Power wasn’t restored until the early hours of Wednesday (August 5)

More than 600 households lost power after an electrical substation caught fire. Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue were called to a fire at an electricity substation in Bridge Place, Godmanchester at around 9pm on Tuesday (August 4).

The road was closed off while firefighters dealt with the blaze. A fire spokesperson said: “At 9.05pm on Tuesday, two crews from Huntingdon were called to a substation fire on Bridge Place in Godmanchester.

“Wearing breathing apparatus, firefighters used a hose reel to extinguish the fire and cleared the smoke using a positive pressure ventilation fan. The cause of the fire is believed to be accidental.”

Cambridgeshire Police put a cordon in place and handed over the incident to UK Power Networks (UKPN) at around 11.45pm.

A UKPN spokesperson confirmed 641 customers lost power. The spokesperson added: “UK Power Networks engineers responded to a high voltage network fault in the Godmanchester area of Cambridgeshire on Tuesday evening at around 8.47pm.

“Engineers rerouted power to 641 customers in stages as quickly as possible by 1.22am. Some further customers experienced a brief interruption to their power of just a few minutes. We would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused.”

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Alongside hundreds of new homes, the development would provide vehicle and cycle parking and open space including a children’s play area

A land developer is hoping to build up to 400 homes in a Cambridgeshire village. Granta Land Limited has proposed to build hundreds of homes on land between Hinton Way and Mingle Lane in Stapleford.

Stapleford is a quaint village around four miles from Cambridge. An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) application request has been submitted to South Cambridgeshire District Council ahead of a formal outline planning application.

The new homes are proposed to be built across a 26.27 hectare site which is currently agricultural fields. Around two thirds is managed grassland and the remaining third is in agricultural use.

If the proposals are given the go-ahead, the development would provide up to 400 new homes including affordable housing, a local facility, vehicle and cycle parking and open space including a children’s play area. The design is still evolving due to it being in the early stages of the proposals.

The proposed site is accessible by vehicles via a private farm track off Hinton Way. The road also provides footways and access to Shelford village centre and local amenities including schools, a health centre, shops, restaurants, and cafes. The homes would be situated around 800 metres from Shelford railway station offering regular train services to stops including Cambridge South, Cambridge, Cambridge North and London.

The site is fully situated within flood zone one and almost the entire site has been identified as being at ‘very low’ risk of surface water flooding.

The buildings would be up to 2.5 storeys in height. Two vehicular, cycle and pedestrian access points off Hinton Way are also proposed alongside an anticipated cycle and pedestrian access off Mingle Lane.

Additionally, a pedestrian and cycle crossing is being considered to link the development with the adjacent approved Strawberry Fields care village and countryside park.

The hot weather has seen a surge in Brits purchasing fans – but this one could pose a safety risk

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Brits who have snapped up a particular fan during the hot weather are being urged to stop using it immediately as it could pose a health and safety risk. The 9-inch B&Q table fan is being recalled due to a ‘potential safety issue’.

B&Q states that the fan, which was on sale from March 2026 to July 2026, has ‘an electrical component may overheat leading to a fire or electric shock risk’. It continues: “If you have purchased one of these models during the time period above, please stop using it immediately and return to your nearest B&Q store.”

Anyone with any questions is being asked to visit their local store or contact the DIY giant’s customer services team. The recall alert was issued on Tuesday, August 4.

The UK’s Office for Product Safety and Standards reiterated the warning on social media. Ranking the risk level as ‘medium’, it said: “The product presents a risk of electric shock and fire as there is a fault within the oscillation mechanism that can damage internal wiring.

“Corrective action: The product has been recalled from end users by B&Q.”

On a social media post, it urged people to ‘stop using it immediately’ and to ‘return it to your nearest B&Q’ before sharing ‘this post with friends and family who may have this product’.

The product was manufactured by Kingfisher International Products Limited in China and is described as ’23cm (9”) white table fan sold by B&Q between March 2026 and July 2026′.

