Jane Adetoro, 36, Christina Walters, 32, and Rebecca Walters, 31, were found dead in the waters off Brighton in May, as police investigations remain ongoing

Advertisement

The bereaved family members of three sisters found dead in the sea off Brighton have disclosed a further devastating detail — the women’s mother also lost her life by drowning several years ago.

Jane Adetoro, 36, along with sisters Christina Walters, 32, and Rebecca Walters, 31, all from Uxbridge in west London, were recovered from the water shortly before dawn on 13 May after emergency services were alerted at around 5.45am.

Relatives described the three women as introverted and extraordinarily close to one another, maintaining that they led quiet lives and steered clear of drinking, smoking and nightlife. Family members also hit out at the wave of online conspiracy theories that have spread in the wake of the tragedy.

Those close to the sisters said they had no idea the women had made their way to Brighton in the early hours of that morning. However, they suggested the trio may have travelled to the East Sussex coast in tribute to their mother, who drowned in Birmingham in 2010.

Their aunt, Ajike Adetoro, said the deaths came without warning, explaining that Jane, Christina and Rebecca had appeared “totally happy” beforehand and that what happened was “totally unexpected”, reports the Times, reports the Daily Star.

Officers investigating the case have said they are yet to establish how the sisters entered the water. Detectives confirmed there is currently no evidence pointing to criminal involvement or the presence of any other person connected to the incident. Public interest intensified after the family first released an AI-generated image depicting the three women together. A subsequent photograph, captured during the sisters’ teenage years, was later made public.

In an emotional statement issued on Wednesday, the women’s father, Joseph, spoke openly about the pain of losing all three daughters. He said in a statement: “Today, with a heart full of sorrow and love, I pay tribute to my beloved daughters – Jane, Christina, and Becky – whose lives ended so tragically far too soon.

“No words can truly describe the pain of losing three daughters in the prime of their lives. Jane, Christina, and Becky were more than daughters to me; they were my joy, my strength, and the beautiful light that filled our family with happiness and love.

“Each of you was unique and precious in your own special way. Your smiles brightened dark days, your laughter brought comfort, and your presence made life more meaningful. Though your time on earth was short, the impact you made will remain in our hearts forever.”

Joseph went on to reflect on each daughter individually, saying: “Jane, your strength and loving spirit will never be forgotten. Christina, your kindness and beautiful heart touched so many lives. Becky, your warmth and joyful soul brought happiness wherever you went. You were deeply loved, and you will always be deeply missed.

“The tragedy of losing all three of you has left an emptiness that words cannot heal. There are days when the grief feels unbearable, yet I hold tightly to the memories we shared – the laughter, the conversations, the love, and the bond that death can never take away.”

The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the sisters’ deaths continues. Officers have spent several days examining extensive CCTV footage and conducting enquiries with residents and businesses near the seafront in a bid to piece together the women’s final movements.

Chief Superintendent Adam Hays, the Divisional Commander for Brighton and Hove, has urged witnesses or anyone with relevant information to come forward. Detectives are particularly keen to hear from people who may have spotted the sisters near Madeira Drive between 10pm on Tuesday, May 12, and 5.30am the following morning.

Chief Superintendent Hays said: “The thoughts of everyone at Sussex Police are with the family of Jane, Christina and Rebecca following this devastating loss.

“I know this incident has had a profound impact on the local community in Brighton, and across the country and I’d like to reassure the public we will leave no stone unturned in our investigation to understand exactly what led to the tragic events of that Wednesday morning.

Advertisement

“This investigation will continue in earnest, with Jane, Christina and Rebecca’s family at its centre. I would ask that they are given the privacy to come to terms with this terrible tragedy.”

One potential theory being examined by Coastguard investigators is that one or more of the sisters may have ventured into the water from the beach before getting into difficulty due to Brighton’s steeply shelving seabed.

A Coastguard source told the Daily Mail last week: “The shoreline off Brighton Beach slopes steeply into deep water, many people don’t realise the danger. You don’t have to go far out at all before there’s a big drop-off and you go from knee-high water to chest-high water.

“Swimmers can be pulled out of their depth very quickly from the backwash and with pebbles shifting underfoot it becomes difficult to maintain your balance especially when you’re trying to climb back up the slope with waves crashing against you.

