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The tiny Cambridgeshire hamlet with only 260 residents surrounded by fens

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Cambridgeshire Live

The hamlet is believed to have been where a battle took place involving William the Conqueror.

Hidden within the Fenlands is a small hamlet where only over 200 people live. Fenland is a large marshy region in the East of England.

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Cambridgeshire has many Fenland towns including March, Whittlesey, Chatteris, and Wisbech, which is known as the ‘capital of the Fens’. However, alongside these bigger towns is the tiny hamlet of Aldreth.

Located near Haddenham, Aldreth is home to only 260 people. The fens surround it, and it is also close to the River Great Ouse.

Its name derives from a combination of the Old English words ‘alder’ and ‘hythe’, meaning landing-place by the alders. It is thought Aldreth was the site of a battle between Hereward the Wake with the Anglo-Saxons and William the Conqueror with the Normans.

Through Aldreth runs the Aldreth Causeway. This is an ancient pathway that begins at the foot of Enchanted Hill and descends onto Aldreth High Street.

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In 1071, William the Conqueror led a campaign against the Isle of Ely. It’s believed Aldreth Causeway was the route William may have taken in his assault against the Isle of Ely. Today, the causeway is a path used by walkers and dog walkers.

For anyone who thinks of buying a home in Aldreth, they range in price from as little as £200,000, to some houses costing over £1 million.

Those who already live in Aldreth will enjoy local events such as the annual village open day. Known as Blossoms and Bygones, Aldreth hosts this day alongside neighbouring Haddenham.

The event includes tractor rides, vintage cars, and open gardens. On the event’s 40th anniversary in 2011, people dressed up in 1940s costumes as it had a VE Day theme.

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Man arrested near Glasgow Central as police swarm street amid ‘disturbance’

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Daily Record

Officers raced to Union Street after the alarm was raised at around 9.10pm on Friday.

A man has been arrested and charged after police were called to a street near Glasgow Central station. Officers raced to Union Street after the alarm was raised at around 9.10pm on Friday.

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Cops were responding to reports of a “disturbance” in the city centre. Images from the scene, which were shared with Glasgow Live, show at least ten police vehicles alongside medics.

Police have confirmed that a 19-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with the incident. There were no reports of any injuries.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 9.10pm on Friday, February 6, 2026, we were called to a disturbance on Union Street, Glasgow. Officers attended and a 19-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection.

“There were no reports of any injury.”

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Singer Neil Young cancels tour of UK and other Europe dates | Ents & Arts News

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Neil Young has cancelled tour dates in the UK and other gigs in Europe. Pic: PA

Neil Young has cancelled his upcoming UK tour and other dates in Europe with rock band The Chrome Hearts.

The Canadian-American singer, 80, apologised to fans in a post on his official website on Friday night.

He said it is “not the time” to be playing live shows and said he had “decided to take a break”.

Young was due to go on tour this summer with dates scheduled for locations including Manchester, Glasgow, Woodstock in Oxfordshire, and Cork.

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‘I’m sorry to let you down’

A message posted to the Neil Young Archives website read: “I have decided to take a break and will not be touring Europe this time.

“Thanks to everyone who bought tickets. I’m sorry to let you down, but this is not the time.

“I do love playing live and being with you and The Chrome Hearts. Love, Neil. Be well.”

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He was due to perform with his backing band, The Chrome Hearts, who he started playing with in 2024.

Image:
Pic: Reuters

The tour was due to begin in June, at the Eden Project in Cornwall, finishing in Lucca, Italy, in July.

His now cancelled dates had also included Nancy in France, Weert in the Netherlands, and Zottegem in Belgium.

Young has scooped multiple awards in his six-decade career, including two Grammys and nine Juno Awards.

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Read more from Sky News:
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He has been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice, once in 1995 as a solo artist, then again as part of rock band Buffalo Springfield in 1997.

His well-known hits include Cinamon Girl, Like A Hurricane and Rockin’ In The Free World.

Last year, he headlined Glastonbury and performed at BST Hyde Park.

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Enoch Burke Valentine’s Day card becomes instant hit with cheeky caption

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Belfast Live

A NI shop’s Valentine’s Day card featuring a tongue-in-cheek reference to the Enoch Burke saga has quickly become a best seller.