Product recall details

Product: B&Q Table Fan

Model: FT23A

Barcode: 5063022605689

Batch numbers: 25W50, 26W05, 26W11

Manufacturer: Kingfisher International Products Limited

Country of Origin: China

Product Description: 23cm (9”) white table fan sold by B&Q between March 2026 and July 2026

A boy who drowned off the coast of Yorkshire was swept into the sea by a huge rip tide moments after lifeguards had gone off duty, witnesses have claimed.

The family of the boy, who is believed to be from Hull, has been informed after rescue workers found his body in the waters near Hornsea today.

Coastguard, fire crews and police were all scrambled within minutes of him going missing at 6.11pm on Tuesday – just a few minutes after lifeguards clocked off for the day. Three other people are believed to have been rescued.

The RNLI website states that Hornsea Beach is patrolled by lifeguards from 10am until 6pm. Referring to the large flags planted when guards are on duty, it warns: ‘Please remember – No Flags = No Lifeguards’. 

The drowned boy was playing happily with friends in the water when he was swept away by a huge rip tide, according to witnesses. 

A female witness said: ‘The coastguard came flying down, I remember checking the time because I thought the lifeguards are still here.

‘But it was 11 minutes past six and they knock off at six. The lifeguards had only just left. It was only just after they had clocked off unfortunately.

‘There were people stood on the wall looking. The coastguards had their binoculars out looking. Then the cavalry arrived – helicopters, ambulances, police and all sorts.’

She said she saw three people being rescued, that the sea had been ‘rough’ and the conditions ‘windy’.

‘I don’t think they were from around here because they did not appear to know a lot about sea safety. They were just in the sea because they were very young,’ she added.

‘It a shame because all season the lifeguards have had a sign up warning people of rip tides. They would have been safer if they were on this part of the beach unfortunately. But they could not see the sign from where they were.

‘The emergency services were so quick to respond. They just could not see him or find where he was. It is all it takes – a split second.’

Police launched a search and rescue operation after the 13-year-old boy went missing in the North Sea 

Videos shared to social media at around 7pm last night showed a coastguard helicopter travelling along the beach, and emergency services attending the scene.

Another male eye witness said: ‘They shut down the seafront. There were a load of ambulances and the police came down.

‘The helicopter was going up and down all night. They sent a coastguard plane down later on.

‘The police bought the surviving kids up here eventually. I saw one go away in an ambulance because he was there for quite a while.’

The other two children were taken away in a police car,’ he noted.

‘I did not see any parents. They would probably have come up the Pennine Trail from Hull. It is the closest seaside town to Hull,’ he added.

‘There is always groups of kids from Hull on their bike. It is a relatively safe journey because you have just got the [Hornsea Rail] Trail.’

The extensive search operation involved specialist Humberside search officers including marine divers and drone pilots, alongside the local coastguard, ambulance service and fire and rescue service. 

Chief Superintendent Phil Booker of Humberside Police said it was an ‘incredibly heartbreaking outcome’ to the operation.

‘Our thoughts are with the boy’s family and friends at this devastating time,’ he said.

‘Tragically, at around 4.30am this morning, a body was recovered from the water.

‘His death is not being treated as suspicious, and a file will now be prepared for the Coroner.

‘We know the sadness and concern this will cause in the community, and we would ask that the family’s privacy is respected during this incredibly difficult time.

‘I would like to thank all of the emergency services involved in the search, along with members of the public for their support and cooperation.’ 

It comes after a 14-year-old boy drowned after going into the water in east London on Monday.

The Metropolitan Police said officers were called at about 6.48pm to reports that a boy had entered the Millwall Outer Dock near East Ferry Road on the Isle of Dogs.

The force said despite the efforts of emergency services, the boy was retrieved from the river at 10.30pm and pronounced dead. 

Tuesday’s incident in East Yorkshire also occurred less than 20 miles away from where 15-year-old Grace Keeling was swept out to sea in January. 

