Fire crews were called to the scene of the fire at a Welsh primary school early on Wednesday morning

Children had to be evacuated from a playgroup after a fire broke out at a Welsh school during the summer holidays. Huge flames and billows of thick smoke were seen coming from windows of Awel Y Mor Primary School in Port Talbot on Wednesday morning.

Multiple fire crews rushed to the scene shortly after 10am. Before they arrived, staff at a Flying Start group being held at the school jumped into action to evacuate children who were at the Lots of Tots holiday club, which was being held in a separate part of the school.

The group will be cancelled for the rest of the week as a result of the fire.

A post from the group said thanked staff “for their calm and professional evacuation of the children”.

A video shows flames billowing from a window of the primary school, where scaffolding is currently erected. Stay informed on everything Neath Port Talbot by signing up to our newsletter here

Firefighters from Port Talbot, Neath Swansea Central, Morriston and Swansea West Fire Stations worked to bring the blaze under control, before leaving the scene at around 12.45pm.

A spokeswoman for Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said: “At 10.10am on Wednesday, July 22, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service crews from Port Talbot, Neath Swansea Central, Morriston and Swansea West Fire Stations were called to an incident at Awel Y Mor Primary School, Port Talbot.

“Crews responded to a fire within Sandwich Panels of the school. Crews utilised four breathing apparatus sets and two hose reel jets, turntable ladder and water bowser to extinguish the fire.

“Crews left the scene at 12.43pm.”

A post from the Lots of Tots group read: “Following the fire in the main school building, we’ll remain closed for the rest of this week. We’ll assess the damage and plan for the safe return of children and staff to the undamaged playgroup. A reopening date or decision can’t be made until a full assessment is complete.

“Finally, a massive thank you to the staff for their calm and professional evacuation of the children and ensuring everyone’s safety.”

Neath Port Talbot Council has been approached for comment.

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The cause and manner of 18-year-old Nolan Wells’ death was ruled “undetermined” pending further investigation in an independent autopsy commissioned by his family.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the Wells family, announced the preliminary findings Wednesday at the annual NAACP National Convention in Chicago.

The autopsy report showed no evidence of fractures or deep tissue injuries, Crump said. It described a “red discoloration” in the back of Wells’ skull as “inconclusive” and meriting further investigation.

Without further information, the forensic pathologist, Dr. Roger Mitchell, wrote that he could not rule out the possibility that “non-accidental factors contributed to or caused the death.”

Wells had traveled to an island off the coast of Mississippi on July 4 with a group of friends, who later returned to the mainland without him. His body was discovered two days later floating off the island’s coast.

In his report, the pathologist pointed to several challenges inherent to the independent autopsy, including the decomposition of the body and outstanding questions about whether Wells was conscious when he entered the water.

Because an initial autopsy was performed by the medical examiner in Mississippi, Wells’ body arrived without organs or neck structures — making it impossible to determine if he had suffered a neck injury or whether water had entered his lungs, according to the report, which notes that the practice is not unusual.

Still, the revelation, relayed by Crump, prompted gasps from the crowd of several hundred in Chicago. The attorney called on state officials to provide that evidence for the family to review as part of their own independent investigation.

The Mississippi medical examiner, which has not released the results of the state autopsy, did not return a message seeking comment.

The second autopsy was paid for by former NFL player Colin Kaepernick, whose group Know Your Rights Camp has paid for other independent autopsies.

“This is only another part of the puzzle, and even though it tells us significant information, we still have more questions than we have answers at this time,” Crump said of the results.

The still-unknown circumstances around Wells’ death have touched off rampant online speculation and prompted calls from Black leaders for transparency from local authorities. Wells, who was Black, had traveled to the island with a group of high school friends, all of whom are white.

A reward of $125,000 — jointly funded by the Rev. Al Sharpton, actor and producer Tyler Perry and former NFL player Terrell Owens — is now being offered in exchange for information leading to an arrest and conviction in connection with the death.

The autopsy announcement comes two days after Wells was laid to rest in his hometown of Ocean Springs, Mississippi.

In his eulogy, Sharpton lamented the “inconsistencies and unanswered questions” that had placed a dark cloud over the grieving family.

He questioned why Wells’ friends had left him behind, taken his phone and keys and failed to report him missing. And he suggested local investigators had spoken prematurely in statements to the news media indicating no crime was suspected.

“The reason that a lot of people across the nation are looking at this Nolan situation is because we’re looking at the history in Mississippi,” Sharpton added. “We can’t have someone in law enforcement saying there was no foul play before there was an investigation.”

Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said initial interviews suggested Wells chose to stay on the island and that his friends believed he would get a ride with someone else. He has said the friends were cooperating with the investigation, which remains ongoing.

“We are trying to be respectful and collaborative as much as we can,” Crump said. “But it’s always troublesome to all of us when these investigations just take forever.”

The captain decided to return to Spain about 30 minutes after departure “due to the danger” the fight “posed to the safety of the flight”, the air traffic controller said.

Police met flight EZY3352 when it touched down at Tenerife South airport on Tuesday evening, per the crew’s request.

The 186-passenger aircraft then continued to Liverpool.

The air traffic controller said in its statement, originally written in Spanish: “Our full support goes out to the crews and passengers who are increasingly having to endure these situations.”

EasyJet said the plane “returned to the airport and was met by police due to a group of passengers behaving disruptively.

“The flight then continued to Liverpool.”

The airline added: “Our cabin and ground crew are trained to assess all situations and to act quickly and appropriately to ensure that the safety of the flight and other customers is not compromised at any time.

“We take these incidents very seriously and do not tolerate disruptive behaviour towards our staff.

“The safety and wellbeing of customers and crew is always our highest priority.”

Air traffic control also said: “The crew of the flight from Tenerife South to Liverpool, after about 30 minutes of flight, informed us that they needed to return to the airport and requested police presence upon arrival.

“A group of about 10 passengers had started a fight on board, and the captain decided to return due to the danger it posed to the safety of the flight.

“We expedited their return as much as possible while coordinating with the airport for police presence.

“They landed and cleared runway 07 without incident.”

John Hallimond, of Weardale Street, Spennymoor, appeared at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court on July 17.

He pleaded guilty to driving a Kia Sportage while disqualified and without insurance on Market Place, Wolsingham, on July 16.

The court heard Hallimond had shown “a flagrant disregard for court orders”, which led magistrates to impose a six-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.

He must also complete up to 15 days of rehabilitation activities as instructed by his supervising officer.

In addition, Hallimond was banned from driving for 16 months and ordered to pay £85 in costs to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Hallimond’s early guilty plea was taken into account when imposing the sentence. 

A cut-price cruise missile containing engines bought from landfill sites is threatening to level the playing field in Ukraine‘s war against Putin‘s forces.

FP-5 Flamingo missiles are allowing Zelensky‘s men to hit targets deep into Russian territory for the first time, as foreign correspondent Chris Pleasance explains in the latest episode of the Daily Mail’s War On Tape.

The projectile’s distinctive name stems from the fact that prototypes were painted bright pink to make them easier to retrieve, while FP is the initials of the manufacturer Fire Point. 

The missile’s power and range are so extensive that many analysts initially refused to believe that they were real. 

 At 45 foot long and with a wingspan of 20 feet, the Flamingo is one of the largest and heaviest cruise missiles ever created.

The projectile weighs six metric tonnes, with a one-tonne warhead, and can fly at speeds of up to 600mph. It is likely its heaviness that gives the missile its signature ‘S’-shaped flight path.

But such power and speed also comes on a budget. Each Flamingo costs around $500,000.

The missile is powered by an Ivcheno AI-25TL engine, originally designed by the Soviets for their training aircraft. Many were scrapped at the end of their service life, so Ukraine bought them from landfill at a cut price. 

Prototypes were painted bright pink to make them easier to retrieve, earning them them their distinctive nickname. Pictured: Two members of a Czech endowment fund for Ukraine look at a Flamingo cruise missile at the Fire Point secret factory at an undisclosed location

Workers inspect a Flamingo cruise missile at Fire Point’s secret factory in Ukraine on Monday, August 18, 2025

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In comparison, America’s Tomahawk cruise missile is less than half that size, packs less than half the explosive payload, and costs almost four times as much.

The Flamingos are made of carbon fibre strands woven together by machines and so can be assembled quickly. 

Kyiv claims to be currently manufacturing three Flamingos a day, with the aim of increasing that to seven.

Pleasance said: ‘You can begin to see why this missile caused such a stir when it was first unveiled, and why some people refused to believe it was real. 

‘Because the Flamingo fills a large and sophisticated gap in Ukraine’s arsenal: long-range precision strike weapons.’

He added: ‘On a near daily basis, Russia pummels Ukraine with all manner of long-range precision weapons: cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles, even experimental missiles like the Oresnik. These are fast-moving, difficult to shoot down.

‘So there’s a whole domain of warfare in which Russia can cause immense damage to Ukraine, but in which Ukraine cannot damage Russia. At least that is until now. 