“One theory that the Coastguard are looking at is that at least one of the women went into the sea for a paddle and strayed too far out and were caught out by the sudden drop.”

The Windmill Inn on Blossom Street is set for a brand new look next month, following the closure on Tuesday (May 26).

The work promises a makeover both inside and out, with the 17th Century Grade II-listed  building set to re-open in June in time for a ‘summer of sport.’

City of York Council approved of the renovations in April, after pub owners Greene King submitted its plans in July.

RECOMMENDED READING:

Works on the building include repainting the outside of the building white, black and green, with copper-coloured letters used for the sign with the pub’s name.

The chosen colours match Greene King’s branding.

Existing hanging signs which are aged and no longer meet the company’s standards are set to be replaced with new lit ones featuring a picture of a windmill.

Greene King says the charm and character of the pub will be carefully preserved whilst refurbishment works are underway.

Customers are promised with a range of modern comforts to enhance their drinking and dining experiences. It also has an extensive beer garden.

A statement said: “The pub will remain a popular part of the city’s pub scene with delicious food and drinks menus to suit all occasions, whether customers are stopping by for a quick drink or enjoying a special meal out.

7152 The Windmill York (Image: Dean Atkins)

“Sports fans will also be able to enjoy the pub’s inimitable matchday atmosphere with live Sky Sports and TNT Sports.”

Customers will be able to browse menus and book ahead ready for when the pub is open again using the Greene King app.

A previously reported, the pub was originally in two buildings built as cottages the 17th Century, likely during reconstruction efforts following the siege of York during the English Civil War.

Ownership passed to the Lee family in the 18th Century, who leased a windmill on The Mount, giving the pub its name which was first recorded in 1735.

The building went on to play an important part in the local economy in the 18th and 19th Century following the opening of York’s railway station.

It had its own brewhouse until 1893 and catered to travellers, providing stabling for around 65 horses.

The ghost of a girl run over by a brewer’s cart is also said to haunt the pub.

The other ghost is said to be a man with a ball and chain.

The building was granted listed status in 1968

In the meantime, the Windmill Inn is looking for full and part-time staff in the bar and kitchen. For details and to apply, follow this link.

For bookings, opening times and more information, go to the Windmill Inn’s website.

Here’s what surviving spouses and civil partners need to know about what happens with your pension after death

The State Pension currently delivers a regular income to more than 13 million older people. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) issues these payments to individuals who have reached the UK Government’s qualifying retirement age and have accumulated a minimum of 10 years’ National Insurance contributions.

April saw the beginning of a gradual increase in the State Pension age from 66 to 67, with completion scheduled for March 2028.

Around five million people receiving the new State Pension are now getting payments worth up to £241.30 weekly, and since the contributory benefit is typically paid every four weeks, this totals £965.20 per payment period.

Most claimants overall (8.2 million) are in receipt of Basic State Pension payments worth up to £184.90 weekly, a total of £739.60 per payment period. For money-saving tips, sign up to our Money newsletter here

Which State Pension someone receives depends on when they were born – men born prior to April 6, 1951 and women born prior to April 6, 1953 qualify for the Basic State Pension, while those born after these dates will receive the New State Pension.

But what becomes of State Pension payments following someone’s death?

It’s an uncomfortable subject and not something anyone would willingly contemplate, yet understanding what happens could prove helpful to you or a relative down the line. Below is a brief summary of what you need to know.

State Pension payments following someone’s death

A State Pension claim doesn’t simply stop when someone dies and there are important steps that must be taken. Upon the person’s death, you’re required to notify the Pension Service to stop payments, which can be done by ringing the Pension Service helpline on 0800 731 0469.

You may qualify for additional payments from your late spouse’s or civil partner’s State Pension, though this hinges on their National Insurance contributions and when they reached State Pension age.

If you’ve yet to reach State Pension age yourself, you might also qualify for Bereavement benefits.

Inheritance: Basic State Pension

If a spouse or civil partner reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016, GOV.UK advises contacting the Pension Service following a death to establish what can be claimed.

It’s possible they can boost their Basic State Pension by utilising the deceased’s qualifying years, provided they’re not already receiving the full amount.

