Drivers are facing long delays on the M6 southbound following a fire this morning.

Two lanes of traffic have been closed and firefighters are working to tackle a blaze between junctions 28 at Leyland and 27 at Standish.

An image from the scene shows a vehicle with a severely damaged front end following the fire.

Long queues of around 50 minutes have built up on the approach.

Updates will follow in this blog.

Ms Knox is set to share her story on stage.

Amanda Knox will be performing a stand-up comedy show at Edinburgh Fringe about her wrongful imprisonment for the murder of Meredith Kercher.

In 2007, British foreign exchange student Ms Kercher was killed in Perugia, Italy. Her American roommate Ms Knox and her then-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, were arrested and later convicted of murder and sexual assault in 2009. The couple maintained their innocence and, after years of legal battles, were acquitted of sexual assault and murder by Italy’s highest court in 2015.

Just over a decade on, Ms Knox is now set to share her story on stage. Now 39, she is married with two children and lives on Vashon-Maury Island in rural Washington.

Ms Knox said she initially planned to make a show about motherhood – but was told by comedian friends she had to “address the elephant in the room”. Her comedy show’s title Cartwheel references a story that once claimed she did cartwheels in the police station after her friend’s death.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Ms Knox said she did not believe there were any topics off bounds for comedy, but insisted she would not poke fun at Ms Kercher’s death.

“I don’t joke about Meredith’s death. I joke a lot about how I was vilified, but I don’t joke about her murder. That’s just a line for me. I set red lines for myself that other comedians don’t. I’ve had other comedians pitch me jokes that I just would not do,” she said.

Asked about whether her loved ones were concerned about backlash to the show, she referred to a gag she says on stage: “My friends and family are actually really nervous for me, despite my spotless record in the court of public opinion.” However, The Telegraph has reported that Ms Kercher’s relatives, according to their lawyer Francesco Maresca, have called the idea of the show “offensive and deplorable”.

Ms Knox said: “If they reached out to me and actually communicated with me for the first time ever, I would absolutely want to talk to them. Something that is an unresolved wound for me is the fact that I have never been able to talk to them. I assume they still assume that I’m guilty. I would very much want to establish that kind of communication, but I’m not going to have my life dictated by what they want for me.”

She added: “We share a grief, and we both knew a real person who died, and who primarily belongs to them, but I’m a person too. I have the life that I have lived, and I have the right to tell my own story, and Meredith is a big part of that story. And I think I honour her.”

Ms Knox said that she believed Ms Kercher would “appreciate the show because it grapples with what it means to be a young woman, and it is honest”, adding that she thought her late roommate would have found it “funny”. Ms Knox has previously shared her story in documentaries, an eight-part TV drama she produced with Monica Lewinsky, and books.

Rudy Hermann Guede was convicted of Ms Kercher’s murder in 2008. He was released from prison in 2021 after serving 13 years of a 16-year term.

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Country music star Cliona Hagan has shared the sad news that her father-in-law Dan Sheerin has passed away

Country music star Cliona Hagan has announced the death of Dan Sheerin, her father-in-law and patriarch of the renowned country group The Sheerin Family Band.

Cliona broke the news to her Instagram followers today, paying heartfelt tribute to the father of her husband Simon Sheerin.

Sharing touching photographs of Dan, she said: “It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of Dan Sheerin.

“Dan Sheerin the Father of the Sheerin Family Band and husband of the late Mary Sheerin. “Dan was a truly wonderful man with one of the biggest hearts and my goodness what a singer he was!

He loved growing the most beautiful flowers, tending to his vegetables in his greenhouse, writing songs, playing the guitar, but most importantly he loved his family dearly, reports RSVP Live.

“Please say a prayer tonight for the Sheerin Family and of course for Gods newest angel, Dan Sheerin.”

Roseanna Ruane expressed her sympathies, commenting: “@clionahagan and family, I am so sorry for your great loss.”

Comedian Fred Cooke added: “Sorry for your loss guys! RIP.”, while another follower posted: “You’re all in my thoughts as always I’m so sorry to hear about Dan he was a gentleman xx.”

Describing themselves as The Royal Family of Country Music, The Sheerin Family Band issued their own statement following their father’s passing: “Last night we lost our wonderful dad. A true inspiration to us and to all who knew him.

“Himself and mam will be back singing duets tonight with their heavenly choir. Rest In Peace Dan Sheerin.”