‘The Flamingo fills this gap in three ways. First, it has a very long range. Second, it has a very large warhead. And third, it is Ukrainian-made.’

The Flamingo has a range of 1,900 miles – significantly beyond America’s ATACMS, Britain’s Storm Shadow or France’s Scalp missiles. 

A graphic detailing the Flamingo missile’s technical specifications and the sites of some of the strikes it has been used in

Pleasance said: ‘To say the Flamingo has a long range is perhaps understating things. It isn’t just comparable to the long-range Western weapons that Ukraine has been given in the past, it is significantly better.’ 

He added: ‘It is in an entirely different league, and puts virtually the entire western portion of Russia within striking distance. 

‘That means Ukraine can now hit strategically important factories, oil refineries, and military bases, large numbers of which are based in this region, and of course, both of Russia’s most important cities. Moscow and St. Petersburg.’ 

The Flamingo does not contain GPS or GNSS, or a terrain-scanning system like the Tomahawk, but has achieved remarkable military success during its short lifespan.

Ukraine’s first Flamingo strikes took place in late August 2025 and targeted an outpost in Crimea, around 65 miles behind the front line.

Three missiles were launched, two arrived on target, and one scored a hit, satellite images later revealed.

While the target held little value in and of itself, it proved the Flamingo’s capabilities beyond doubt. 

The next strike came a little over three weeks later, in September 2025, when a Flamingo missile hit a factory in Belgorod, Russia, around 40 miles from the front line, which makes components for Russian fighter jets.

The launch of a Ukrainian long-range FP-5 Flamingo missile, which represents a major advance in the country’s strike capabilities

Four missiles were launched. All four arrived on target, and photos from the scene showed fires inside the factory, suggesting significant damage was caused.

Russia then claimed two further attacks took place in October. It seems one failed when the missiles were shot down, while it is unclear where the other missile landed.

In November, the missiles were used again, this time against the Oryol power plant, more than 100 miles behind the front. 

Four were launched, all four arrived on target, but all of them were shot down during the final phase of the attack, raining fiery debris on the city. 

Further strikes in December and January saw Flamingos fired almost 400 miles behind the front line, one of which struck the firing range that Russia uses for its Oresnik missiles. 

The pattern appears to be that each strike pushes slightly further into Russian territory, testing the Flamingo’s range. 

Two more strikes took place in February, and both scored hits, destroying two significant facilities in the process. 

First, the Kotlaban ammunition storage, a little over 300 miles from the front was blown up, and then the Votkinsk missile factory was also badly damaged. 

The second strike was particularly significant because it occurred more than 800 miles from the front line, much further than Ukraine has been able to strike ever before, even with Western weapons. 

A further strike in March targeted the Chebyevsk ammunition factory, more than 600 miles away. And while two missiles arrived on target, neither of them hit it. 

An explosion from a Ukrainian strike on Orlovskaya Thermal Power Station in Russia’s Oryol region in January, a site known to have been hit by Flamingo missiles

The last reported strike occurred in May, targeting the Cheboksari factory that makes navigation components for Russian military vehicles. 

Six missiles were launched, and one landed a hit on the factory, but the extent of damage remains unknown.

Pleasance said: ‘Overall, the hype is very real. Flamingos exist and are broadly capable of everything Ukraine said they would be capable of doing. 

‘They have been used in at least eight strikes over the last nine months, of which five caused significant damage. For the first time since the war began, Ukraine now has a long-range precision strike weapon in its arsenal over which it has full control. 

‘Russia can no longer launch missiles into Ukraine with impunity. Kyiv can and will hit back. The tide of this war is slowly but surely beginning to tilt back in Ukraine’s favour.’ 

By SOPHIE GABLE, US REPORTER

Published: 19:33 BST, 22 July 2026 | Updated: 20:17 BST, 22 July 2026

A retired female teacher was enjoying a walk at a local school when she was ‘violently struck’ and killed by a 45-foot pole, her family alleges in a new lawsuit against the district. 

Paula Budin, who was 73 at the time, died on December 5, 2024, after she was struck by a pole while walking at Roxborough High School’s track in Philadelphia, according to a civil complaint obtained by the Daily Mail. 

Her sister, Joyce Siegel, filed a lawsuit in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas last Friday, alleging that Budin’s death was a result of negligence by the School District of Philadelphia and the company hired to inspect the school’s facilities.  

Just after 11am on December 5, 2024, a witness saw Budin lying on the grass unresponsive and called 911. Paramedics rushed to the scene and found the former teacher ‘lying on the ground and bleeding from the back of her head,’ according to the complaint. 

