British couples have lost tens of thousands of pounds after an IVF clinic in Portugal filed for insolvency – leaving many in limbo mid-treatment – in what has been described as the “biggest disaster globally in the sector”.

Ovom Care continued to take payments from its patients and administered treatments just days before they abruptly closed their business. Given that many of their patients had not paid via a credit card to avoid hefty exchange fees, they have been informed they are ineligible for refunds and have received no word about compensation.

Investors in Ovom said claims for prepaid treatment can be registered with the insolvency administrator.

One couple believe the ordeal has cost them upwards of £30,000, while another woman says she was left devastated to discover she had paid for three IVF rounds – despite her new doctor informing her she likely suffers from endometriosis.

At least 38 British patients are known to have been with the clinic at the time it became insolvent. However, The Independent has been told Ovom likely had around 200 clients and that around 60 per cent were UK nationals.

Ovom Care’s chief executive told The Independent the clinic was “deeply sorry” to patients for distress caused, but those who had paid for treatment they had not received would now need to contact insolvency administrators. She suggested a: “number of claims circulating publicly are factually not correct”, without specifying.

Pippa Hogg and her wife Jay Brown, both 39, had always known they wanted children. As a same-sex couple, they were aware of the financial pressures of undergoing IVF in the UK, which can spiral into the tens of thousands of pounds.

After researching various clinics and speaking with friends, they decided to pick Ovom Care as they felt protected by EU rules and were pleased that Portugal had almost identical laws to the UK on sperm donation. They travelled to the country and felt reassured by the staff and enjoyed a good relationship with their doctor – so decided to proceed with treatment.

After months of living on “the extreme frugal side”, they transferred £5,000 for a round in February which failed, and then made a second £10,000 payment on 15 August for three egg collections, as well as an additional £2,800 for their sperm donor vials.

Ms Hogg underwent her first scan on 21 August and began her simulation three days later. But the couple were left blindsided when they were informed on 28 August that Ovom were insolvent.

“It’s been really hard to be honest,” Ms Hogg told The Independent. “It was such a shock, I got really, really upset. As a queer person, you’ve already gone through other barriers and it felt like the final nail in the coffin. I also found it hard while also being treated for hormones and the procedure – I’ve not been back to work since. I’ve found it hard to be normal.”

Ms Hogg and Ms Brown are now undergoing treatment with Avenues. Given that they are now seeking another sperm donor and their bank has refused their fraud claim on the money paid to Ovom, they now believe the process has cost them in the region of £32,000.

A spokesperson for Ms Hogg and Ms Brown’s MP, Miatta Fahnbulleh, said: “Miatta is very saddened and concerned to read about the experiences of those affected by the situation at Ovom Care.

“We would strongly encourage the constituents affected to get in touch with our office directly if they have not already done so. We will be looking out for their cases and will ensure that they are treated as a high-priority case by our office.”

Michelle, who does not wish to include her surname, 42, and her husband had been trying for a baby for years. They chose Ovom Care due to the high quality of doctors advertised but now feel their “one shot” of having a child has been taken from them.

Prior to beginning their treatment with Ovom, Michelle says she went for a scan at a clinic in Harley Street, London, and was informed she may have endometriosis. Upon asking Ovom’s specialist doctors if she should investigate further, she said was reassured further scans were not necessary.

In December 2025, she underwent her first egg transfer. She discovered that the transfer had failed on Christmas Day, but claims to have felt pressured to continue with her second transfer in February, which also failed.

“I was in such a bad way mentally and thinking ‘what’s wrong with me physically, I’m killing these things. I’m the reason this isn’t working, I’m a bad person’,” she said.

Given her age, she asked if she should take part in another egg retrieval or undergo further testing, but says she was once again reassured by the clinic that all was well, and she should proceed with her third and final transfer in August.

She discovered this had also failed on 26 August, just one day after Ovom filed for insolvency and two days before they informed their patients.

