A young girl and man in his 30s died after a collision involving a tipper truck and pony and trap on the A228 in East Peckham near Tonbridge, with a woman left in critical condition

A young girl and a man in his 30s have died following a horrific crash involving a tipper truck and a pony on a busy road.

The devastating collision occurred in East Peckham near Tonbridge on Wednesday, 1 April, on the A228 Boyle Way, between the junctions of Branbridges Road and Hale Street.

Police say a white DAF tipper truck was travelling along the southbound carriageway when it collided with a pony and trap heading in the same direction – the pony also tragically died at the scene.

Emergency services, including South East Coast Ambulance Service and Kent Fire and Rescue Service, rushed to the scene, where a man in his 30s, who had been riding in the trap, was pronounced dead.

A woman and young girl who had also been travelling in the trap were rushed to hospital, where the young girl was sadly pronounced dead. The woman remains in a critical condition.

The tipper truck driver, a 29 year old man from Kent, was arrested in connection with the incident and taken into custody.

Kent Police are now appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage to help establish the full circumstances of the tragedy.

A Kent Police spokesperson said: “An investigation into the circumstances is underway and witnesses or anyone who saw the truck or pony and trap prior to the collision, is urged to contact the appeal line.

“Call the Serious Collision Investigation Unit on 01622 798538, quoting reference BN/JG/027/26.” “Alternatively email sciu.td@kent.police.uk. Dashcam footage can be uploaded here. “

One of the officers is believed to have suffered serious but not life-threatening injuries.

Two police officers have been taken to hospital after a crash in Cambridge. Cambridgeshire Police were called to Gilbert Road in Cambridge at around 8.55am on Thursday (April 2) with reports of a crash involving a police van and a car.

An officer suffered serious injuries that are believed not to be life-threatening. Another officer suffered minor injuries.

A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire Police said: “We were called at about 8.55am this morning (2 April) to Gilbert Road, Cambridge, to reports of a collision between a car and a police van.

“An officer suffered serious injuries believed not to be life-threatening while another officer suffered minor injuries. They were both taken to hospital.”

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One of Ireland’s most dangerous criminals has been arrested over the murder of gangster Robbie Lawlor.

The Irish Mirror has reported that detectives arrested the criminal known as Mr Big in Dublin on Thursday – on foot of an extradition request from the PSNI.

Sources told the outlet the PSNI want to charge the infamous Dubliner – who is a suspect for up to 16 killings – with the murder of Lawlor in April 2020.

Lawlor, 34, was gunned down in Ardoyne in north Belfast – but Gardaí and the PSNI suspect Mr Big ordered the hit from Dublin.

It’s understood investigators have evidence from a busted criminal communications network called Encrochat that they believe showed Mr Big was centrally involved in the Lawlor murder – and he is now to face a murder charge if, as expected, the High Court in Dublin rubber stamps his extradition.

The Dubliner is due to appear in the High Court on Friday.

Gardaí confirmed his arrest in a statement on Thursday. They also said they had been involved in a joint investigation with the PSNI over the murder.

The force said: “The Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI) of An Garda Síochána has been involved in a joint investigation with the Police Service of Northern Ireland into the murder of Robbie Lawlor on 4th April 2020.

“This afternoon, Thursday 2nd April 2026, investigating Gardaí from the GNBCI arrested a male (aged in his 40s) in Dublin on foot of a Trade and Cooperation Agreement extradition warrant to extradite the male to Northern Ireland to be charged in connection with the investigation.

“The male is currently detained at a Garda station in the Dublin region and will appear before the High Court at the Four Courts, Dublin 7 tomorrow, Friday 3rd April 2026, at 10:30am.

“An Garda Síochána has no further comment.”

The PSNI also issued a statement, saying: “A man in his 40s has been arrested in the Dublin region today, Thursday 2 April, on suspicion of the murder of Robbie Lawlor.

“The man was arrested by An Garda Síochána and is due to appear before the High Court at the Four Courts, Dublin 7, tomorrow Friday 3rd April 2026 at 10.30am.”Robbie Lawlor was shot dead outside a house in Etna Drive in North Belfast on 4 April 2020.”