A Valentine’s Day card drawing inspiration from the widely publicised Enoch Burke case has swiftly become a bestseller, owing to its cheeky message.

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Mr Burke, a sacked teacher, has remained in the spotlight in recent years due to an ongoing legal battle with Wilson’s Hospital School. The dispute commenced in 2022 after he refused a request from the Co Westmeath school’s then-principal to refer to a pupil by a new name and pronoun, citing his religious convictions and constitutional rights.

Despite a court order preventing him from attending the school, Mr Burke repeatedly turned up, leading to fines amounting to €225,000 and more than 550 days behind bars for violating the injunction. He has challenged his dismissal from the school and continues to receive full salary whilst the appeals process is ongoing, with those payments being redirected to cover compensation owed to the school.

In January, Mr Burke applied for a temporary injunction against the disciplinary appeals panel, raising concerns described by Mr Justice Cregan as “credible” and “substantive”. The judge temporarily freed him from Mountjoy Prison to prepare his case, but he was jailed again the next day after turning up at Wilson’s Hospital School.

Images and footage of Mr Burke outside the school rapidly circulated online, and these moments have now been transformed into a viral Valentine’s card. The card, retailing at £3.50 through Derry Nice Things, features an illustration of Mr Burke positioned outside a school alongside the verse: “Roses are red, I’m here to stay, You’ll never get rid of me, Happy Valentine’s Day.”, reports the Irish Mirror.

The shop has labelled it on social media as one of their “best sellers”.

They posted: “VALENTINE’S DAY COUNTDOWN. There’s just over two weeks to go until Valentine’s Day. Make sure you sort your other half out with a unique and locally inspired card.

“These are just some of our best-sellers and new additions, but you can explore the full collection on our website. You can also check us out in store in some of our many stockists.”

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

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iPhone users told to change settings now – follow three steps

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Daily Record

Apple has shared three straightforward ways iPhone users can adjust their settings for peace of mind

Fed up with constant spam calls? There’s a simple fix to halt them entirely or drastically cut down their frequency. Taking swift action could be important if you want to safeguard your hard-earned cash from being drained.

Some scammers are incredibly convincing and can extract your personal details within moments, leaving your bank account nearly empty before you’ve even cottoned on to what’s happening. So what’s the solution?

Apple has advised iPhone owners that they can switch on the built-in Silence Unknown Callers feature, and if that’s not for you, there are two other methods available. Here’s everything you need to know, reports the Mirror.

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Screen or silence unknown callers

  • Phone app: Scroll to Screen Unknown Callers, then select Never, Ask Reason for Calling or Silence. Never means calls from unsaved numbers ring like any other call; Ask Reason for Calling means these calls are screened (the caller is asked why they’re calling before your phone even rings); and Silence automatically silences these calls and sends them to voicemail.
  • FaceTime: Tap to turn on Silence Unknown Callers. Calls from unknown numbers are silenced and sent to voicemail.

Filter unknown callers

  • Go to Settings, then tap Apps. Tap Phone or FaceTime
  • Scroll down to Call Filtering, and turn on Unknown Callers. Missed calls and voicemails from unknown numbers are moved to your Unknown Callers list
  • If you want to see your Unknown Callers list in the Phone app or FaceTime, tap the Filter button, then tap Unknown Callers. In the Phone app, this appears in the Recents tab in Classic view, and in the Calls tab in Unified.

Silence spam callers

  • Navigate to Settings, then select Apps. Select Phone or FaceTime.
  • Scroll to Call Filtering and activate your spam filter: FaceTime: Toggle on FaceTime Spam. Calls flagged as Spam or fraud are muted and transferred to the Spam list.
  • On your phone app: Toggle on Spam. Calls marked as Spam or fraud by your mobile network provider are muted, directed to voicemail and shifted to your Spam list.
  • To access your Spam list, simply tap the Filter button, followed by Spam. Within the Phone app, you’ll find this in the Recents tab when using Classic view, or in the Calls tab if you’re using Unified view.

Contacts warning

Apple stresses that when activating these features, it’s essential to add trusted contacts to your address book to avoid missing important calls from family, friends, your child’s school, workplace, or GP surgery. “If you call the emergency services, call screening turns off for 24 hours”, the company cautions.