An estimated 60 per cent of Ovom’s patients were British and London-based Avenues clinic, run by Ovom co-founder Dr Cristina Hickman, has offered to take over their care. Avenues subsequently informed Ms Haworth that her initial scans had shown endometriosis, endometrioma and adenomyosis.

Michelle and her husband believe they are now £20,000 out of pocket, and are unsure how to raise the funds for a second opportunity. They have joined forces with other affected patients to launch a fundraiser, with the hope of using it to recuperate costs and pay for future treatment.

Dr Hickman, who said she left Ovom in 2024 over disagreements with the direction the clinic was taking, said there had been a “misalignment between healthcare and venture capital business”, which had failed to prioritise patients.

The clinic had been backed by venture capital firms Alpha Intelligence Capital, Ananda Impact Ventures and Merantix Capital, and received a €4.8m (£4.1m) investment in 2024.

“It’s hard to navigate the private equity and venture capital space as a healthcare provider as you want different things, there is a different target,” Dr Hickman said.

“Six months before your runway of money runs out you should do a transfer of care, stop further care from starting and transfer the embryos. There is a way to shut down clinics and there is no registered doctor I know that would have done this.

She added: “You don’t just announce an insolvency and walk away. People remortgage their households to do this treatment.

“This is the biggest disaster I have seen globally in the IVF sector, this is as bad as it gets.”

Ovom Care’s German parent company is separately subject to its own insolvency proceedings. Restructuring measures are initiated and a mergers and acquisitions process is organised.

The insolvency administrator and Portugal’s regulator for assisted reproduction, the CNPMA, approved a process for stored eggs, sperm and embryos to be transferred to the Ava Clinic in Lisbon. Ovom say this was safely carried out under the CNPMA’s authorisation and clinical data is also being securely transferred.

Rachael and Anthony Jones, 38 and 36, had been trying for a baby but had suffered three miscarriages. They were drawn to Ovom Care after continuously seeing their adverts “popping up online”, and after conducting their research and having a “no pressure” consultation, they felt that the clinic was a good fit.

In April, they made an up-front payment of more than £8,000 to cover three cycles of IVF and embryo transfers, and began the process in May. After travelling to Portugal for their egg retrieval, they felt encouraged by the “lovely” staff and nurses, and had no concerns about their treatment.

In July, they were informed that they could not undergo the embryo transfer as essential building work was taking place at the clinic, and on 21 August, they were disappointed when their transfer was delayed again due to a scan showing Rachael’s womb lining was not sufficiently optimal.

Just one week later, they received an email at 5:30pm on a Friday to inform them that the clinic had filed for insolvency.

“That weekend was just horrendous,” Rachael said. “I don’t think we slept properly. We were trying to contact Ava Clinic, where we were told the eggs would be transferred to, but they had also only found out on the Friday and were inundated with queries. They couldn’t get in touch with Ovom either. Ava only got our eggs a week ago and until then, it has been massively stressful.”

“We feel fleeced,” Anthony said. “The financial side has had to really dictate our choices. There’s the context of it as well – we’ve had three miscarriages which we haven’t really gotten over. You then take the scientific route and hope it will be a bit more in your control. We just feel like the unluckiest people in the world.”

Similar to Pippa and Jay, they are now also with Avenues, which has offered to retrieve their eggs for no additional cost. They are now hoping to embark on a new treatment plan in a few weeks, but the stress from the ordeal is believed to have triggered Rachael’s Graves’ disease, which means it is unlikely that they can go forwards with the embryo transfer for another six months.

Ovom Care chief executive, Felicia von Reden, said in a statement to The Independent: “I would like to start off by saying that we as management are deeply sorry for the distress and uncertainty caused by the insolvency proceedings.

“Stored eggs, sperm and embryos, together with patients’ clinical records, have been transferred to AVA Clinic in Lisbon, with the authorisation of the Portuguese health authority (CNPMA). If you are currently undergoing treatment, or wish to continue your care, please contact AVA Clinic directly. They are able to advise on next steps.