Should they have reached State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016, or be below State Pension age when their spouse or civil partner died, the “Your partner’s National Insurance record and your State Pension” tool on the UK Government website allows individuals to verify what inheritance they may be entitled to.

For those who are single, divorced, or have had their civil partnership dissolved, it’s possible that their estate may claim a portion of a Basic State Pension. This applies if that person passes away after reaching State Pension age, and only if the State Pension remained unclaimed. Under these circumstances, the estate is entitled to claim up to three months’ worth of the Basic State Pension.

Additional income from deferring State Pension

Upon reaching State Pension age, individuals can defer their payments if they wish to continue working. Taking this route will actually boost payments when they ultimately decide to claim by approximately £660 annually.

State Pension top-up

According to guidance published on GOV.UK, anyone who has enhanced their State Pension through top-up contributions may enable their spouse or civil partner to inherit some or all of that additional amount.

Inheritance: New State Pension

A person may be entitled to inherit an additional payment on top of their new State Pension following the death of their spouse.

However, nothing can be inherited if an individual remarries or enters a new civil partnership prior to reaching State Pension age.

Inheriting additional State Pension

Where a marriage or civil partnership commenced before 6 April 2016 and one of the following conditions is met, a person may inherit a portion of their deceased partner’s Additional State Pension. These conditions are:

The deceased partner reached State Pension age before April 6, 2016

They died before April 6, 2016 but would have reached State Pension age on or after that date

Inheriting a protected payment

An individual will inherit half of their partner’s protected payment if their marriage or civil partnership with them started before 6 April 2016, and:

• Their State Pension age falls on or after 6 April, 2016
• They died on or after 6 April, 2016
• This payment will be issued alongside the State Pension

Inheriting additional State Pension or a lump sum

An individual may inherit some or all of their partner’s additional State Pension or lump sum if:

• They died while deferring their State Pension or had begun claiming it following deferral
• They reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016
• They were married or in a civil partnership at the time of death.

Check your State Pension to calculate how much money you will receive on the GOV.UK website here.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Marco Rubio is on his latest mission to assuage nervous U.S. allies in Europe about the Trump administration’s intentions with NATO or at least put a friendlier face on whipsawing changes and uncertainty about American troop reductions.

Rubio will attend a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Sweden on Friday — the same day senior Pentagon officials are expected to brief the 32-nation alliance on plans for the U.S. military’s commitment to European defense at the alliance’s headquarters in Brussels.

The meeting of diplomats, which precedes a NATO leaders’ summit in Turkey in July, comes amid great uncertainty over how the war in Iran will play out and whether stalled U.S. efforts to broker an end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict will resume. Resentment also still simmers on the continent over President Donald Trump’s criticism of allies and his interest in taking over Greenland, a territory of NATO ally Denmark.

Rubio has often been called on to offer a calmer, less antagonistic presence from the Trump administration at meetings like these. He has been dispatched on several such missions this year, including the Munich Security Conference in February and, more recently, to Italy, where he met with Italian officials and Pope Leo XIV after Trump criticized the American pontiff for his stances on crime and the Iran war.

Lack of clarity about US troop drawdowns in Europe

On his departure to the meeting in Helsingborg, Sweden, Rubio declined to discuss any further changes to the American military presence in Europe, including a possible reduction in the number of troops that the U.S. will commit under the NATO Force Model, which is a contingency plan for European defense in the event of serious security concerns.

The Trump administration had decided to cancel the deployment of thousands of U.S. troops to Poland and Germany, but then the president posted on social media Thursday that “the United States will be sending an additional 5,000 Troops to Poland.”

It was not clear whether that meant the brigade that had been stopped from going to Poland would be back on its way, whether additional troops beyond that rotational deployment could be added, or whether there would still be a drawdown of U.S. troops in Europe, but from a different country. The Pentagon referred requests for comment to the White House, which did not immediately respond to messages seeking clarity.

Earlier, Rubio did repeat that Trump and others in the administration, including him, are “very disappointed” in NATO, especially in its response to the Iran war.

“I don’t think anyone is shocked to know that the United States, and the president in particular, is very disappointed at NATO right now,” he told reporters in Miami before boarding his plane.