Cliona and her husband Simon had planned to launch their gastropub in Westmeath next weekend, with the former recently telling The Sunday World: “I love music, always have and always will, but I never want to be pigeon-holed, and I love challenges, and I keep pushing myself. I’ve always had a passion for interior design as well, so working on the pub has been a labour of love.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

Donald Trump has lashed out over the migrant “catastrophe” in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, while his White House administration have placed the blame on Madrid’s left-wing government.

The US president maintains a strained relationship with Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez, who has been one of his most ardent critics among EU leaders.

“I saw Spain yesterday, and I watched the catastrophe that took place. It looks like an invasion of a country,” Trump said in a cabinet meeting on Friday.

“Hundreds of thousands of people. And that same thing’s going to happen to us if the Republicans don’t get elected, except worse, much bigger, much easier to get into.”

His comments come after an estimated 60,000 migrants crossed from Morocco into the north African enclave, with at least 77 people killed.

In a later post on Truth Social, Trump shared a video of the chaotic crossing and wrote: “What’s happening with Spain, with tens of thousands of Illegal Immigrants invading it, happened in the United States during the Sleepy Joe Biden Administration, and it will happen again, only worse, if the Dumocrats ever again gain power.”

US vice president JD Vance was more explicit in placing blame on the Sánchez’s government, writing: “Thank God POTUS was elected and our country’s border no longer looks like this.

“These images out of Spain are an unfortunate reminder of the consequences of mass migration and the radical left-wing globalist policies that have enabled the Invasion of the West.”

Vance sparked outrage after launching a scalding attack on European democracies at the Munich Security Conference last year, when he said that mass immigration had been caused by “a series of conscious decisions” made by EU politicians.

Since being re-elected to office, Trump’s relationship with Spain has deteriorated over defence spending and the conflict with Iran.

In July at the Nato summit in Ankara, the president instructed his advisers to “cut off all trade with Spain, including visits”, before softening his stance.

The US department of state also waded into the crisis, with a post directly condemning Spain for the border breach in Ceuta.

“This unacceptable incident is the direct result of the Spanish Government’s deliberate efforts to enable and facilitate mass illegal migration into Europe,” a spokesperson said.

“We are considering actions to defend Americans at home and abroad from this threat and stand ready to assist other European allies considering similar options. If Spain had their own President Trump, this wouldn’t be an issue.”

Other senior US officials have waded into the argument, including US house speaker Mike Johnson, who claimed that the “socialists are ruining Spain” and that the mass influx was “Marxism in practice”.

Tech billionaire and former Trump adviser Elon Musk shared a video from the 2013 zombie film ‘World War Z’ with the caption: “Wow, the situation in Spain looks crazy!”.

He later clarified he was “just kidding” and then shared footage from 2023 of Venezuelan migrants attempting to cross into the US, noting: “This is what America looked like under Biden.”

Ceuta, which shares a land border with Morocco, is separated from mainland Spain by the Strait of Gibraltar.

Though it is part of Spain, it has a carve-out from the usual requirements of the Schengen free travel area – meaning it is not possible for migrants in Ceuta to simply sail across the Strait and be allowed into mainland Europe as they will face additional border checks.

Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sánchez described the inflow of people as “an attack on Spain’s territorial integrity” and promised to “use all the resources of the state to guarantee security and coexistence”.

Spain’s foreign minister, Jose Manuel Albares, added that “practically the entirety of those who entered Ceuta have already returned to Morocco”.

Jacobus ‘Co’ Verhoef, a Freeman of Haxby who was once one of the biggest horticulturalists in the region, died at his home on Moor Lane, Haxby, on July 4.

Affectionately known across York as Mr Haxby, his life will be celebrated by family and friends on Monday, August 17 at Haxby Memorial Hall.

Jacob Verhoef, pictured here as a younger man, has died, aged 97. (Image: Family photo)

Born on May 18, 1929, and raised in Aalsmeer, the Dutch flower capital of the world, Jacob – as his friends knew him – left school at 14 to work in a nursery while studying horticulture at evening college.

At 23, he gained his degree at Utrecht and successfully answered an advertisement to manage a nursery in England – despite not speaking English.

He came to York in 1952, arriving at Southlands in Haxby to manage the Hollandia Nurseries.

He previously told The Press that his English was limited to ‘sweetheart’ and ‘umbrella’, admitting that they weren’t the most helpful words to know.

Jacob Verhoef, photographed in Haxby in 2010. (Image: The Press)

However, he won over the team at Hollandia Nurseries with his horticultural brilliance, making the estate flourish along with its flower shops in Church Street, York, and on a site in Davygate later occupied by Bettys tearooms.

Jacob met his future wife Audrey at New Earswick Dance Hall on July 4, 1953. He and his bride launched Dutch Nurseries in 1957 and lived in a caravan on the site for four years.

