since Wednesday evening, with hundreds of holidaymakers and scores of residents evacuated.
The fire, which is now the size of 210 football pitches, is a few miles away from Sizewell B and the construction site for the new Sizewell C – but authorities insist there is no risk of the fire spreading towards the power station.
While the cause is not yet known, the blaze started on an RSPB wetland reserve before spreading on to the coastal heathland.
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Jo Arkle, 42, a renewable energy sector worker whose family from Norfolk had just arrived in Dunwich for a break but were now reloading suitcases into their car, said: ‘It’s time to go.
‘This is the second time we had to evacuate – we had to leave France before we came here. We thought we’d stick it out a little longer and see what happens.’
She and her family were close to Cotignac in France last week, where wildfires have burned across 42,000 hectares.
She added: ‘It’s quite stressful, definitely. You realise quite quickly there’s nothing you can do about it. The smoke was coming up right across here.’
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One of the family’s teenagers said: ‘It’s scary when you go to bed. You don’t know if it’s going to get worse overnight.’
Dozens of farmers have joined efforts to slow the progress of the ‘apocalyptic’ fire with many using their tractors to transport water bowsers.
Richard Negus, a hedgelayer, told the Daily Mail: ‘We got contacted across Suffolk through the farm watch network to ask if we had water bowsers to help with the wildfire.’
‘So farmers put their combine harvesters down and joined the efforts at Dunwich Heath. Farmers did what they do when we’re asked to bring kit and they all rushed to the fire and the farmers managed to help get it under control.’
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Today, another fire has broken out at Middlewick Ranges near Colchester in Essex. Firefighters are currently at the scene battling to bring the blaze under control.
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Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service said the blaze at Dunwich Heath, Suffolk covered around 24 acres, but today this had increased to the size of 210 football pitches
A helicopter drops water on the wildfire. It is understood the fire started on an RSPB wetland reserve with the cause of the ‘apocalyptic’ blaze not yet known
Drone footage shows the scorched woodland surrounding a caravan park in Suffolk
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Firefighters tackle the blaze at Dunwich Heath. Heroic stories are emerging of how dozens of farmers joined efforts to slow the progress of the fire
Pictured: A tractor joins emergency vehicles to tackle the blaze in Suffolk. Dozens of farmers have joined efforts to slow the progress of the ‘apocalyptic’ fire
Mr Negus also claimed that one volunteer found ‘remnants of an open fire’: ‘[The open fire] shows people aren’t aware of the consequences of their activity.
‘Our site team has been working alongside the emergency services, surveying the areas the fire has been through – it’s complete devastation.’
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Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service said today crews and officers remained at the incident. The service said the fire remained a ‘dynamic incident’ but appeared to be ‘stabilising’ today.
Fire crews from London, Essex and West Yorkshire have joined local firefighters and helicopters – which were seen scooping up seawater in an effort to bring the wildfires under control.
Ms Arkle said that communication had been better in France, including alerts sent to their phones, adding: ‘There’’s no reception here, no wifi, so that’s why we decided to go. Without power, how do we know unless we get a knock on the door?’
Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service has thanked the ‘firefighters, specialist equipment and resources’ that had been sent to work alongside its crews.
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‘We are incredibly grateful for the support they have provided during this challenging incident,’ it said.
‘We would also like to thank the many local businesses, farmers, volunteers, community groups and partner agencies who have stepped forward to help. Whether it’s been donating food and drinks, lending equipment, providing practical support, or helping to look after those affected by the incident, people have gone above and beyond.’
Adam Rowlands, RSPB area manager in Suffolk, said: ‘We know right across the heathland that risk is there at this time of year when the habitat is so dry […] that first spark emerged from the RSPB land and that’s devastating to know.’
He also warned that it could take 25 years for the area around Dunwich Heath to recover.
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‘The problem is [the area] will look like a scene of devastation afterwards. All the vegetation will go and the majority of those birds will lose the places where they nest,’ he told BBC News.
Mr Rowlands added: ‘Some of that habitat will take five, 10, 25 years to come back to what it looked like before the fire broke out yesterday afternoon.’
National trust said that ‘Total devastation’ is the most likely outcome of the fire.
Matt Wilson, the charity’s countryside manager for Suffolk, said: ‘The impact on this site in particular is looking to be fairly catastrophic, to be perfectly honest.
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A helicopter flies water collected from the sea to drop on the wildfire at Dunwich Heath, near Leiston, close to the Sizewell B. Fire crews warned that the blaze near the nuclear power plant was still a ‘dynamic incident’
An update from Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service this morning said that ‘crews and officers remained at the incident overnight’ and that they ‘maintained a watching brief during darkness’
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The fire in Suffolk is seen from a plane flying over the area yesterday morning
‘The fire is estimated to be 150 hectares [371 acres], but the whole of Dunwich Heath owned by the National Trust is just over 100 hectares [247 acres].
‘So we’re looking at total devastation across the National Trust site.’
Meanwhile, residents and holidaymakers in Suffolk have been warned to keep their windows and doors closed due to the risk of heavy smoke and falling ash.
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Around 50 people have been evacuated from their homes and a local holiday park to Westleton, whose village hall now serves as a rest centre.
Speaking to local media, Freddie Gulliver, from the Suffolk Joint Emergency Planning Unit, said there is currently no concern of the fire spreading towards Sizewell B.
Mr Gulliver also told journalists that the local community has been ‘absolutely fantastic’ in opening up their homes, adding only a few people will need to stay in the rest centre on Thursday night.
He praised the local people that run the village hall, adding: ‘They’ve been absolutely brilliant at looking after everyone, so I want to stress my thanks and gratitude to everyone involved.’