Rubio reiterates criticism of NATO over the Iran war

Rubio said he was a “strong supporter” of the transatlantic military alliance and called it important. But he reiterated complaints that some NATO allies, notably Spain, had refused to allow access to U.S. bases for the Iran conflict and others had been reluctant, if not resistant, to join a coalition to reopen and protect the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial oil shipping route that Iran largely has closed.

“I know why NATO is good for Europe, but why is NATO good for America?” Rubio asked rhetorically, answering his own question by referring to bases that allow the U.S. and others to project power globally. “So, when that is the key rationale for why you’re in NATO, and then you have countries like Spain denying us the use of these bases, well, then, why are you in NATO?”

Rubio noted that nearly all NATO allies agree that Iran should not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons, but few, if any, stepped up when Trump said he would take action to prevent it.

“He’s not asking them to commit troops. He’s not asking them to send their fighter jets in. But they refuse to do anything, and so I think the president looks at that and says, ‘Hold on a second,’” Rubio said. “I think we were very upset about that. The president has made that very clear.”

NATO officials have downplayed the changes to U.S. troop levels in Europe, saying they have been long planned and do not come as a surprise.

Yet the announcements have blindsided some allies and came despite U.S. promises to coordinate military moves to avoid creating security gaps. Similarly, Trump’s apparent change on Poland came as another surprise.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Wednesday that U.S. allies have known for a year that the Trump administration would be withdrawing some troops from Europe, and it expects “rightly, for Europe and Canada to take a bigger responsibility for the conventional defense of NATO and particularly, of course, the European part of NATO.”

Rutte said the U.S. “will stay involved” but over time could pivot resources elsewhere in the world. U.S. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, commander of both American and NATO forces in Europe, said this week that security in Europe would not be compromised but warned that allies should expect more drawdowns in the coming years.

The Trump administration has warned that Europe would have to look after its own security, including Ukraine’s, in the future.

___

Associated Press writer Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed to this report.

Crews are in attendance on a residential street in Chadderton, Oldham, this morning.

A fire has broken out on Turf Lane.

Large plumes of smoke have been seen rising from a building on the street.

The road is closed off while emergency services work at the scene.

Further details are yet to be confirmed.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service has been approached for further details.

Updates will follow in this blog.

Pep Guardiola will leave Manchester City at the end of the season, he has confirmed.

Rumours swirled in recent days that the Spaniard would be departing the Premier League club after a decade in charge, but he was coy and cited the fact that he had an extra season on his contract.

However, Friday morning brought the news that he will leave after City’s final game of the season on Sunday, after failing to add to his six Premier League titles with the club.

The 55-year-old, who previously coached Barcelona and Bayern Munich, also guided City to one Champions League trophy, three FA Cups and five Carabao Cups.

In a statement on Friday, Guardiola said: “When I arrived, my first interview was with [Oasis band member] Noel Gallagher. I walked out thinking, ‘Okay… Noel is here? This will be fun.’

“And what a time we have had together. Don’t ask me the reasons I’m leaving. There is no reason, but deep inside, I know it’s my time. Nothing is eternal, if it was, I would be here. Eternal will be the feeling, the people, the memories, the love I have for my Manchester City.

“This is a city built from work. From graft. You see it in the colour of the bricks. From people who clocked in early, stayed late. The factories. The Pankhursts. The unions. The music. Simply the Industrial Revolution and how this changed the world. And I think I grew to understand that, and my teams did too.

“We worked. We suffered. We fought. And we did things our own way. Our way. Hard work comes in many forms. Trips to Bournemouth, when we lost the Premier League [on Tuesday], and you were there. Trips to Istanbul [to win the Champions League in 2023], when you were there, too.

“Remember, the Manchester Arena attack, when this city showed the world what strength actually looks like? Not anger. Not fear. Just love. Community. Togetherness. A city united.

“Remember, losing my mum during COVID and feeling this club carry me through it. The fans, the staff, the people of Manchester, you gave me strength when I needed it most. Cris [Guardiola’s ex-wife], my kids, my whole family, you were there as always. Khaldoon [Al Mubarak, chairman of Man City], you were there too.