Telephone Preference Service

Following Apple’s latest guidance for users, the technology firm isn’t the only one working to tackle nuisance calls. Citizens Advice specialists suggest registering with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) as a helpful step.

After registering, your number is placed on a database of individuals who don’t want to receive sales and marketing calls. It’s against the law for salespeople, whether operating from the UK or overseas, to ring numbers registered with TPS.

It adds: “Registering won’t stop automated marketing calls, also known as ‘computer-generated calls’. This is because the law only applies to people, not computers. You should talk to your telephone provider about how to stop these calls.”

The fastest method to register is by completing the TPS online registration form on the TPS website. To register with TPS you’ll need your: It’s worth noting that registering with the TPS won’t stop scam calls from getting through.

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Details on how to report scams can be accessed here. Information about reporting fraudulent activity is available here.

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The best water bottles including insulated, gym and sustainable options

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The best water bottles including insulated, gym and sustainable options

UK consumers go through an estimated 14 billion plastic drinks bottles per year, according to Defra, but single-use plastic is falling out of favour, thanks to efforts from David Attenborough and Greta Thunberg. More people are turning to reusable water bottles and in return, bottles are getting smarter. The best water bottles these days are insulated, leak-proof, filtered and BPA free.

BPA stands for Bisphenol A, an industrial chemical compound used in the manufacturing of strong plastics. Some research suggests BPA can leak into food and drink and cause health problems. “When looking for a bottle, look for non-toxic materials. Stainless steel is one of the most eco-friendly materials for a water bottle. Not only is it safe, but it is very durable and infinitely recyclable,” says Natalie Byrne, marketing manager at Go Outdoors.

For this guide I’ve tested a number of the best water bottles on the market – including gym water bottles, water bottles with straws and even the Air Up water bottle which uses scented pods to trick your brain into thinking you’re drinking squash. Whether you’re looking for a durable water bottle for hiking or simply one that’s dishwasher-safe, you should find something to suit you below.

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The best water bottles: At a glance

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How we test best water bottles

To find the best water bottle, I tried and tested dozens over the period of a month. I threw them in my backpack on my daily commute to test if they were leak-proof and I sipped them at my desk. I bundled them into my gym bag along with my gym leggings and yoga mat and even took them on runs. I left them for hours at a time to test how insulated they really were, using a thermometer to measure both cold and hot water, and I researched the materials each is made from to check for toxic materials.

I really wanted to find a water bottle that was both lightweight enough to carry around all day, insulated enough to keep water cold for hours and durable enough that it could take a few knocks and scratches. I want one water bottle that does everything, so I don’t have to have a separate bottle for home, work and the gym. I also looked at value for money. You wouldn’t believe the cost of some water bottles I looked at.

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Firefighters battle blaze in abandoned building in Leigh

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Firefighters battle blaze in abandoned building in Leigh

Emergency services were called to Ellesmere Street overnight from Friday into Saturday.

At 1.30am today, a Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson said there was a fire in an abandoned building, believed to be the former King Street School.

Then at 9am this morning, a Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said Ellesmere Street is closed along with King Street, between Spinning Jenny Way and St Helens Road.

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There are not believed to be any injuries as a result of the incident according to the emergency services.

A police spokesperson said: “The emergency services will continue to be in the area for the foreseeable.”

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England v Wales: Rock-bottom visitors attempt to defy odds

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Jamie George leads England team talk

Steve Tandy is the man attempting to mould something out of the mess.

The 46-year-old, who represented Neath and Ospreys – the tradition most under threat as the Welsh Rugby Union streamline their regional system – became Wales head coach in September.

His reputation was built on forging suffocating defences for teams to build from. Scotland and the British and Irish Lions have both benefited.

Leicester have too. Tandy came in for a short stint while Wigglesworth was coaching there.

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“He seemed like a really good bloke and very switched on for what he did,” said Wigglesworth.

“I’ve always been really impressed with the teams he’s been involved in. All the coaches who have worked with him as well, speak highly of him – he’s a good coach.”

England have predicted that, as such, Tandy will attempt to level the pitch by taking to the skies.

Head coach Steve Borthwick suggested as many as 50 contestable kicks could be coming the way of his back three.