They went on to buy four-and-a-half acres of wetland consisting of 28 allotments, and by 1970 more than half of the site was filled with glasshouses.

The couple also acquired a packing shed to handle the 10,000 carnations he cultivated each day, bound for wholesalers all over Yorkshire and the North East.

Audrey and Jacobus Verhoef, right, with their staff outside The Dutch Nurseries at Haxby in 2007. (Image: The Press)

During the Arab oil crisis in the early 1970s, Jacob diversified into a garden centre, later setting up what he called The Bargain Centre, selling second-hand garden tools and government surplus stock.

By 1985, the glasshouses were ageing, and he sold the land for building to Evans of Leeds, who in turn sold it on to Barratts Builders, which built retirement flats there.

Jacob Verhoef, selling his florist shop in Haxby back in 2010. (Image: The Press)

Within the complex, the couple had two shops built, and one of them became the Dutch Nurseries Flower Shop, which he later sold in 2010 as he was facing major surgery, aged 81.

“Selling it after 53 years means the end of an era, but all good things must come to an end,” he said at the time.

Jacob’s decades of public service and community spirit, including volunteering his time to tend to the all-year-round colourful floral display at the junction of Wigginton and Moor Lane, led to him being formally granted the honour of Freeman of Haxby in 2015.

A couple were in a bidding war over their dream home but were outbid by a property developer

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A couple embroiled in a bidding war for their dream property have revealed how they convinced the seller to accept their lower offer instead of one from a property developer – and all it took was a heartfelt letter through the door.

When it comes to the housing market, it is widely acknowledged that financial considerations typically prevail. With property prices stubbornly high and mortgage costs showing little sign of falling, buyers are having to find increasingly creative ways to get a foot on the ladder.

The Bank of England has kept interest rates at 4.5% and, while there has been some optimism that the market may be stabilising, many buyers are still finding themselves priced out or outbid.

Recent research by Zoopla also reveals that properties are taking longer to sell than normal, partly because of homeowners overpricing their homes and insufficient buyer interest.

However, it was not long ago that properties were being snapped up within hours of listing due to multiple bids exceeding the asking price – and it was during one such period that Adam and Stacey found themselves in exactly that situation.

The couple had noticed a house in their town come onto the market, coinciding with their realisation that they had outgrown their existing home.

After viewing the property twice, the couple became smitten with it, and even their children had begun imagining what life would be like living there. After submitting an offer on the property, Stacey and Adam were devastated to learn they had been outbid by a property developer.

Rather than increasing their bid or abandoning their dream altogether, the couple chose to pen a heartfelt letter to the owner and deliver it through their letterbox.

The letter said: “Dear Mr G, we are Adam and Stacey and we live nearby in the town with our two young children. We currently live in an older property which we have transformed and put our stamp on.

“It’s a home that we’re very proud of but we have outgrown it and are ready to move on. We have viewed your mother’s home twice now and have fallen in love with it.

“We detoured through the town just to drive by it again. Our children have also viewed it with us and particularly like the Jack and Jill bathroom between what would be their rooms and they love running around the garden.

“They’ve also requested chickens if we were successful and would name them Pasta and Cheese. I understand we have been outbid by a developer and while I understand that money talks, if you were ever to consider that your childhood home could go to a family who would love it and bring it joy forever then I hope maybe you would think of us.

“We’re really good at looking after older houses, I promise. Regardless your home is beautiful and we wish you the best of luck with the sale and thank you for your time.”

The homeowner chose to accept the couple’s offer following the letter, and the family have remained true to their word – right down to the chickens named Pasta and Cheese.

Stacey and Adam have set up an Instagram account, @end_of_the_row, which chronicles the renovation of their period property.

FIFA’s president has officially lost the confidence of the football world, with an explosive new UEFA statement turning the screw

Gianni Infantino is facing the likely end of his FIFA presidency after UEFA declared he has “lost the confidence” of the football world following the collapse of his controversial World Cup investment plan.

European football’s governing body launched an extraordinary attack on the FIFA president after he abandoned plans to create a new company to run the commercial and operational aspects of football’s biggest tournaments.

UEFA had threatened to boycott FIFA competitions if the proposal went ahead, with the organisation accusing Infantino of attempting to force through a “shabby, back room, opaque deal”.

Although UEFA welcomed the decision to scrap the plans, it warned that the damage to trust in FIFA’s leadership had already been done.

“We cannot keep going on like this with secret schemes on fast track timescales, cooked up by faceless individuals and of dubious benefit to the game. We must identify those responsible and hold them to account,” UEFA said.