“Players don’t forget – every single instant, moment, me, my staff, this club, everything. What we have done, we have done it for all of you. And you have been just exceptional. You don’t know it yet, but you are leaving a legacy.

“So as my time comes to an end, be happy. Oasis are back again.

“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for trusting me. Thank you for pushing me. Thank you for loving me. Tony Walsh said in his unforgettable poem ‘this is the place’. I’m sorry, Tony: this is my place.

“Noel… I was right. It has been so f**** fun. Love you all.”

More follows…

Manchester United have confirmed they will keep Michael Carrick on as permanent manager beyond the end of the season.

Carrick was appointed in January on an interim basis following the sacking of Ruben Amorim but has overseen a sensational change in fortunes, guiding the club up the table to secure Champions League qualification.

The former United midfielder has recorded 11 Premier League wins in 16 matches, which included a seven-game unbeaten streak after taking the reins. He also boasts the highest points tally in the English top flight since his arrival.

“From the moment that I arrived here 20 years ago, I felt the magic of Manchester United,” Carrick said.

“Carrying the responsibility of leading our special football club fills me with immense pride.

“Throughout the past five months, this group of players have shown they can reach the standards of resilience, togetherness and determination that we demand here.

“Now it’s time to move forward together again, with ambition and a clear sense of purpose. Manchester United and our incredible supporters deserve to be challenging for the biggest honours again.”

Carrick will lead United into their final game of the season away at Brighton on Sunday after sealing third place with a 3-2 victory over Nottingham Forest in their last Old Trafford outing.

Explaining the club’s decision to keep Carrick on in the long-term, director of football Jason Wilcox said: “Michael has thoroughly earned the opportunity to continue leading our men’s team.

“In the time he has been doing the role, we have seen positive results on the pitch, but more than that, an approach which aligns with the club’s values, traditions and history.

“Michael’s achievements in leading the club back to the Champions League should not be understated. He has forged a strong bond with the players and can be proud of the winning culture at Carrington and in the dressing room, which we are continuing to build.”

The 44-year-old rejoined the Red Devils for a second interim stint with the club out of all cup competitions, with former team-mate Darren Fletcher losing both outings in charge as caretaker boss before his arrival, including an FA Cup third-round tie at home to the Seagulls.

With only the Premier League left to focus on, Carrick has spearheaded an impressive season turnaround that leaves United looking forward to a first Champions League campaign since 2023/24.

Qualification into Europe’s premier competition comes a year on from enduring a stark low in the club’s history on the continental stage, losing the Europa League final to Tottenham after finishing 15th in the Premier League.

Cambridge City Council were deadlocked with only Labour putting forward a nominee

Cambridge City Council has failed to elect a new leader at their annual meeting after hours of discussion. It was the first council meeting following the May 7 local election which saw council leader Cameron Holloway lose his seat as Labour lost six seats to the Green Party.

Labour put forward their new leader, Cllr Katie Thornburrow, to lead the council but the motion was defeated by 23 votes to 17. No other candidates for leader were nominated.

The Green Party and Liberal Democrats voted against her appointment and a recess was called for the parties to discuss with each other. The Local Democracy Service understands the Green Party had agreed to support Labour’s pick but, when the crucial vote came, voted against her.

The elected leader will be in control of the council at a time when preparations are being made for huge changes as a result of local government reorganisation. This will see an end to the current two-tier system with councils responsibilities split between county and district level.

Cambridge City Council will be combined with surrounding councils into a single unitary authority which could lead to huge changes in the political landscape. The latest local election saw South Cambridgeshire District Council elect a Liberal Democrat candidate for every seat except two. A recess of half an hour was called – but it went on for around two hours.

When councillors returned, Cllr Thornburrow was again the only nomination, and the result of the vote was the same – meaning the vote was adjourned for the day.

Cllr Mike Davey said he was “puzzled” as to why after ten days of discussion they were “then taking another ten days to discuss further”.

Cllr Mike Todd-Jones said: “We are here to serve the people of Cambridge – not engage in party politics, please can we sort this out.”

Cllr Gerri Bird said: “I’ve been a councillor for many years and I’m really sad.