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A lot of them would need to fall Wales’ way for the visitors to emerge victorious on Saturday, though.

If they do, it would rank as arguably the biggest shock in the fixture’s 145-year history.

If, more feasibly, England – with title aspirations – inflict another thrashing, those nip-tuck, nose-to-nose inferno finishes of years gone by would seem even more distant.

Damage limitation instead of dreams of victory occupy the minds of most Wales fans.

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George says he has no fears over the long-term competitiveness of the rivalry.

“I don’t think it’ll be a problem,” he said.

“I think Wales are going to be a good team moving forward. I think they’re going to be a good team on Saturday.”

Good enough? By the high standards set by this match in the past? That still seems some way off.

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Dad was a secret serial killer & I tipped off cops

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Dad was a secret serial killer & I tipped off cops

LYING awake at night, as her then-husband and teenage boys slept, April Balascio racked her brain for missing remnants of her childhood.

Images swirled – of missing people, dead bodies and quick getaways at 12am.

April Balascio has told how she turned her dad, Edward Edwards, over to copsCredit: Supplied
Before being arrested for murder, Edwards was on the FBI’s ’10 Most Wanted’ list for gas station robberiesCredit: Supplied

Teacher April, then living in Ohio, USA, was trying to piece together her fragmented past. But it was tricky. Her dad, Edward Edwards ensured they were always on the move.

By 18, she’d been to 17 schools and lived in states including Wisconsin, Florida, Arizona, Georgia, Colorado, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

“I remember Dad regularly waking me in the middle of the night and saying ‘we’re going now’,” says April, now 56. “But it wasn’t unusual. We never stayed too long in one place, constantly moving to where the work was.”

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Ten Most Wanted

Edwards also did some motivational speaking about “choosing the right path” having once been on the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted” list for a string of petrol station robberies in the 1960s, for which he had served a prison sentence.

SO EVIL

Dad’s girlfriend was serial killer Joanna Dennehy, she taught me POLE DANCE at 13

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SICK STRIKE

How Hammer Killer lured me into twisted world while drawing up ‘paedo’ hit list

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As an adult April became incredibly uneasy about her childhood. “Dad was very hot and cold,” she says. “On special occasions like Christmas, he would go all out decorating and was giddy with excitement watching us kids rip open the gifts he had picked. Other days, he had a raging temper which he would take out on us.

“We would leave places so suddenly, me, my mum, him and my four siblings all crushed in the vehicle. I remember setting up in various places such as farmhouses, tents, mobile homes and once a barn.

“But what really stuck with me was, seemingly, wherever we went there were missing people cases.”

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But she couldn’t remember exactly where they’d stayed. So, for 18 months in 2009, having left home, married and had children, she would wake and try desperately to recall the locations. Until one day – a match.

“I typed in ‘Cold Case, 1980, Waterford, Wisconsin’,” she says. “And there it was.”

Researching online, she found articles on “The Sweetheart Murders”, the name given to a cold case involving couple Kelly Drew and Timothy Hack, both 19, who vanished in August 1980.

“I read about how they had been celebrating a friend’s wedding reception at a venue called Concord House before vanishing,” says April. “Then I felt a jolt of recognition because I knew that place… we camped nearby, and Dad had worked there as a caretaker.

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“I recalled him, like everyone in the town, tuning into the nightly news for updates on the missing couple.

“‘I bet they find those kids in a field,’ he had said over and over again. We left town not long afterwards and moved hundreds of miles away. But as I read on, I was horrified to discover their bodies had been located in a field more than two months after they had disappeared.”

‘I bet they find those kids in a field’

The news articles reported Tim had been stabbed. Kelly had been bound, strangled and possibly raped.

April continues: “Police never found the killer, and all the leads dried up. But thinking back, I recalled Dad coming home with a busted nose around the same time. He told me he had injured himself hunting, but even as a kid I remembered thinking it was odd.”

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April called the old article’s hotline number, not expecting anyone to answer – but police did… and they were interested.

“I told the police everything I knew,” she says. “I wasn’t sure if it was the right thing to do, or if I had sent them on a wild goose chase. I wondered, ‘Am I a horrible person doing this to my Dad?’”