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Mr Gulliver added that the fire service is ‘confident’ it is tackling the blaze, including by filling trenches with water and dropping thousands of litres of seawater from helicopters.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the county’s fire service will have ‘all of the support’ they need in tackling the blaze.
Meanwhile, Green Party leader Zack Polanski called for Mr Burnham to host an emergency Cobra meeting to discuss the outbreak of wildfires in Britain, including in Suffolk.
On Thursday afternoon, an EDF spokesperson gave reassurances that the fire was ‘not affecting operations at Sizewell B power station’.
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The energy supplier said it was ‘closely monitoring the situation’ and it is understood Sizewell B has an emergency plan in place that covers a range of scenarios including a fire on site.
Pictured: A fire at at Middlewick Ranges near Colchester in Essex. Firefighters are currently at the scene battling to bring the blaze under control
Fire crews are seen battling a fire in Romford, east London, yesterday where around 30 acres of grassland were destroyed
Suffolk County Council said Cliff House Holiday Park, containing some 200 caravans, had been completely evacuated as a precaution.
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Lisa Gordon, 54, on holiday with her husband and dog in their touring caravan, evacuated from Cliff House Holiday Park on Wednesday night.
Mrs Gordon said: ‘Just looking at the pictures… it’s quite worrying how close it is to the park now.
‘It’s a car, it’s a caravan, and it’s insured but at the end of the day it’s a lot of hassle, isn’t it?
‘They are things that can be replaced. But it’s not the relaxing day we thought we’d be having.’
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She said that when she and her husband were told to leave the holiday park, they could see smoke behind the trees.
Mrs Gordon added: ‘It was only as we walked to reception to meet the police that all of a sudden it kind of hit us.
‘So where we were it didn’t seem too bad at all. We weren’t really panicking at all.
‘But as we got to sort of the reception and the entrance, then the smoke hit and we had to drive with the police through quite a lot of smoke.’
Martin Harris, 80, and his wife Sheila Harris, 76, who have visited Dunwich Cliffs Estate holiday park for more than 40 years, said they only had time to pack their medication before leaving their static caravan.
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Mrs Harris said they saw a ‘glow’, adding: ‘It went from just being in the distance, and suddenly we were just covered in this black, and it was really scary so we just wanted to get out, really.’
She added: ‘Yesterday, I had a really bad moment because I suddenly thought: ‘I’ve been on (the caravan) site since 1980.’
‘And I thought: “If the caravan goes, then no chance of affording another one”.
‘I want to make the decision when I leave forever. I don’t want it taken out of my hands.’
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She added: ‘I’ve never, ever wanted to go home in all the years I’ve been coming, but today I just want to go home.’
Mr Harris said they were lucky to get a room in a bed and breakfast.
He continued: ‘A lot of people, they had to sleep in their cars.
‘The people of Westleton have been fantastic. I don’t know what we’d have done without them.’
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The couple plan to go home to Uxbridge in west London after collecting some belongings on Friday afternoon, but said they will return to their caravan in two weeks for another visit.
The fire service posted a video of damage caused by the blaze, with parts of RSPB Minsmere nature reserve, showing blackened trees and scorched ground.
Fires have also been raging in east London – where around 30 acres of grassland were destroyed in a blaze in Romford on Thursday, and a further ten acres were damaged in Rainham.
London Fire Brigade reported a second wildfire had broken out in Rainham in the afternoon, while a grass fire in Hornchurch burned across 15 acres.
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The fire is now under control, and its cause is currently under investigation.
The number of wildfire incidents recorded this year already matches the total annual figures seen in 2021, 2023 and 2024 combined.
But the number is below the same point in 2025 when long-lasting drought and heat caused severe fire risk.
Temperatures soared across parts of the UK on Wednesday, reaching into the 30s in some places as Britain baked in its fourth heatwave of a record-breaking summer.
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Suffolk has only received 2 per cent of its average monthly rainfall for July so far, according to the Met Office.
The forecaster said on Thursday afternoon other counties have recorded as low as one per cent or zero per cent of average rainfall for July, with Friday being the last day of the month.
Going into the weekend, temperatures will be cooler and closer to average for this time of year.
Ceuta, on Morocco’s northern coast, is separated from mainland Spain by the Strait of Gibraltar and has long been a focal point for migrants attempting to reach Europe.
Local officials had appealed to Madrid for help after a recent rise in attempted crossings, but there were chaotic scenes on Thursday as border controls apparently broke down.
Videos and images from Thursday show thousands of people swimming into the city, while local media reported crossings continuing into Friday.
The astonishing estimation by Spanish officials suggests the number of migrants who entered into Ceuta in the last day or so could be more than half of the population of the city – which sits at around 83,600 according to the latest local figures.
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Spain has now deployed its armed forces to bolster security in Ceuta and at its sister city of Melilla, where between 300 to 400 crossings were also reported overnight.
Speaking on Friday during a visit to Ceuta, the prime minister condemned the crossings and said it was an attack on Spain’s territorial integrity.
Sánchez added that the government would be looking at reinforcing the border with Morocco.
The prime minister blamed the dangerous events on criminal networks manipulating the Supreme Court’s recent ruling, adding that incorrect information had “spread like wildfire in recent hours”.
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He said authorities in Morocco were co-operating with plans to return those who had entered illegally.
Ceuta and Melilla trace their Spanish past to the 15th Century, and they have enjoyed a limited degree of self-government since 1995.
Coveted by Morocco, they have long been a flashpoint in diplomatic relations between the two countries.
They form the European Union’s only land borders with Africa.
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