“We are not thinking of our residents – our residents are the most important thing, not us as councillors. Our residents are the ones we should be looking after. It is so so sad and I hope everyone feels the same way.”

Cllr Tim Bick, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, said: “I intend to keep my language about this as uninflammatory as we can, because I don’t think it’s helpful at the moment.

“There have been discussions going on over the past ten days. I have been part of that process and my group has made very clear the approach they would have to the running of the council.

“We are three progressive parties in a progressive city – this should not be something which is beyond resolve. I think what we’ve heard from the party opposite is a pity. It presupposes that the party used to running this council, continues to run it. I think that in order to get a different solution, and perhaps a better solution, is to allow time to see if that can be arrived at.”

Cllr Thornburrow suggested that either Cllr Bick, or the leader of the Green group, Cllr Naomi Bennett, put their names forward.

She said: “We are prepared to be in opposition and we would still work constructively and collaboratively to do the best for our council and our residents. We are prepared to work – we have proposed a way to work, you need to propose a way.”

Newly-elected Green Cllr Sefira Davison said she “welcomed the remarks” of Cllr Bick “that this is not a crisis and we are in a comparatively normal timeline”.

She criticised the “frantic energy” from an “awful lot of people” and said: “I can certainly tell you when I speak to someone who’s very keen to rush me into a deal because we absolutely have to get it right this second – I’m either about to walk away or about to lose a lot of money.”

The council adjourned to meet again at 6pm on June 1 to elect a new leader.

LONDON (AP) — British police appealed for witnesses Friday as they sought to broaden their investigation into potential offenses by the former Prince Andrew, including sexual misconduct.

Thames Valley Police issued the statement as it updated reporters on its investigation into allegations of misconduct in public office by the former prince, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. The force covers the area west of London where Mountbatten-Windsor lived for many years.

Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on Feb. 19 and held for hours as police questioned him about the allegations, linked to his friendship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The arrest was an extraordinary move in a country where authorities once sought to shield the royal family from embarrassment.

Mountbatten-Windsor has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.

Police previously said they were “assessing” reports that Mountbatten-Windsor sent trade reports to Epstein in 2010 when the then-prince was Britain’s special envoy for international trade. Those reports were based on correspondence between the two men that became public when the U.S. Justice Department released millions of pages of documents from its investigation into Epstein.

But detectives renewed their appeal for witnesses amid concern that the public believes they are only investigating allegations linked to the trade reports, when in fact misconduct in public office can apply to a much broader list of offenses, Britain’s Press Association reported.

“Misconduct in public office is a crime that can take different forms, making this a complex investigation,’’ Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said. “Our team of very experienced detectives are working meticulously through a significant amount of information that has come in from the public and other sources.”

Misconduct in public office can include sharing confidential financial information, financial misconduct, willful neglect of duty, and sexual misconduct. It also covers corruption and improper interference, conflict of interest, perverting the course of justice, dishonesty or fraudulent conduct or misconduct leading to personal gain.

Police said they are looking into “a number of aspects of alleged misconduct” following the release of the U.S. documents, and they are working with the Justice Department to get additional information related to the investigation.

Thames Valley Police also issued an update on its inquiry into allegations that a woman was taken to a location in Windsor for sexual purposes in 2010.

“Should she wish to report this to police it will be taken seriously and handled with care, sensitivity and respect for her privacy,’’ police said in a statement.

Florida attorney Brad Edwards told the BBC in January that he represented a woman who said that Epstein sent her to England in 2010 to have a sexual encounter with Mountbatten-Windsor at his home in Windsor.

King Charles III stripped his younger brother of his royal titles late last year as he sought to distance the royal family from the fallout from the Epstein scandal. Those files showed how the wealthy financier used an international web of rich, powerful friends to gain influence and sexually exploit young women and girls.

The fallout from the document release has been strongly felt in the U.K., where the scandal has raised questions about the way power is wielded by the upper echelon of society such as the aristocracy, senior politicians and influential business owners.

Nine police forces in the U.K. have said they are investigating potential wrongdoing related to Epstein.

Britain’s former ambassador to the U.S. Peter Mandelson was fired last year after documents revealed that he had a longer and deeper relationship with Epstein than he previously acknowledged.