He appeared in court when he was in his 70s and was sent to death row, but died before he could be executed.Credit: AP:Associated Press
Edwards in a mugshot from the 1960sCredit: Alamy
One of his victims, Daniel Gloeckner – known as Dannie Boy, who Edwards murderedCredit: Supplied

About a month later, the police went to visit Edwards, who agreed to a DNA sample – and it was a match.

“I felt sick,” says April. “I couldn’t believe my Dad had killed that couple. Soon afterwards, he was arrested, pleaded guilty to two counts of murder and was handed a double life sentence. I didn’t speak to him again.”

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However, in April 2010, he went on to admit to the murders of couple Billy Lavaco, 21, and Judy Straub, 18, in 1977 in Ohio.

They were found in a park, shot at point blank range in the back of the neck.

Sickest confession of all

“Then came the most chilling confession of them all – Dad had killed my brother’s friend, ‘Dannie Boy’,” says April. “After I had left home, my parents had taken in Dannie and encouraged him to join the Army. He admired Dad so much he even took our surname. But in 1996, shortly after Dad signed up Dannie for the maximum military life insurance of $382,412, he had been found dead by a gunshot wound, aged 24.”

In March 2011, having admitted five murders and hinted at more, Edward Edwards, then 76, from Kentucky, appeared in court and was sentenced to death.

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“I wanted him jailed so he would suffer,” says April. “What he did was awful. I knew he was a volatile man, but he was also charismatic and could be charming.

“I imagine that’s how he got away with being a secret serial killer.

In April 2011, while on death row, he died of diabetes. “I felt relief that our family was spared the media circus, but the weight of Dad’s actions hung over me like a dark cloud,” says April. “Not wanting to burden my family with the agony I felt, I would muffle my screams in the shower with a washcloth.”

In 2019, she created a podcast, The Clearing, detailing the journey to discovering the truth about her father.

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Meeting a victim’s family

“In the final episode, I arranged to speak with Tim Hack’s parents, Dave and Judy,” she says. “They shared sweet stories of their son growing up, and their heartache of losing him before his life had truly begun. I was so sorry, but they said I wasn’t to blame.”

In January, she released a book, Raised By A Serial Killer, and dedicated it to Dave and Judy.

“For a long time, I shied away from the parts of myself that reminded me of my father, including my own temper,” she says. “But I’ve learned I don’t have to be a product of my environment, that I can choose my own path – such as by helping people instead of hurting them.

“I may never know why my father did what he did, but I know I’ll do everything I can to leave the world a better place than I found it.”

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April, as a child. She told how her Dad moved the family from place to placeCredit: Supplied
Shockingly she handed him into policeCredit: Getty
April, in the patterned dress, with her serial killer dadCredit: Supplied

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Cordon in place with multiple roads shut after huge fire breaks out in Leigh

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Manchester Evening News

Fire crews and police remain on the scene this morning

Emergency services remain on the scene after a huge fire broke out in Leigh overnight.

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The blaze broke out at a ‘derelict building’ on Ellesmere Street at around 10.50pm on Friday evening (February 6). Six fire engines were called out, as well as an aerial unit.

Police officers and paramedics were also called. Pictures and video clips from the scene showed huge flames engulfing the entire building as thick, black smoke billowed into the sky.

Follow our live blog HERE for updates on the fire

The church-style building where the blaze broke out is believed to the former King Street School. A spokesperson for the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said no injuries were reported in the fire.

Local residents were advised to keep their windows and shut are the fire took hold of the building in the early hours. Crews remain on the scene this morning dampening down hotspots.

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A number of road closures are in place, including on King Street and on Ellesmere Street.Emergency services are expected to remain on the scene ‘for the foreseeable’, a spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said.

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A GMFRS spokesperson said in a statement: “At around 10.50pm on Friday 6 February, six fire engines from across Greater Manchester and an aerial appliance attended a fire involving a derelict church on Ellesmere Street, Leigh. Crews arrived quickly and used five jets and two turntable ladders to bring the fire under control.

Greater Manchester Police managed cordons around the area and evacuated nearby residents. North West Ambulance Service also attended in a supportive capacity. Firefighters remain on scene this morning.”