“The current FIFA leadership has not only lost UEFA’s confidence but also that of many other members of the football family.”

The explosive statement represents a major blow for Infantino, who has led FIFA since succeeding Sepp Blatter in 2016 and secured re-election unopposed in 2019 and 2023.

The row centred around plans for FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a company designed to oversee the commercial and operational elements of FIFA competitions, including the men’s and women’s World Cups.

Infantino proposed selling a 20 per cent stake in the company to private investors, with FIFA confirming that Thrive Eternal, founded by Joshua Kushner – the brother of United States President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner – was set to lead the investment group.

The FIFA president argued the move would “turbocharge” funding for football development around the world, promising additional money for national associations that backed the proposal.

However, the plans triggered a backlash from UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and CONCACAF, which represents football nations across North America, Central America and the Caribbean.

Infantino eventually confirmed in the early hours of Saturday that the proposal would not proceed, admitting the plan had “created divisions”.

UEFA, though, insisted the issue went beyond the abandoned proposal and called for a wider review of FIFA’s leadership and decision-making processes.

The governing body also criticised Infantino for failing to deliver on promises of transparency made when he was first elected FIFA president.

“On both these promises, he has failed to deliver,” UEFA said. “The shabby, back room, opaque deal he hatched and tried to force through was anything but transparent.”

UEFA added that FIFA should use its existing financial reserves, which it says stand at more than five billion US dollars, to invest in grassroots football rather than selling off a stake in its future.

“This is a victory for the whole game,” UEFA said. “But it must not be the end of the story. The proposal has gone. The task of rebuilding trust in FIFA has only just begun.”

The fallout is set to see Infantino face a challenge at FIFA’s next presidential election in March.

Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al Khelaifi has been linked with a possible bid and is believed to have support among UEFA circles, although sources close to the Qatari have suggested he is not interested in taking on the role due to his existing commitments.

Another potential rival is CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani, who is also a FIFA vice-president.

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The Canadian has emerged as a possible challenger following the backlash against Infantino and the collapse of the FFE project, although no formal challenge has yet been declared.

Pressure has also come from within FIFA itself, with Infantino’s senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigning and describing the proposal as a “bad deal for football”.

FIFA chief operating officer Kevin Lamour also criticised the process, describing FFE as “the project of one person” and accusing the organisation’s leadership of a lack of transparency and good governance.

Infantino now faces the challenge of rebuilding relationships with the confederations and member associations that opposed the plan.

“My intent is to bring all interested parties back together in the coming days and weeks in the spirit of shared interest in our game, and with the objective to continue growing football everywhere, particularly in those countries that mostly need our support,” he said.

A mother who lost seven teeth after she tripped over a pothole in the dark has criticised her ‘shameful’ council for not taking responsibility or paying compensation. 

Business owner Alison Smith, 48, said her life changed forever when she was walking to meet her daughter at night and tripped on a three-inch deep pothole in a dark, unlit area. 

After tripping on the pothole and smashing her face, Ms Smith lost almost all of her front teeth and suffered from bruising. 

In total, she lost seven teeth and now has mobility issues with her left hand meaning she can no longer pull herself up with it. 

The road crater was on a road in Ventnor, in Ms Smith’s hometown on the Isle of Wight.

Shore Road has no pavement and a limited number of streetlights, making it hard to see any potholes at night. 

Ms Smith said her daughter, who was 17 at the time, was left ‘traumatised’ after finding her mother covered in blood. 

She said she was not able to visit her own mother after a brain tumour operation because her injuries were too distressing to see. 

Shocking photographs taken after the accident show Ms Smith’s swollen face and how she lost nearly all of her front teeth

Ms Smith, a café owner, reported her fall to Island Roads, which maintains the roads on the Isle of Wight. But the company just filled the pothole in and said there would be no compensation given to her. 

Ms Smith tripped into the pothole at 7.40pm in January 2025 and has been demanding the council take responsibility since.

She said: ‘I was going to meet my daughter who was getting the bus and [the road] is lit but it is quite a dark area where the actual pothole is.

‘My mum was suffering with a brain tumour, and she was having the operation that day.

‘I just tripped on the pothole, and my foot got caught in the pothole, in the lip on the edge, and I fell on my hand and knocked all my teeth out. 

‘My hand now isn’t fully recovered. I can’t lift myself up on it. I went to A&E because I thought I had smashed my cheekbone. 

‘I reported it and had a shameful response. They filled the pothole in within a few days, which says they are liable.’

Ms Smith’s daughter, who is now 19, found her after she had fallen. 