Grace died in the sea at Withernsea, along with her mother, Sarah Keeling, 45, and local man Mark Ratcliffe, 67, who went into the water to help her on the afternoon of January 2 and immediately got into difficulties themselves, an inquest heard in May.

The search for Grace’s body took 13 days and it was eventually found trapped among giant boulders used for sea defences to the south of where the incident happened.

At least 39 deaths have been reported this summer linked with open-water incidents, according to the PA news agency.

The National Water Safety Forum reported there were 202 water-related fatalities across the whole of last year in the UK. Data for this year is expected next May.

Police and paramedics were called to the B6532 at Congburn Bank in Edmondsley at around 1.30am (August 5) after a pedestrian was hit by a Volkswagen Polo. 

The man, aged in his 40s, was left with serious injuries and was taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle for treatment. 

Durham Police has now confirmed that a man in his 50s and woman in her 40s have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

They remain in custody while further enquiries are carried out. 

The road was shut between the Edmondsley Lane crossroads and Congburn Bank in both directions following the incident. 

The North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) sent several ambulance crews to the scene and treated one person who had suffered head and chest injuries.

The incident was one of two crashes overnight, the second being on the A167 at Ferryhill between the Dean Road junction and the Jet Garage, in Chilton.

Anybody who witnessed the crash or has any information or footage relating to it is asked to contact police via 101, quoting incident number 22 of August 5.

A record number of women were prescribed hormone replacement therapy on the NHS last year, new figures reveal.

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) said two million women over the age of 40 received the treatment, known as HRT, in 2025-26.

That is more than double the number of prescriptions in 2020-21, when 800,000 women were given HRT on the health service.

The figures also reveal disparities in prescribing locations, with less than one in ten women from the most deprived areas receiving an HRT prescription compared to 14.2 per cent in the least deprived regions.

Last year there were just four prescriptions per 100 women in Newham, east London – the lowest recorded figure for a local authority – while in Brighton and Hove there were 23 prescriptions per 100 women, which was the highest rate.

HRT is prescribed to treat menopausal symptoms and works by replacing the primary female sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone which decline during menopause.

The health service says the therapy helps combat symptoms like hot flushes, night sweats and sleep problems, as well as mood swings, anxiety and vaginal dryness.

But experts, including The Mail on Sunday’s columnist Dr Ellie Cannon, have also highlighted its potential risks in recent months. 

Writing in the newspaper in November, Dr Ellie said: ‘It is true that there is a slightly increased risk of breast cancer among women who are taking HRT, in particular those who… take combined oestrogen and progesterone in any form.

‘In the UK, about 2 per cent of all breast cancer cases, equivalent to around 1,000 new diagnoses a year, are thought to be linked to HRT.’  

The NHS says the risk of developing breast cancer increases the longer women take HRT, but that this declines once the therapy is stopped.

It also lists blood clots as another potential ‘very low’ risk of HRT, particularly when taken in tablet form.

The risk of having a stroke is also said to be ‘slightly increased’ from HRT tablets, the health service says.

HRT patches, gels and sprays – also known as transdermal products – were the most commonly prescribed oestrogen HRT last year, the new data reveals. The use of HRT oestrogen pills declined. 

The NHS does, however, stress that the benefits of HRT ‘usually outweigh the risks’.

As well as relieving debilitating symptoms, HRT is said to help women maintain muscle strength and prevent osteoporosis – a thinning of the bones that can increase the risk of fracture.

Commenting on the new figures, Sue Mann, national clinical director in women’s health for NHS England, said: ‘Awareness of menopause has increased significantly in recent years, helping to encourage important conversations about women’s health and access to support.

‘The findings show that the number of women receiving NHS HRT prescribing continues to increase. This reflects the growing demand for menopause care and the increasing awareness of treatment options available to women.’

Olivier Picard, chairman of the National Pharmacy Association, added: ‘This is very significant data and shows that a record number of women are accessing HRT support through the NHS.