Although the Lawlor killing happened in north Belfast’s Etna Drive, investigators believe it was organised and ordered from Dublin. Investigators believe Mr Big sanctioned the murder of Lawlor because he feared the Dubliner was planning to kill him as part of the Drogheda feud.

Lawlor was a suspect in the horror murder of teenager Keane Mulready-Woods in the Co Louth town in January 2020 as part of that feud – and Mr Big was linked to the opposing side.

He feared Lawlor was planning to kill him – and decided to strike first.

Officers also believe the crime Godfather had it in for Lawlor since he murdered associate Kenneth Finn, 36, in north Dublin in February 2018.

Two men have already been charged with the murder of Lawlor after a PSNI investigation north of the border, but last year officers teamed up with Gardaí to mount a joint operation that saw the series of searches in the Republic.

A house connected to Mr Big was one of 12 properties searched in that operation – in which Gardaí seized phones and other electronic equipment.

Sources say last year’s operation was linked to the Encrochat affair – when French police broke the encrypted phone service used by criminals all over the world.

Data from Encrochat phones have been used in dozens of trials in the United Kingdom – but sources say Gardaí used their treasure trove of information as intelligence.

Mr Big, who is heavily involved in drugs, tiger kidnapping and other serious crime, has long been a major target of Gardaí.

But officers have never been able to land a knockout punch against the Dubliner – despite him being charged with at least one serious charge.

His gang is in the frame for a string of murders, including dissident republican brothers Alan and Vincent Ryan, as well as Lawlor.

Gardaí also believe Mr Big is setting up his own cocaine smuggling network by sourcing cocaine directly from South America.

Sources say Gardaí who have been monitoring Mr Big believe he is one of the most intelligent and ruthless gangsters in Irish criminal history.

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

Pregnant teachers have been forced to be sick in a bucket in a classroom cupboard or use a radio to request cover to go to the toilet amid inflexible rules in schools, a survey shows

Pregnant teachers have been forced to be sick in a bucket in a classroom cupboard or use a radio to request cover to go to the toilet amid inflexible rules in schools, a survey shows.

The findings come from a grim study by teachers’ union NASUWT which lays bare the struggles of being a teacher and a parent.

Some 95% of teachers find it difficult to balance their work responsibilities with being a parent and 70% of teachers have seriously considered leaving the teaching profession because of the impact of work on their children, the poll found.

When it comes to having a baby, more than a quarter (28%) of those who experienced pregnancy-related illness felt pressured into returning to work before they were well enough to do so.

READ MORE: Parents told impact of kids’ behaviour on lessons – as private schools perform better

The union’s poll also found some 85% of teachers who were off with pregnancy-related illness said they were asked to set work for their classes or plan lessons while they were off work. Just over a fifth (21%) were asked to mark work and just over a quarter (27%) were asked to write reports.

More than half of teachers (51%) felt their employer had not adequately assessed and addressed any workplace-related risks associated with their pregnancy.

One teacher told the survey: “For my second pregnancy, a risk assessment wasn’t even completed. I also suffered with quite bad sickness and asked if something could be put in place if I needed to leave class to be sick, I was told ‘no’. There was a couple of occasions I used a bucket in the cupboard in the classroom.”

Another said: “I was given a walkie-talkie to call for cover when I needed the toilet.”

More than three-quarters (77%) of teachers added that they would have liked to take more time off for maternity, paternity or adoption leave.

NASUWT also warned teachers who are parents are struggling to get time off work to attend their kids’ assemblies or look after them if they’re ill. Some 86% of respondents felt that they had regularly missed out on important times with their children due to their work commitments.

Some 82% of teachers said their job got in the way of looking after their children when they are ill, while just over three-quarters (77%) said it was a barrier to them attending their child’s school assemblies.

One teacher told the survey: “It is extremely difficult, to the point that the job feels incompatible with being a parent. There is no real support for teacher-parents.”

Another said: “My saddest day as a parent was when I came downstairs one morning to find my six-year-old had written a card asking me to please come to her assembly as he was the lead in it. I could not go as the Head was unapproachable and I was expected to put my school children first.”

Matt Wrack, NASUWT General Secretary, said: “The pitiful levels of maternity pay, parental leave and flexible working opportunities within teaching are a national scandal.