“If you have paid for treatment that was not provided, this is a claim against the insolvent estate.

“We are currently in the process of finding a fair outcome for patients who paid for treatment that was not delivered, and I will communicate further as soon as there is something concrete to share.

“The circumstances surrounding the insolvency, including the operational decisions taken after the court appointed an independent administrator, are before courts in Portugal and Germany. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on matters under judicial review.

“I will say, however, that a number of claims circulating publicly are factually not correct.

“My focus, and the priority of everyone involved, is making sure patients get the support and answers they need – we are working on this with all the resources we have.”

A spokesperson for the Ava Clinic said: “Portugal has a long-standing reputation for safe, reliable and high-quality fertility treatment. Ava Clinic is proud to be part of that tradition, with more than 25 years of experience in assisted reproduction that patients can trust.

“The situation with Ovom Care is unfortunately an example of poor business practice which can impact any sector in any country; but should never be allowed to impact patients. For this reason, Ava Clinic had no hesitation in doing everything possible to ensure the safety of Ovom Care patients and their frozen reproductive material.

“When our support was requested by the court-appointed insolvency administrator and by Portugal’s assisted reproduction regulatory authority, our priority was immediately to protect patients and ensure continuity of care. Our team worked intensively to safeguard frozen reproductive material, preserve clinical records and support every patient who wished to continue treatment.”

A joint statement from Alpha Intelligence Capital, Merantix Capital and Ananda Impact Ventures said: “Our funds invested in Ovom Care between 2023 and 2024. Alpha Intelligence Capital and Merantix Capital had representatives on the board of its German parent company; Ananda Impact Ventures held an observer position on the board.

“The insolvency of the Portuguese clinic and its German parent company is the subject of court-supervised proceedings in Portugal and Germany. Management acted throughout on legal advice, and both entities cooperated, and continue to cooperate, fully with the insolvency administrators and the courts. As the proceedings are ongoing, it would not be appropriate for us to comment further on matters under judicial review.

“As Ovom has set out, patient safety measures were taken, including the transfer of biological material to an authorised backup facility, AVA Clinic in Lisbon, with the approval of the Portuguese health authority Claims for prepaid treatment can be registered with the Insolvency Administrator.

“Our sympathies are with everyone affected, particularly the patients whose treatment has been disrupted, and the clinic’s staff.”

The USS Klakring was struck by a missile and sank in the North Atlantic during the operation at the MOD’s Hebrides Range.

A US Navy warship has been sunk in Scottish waters as part of a joint military operation. The USS Klakring was struck by a missile from the USS Paul Ignatius with Royal Navy vessels and aircraft also involved in the operation at the MOD’s Hebrides Range.

UK and US forces have been undertaking live-fire exercises in the North Atlantic off the coast of the Western Isles this month. Known as Atlantic Thunder 2026, the operation included a joint-exercise targeting the USS Klakring, a decommissioned warship.

Dramatic footage published by the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet shows the moment the frigate was hit by a missile during the exercise. After launching a missile from the USS Paul Ignatius, explosions can be seen onboard the USS Klakring as smoke and flames erupt from the vessel while it is destroyed.

The operation was originally planned to take place in May, with the sinking of USS Klakring by co-ordination between British and American forces the centrepiece, but it was delayed by four months.

Launched in 1982, the USS Klakring was an Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate named for after World War II Rear Admiral Thomas B. Klakring. It was decommissioned in 2013 after three decades in active service and had been stored at the Philadelphia Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility in Pennsylvania before it was brought to Campbeltown ahead of the exercise.

All hazardous materials had been removed from the vessel before being sent to the bottom of the ocean.

It is not the first time a former US warship has been sunk as part of training exercises between UK and US forces off the coast of Scotland. A previous Atlantic Thunder operation took place in September 2022 in which HMS Westminster, a Wildcat helicopter and three RAF Typhoons sank the decommissioned frigate USS Boone alongside the US Navy and the US Air Force.