‘However, these surges in prescriptions for particular products do have unintended short-term consequences for medicine supply to patients and can exacerbate medicine shortages that blight pharmacies on a daily basis.

‘Although supply for some HRT products are improving, shortages of certain strengths of Estradot are now some of the longest running of any medicine in NHS history.

‘When prescribing habits change, we must make sure supply chains can keep up or we risk worsening access to medicines for patients and put more pressure on over stretched pharmacy teams.’

The NHSBSA is reminding women taking HRT they can buy an HRT prescription prepayment certificate for £19.80 to cover prescription charges for 12 months.

Without the certificate, each HRT prescription costs £9.90.

EXCLUSIVE: Rory and his partner Stephanie were due to move their three children to Greece on August 10 before wildfires struck – now they’re living in a one-bed flat

A heartbroken family has lost their forever home in the Greek mountains just days before they were due to leave the UK and move there permanently.

Rory Clifford and Stephanie Harper, 36 and 35, spent the entirety of their savings and income building their perfect home in the mountainous region of Peloponnese, in the south of the country. They had shipped all their sentimental belongings last year ahead of the dream move next week.

The couple had even enrolled their twin daughters, Evangeline and Ivaria, eight, in a local school for September. They also have a 19-month-old little girl called Athena.

However, fast-moving wildfires have swept through parts of Greece in recent days and it has resulted in their home and everything in it being destroyed.

Stephanie, who is also currently pregnant with twins, has now spoken exclusively to The Mirror about how the tragic situation has completely upended their lives.

In an emotional interview, she told us: “We are a very resilient family but this has knocked it out of us completely. The emptiness and sorrow has been overwhelming.

“A dream and hard work not just from us but the Greek community who helped us achieve our home… just stolen in seconds.

“I can’t describe the grief, as it’s not just the house we built, it’s all the cherished memories and the home we created inside.”

The destruction of the property, which they bought in 2023, has meant that they are now stuck living in a one-bedroom flat in Hastings, East Sussex, a complete contrast to what their news lives would have entailed.

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They had spent well over €300,000 (approx £257,000) making it the ideal place to raise a family in the sun where they were also due to bring their three rescue dogs.

Stephanie said the money came from their own hard work from running a designer furniture business together, as well as savings and loans.

The mum said they sold everything they had to make the relocation, which they had been planning for over a decade, possible.

The process was long, stressful and came with many unexpected big costs, like spending over £10,000 replacing 2km of piping up the mountain in an effort to get water to the house.

Despite working day and night to jump through each obstacle, they are now cruelly left starting from scratch.

Since the devastating wildfire, Stephanie’s sister, Gabby, has started a GoFundMe to help the “inconsolable” family rebuild their lives.

Stephanie said she was grateful and emotional about the response so far and she fears that even with insurance and cover, they need in the region of €100,000 (£85,000) to get back on track.

And regarding the fundraiser, she said: “Even saying this part makes us feel a little uncomfortable. We are not materialistic people and we don’t want people reading about a pool, and thinking here we go, first world problems.

“We live a very modest life, we have lived in a one-bedroom flat for 12 years, we have slept on a sofa bed for eight of those years, with our children having the bedroom, this Greek house was everything to us.

“It was a way of us affording a life we wanted to give our children, we spent every penny on giving our children the life they deserve and admittedly we were unbelievably excited to sleep in an actual bed. We will rebuild and we can’t give up.”

Greece has always held a special place in the hearts of Stephanie and Rory who travelled there back in 2011 in a campervan.

The people left a mark on them and they began to envisage raising a family there.

Over time, the UK no longer felt like home, and with the cost of living crisis putting a strain on their business, they decided to make a bold and brave decision together.

“Everything pointed to moving there,” Stephanie explained. “We just had to work it out. So that’s what we did and it took patience and a lot of research to make sure we had the right area.”

That area turned out to be Peloponnese, a mountainous peninsula in southern Greece. The family spent eight weeks living there last summer and were able to picture what it would feel like doing so full-time.