“The rigidity of working structures in many schools, coupled with uncompetitive parental rights and high levels of workload are driving out talented teachers from the profession.”

::: NASUWT surveyed 2,164 teachers last November and December.

Whitby Wildlife Charity Shop will be shut until further notice following the blaze earlier today (Thursday).

The shop supports Whitby Wildlife Sanctuary which was set up 17 years ago and takes in close to 3000 rescues a year with a team of over 170 dedicated volunteers.

Whitby Wildlife Charity Shop will be shut until further notice following the fire (Image: Social Media)

Posting on social media, a spokesperson for the shop said: “As many of you will have seen on social media already, we wanted to update our community following a fire at our shop on Flowergate today.

“The fire is believed to have been caused by an electrical fault and, although it was dealt with very quickly by the fire service, there has been significant smoke damage throughout the shop.

“The most important thing is that no one was hurt, and we are incredibly grateful for the quick response from the fire service and the actions taken at the time.”

They added: “Unfortunately, the impact of the damage means the shop will be closed until further notice and we are currently unable to accept donations of items for the charity shop.

Whitby Wildlife Charity Shop will be shut until further notice following a fire (Image: Social media)

“A large amount of stock has been affected and cannot be sold and some items, including electrical goods, must be removed and disposed of for safety reasons

“We are now working with our landlord and inspectors and must complete a number of safety checks before we can reopen.

To make things more challenging, there has also been a delay to our planned storage cabin space for the shop and online sales, which means we currently have very limited capacity for sorting and storage while we recover.

Whitby Wildlife Charity Shop will be shut until further notice following the blaze earlier today (Thursday).

“As a charity, this is a very difficult time for us. The shop plays a vital role in supporting the wildlife we care for, and being closed means a loss of important income.”

They said the charity was in now urgent need of prizes due to an event coming up.

” There were 100s of prizes stored in the shop, so we are in need of prizes such as toiletries, plushies, new and sealed edibles and drinkables, unwanted gifts etc.

People can also help by making a donatoin at https://gofund.me/30d15e2cf, support online sales where possible. FB Group: ‘Whitby wildlife Online Sales & Auctions’

They added: “Your support truly means everything to us and to the animals we help every day 🦉💚

Thank you for your kindness, patience, and ongoing support — we’ll keep you updated as we work towards reopening.”

The restaurant has earned multiple awards but has now entered voluntary liquidation

An award-winning restaurant in a Cambridgeshire city has announced that it has permanently closed its doors due to entering voluntary liquidation. Amelie at Ben’s Yard, in Ely, confirmed it is closing after “much careful consideration” and “great sadness” on Thursday (April 2).

The team have said that this follows a “sustained period of challenging economic decisions” . In a post announcing the news, the team said: “From day one, we’ve been so proud to share our flammekueche with you and we’re incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported us, recommended us and helped spread the word – you’ve been amazing.”

Last year, the award-winning restaurant earned two AA Rosettes. It was named Best Regional Restaurant in Suffolk and Cambridgeshire in the Muddy Stilettos Awards and as a ‘Local Gem’ in The Good Food Guide.

Aside from awards, the restaurant also gained a highly appraised reputation online with an average of 4.6 stars out of five on Google Reviews. One customer commented: “I would rank Amelie as my top dining experience in Cambridgeshire.”

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Another highlighted the restaurant’s “fantastic food” especially their “famous Flammekueche”.

“It was new information quite recently that we received that made it very clear about the decision we had to make”

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Outgoing BBC director-general Tim Davie has said it became “very clear” the former Radio 2 DJ Scott Mills had to be sacked.

Mr Davie signed off director-general of the corporation on Thursday, just days after the 53-year-old breakfast show host had his contracts terminated after allegations about his “personal conduct”.

The corporation has since admitted it knew about a police investigation into allegations against Mills of a historical sexual offence in 2017, but said it “acted decisively” after receiving “new information” in the weeks before his sacking.

Mr Davie called the decision a “real shock to the organisation”, as he discussed the incident during an all-staff call on his final day in the role, BBC News reported.

When asked about Mills during the call, Mr Davie reportedly told staff: “We’re trying to act fairly.

“It was new information quite recently that we received that made it very clear about the decision we had to make.