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They both played major parts in history

There’s no era of English history that gets people as interested as the Tudors. King Henry VIII’s reign has literally gone down in history – and we have a key part of Tudor history immortalised in the county

Two Tudor queens and another famous name from the Tudor era are buried in one of the county’s most iconic buildings. Katherine of Aragon and Mary Queen of Scots both found aresting place in Peterborough.

Peterborough Cathedral is one of the city’s most historically significant landmarks. The Norman building, which first opened to the public nearly 800 years ago, is the final resting place of a famous Tudor Queen and the original burial ground of another.

Both women’s lives and deaths were swamped in controversy and tragedy and tributes to them can still be seen at the site today. A third Tudor figure is also buried at the cathedral and while he is less well known, his life and legacy are no less intriguing.

Thousands of people visit the cathedral every year, attracted by its stunning and unique architecture, as well as its fascinating history. Below, you will find more information about the three Tudor figures connected to Peterborough Cathedral. While one is no longer buried there, a tribute inside the building means that her presence is felt nonetheless.

Katherine of Aragon

Katherine of Aragon, the first wife of Henry VIII, was buried at Peterborough Cathedral after her death in 1536. She had become Queen Consort in 1509, but after more than two decades on the throne, her husband divorced her and instead married his second wife of six – Anne Boleyn.

This certainly wasn’t an easy feat as Pope Clement VII refused to dissolve their marriage, meaning Henry had to take the radical step of splitting from Rome and establishing the Church of England to get what he wanted.

Katherine was eventually dismissed from court in 1533 but never personally recognised the divorce. She died just three years later at Kimbolton Castle in Cambridgeshire amid rumours she was poisoned.

Henry wanted to avoid a funeral in London, which could have been politically embarrassing, and Peterborough Abbey was nearby and important enough for her status. She was only granted the title of Dowager Princess of Wales but still ordered her servants to address her as Queen.

Henry did not attend the funeral of his wife of more than 20 years and forbade their daughter, Mary, from attending. After her funeral, Katherine was buried at Peterborough Cathedral where commemorative services for her are held to this day.

Flowers and pomegranates, her heraldic symbol, are frequently left by her tomb, which is also marked with her portrait and the words ‘Katherine Queen of England’.

Mary, Queen of Scots

Mary, Queen of Scots was also buried in the cathedral after her death in nearby Fotheringhay Castle – but this time, it was death by execution. Mary, a Catholic, was held in captivity for 19 years in Protestant England, until she was implicated in the Babington Plot – a conspiracy to murder Queen Elizabeth I. She was tried for treason, found guilty and executed in 1587.

She was eventually buried in the South Choir Aisle of Peterborough Cathedral after having been laid in a lead coffin within Fotheringhay Castle for nearly six months.

Her son, James I of England, later moved her remains to Westminster Abbey. The site of the original tomb can still be seen in the Cathedral.

Robert Scarlett (‘Old Scarlett’)

Robert Scarlett, or ‘Old Scarlett’, the cathedral’s sexton was something of a local celebrity in the Tudor era. The Peterborough gravedigger lived to the age of 98, with his life spanning the reigns of Henry VII, Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I.

Old Scarlett was said to have buried two people from every family in Peterborough – which may not been an exaggeration, given that the city was ravaged by the plague in the 1570s. He was also involved in the burials of both Katherine and Mary and legend suggests that he may have been the inspiration for the gravedigger in Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

In 1594, Old Scarlett finally got a grave on his own. He was buried just inside the cathedral – an unusual honour for common folk. His painting above the west doors looks down upon the cathedral visitors.