Ms Smith said: ‘I was covered in blood and my mouth was bleeding and [my daughter] thought I had been stabbed or attacked. I was totally disorientated.

Ms Smith tripped into the pothole at 7.40pm in January 2025 and has been demanding the council take responsibility since

The pothole was on a road in Ventnor, in Ms Smith’s hometown on the Isle of Wight

‘She still now worries about me. She is traumatised by it. She gave up work for a while because she was always worrying about me.’

She has now had to get extensive dental work at great expense. She had false teeth put in but could not afford to have dental implants put in because she had not received compensation from the fall. 

Ms Smith said she temporarily had to give up singing with bands such as Ska’d For Life – but is back in voice after learning to cope with false teeth. 

She added that she has a plastic plate on the top and bottom of her mouth, making it difficult to eat. 

It has now become impossible for her to work at the Gaslight café in Sandown, which she owned, because she can’t lift the baking trays and furniture with just one hand. 

She was also forced to stop a regular food delivery package to the community because of the heavy items on the load. 

She said: ‘I’m still so upset about it.

‘Island Roads are saying they’ve done enough and have now filled the pothole in.

Ms Smith said she temporarily had to give up singing with bands such as Ska’d For Life

Ms Smith said her daughter, who was 17 at the time, was left ‘traumatised’ after finding her mother covered in blood 

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‘But if it caused this much injury to me, old people could have died if they had gone flying like I did. 

‘I have considered the “no win no fee” compensation claims, but I have suffered the loss of both my parents in recent years and I have been going through too hard a time. 

‘I just want someone to take responsibility for this.

‘I’ve paid the price, and my daughter, who found me all bloodied after the fall, is still traumatised by it.

‘It’s so unfair. Something that was not my fault has ruined my life, while Island Roads has just filled the holes and resurfaced the whole road and dismissed me.

‘It’s not about money, otherwise I would be pursuing a claim. It is to stop others going through this and for some acknowledgement of the distress this has caused and to stop it happening to others. 

‘I hope they will take responsibility and help me after all this time.’

An Island Roads spokesman said: ‘We have every sympathy for Ms Smith and for the injuries she has sustained as a result of this incident.

‘A claim relating to this matter was received, fully investigated and a formal response was issued to Ms Smith in April 2025.

‘The road was inspected in October 2024 as part of its routine six-monthly inspection and in line with accepted industry practice.

‘No defects were identified that met the threshold for intervention either at that time or during our investigation following the incident. 

‘However, having been brought to our attention, we arranged for the pothole referred to in the claim, along with another nearby pothole, to be repaired as part of our ongoing maintenance programme.

‘Every claim is carefully considered on its individual merits, taking account of available evidence and the legal responsibilities of the highway authority and Island Roads as its service provider. 

‘Having completed our investigation, we concluded that we are unable to accept liability in this case.

‘We appreciate the outcome will be disappointing for Ms Smith, but we have a responsibility to assess all claims consistently.’ 

A total of 38 departures have been impacted by the disruption, with some flights running more than two hours behind schedule.

Delays have affected a range of airlines, including Ryanair, Jet2, and TUI. There are also delays to a mix of destinations such as Nice, Tenerife, and Berlin.

According to data from Flightradar24, the longest delay so far is 156 minutes.

Affected flights include TUI’s 6.05am departure to Alicante, which left at 7.27am, and Ryanair’s 6.10am flight to Tenerife, which departed at 6.51am.

TUI’s Palma de Mallorca flight was delayed by more than two and a half hours, departing at 8.46am instead of 6.10am.

Jet2’s flight to Nice was also heavily delayed, departing at 8.45am, two and a half hours later than its scheduled 6.15am take-off.

Other routes affected include Rome, Corfu, Mahon, and Dusseldorf.

The full list of delayed flights (over 20 minutes) is as follows:

• TUI flight BY2620 to Alicante, scheduled for 06:05, departed at 07:27 with a delay of 82 minutes.
• Ryanair flight FR1249 to Tenerife, scheduled for 06:10, departed at 06:51 with a delay of 41 minutes.
• TUI flight BY2668 to Palma de Mallorca, scheduled for 06:10, departed at 08:46 with a delay of 156 minutes.
• Jet2 flight LS833 to Nice, scheduled for 06:15, departed at 08:45 with a delay of 150 minutes.
• Jet2 flight LS875 to Faro, scheduled for 06:45, departed at 08:04 with a delay of 79 minutes.
• Jet2 flight LS987 to Rome FCO, scheduled for 06:55, departed at 07:36 with a delay of 41 minutes.
• easyJet flight U22061 to Corfu, scheduled for 06:55, departed at 07:42 with a delay of 47 minutes.
• Jet2 flight LS879 to Alicante, scheduled for 07:00, departed at 08:41 with a delay of 101 minutes.
• TUI flight BY2608 to Mahon, scheduled for 07:00, departed at 08:15 with a delay of 75 minutes.
• Eurowings flight EW9341 to Dusseldorf, scheduled for 08:00, departed at 08:55 with a delay of 55 minutes.
• Jet2 flight LS803 to Barcelona, scheduled for 08:00, departed at 08:53 with a delay of 53 minutes.
• SWISS flight LX391 to Zurich, scheduled for 08:55, estimated to depart at 09:25 with a delay of 30 minutes.
• Turkish Airlines flight TK1994 to Istanbul, scheduled for 10:40, estimated to depart at 11:05 with a delay of 25 minutes.
• Ryanair flight FR1145 to Berlin, scheduled for 11:50, estimated to depart at 12:15 with a delay of 25 minutes.
• SunExpress flight XQ835 to Izmir, scheduled for 11:50, estimated to depart at 12:15 with a delay of 25 minutes.
• Pegasus Airlines flight PC1180 to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen, scheduled for 11:55, estimated to depart at 12:20 with a delay of 25 minutes.
• Jet2 flight LS985 to Verona, scheduled for 12:35, estimated to depart at 13:00 with a delay of 25 minutes.
• Jet2 flight LS939 to Innsbruck, scheduled for 12:35, estimated to depart at 13:00 with a delay of 25 minutes.
• Kuwait Airways flight KU114 to Kuwait City, scheduled for 13:00, estimated to depart at 13:25 with a delay of 25 minutes.
• Ryanair UK flight RK8624 to Tangier, scheduled for 13:05, estimated to depart at 13:30 with a delay of 25 minutes.
• TUI flight BY2644 to Chania, scheduled for 13:55, estimated to depart at 14:20 with a delay of 25 minutes.
• easyJet flight U22269 to Pafos, scheduled for 13:55, estimated to depart at 14:23 with a delay of 28 minutes.
• EgyptAir flight MS782 to Cairo, scheduled for 14:30, estimated to depart at 14:55 with a delay of 25 minutes.
• Jet2 flight LS937 to Pafos, scheduled for 15:15, estimated to depart at 15:40 with a delay of 25 minutes.
• Jet2 flight LS943 to Larnaca, scheduled for 15:35, estimated to depart at 16:00 with a delay of 25 minutes.
• Jet2 flight LS851 to Funchal, scheduled for 15:55, estimated to depart at 16:20 with a delay of 25 minutes.
• Jet2 flight LS1067 to Jerez, scheduled for 15:55, estimated to depart at 16:20 with a delay of 25 minutes.
• TUI flight BY212 to Dalaman, scheduled for 16:00, estimated to depart at 16:25 with a delay of 25 minutes.
• Jet2 flight LS1041 to Rhodes, scheduled for 16:05, estimated to depart at 16:30 with a delay of 25 minutes.
• Jet2 flight LS907 to Heraklion, scheduled for 16:10, estimated to depart at 16:35 with a delay of 25 minutes.
• Jet2 flight LS909 to Fuerteventura, scheduled for 16:20, estimated to depart at 16:45 with a delay of 25 minutes.
• Jet2 flight LS931 to Malta, scheduled for 16:20, estimated to depart at 16:45 with a delay of 25 minutes.
• Jet2 flight LS983 to Bodrum, scheduled for 16:25, estimated to depart at 16:50 with a delay of 25 minutes.
• Jet2 flight LS1007 to Antalya, scheduled for 16:30, estimated to depart at 16:55 with a delay of 25 minutes.
• Jet2 flight LS813 to Kos, scheduled for 16:45, estimated to depart at 17:10 with a delay of 25 minutes.
• TUI flight BY2658 to Rhodes, scheduled for 16:50, estimated to depart at 17:15 with a delay of 25 minutes.
• Ryanair flight FR4096 to Riga, scheduled for 17:25, estimated to depart at 17:50 with a delay of 25 minutes.
• Ryanair flight FR6838 to Prague, scheduled for 18:45, estimated to depart at 19:10 with a delay of 25 minutes.

Migrants who flooded into Spain‘s North African territory have urged Moroccans to stay at home, as tens of thousands of people have been voluntarily returning to their country. 

Ceuta’s president put the number of migrants who crossed into Spain at 60,000, which was equivalent to 70 per cent of the territory’s population. 