A GMP spokesperson said: “#UPDATE | Officers are currently supporting partners following reports of a fire at a church on Wilds Passage, Leigh. There are no reported injuries.

“Emergency services will continue to be in the area for the foreseeable. A number of road closures are in place including King Street from the junctions of Spinning Jenny Way/ Twist Lane to the end of the road bridge over the canal where King Street merges to St Helens Road.

“Ellesmere Street at the junction of Spinning Jenny Way is also closed off. Please be mindful of these and avoid the area where possible. Thank you for your patience whilst emergency services deal with the incident.”

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Mystery of Boeing jet that vanished after frantic take-off sparking fears of ‘flying bomb’ & chilling hostage theory

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Mystery of Boeing jet that vanished after frantic take-off sparking fears of ‘flying bomb’ & chilling hostage theory

A BOEING 727 that had no clearance to fly mysteriously took off into the night – leaving behind no wreckage, no signal and no answers.

Just before sunset, the ageing jet lifted off from Quatro de Fevereiro Airport in Luanda, Angola with an American engineer and a private pilot on board.

A Boeing 727 mysteriously took off from Angola in 2003 without clearance or lights
Ben Charles Padilla was an American flight engineer and private pilot

It flew into the sky without its external lights, no flight plan, and without responding to air traffic control.

Its transponder had been switched off, and within minutes, it disappeared from radar as it headed south-west over the Atlantic Ocean on May 25, 2003.

Neither the aircraft – registered N844AA – nor the two men on board, Ben Charles Padilla and John Mikel Mutantu, have ever been seen again.

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More than 20 years later, the disappearance remains one of the aviation industry’s most baffling modern mysteries – fuelling theories ranging from organised crime and insurance fraud to terrorism and hostage coercion.

For the family of Ben, the mystery has always been more personal and sinister.

His brother, Joseph B. Padilla Sr, rejected the idea that Ben stole the aircraft. Instead, he believes the plane was hijacked.

He previously said: “I really believe my brother was taken prisoner and held against his will and possibly was killed.”

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Vanishing into the night

The Boeing 727 had been built in 1975 and flew 25 years for American Airlines before being converted into a cargo plane.

By 2003, it was considered obsolete for passenger use but remained fully capable of flight.

After a failed sale, the aircraft was grounded in Angola.

It sat for more than a year, accruing millions of dollars in airport parking and service fees amid confusion over its ownership.

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Reports later described a tangle of companies claiming interests in the jet, complicating efforts to recover debts.

Despite that limbo, aviation expert Julian Bray said the aircraft was clearly being kept in a condition fit to fly – adding the plane could not have taken off without careful preparation.

He told The Sun: “You wouldn’t just jump into an aircraft where the batteries weren’t charged up and the systems were, were ready to go.”

Under normal circumstances, airports prevent disputed aircraft from leaving by immobilising them, Bray explained.

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This includes blocking or locking the nose wheel so they cannot taxi.

But that did not happen at Luanda – and it allowed it to taxi down the runway unchallenged and with no clearance to do so.

On the night of the disappearance, witnesses said the plane moved erratically as it made its way toward the runway, before lining up and taking off without authorisation.

One reason the aircraft may have escaped scrutiny is its role as a cargo plane.

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Converted from use as a passenger lane, it had a large side-loading door – and regular activity around it would not have appeared unusual.

“If people were working on the aircraft, then you wouldn’t see anything out of the ordinary,” Bray explained.

And it was that anonymity has fuelled suspicions the aircraft may have been used for illicit cargo – such as drugs.

“Nobody really is going to look inside the aircraft because it’s of no interest to them. It’s just an object,” Bray said.

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The plane was reportedly filled with around 14,000 gallons of fuel at the time of take-off – enough for roughly 1,500 miles of flight.

Bray said this suggests a deliberate plan rather than an impulsive escape.

“You won’t take off unless you’ve got a tank full of petrol,” he added.

By switching off its transponder and radio systems, the aircraft had erased itself from tracking networks.

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Without a flight plan or handoff to air traffic control, it became invisible.

The jet headed south-west – a direction that leads over vast stretches of ocean, but also toward remote regions of Africa dotted with disused wartime airstrips.

“In that region, there are loads of old, World War Two airstrips,” Bray said.