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Emergency responders attempted life-saving measures and transported her to Temple University Hospital, but she was pronounced dead about an hour later, complaint continues.  

An autopsy later concluded that Budin’s cause of death was ‘multiple blunt force injuries,’ and it was ruled an accident, according to the lawsuit. 

Siegel’s lawyers allege that the school district removed all of the poles after Budin’s death. 

They wrote in the lawsuit that they inspected the four poles and found that the one that snapped was manufactured in 1997. 

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Paula Budin, a retired elementary school teacher, died in 2024 after she was allegedly struck by a pole while walking 

Budin was found at the Roxborough High School track. Her sister has alleged that the pole that struck her was not properly inspected 

A wrongful death lawsuit alleges that stormwater runoff decayed the pole that allegedly killed Budin 

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‘There were no inspection tags anywhere on the subject pole indicated that the pole had never been inspected and therefore not properly maintained by the School District of Philadelphia,’ the lawsuit alleges. 

Siegel’s lawyers argued that the base of the pole was located close to a storm drain and runoff water caused it to deteriorate. They alleged that the pole was ‘almost completely rotted’ where it snapped. 

‘The School District of Philadelphia knew or should have known of the dangerous condition of the subject pole as there were visible signs of its decay as far back as 2014,’ the lawsuit alleges. 

‘Despite this actual and/or constructive knowledge and their appreciation of that risk of catastrophic harm, the district did not take corrective action nor did it warn students or members of the community of the risk of catastrophic harm,’ it continued.

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The lawsuit also places blame on Parsons Corporation, which inspected Roxborough High and the track in 2015 and issued a 79-page review two years later. However, Parsons allegedly repeatedly failed to inspect the subject poles.

The lawyers in the lawsuit included images showing how close the pole allegedly was to a drain 

The lawsuit claims that the School District of Philadelphia ‘knew or should have known of the dangerous condition of the subject pole’ 

The district and Parsons are both accused of one count of negligence and one count of wrongful death. 

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Four ‘John Does’ have also been named in the lawsuit. The attorneys noted that they could not pin down exactly who installed the pole or the drain inlet. 

Budin’s family is seeking compensatory damages and a jury trial. The defendants have yet to respond to the complaint.

The lawsuit describes Budin as someone who ‘enjoyed an active lifestyle.’ Before retirement, she taught elementary schoolers at the Community Partnership School. 

The Daily Mail has reached out to Siegel, the School District of Philadelphia, Parsons and the lawyers involved in the suit for comment. 

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The upcoming season of Ted Lasso is introducing brand new characters — but the series’ star and co-creator Jason Sudeikis had to say goodbye to the previous cast first.

Apple TV’s hit series was supposed to end with its 2023 finale as Sudeikis’s titular character returned to the U.S. after three seasons as coach of a British men’s soccer team.

Instead, Sudeikis and his fellow co-creators began to brainstorm about continuing the show. Eventually, they landed on a fourth season centering on an all-female team, the cast and creators told The Hollywood Reporter in an article published Wednesday.

However, the new creative direction meant that the fictional AFC Richmond team at the center of the first seasons would not return. Sudeikis, 50, was tasked with explaining that to the actors who played those teammates in “very difficult” individual phone calls, he told THR.

“Because I didn’t want them to hear it on the internet,” the Saturday Night Live alum told the outlet. “And because I love those guys and we all went through something together.”

Although the old team will not be coming back to the show, lead actors including Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Jeremy Swift, Juno Temple and Brett Goldstein will all be returning for the long-awaited fourth installment.

Currently, there is no update to whether supporting actors Toheeb Jimoh (Sam), Cristo Fernández (Dani), Kola Bokinni (Isaac) and Billy Harris (Colin) will return, although Jimoh joked that he expected his character to have a funeral in the new episodes. Plus, potential guest appearances still remain on the table.

The Independent has reached out to Apple TV for further comment.

Phil Dunster, who played Jamie Tartt, will also be absent from season four due to scheduling conflicts with his role in Steve Carell’s comedy Rooster, it was announced earlier this year. The actor told podcaster Zach Sang that leaving the show felt like “the end of school when you graduate.”

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In another shake-up, the series recast the child actor who plays Henry, Sudeikis’s character’s son. Grant Feely will take over the role in the new episodes.

An official logline for season four, out August 5, reads: “Ted returns to Richmond, taking on his biggest challenge yet: coaching a second division women’s football team. Throughout the course of the season, Ted and the team learn to leap before they look, taking chances they never thought they would.”