He is portrayed holding his spade and keys, and a skull lying at his feet. A commemorative rhyme reads:

“You see old Scarlitt’s picture stand on hie, But at your feete here doth his body lye. His gravestone doth his age and Death time show, His office by thes tokens you may know. Second to none for strength and sturdye limm, A Scarebabe mighty voice with visage grim. Hee had interd two Queenes within this place And this townes Householders in his lives space Twice over: But at length his own time came; What for others did for him the same Was done: No doubt his soule doth live for aye In heaven: Tho here his body clad in clay”.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said a crew from Acomb was called to The Green, in Green Hammerton, at 9.56am today (Sunday, September 27).

The stack measured 20 metres by 30 metres and crews needed assistance from a water bowser from Tadcaster.

A service spokesperson said: “Crews used a 45mm hose and ground monitor to extinguish the fire.”

Thousands of homes in parts of West Sussex have water supply issues and a number of roads have flooded after what police are describing as a “significant” leak.

Roads around the Southgate Roundabout in Crawley have been closed on Sunday morning due to the burst water pipe, Sussex Police said.

Southern Water said around 9,000 customers were impacted and it was setting up bottled water stations.

A company spokesperson said: “Our teams are on site and working as quickly and safely as possible to repair the burst and restore supplies.”

The company said customers were experiencing a loss of water supply or low pressure in the following areas – Woolborough Road, Holmcroft, Southgate, Tilgate and Furnace Green.

It reported at 12:00 BST that supplies had returned to some homes.

At about 18:00, Crawley Borough councillor Duncan Crow said about 4,000 properties had seen their supplies returned.

The Southern Water spokesperson added: “Restoring water to customers as quickly as possible remains our highest priority.”

John Boulton, who is 82, and his partner are without water.

He said: “It’s pretty disgusting, really – we pay so much for the water supply.”

Boulton said he had just paid £22 for bottled water in a shop.

By WILL HALLOWELL, NEWS REPORTER and NATALIA PENZA

Published: 18:17 BST, 27 September 2026 | Updated: 18:42 BST, 27 September 2026

Founder Chloe Taylor, from Crook, said the group will welcome women of all abilities and running speeds.

Announcing the venture on social media, Chloe said creating the club was outside her comfort zone but was driven by a desire to bring local women together through fitness and friendship.

Chloe Taylor. (Image: CHLOE TAYLOR)

Chloe, 33, said: “I want to build a community for us girls to feel safe running together, especially through the darker months.

“This is about getting out, running together, meeting new people and doing something for ourselves.”

The club will hold weekly runs and weekend social events, including post-run coffee meet-ups.

Qualified run leader Chloe Taylor is also planning extra support for women new to running before they join group sessions.

The club’s first event will take place on Saturday, October 10.

Runners will meet outside The Beehive Coffee Shop & Pantry in Bishop Auckland at 8.15am before choosing a 3km or 5km route.

The run will finish at the café, where members can socialise over coffee and buy breakfasts, cakes and other treats.

Chloe said the club is about inclusion, not speed, and welcomes runners of all abilities.

She said: “This isn’t about speed, it’s about socialising and getting out running together, so don’t think you have to run at a certain pace.”

The launch event is free, but runners must register in advance.

Places are limited because of the café’s capacity.

Runners can follow the running club on Instagram and Facebook.

The Beehive is run alongside Angel Trust, with profits funding food banks, counselling and housing support for vulnerable people.

The café opened in May 2025 and supported about 1,100 people through the charity’s services during its first year.

The school is one of only two of its kind

A village green is a prized part of any village, acting as a meeting point and a place for children to play. But in one Cambridgeshire village, their green is rather something to behold, as it is one of the longest in Europe.

It’s far from being just a long stretch of grass, as Barrington’s green has a zip wire, a BMX trail, a climbing zone, playground swings, a climbing net, a slide and a rocking horse. It’s also a designated conservation area, proving its importance both locally and for visitors.

Barrington’s pretty streets are dotted with charming thatched cottages, giving it that chocolate box feeling. One of those thatched buildings is the local primary school, which is one of two remaining thatched schools in England. Barrington Church of England Primary School opened in 1838.