Since then, they have spent an enormous amount of time and money making sure everything was ready to move there permanently on August 10.

Stephanie had even been in contact with obstetrics to have her twins there at the start of 2027.

However, last Friday, a close friend who lives in a nearby village in Peloponnese told them that a wildfire was close to their region.

It was something they experienced themselves last year and they noticed first-hand how incredibly fast the fire service was.

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On this occasion, though, their home could not be rescued. “We were helpless waiting for news. However, as darkness fell, helicopters can’t fly at night, so they’d have to wait until the first light.

“It took our house at 4am.”

As for what the future holds for the soon to be family-of-seven, Stephanie said it was still early days and they were trying to figure out an action plan.

She said they were determined not to let it beat them, but admitted that keeping a positive mindset was challenging.

As for how their kids are coping, Stephanie added: “They have coped really well to be honest, it’s hard for them to process as they were ready for the change and their next chapter.

“We will still do anything for our children’s happiness and future which is why we can’t give up on the House on the Mountain.”

To make a donation on the fundraiser, you can do so here

Airlines have been clamping down on common gadgets – and rules are quite specific

Summer holidaymakers are being warned that a simple packing mistake could see them held up at the airport – or even turned away. Travel specialist Kate Donnelley (@Thedonnelleyedit) says there’s a “safe way” to take vapes and power banks abroad without any hassle.

Airlines have tightened the rules following a rise in incidents, and the message to passengers is plain and simple. If something is powered by a lithium battery, don’t put it in your checked suitcase.

That means two holiday essentials many people won’t leave home without – vapes and portable chargers – need to stay with you in the cabin. Put them in the hold, and you risk your bag being pulled, boarding being delayed, and, in the worst cases, missing the flight.

Kate also warns that the consequences can be more severe if a battery overheats in the cargo area, where a fire is far harder to spot and deal with. While most of the recent attention has landed on power banks, vapes are catching plenty of travellers out too.

Millions of adults vape, and most devices fall under the same safety rules. Kate says airlines have reacted to “a growing number of incidents” recently, specifically involving power banks, with some carriers clamping down hard. She points to an example from earlier this year when an EasyJet flight had to divert after a power bank issue was flagged on board.

Why are airlines so strict?

Lithium-ion batteries can overheat if damaged, crushed or short-circuited. That’s why the advice is consistent: keep these items in your hand luggage, protect them from being switched on by accident, and check your airline’s limits before you travel.

What do the major airlines tell passengers to do?

Across big UK carriers including EasyJet, Ryanair, TUI, Jet2 and Virgin Atlantic, power banks are not allowed to be used during the flight. Passengers are typically limited to two power banks each, with most allowing up to 160Wh per bank — but Ryanair caps them at 100Wh.

Storage rules vary as well. Jet2 says power banks must be kept in a bag under the seat, not in the overhead lockers — a stance that Ryanair and Virgin Atlantic also stand by. EasyJet and TUI don’t give the same specific storage instruction, but the core rule remains – keep them in the cabin and don’t use them in-flight.

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Vapes are also banned from checked-in luggage on all five airlines, and vaping or charging onboard is strictly forbidden. Each airline adds its own extra conditions, including switching devices off, keeping batteries protected, and using cases to prevent accidental activation.

Airline-by-airline quick guide on

• EasyJet: Must be switched off and protected against accidental activation.
• Ryanair: Says the device (or spare batteries) must be under the seat in front, not overhead.
• TUI: Devices must stay powered down; loose batteries should be wrapped or in insulated cases.
• Jet2: Must be under the seat; battery installed in device; max 160Wh; protect against short-circuiting.
• Virgin Atlantic: Keep in a protective case; never plug into in-seat power.

Police made the find after stopping a rental car in Cardiff

An “overwhelming” smell from a rental car led police officers to a discovery that landed two Cardiff men in jailed. The pair, along with a woman, were stopped by police on Newport Road before a search of the rental car led police to find numerous wraps of crack cocaine and heroin.