EastEnders finished their Wednesday show with a dark cliffhanger, as Joel Marshall was left lying in the road after being attacked by someone on the square, leading some to wonder if he was dead

EastEnders‘ Joel Marshall has been left lying in the middle of the road, and some fans aren’t certain he’ll ever wake up.

During Wednesday’s show, the teen was lured to a party in the park, only for the rest of the teens to tie him up and pour warm beer over his head. They left him tied to a fence, but when they returned, he’d been set free. Cameras then cut to where Joel ended up – unconscious on the floor.

The way Joel was lying had some fans questioning if he was alive or not. “Do you think Joel is dead or do you think he will pull through?” one fan asked online.

In response, some argued that he could be, but that they weren’t sure, saying: “That’s what I’m assuming but cuz it was so dark I could barely see what was on his head”.

Another said that they didn’t want his story, in which he went down to manosphere pipeline, beat up his stepmother Vicki and posted revenge porn of Avani online, to end in his death. One fan said: “If Joel is dead it would be an awful end to a well written story.”

Regardless of whether Joel is dead or alive, someone attacked him. All signs appear to be pointing towards Avani having done it, as she almost attacked Joel last week and has been furious that he was back in Walford. But eagle-eyed fans have suggested it is her friend Amy instead.

“I feel like Amy is up to no good in the Joel assault,” a viewer wrote. “That will create a nice dynamic with Jack while Denise is struggling.”

Another agreed that her behaviour as the ringleader of the revenge plan against Joel had been “bizarre”. A third agreed that “Amy in particular seemed to get so much joy out of” pouring beer on Joel that they “wouldn’t be surprised at all” if she had hit him as well.

Others suggested the attacker could be Barney, who used to have a crush on Avani, especially since his mother has killed someone before. “I reckon they’re double bluffing us and it’s gonna turn out to be Barney,” a fan said. “He’s got his mother’s killer instincts after all.”

A second added: “He is very protective over Avani and they are close friends; so it wouldn’t be too much of a reach that gentle soul Barney makes a rash decision like this – thinking that if Ross & Joel see how hated he is then they will decide to leave and Avani will feel free again.”

While many fans are sure Avani wasn’t involved, they do still think she will come under suspicion: “I’m calling it now Avani and Denzel kissed when they went off for there heart to heart and they are going to want to keep it a secret so everyone will kinda think they did the attack.”

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

The Crow Girl co-stars Eve Myles and Katherine Kelly have been full of praise for each other

Coronation Street’s Katherine Kelly has won praise from co-star Eve Myles for her “extraordinary” turn in The Crow Girl.

The duo appear together in the thriller, which is adapted from Erik Axl Sund’s bestselling Scandinavian novel, with their characters — DCI Jeanette Kilburn (Eve) and psychotherapist Dr Sophia Craven (Katherine) — tracking down a murderer.

The opening series of the gripping drama is showing on Channel 5, while the second series is available on Paramount+, and audiences have been captivated by the “great acting” and “suspenseful” narrative, reports the Daily Star.

The actors have both been full of praise for each other, with Katherine telling Digital Spy that Eve was “astonishing” in the drama. Meanwhile, Eve expressed how “proud” she felt of her colleague, who became a household name playing Becky McDonald in the ITV soap between 2006 and 2012.

“I cannot give you a single scene where Katherine Kelly is not extraordinary,” she said.

“I don’t use that word lightly, but she is extraordinary. Breathtaking. Bold, ambitious, tender, beautiful.”

She went on to describe Katherine as “absolutely a sensation” in The Crow Girl, which also features actor Dougray Scott.

The thriller debuted in 2025, with audiences hailing Jeanette and Sophia’s narrative as “a masterpiece”.

The show’s synopsis states: “When the bodies of unidentified young men start to show up around Bristol, beaten and full of the anaesthetic Lidocaine, police face mounting pressure and little evidence as they hunt the killer.”

“As more bodies surface – including a child missing for over 10 years – the killer edges closer to home, starting a race against time to untangle a web of secrets,” the synopsis continued.

“Dark and gripping, Crow Girl is a murder mystery series that masterfully blends grim themes with sharp, intelligent writing,” one impressed viewer wrote on IMDb. com.

Another fan posted: “It’s been a long time since a show kept me glued to the TV episode after episode. I watched this in one day and I am thoroughly left hanging with bated breath for season two.”

Another reviewer described it as “a challenging watch but very clever”.

The Crow Girl is airing on Channel 5.