“When something happens where I think there’s a lot of grief, there’s a lot of shock, I think all I would say is we’re trying to act as the leadership with kindness.

“I think people need to look at the statement; we made (it) as clear as we can.

“We obviously have to be sensitive when you’ve got personal information, and we work carefully through it, but the statement is really clear.”

Mills had his contract terminated on Friday, just days after taking him off air.

His sacking was announced on Monday.

On Wednesday, the former Radio 2 breakfast host said he had been the subject of “rumour and speculation” since he was fired, and that he “co-operated fully” with the police investigation into allegations of a historical sexual offence.

Mr Davie has been at the helm of the BBC since 2020 and the broadcaster has faced several controversies in recent years.

When asked if staff culture had changed during his tenure, Mr Davie reportedly said: “It’ll never be fully fully fixed, but I think it’s changing, I really do.”

BBC News reported that he also discussed people in senior positions in the industry “who have had a lot of power”, and said: “If they misuse it, that has not been called out, let’s face it.

“I do think we’ve reached a point where people behaving badly now, you can see we’re not going to tolerate it.”

Following his departure, he will be replaced by interim director-general, Rhodri Talfan Davies, on April 2, before former Google boss Matt Brittin becomes permanent director-general on May 18.

Jason Cundy believes Arsenal ‘are not on the same football level’ as Paris Saint-Germain but insists Mikel Arteta’s side can still win the Champions League this season.

Arsenal remain the only unbeaten team in the Champions League this term after their 3-1 aggregate victory over Bayer Leverkusen in the last-16.

The Premier League leaders will now play Sporting CP in the Champions League quarter-final with the first leg of their tie against the Portuguese side to be played next Tuesday

PSG, meanwhile, needed to beat Monaco in the playoffs to reach the Champions League last-16 but Luis Enrique’s side impressed in their 8-2 aggregate win over Chelsea last month.

Arsenal’s hopes of winning the quadruple this season ended before the international break with a 2-0 defeat to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final.

Cundy maintains Arsenal can still win the Champions League but claims Arteta’s side are ‘nowhere near’ the level PSG have shown.

‘We [the Premier League] are an unbelievable league but the truth of it is the last couple of seasons the league is actually pretty goal,’ Cundy told talkSPORT.

‘I watched PSG [against Chelsea], all jokes aside, that is a football team, a proper football team. Don’t rely on long balls, don’t rely on set-pieces, don’t rely on long throws, they are a proper team.

‘Last season, they were the best side I saw in any competition and they went on to win the Champions League.

‘But that doesn’t necessarily mean to say that Arsenal, who have had their criticism, aren’t capable of going and doing what they’re doing in the Premier League and overpowering teams.

‘I’ve got no love, I hope Arsenal fall at the last every time, but you’ve got to appreciate a good side, you’ve got to appreciate what they do and they do it well, dark arts and all that.

‘I’ve said this, I want my side Chelsea to be more like them. I want to be more like Arsenal. I want the dark arts, go down in the box, throw yourself down, goalkeeper’s holding his head.

‘Arsenal can go on and win this Champions League by being who they are. But if you’re talking about a football club and a football team, PSG have embodied everything, they are just a brilliant team, moving the ball, creativity.

‘Going forward, Barcelona, that’s the beautiful game, the way they move the ball through the thirds, Arsenal are not that team and that’s okay, you don’t have to be like that.

‘What I saw [PSG beating Chelsea] was just an eye opener. They are miles ahead of anything in the Premier League in terms of football, PSG, no team can touch them with the ball at their feet.

‘And Arsenal, as good as they are, they’re not on the same level as a football team as PSG, nowhere near it, but Arsenal can do it in a different way and they’re going to have to find a way.

‘Liverpool have got to find a way. From what I’ve seen of Liverpool this season and PSG in the Champions League, I don’t think they are capable, I genuinely don’t think they are capable of matching PSG because they have got the lot and they are ruthless, utterly ruthless.’

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Andrew Opoku‑Edusei, 28, was found guilty of conspiracy to convey List A articles into prison and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to convey List B articles into prison, facilitating the acquisition, acquisition or possession of criminal property, possession with intent to supply cannabis, possession of cocaine, and possession of ammunition. He was sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on April 2 to four years and six months’ imprisonment.