The school’s website states that “history and tradition are a large part of what makes our school special”. The school had previously maintained an Ofsted rating of ‘good’, since 2012, with the report describing pupils as “confident, kind and happy”. But their most recent report carried out in June 2026 rated the school as ‘needing attention’ five out of seven areas. However, the report did say that “pupils recall their learning with great confidence”.

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Barrington has only one pub, which overlooks the village green. And according to the parish council, it’s the last standing out of seven pubs that used to be here during the Victorian era. It is easy to see why this one has stayed so popular over the years. It has an average of 4.5 / 5 from 706 Google reviews.

A recent Google reviewer said: “Outstanding Sunday roast. Probably the best roast out I have ever had. Nice wine, great service and a yummy pudding. I would 100% come back here again.”

You can get from Cambridge to Barrington in around 25 minutes by car, making it an ideal rural escape from the busier city. It has everything you need for a family day out, including plenty of options on the village green to keep children entertained. For those taking public transport, the 75 bus takes you from outside Downing College in Cambridge to Slid Lane, Barrington, in just 32 minutes.

Zoe Saldaña has had enough of Taylor Sheridan for now.

After three seasons of starring in and executive producing Sheridan’s Paramount+ spy thriller series Lioness, Saldaña said she has no plans to join the prolific Yellowstone creator on any of his other projects.

“I think that Joe McNamara and Lioness is all that I can handle at this time,” 48-year-old Saldaña told People in an interview published Sunday, referring to her character in the show.

The actor went on to say that working in front of the camera as well as behind the scenes in her producer role was an extremely demanding task.

“I’m number one on the call sheet,” she explained. “I am first one in, last one out. I am prepping months before anybody ever is able to prep. So it’s already a lot of work for me.”

Saldaña added: “I can’t imagine me taking on more of a Taylor Sheridan world.”

She went on to say that her work with Sheridan has proved to him that she is “reliable, just like Joe is.”

“I have my views, and I come with all heart, all brains, all muscle at all times,” she told the outlet. “So, no, I think I’m good here at Lioness.”

Saldaña stars in the series as a CIA operative who leads a top-secret group of female special operatives recruited from various branches of the military and tasked with infiltrating terrorist organizations by befriending their wives and daughters. The cast also includes Nicole Kidman and Morgan Freeman.

When season three of the show was released in August, Saldaña praised Sheridan for his dense scripts.

The Oscar winner told People at the time: “He’s very curious about government affairs, and he seeks out information and education based on that curiosity, and then he writes these incredibly elaborate shows that end up really educating us as well.”’

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“Working with him is a challenge in the sense that he does raise the bar, and you have one of two choices. You either accept the challenge and make sure that you don’t f*** up… or you quit,” she said. “And I like being challenged. I really do.”

Saldaña’s remarks come as her co-star Michael Kelly was recently announced to be joining Sheridan in another show in his television universe. Kelly is set to join the cast of Landman season three, which began filming earlier this month.

Harry Redknapp is another former Premier League boss feeling impacted by Manchester City’s guilty verdict.

He wrote in a column for The Sun: “There are so many who will feel they have a claim to have some wrongs righted should City fail in their appeal and I am one of them.

“During the period City’s charges cover, I was in charge of Spurs and locking horns with them for the Champions League spots over a long run. In back-to-back seasons, 2010/11 and 2011/12, we finished one place off qualification.

“The second time around, when City won the title with that Sergio Aguero goal on the final day, we finished fourth but STILL missed out as Chelsea won the Champions League to take our spot.

“In May 2011, a 1-0 loss to Roberto Mancini’s side saw them qualify for Europe’s biggest competition for the first time and ended our dream of getting in there ourselves.

“Who knows what would have happened if those at the Etihad had been playing by the rules like everyone else? No one can say for sure but Tottenham fans will not be alone in feeling that they were, in some way, cheated across those seasons.

“Champions League football over those two years could have changed so much for Spurs but I have no interest in the Premier League going back and deducting points from those seasons or deducting titles from City.”