But most of them soon went back, the Spanish government said, after the sudden arrival of so many people sparked a humanitarian crisis, with at least 67 migrants perishing on the journey. 

Speaking to Spanish newspaper El País, one Moroccan man admitted he had made a mistake crossing into Ceuta. 

‘I honestly don’t know why I came. I am going back, it’s that simple,’ he said as he waited to cross the border. 

‘What we did here is nothing good nor anything fun. People are dying here. I beg you, please, for those who haven’t come yet, don’t. Don’t do it.’

Some migrants swam several miles through the sea and faced down authorities who tried to turn them back with water cannons, tear gas and warning shots. 

Some drowned or were killed in a stampede to cross a breakwater barrier near a border checkpoint. 

A 500-meter-long (1,640 feet) pneumatic barrier is deployed in the water by a Spanish Guardia Civil boat near the border post to reinforce security following illegal crossings from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, on August 1, 2026

According to Spain’s Interior Ministry, 48,000 migrants have already returned to Morocco

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Spain deployed its armed forces and additional police to restore order in Ceuta, which sits on the Strait of Gibraltar at the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea and has been a Spanish possession since 1580. 

On the Moroccan side of the border, security forces clashed with migrants. 

The chaos also had ripple effects abroad, with Italy and France pledging to tighten controls on arrivals from Spain.

‘The situation that Ceuta is going through is absolutely unsustainable,’ Ceuta President Juan Jesús Vivas told journalists.

Meanwhile, Spanish authorities have begun installing massive containment barriers in a bid to halt the arrival of more migrants from Morocco. 

The 500-meter-long inflatable is a ‘temporary’ solution, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Friday after visiting Ceuta. 

He condemned the massive influx of migrants as a ‘violation of Spain’s territorial integrity’ and blamed human smugglers for the crisis, saying they ‘deceive so many young people and ultimately lead many of them to their deaths,’ whether in the ocean or in the city.

According to Spain’s Interior Ministry, 48,000 migrants have already returned to Morocco.  

Rachid Sbihi, who leads a local workers association representing Civil Guard officers, described the situation as a ‘serious humanitarian crisis,’ saying thousands of migrants, including unaccompanied children, were left sleeping in parks and on sidewalks, while others roamed the streets aimlessly. 

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the images from Ceuta were ‘unacceptable.’

Spanish authorities are installing massive containment barriers in a bid to halt the arrival of more migrants from Morocco

Spanish soldiers watch migrants sitting on the pavement prior to escorting them back to Morocco, in Spain’s north Africa’s Ceuta enclave on August 1, 2026

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Supermarket employees (L) try to turn away a group of migrants attempting to enter the store in Spain’s north Africa’s Ceuta enclave on August 1, 2026

Spain deployed its armed forces and additional police to restore order in Ceuta

A migrant hides in a tunnel at the Tarajal beach, after mass crossings of migrants on foot and by sea from Morocco into Spanish territory, in Ceuta

A migrant lies on the ground next to Spanish security personnel in Ceuta, Spain, August 1, 2026

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lmost all of the thousands of migrants who entered Spain’s enclave of Ceuta in North Africa had left today, officials said

Migrants run from Spanish police officers after crossing from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, Friday, July 31, 2026

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the images from Ceuta were ‘unacceptable’

Spanish army soldiers and Guardia Civil officers stand guard on a littered beach as migrants return to Morocco

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Spanish soldiers find a migrant hiding in a tunnel at the Tarajal beach

‘We cannot allow anyone to come to our Union without abiding by our rules,’ she said Friday in an online statement. 

‘Dangerous crossings must stop immediately. Smuggling networks must be dismantled. And returns must be swift, as our rules allow.’

US President Donald Trump also condemned the situation. 

‘You know I saw Spain yesterday, and I watched the catastrophe that took place. It looks like an invasion of a country by hundreds of thousands of people,’ he said.

Morocco’s ambassador to Spain said the situation in Ceuta had unfolded against Morocco’s wishes.

‘We have always prioritised legal, orderly and safe migration for all,’ Karima Benyaich said. She did not comment on what prompted the migrants to cross into Ceuta.

Sanchez has since sent a letter to Brussels to complain about the attitude of some EU countries towards the Ceuta migration crisis, El País reports. 

In the letter, the Prime Minister maintained that Spain managed to reestablish border control, provide humanitarian assistance, return ‘virtually all’ of the migrants who entered irregularly, and prevent unauthorised movements to other European countries in less than 48 hours.

He emphasised that these actions were carried out in coordination with Morocco and with ‘very little support’ from other member states. 