Kieran Chapman, 29, and Keanu Hicks, 26, were both in the car along with 36-year-old Chantelle Johnson who was driving the car when they were stopped by police on April 9, 2025.

Detective Sergeant Lia Jones, of South Wales Police, said: “It was immediately apparent that these three individuals had strong ties to criminality involving Class A drugs just from the quantities of substances and money that were found in their car when they were arrested. The smell of cannabis was also overwhelming.”

As well as the multiple wraps of crack cocaine and heroin, a large sum of cash and mobile phones were found in the car. One phone found in the vehicle’s glove box was linked to a drug line and the three were arrested.

Johnson, from Gabalfa, was subject of a search of her address following the arrests. Don’t miss a court report by signing up to our crime newsletter here

During the search cannabis, shotgun shells and a bullet-proof vest were found at the property.

Chapman, from St Mellons, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and heroin. He was sentenced to four years and five months in prison.

Hicks pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to supply cocaine and heroin and has been jailed for three years and four months.

The driver has been handed a jail sentence of three years, suspended for 30 months.

Detective Sergeant Jones said: “The subsequent investigation reinforced these criminal links. They are, like so many others before them, people who have decided to sell Class A drugs in order to benefit financially, without a care for what harm these drugs will do to those down the line who end up consuming them, as well as their families and wider communities.

“They belong in prison, and that’s where they’re heading.”

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The Dogs Trust has launched a national campaign called ‘If in Doubt, Keep Your Dog Out’ to highlight the risks, including hidden currents, pollution, and other hazards.

The charity hopes the campaign will prevent avoidable harm to both dogs and their owners.

Data from the RNLI reveals there were 308 dog-related water incidents across the UK between 2021 and 2025—more than one per week on average.

One-third of these incidents happened during the summer, when more people and pets are near canals, rivers and lakes.

Owen Sharp, chief executive at Dogs Trust, said: “One preventable water incident is one too many.

“We know these figures don’t tell the whole story, but every rescue is a reminder that calm-looking water isn’t always safe.

“Taking a few moments to assess the risks could save your dog’s life—and your own.”

How to keep my dog safe around open water

The Dogs Trust has created a Water Safety Checklist to help owners spot hazards before letting their dogs enter open water.

Before letting your dog into open water, Dogs Trust urges owners to check:

• Water quality – is it clear, clean and free from pollution?
• Current strength – is the water calm or fast-flowing?
• Exit points – can your dog easily get in and out?
• Presence of algae – look out for green scum or blooms.
• Water temperature – is the water likely to be cold?
• Presence of other wildlife – are there animals that may react to your dog?
• Nearby warning signs – follow any local advice.
• Depth – is it suitable for your dog’s size and swimming ability?
• Surroundings – any steep banks, slippery surfaces or loose rocks?

The majority of water incidents involved dogs entering the water and needing help, people entering the water to rescue them, and accidents caused by hidden dangers below the surface.

August 2025 recorded the highest number of water-related human fatalities, according to the Water Incident Database (WAID).

The Dogs Trust survey of 2,000 dog owners found that 74% felt confident in judging water safety for their pets.

However, only 35% realised that no type of open water can be considered entirely safe.

Worryingly, 80% of owners said they would go into the water to rescue their dog if it got into difficulty—despite the serious personal risk.

The ‘If in Doubt, Keep Your Dog Out’ campaign urges owners to stop, check and think before allowing their dog near open water.

It also warns against assuming that water is safe just because it appears calm.

Recommended reading:

The campaign is part of a wider effort to promote responsible dog ownership.

The Dogs Trust and RSPCA have also launched the Dog Ownership Guide (DOG), developed following a national consultation with more than 36,000 public responses and input from over 30 organisations.

The guide defines responsible dog ownership and offers practical advice for owners at every stage.

Were you aware of advice to keep your dogs safe around open water? Let us know in the comments.