“If it’s not going to take off again, then they wouldn’t be too worried about how it lands.”

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The aircraft vanished from radar after heading south-west from Luanda, AngolaCredit: Alamy
The disappearance sparked theories of crime, terrorism, or a chilling hostage situationCredit: EPA

Drugs, crime, or terror?

Speculation about why the aircraft vanished began almost as soon as it left the runway.

Some believe the aircraft was stolen for use in organised crime, potentially transporting high-value contraband such as drugs.

Others pointed to the tense post-9/11 climate as the disappearance occurred less than two years after the September 11 attacks, prompting fears the jet could be used as a weapon.

The missing jet quickly reached the attention of US military and intelligence officials, who triggered a frantic search for what they believed could have been a flying bomb.

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Retired US Marine General Mastin Robeson, who was leading US military operations in the Horn of Africa at the time of the disappearance, said news of the missing Boeing “came up through the intelligence network.”

Robeson said the uncertainty surrounding the aircraft’s intent was serious enough that US Central Command weighed the option of deploying fighter jets to Djibouti, where American forces operate alongside the French military.

He added: “It was never [clear] whether it was stolen for insurance purposes…by the owners, or whether it was stolen with the intent to make it available to unsavory characters, or whether it was a deliberate concerted terrorist attempt. There was speculation of all three.”

No explosion or attack was ever reported.

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Who was flying?

Ben, an American flight engineer and private pilot, and John, a mechanic believed to be from the Democratic Republic of Congo, had both been authorised to work on the aircraft.

But neither was certified to fly a Boeing 727, which normally requires a three-person crew.

Bray said that, while risky, flying the aircraft was still possible.

“If he’s got a pilot’s licence, he knows the principles of flying,” he explained, comparing it to driving a vehicle without the specific class endorsement.

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With a pilot and a mechanic on board, Bray added, there was a “viable flying team.”

Chilling hostage theory

One of the most disturbing theories suggests the men were not acting voluntarily.

Supporters of the hostage theory believe someone may have been on board to ambush them, forcing the aircraft into the air under threat – possibly by targeting their families.

“This has happened in the past,” Bray said.

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“There have been cases where they [criminals] go and kidnap the families and put the pressure on that way.”

He also raised the possibility of collusion, saying: “Was it collusion between the ruling powers and somebody else?

“That’s the easy way to do it, isn’t it?”

Ben’s family said he had spent weeks in Angola overseeing a mechanical overhaul of the aircraft and was preparing it for a repossession flight.

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The aircraft, registered N844AA, has never been seen againCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk
An image of Ben Padilla circulated after his disappearance in May 2003Credit: FBI

According to his brother, the jet had undergone a full check and was declared airworthy – contradicting early reports that it had been abandoned or unmaintained.

Joseph said his brother was not licensed to fly a Boeing 727 and was never meant to pilot the aircraft.

He was working as a flight engineer and mechanic and was responsible for hiring a qualified pilot and co-pilot for the planned departure.

He believed the aircraft was taken while his brother was running engine checks near the runway – suggesting someone may already have been on board.

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“I feel that when my brother was checking the engines, someone was on the plane and hijacked him,” he wrote back in 2003.

Joseph also pointed to his brother’s views following 9/11, saying he had once told family members that if he were ever caught in a hijacking scenario, he would deliberately crash the aircraft rather than allow it to be used as a weapon.

The family say Ben remained in contact with them shortly before the jet disappearance.

He had promised to call after learning his mother had suffered a heart attack. But that call that never came.

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For his brother, he was convinced something went wrong inside the aircraft before it ever left Angolan airspace.

What most likely happened

Despite investigations involving US authorities, including the FBI and CIA, no confirmed sightings or debris have ever emerged.

A reported sighting in West Africa weeks later was quickly dismissed.

But Bray believes the most likely explanation is simple, saying: “I think it landed somewhere.”

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He believes the aircraft could have touched down on a remote airstrip and been stripped, hidden or abandoned.

The alternative, he said, is equally bleak.

“The plane just carried on till it ran out of fuel, then ditched,” he said.

Either way, the Boeing 727 that lifted silently into the Angolan sky remains missing with no wreckage, no answers, and no clear ending.

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