Sánchez also recalled that Spain has supported other European partners during previous migration crises, citing the reception of migrants who arrived in Eastern Europe via Belarus in 2021 and on the Italian island of Lampedusa in 2023. 

In his letter, he criticised some governments for proposing Spain’s temporary exclusion from the Schengen Area.

He also appealed to Von der Leyen’s leadership to guarantee a ‘swift, effective and coordinated’ response from the European Union and called for an urgent meeting with all 27 member states. 

To reach Ceuta, on the northern African coast, migrants often swim from the Moroccan town of Fnideq, covering about three miles to reach Spanish territory.

Others attempt the crossing from the nearby town of Belyounech, where the distance is shorter.

Authorities in Ceuta and Madrid have linked the border surge to a recent decision by the Spanish Supreme Court, which ruled that migrants arriving by sea could not be summarily deported, unlike those who cross by land or climb the border fence.

Sánchez said migrant smugglers misinterpreted the ruling.

The interpretation of the Supreme Court’s ruling ‘spread like wildfire over the past few hours through the networks of human trafficking organisations,’ triggering the surge, Sánchez said.

Morocco’s ambassador to Spain said the situation in Ceuta had unfolded against Morocco’s wishes

Spanish soldiers rescue an injured migrant at the beach

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Cleaning workers clean a beach in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta

CAuthorities in Ceuta and Madrid have linked the border surge to a recent decision by the Spanish Supreme Court

In the tumult, Italy temporarily suspended its open-border Schengen agreement with Spain

A Spanish soldier gestures to migrants on their way to the border to Morocco

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Cleaning workers collect belongings left behind by migrants who crossed from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta

Migrants from Morocco also attempted to cross into Melilla, the other Spanish territory at the tip of North Africa

A Spanish soldier controls a group of migrants on their way back towards the Moroccan border, following their illegal crossing into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta

Earlier this year, his government moved to give residency and work permits to hundreds of thousands of migrants already living in the country without permission.

Sánchez, a Socialist, argued that it would be good for the economy and the demographics of an ageing Spain. Migrants who entered irregularly after January 1 this year were not included.

His critics jumped at the opportunity to attack his policy, saying it encouraged more migrants to come.

‘Sánchez allows Spain to be invaded through Ceuta,’ Spanish conservative politician Isabel Díaz Ayuso wrote on X.

The US expressed its support for ‘the people of Spain, and all Europeans, against this egregious violation of their sovereignty and human rights.’

In a post on X, the State Department added that ‘this unacceptable incident is the direct result of the Spanish Government’s deliberate efforts to enable and facilitate mass illegal migration into Europe.’

Sánchez on Friday defended his migration policy and distanced it from the events in Ceuta.

In the tumult, Italy temporarily suspended its open-border Schengen agreement with Spain, reimposing border controls for air and sea. 

The Interior Ministry said the decision amounted to a ‘closure’ of the borders, but experts said it was merely a resumption of border controls. The agreement allows travellers to fly between the two countries without presenting passports.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said France would also strengthen border checks with Spain.

Spanish soldiers sit in a military vehicle as police officers and soldiers escort a big group of migrants to the border to take them out of Spain

Migrants rest on a path near the sea after mass crossings of migrants on foot and by sea from Morocco into Spanish territory

Migrants wait to board coaches as the Moroccan authorities transfer some back to their hometowns after they left Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta

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Migrants pass through a broken fence as they leave Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta towards the Moroccan town of Fnideq

Migrants look for their belongings after crossing into Ceuta by sea

Migrants wade through the water near the border with Morocco as they attempt to enter Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta

A migrant uses plastic bottles to keep afloat as he tries to enter Ceuta by sea 

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A migrant uses a float to cross into Ceuta

Young men who returned from Spain gather at the Bab Sebta border crossing near Fnideq, Morocco, 31 July 2026

Migrants rest after crossing into Ceuta 

Migrants arrive on Tarajal beach in Ceuta 

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The crisis in Ceuta ‘has nothing to do with the regularisation of migrants adopted by the Government of Spain, as is being falsely claimed by some,’ the Spanish government said in a statement late Thursday after Meloni’s announcement.

Migrants from Morocco also attempted to cross into Melilla, the other Spanish territory at the tip of North Africa.

There was widespread chaos in Bni Nsar, the Moroccan town bordering the Spanish territory, where migrants clashed with police, throwing rocks and setting police vehicles ablaze, according to local media and rights groups. 

They reported injuries among security forces and the arrest of dozens of people attempting to cross.

Like Ceuta, Melilla is a self-governing Spanish city. Many Moroccans consider both cities to be occupied territory.