The beach is often overlooked, but this makes for a more peaceful visit

When the hot weather arrives in England, the beaches quickly fill up with sun-seekers. Unfortunately, people from our landlocked county of Cambridgeshire to travel to get to the coast.

However, there are many beaches within an easy driving distance of the county. One that’s worth the visit is West Runton beach in Norfolk, just a two-hour drive from Cambridge.

This sand and shingled beach is considered one of the more peaceful to visit in Norfolk. There are miles of footpaths and bridleways for people to walk in the surrounding area.

The beach is also backed by cliffs, which offer an “impressive backdrop to the beach”, according to the Visit North Norfolk website. One thing the beach is most famous for is the discovery of a nearly-complete mammoth.

Part of the Ice Age animal was first discovered on December 13, 1990. Local residents Margaret and Harold Hems were walking along the beach when they discovered a large bone sticking out of the cliffs.

The couple contacted a local museum and it was later discovered that the bone was a pelvic bone of a large steppe mammoth. A year later in 1991, fossil hunter Rob Sinclair discovered more large bones in the area.

After the two discoveries, an excavation took place in 1995. Within three months, archaeologists managed to find 85 per cent of a mammoth.

This is the most complete set of bones of a mammoth that has been discovered in the world. As well as this major discovery, other small fossils have been found at West Runton, making it an important archaeological spot.

As well as being a hotspot for fossils, the beach is often overlooked, as more people visit nearby Cromer. However, this provides a more peaceful visit for people.

Kerry Coombes, 33, died after a train collided with a car in Station Road on Thursday, June 25, where she was pronounced dead at the scene.

An eight-year-old girl remains in hospital in a critical but stable condition.

The family paid tribute to Kerry today, saying: “Kerry was a loving daughter, sister, partner and devoted mum who meant everything to us.

“She had the biggest heart, always put other people before herself and brought so much love, laughter and kindness into the lives of everyone who knew her.

(Image: SWNS/Phil Taylor)

“The loss of Kerry has left a hole in our family that can never be filled. We are heartbroken and are trying to come to terms with what has happened.”

Yesterday, flowers were laid at the scene of the incident.

Senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Paul Attwell said: “This was a shocking and tragic incident, and our specialist officers will continue to support Kerry’s family and friends throughout this ordeal.

“Following our initial enquiries, a criminal investigation into the incident has now been launched, and I would ask the public not to speculate, as further updates will be provided in due course.

“We continue to urge witnesses or anyone with information who has yet to speak to officers to get in touch by texting 61016 or by calling 0800 40 50 40, quoting reference 152 of June 25.

“Information can also be given anonymously via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

Groupia Ltd – which also trades as Groupia Golf, GoHen, StagWeb, Groupia School Trips, and Company Away Days – offers customers “the best” group travel holidays to destinations in the UK and abroad, including Prague, Split, and Barcelona.

More than 750,000 travellers have used the company since it began back in 2002, booking everything from stag and hen weekends to golf trips, team tours, and spa breaks.

Holidays cancelled as Groupia falls into administration

After 24 years in business, Groupia, which is based in Bath, has now fallen into administration.

Nigel Fox and Christopher Marsden of S&W Partners LLP were appointed joint administrators on June 16, according to the Groupia website.

It continues: “The Company has now ceased taking new bookings, and arrangements are in place with ABTOT to support customers with existing bookings.”

Which Groupia bookings have been cancelled?

Bookings on or before August 31, 2026, are expected to go ahead as planned, the Groupia website says, thanks to an arrangement with ABTOT (financial protection company).

These bookings can still be managed via Groupia’s VIP booking system.

Any holidays booked with Groupia for after September 1, 2026, have been cancelled.

Refunds are available for affected bookings through your card issuer (if you paid by credit or debit card) or by submitting an online claim to Gallagher Bassett, who act for ABTOT.

For online claims, travellers will need a booking confirmation and proof of payment.

Other UK travel companies that have closed in 2026

Seven other UK travel companies have ceased trading in 2026:

Luxury UK holiday company Salamander Voyages also shut down back in April after entering administration.

Meanwhile, four UK airlines have fallen into administration or liquidation this year:

• Ascend Airways (liquidation)
• EcoJet Airlines (liquidation)
• Zenith Aviation Limited (administration)
• European Cargo (administration)

Have you booked a holiday through Groupia recently? Let us know in the poll above or in the comments below.

Police said Kevin Kerjean has appeared in court charged with murder, rape and sexual assault after a two-year-old girl was found dead at a home in Chertsey, Surrey

A man has been charged with murder after a two-year-old girl was found dead at a home in Surrey.

Kevin Kerjean, 31, has been charged with murder, rape of a child under 13 and sexual assault of a child under 13 following the tragic death in Chertsey.

Police were called to a property in Pyrcroft Road at around 5.40pm on Thursday following concerns for safety. Officers attended the address and discovered the young girl dead.

Surrey Police initially said the child was aged three but confirmed on Saturday that she was in fact two years old. The force’s Major Crime Team is leading the investigation and previously said they believed the incident had occurred “within a family setting”.

Kerjean appeared before Guildford Magistrates’ Court on Saturday. He was remanded in custody and is due to appear at Guildford Crown Court on Monday.

Detective Chief Superintendent Jon Groenen said: “This is a tragic incident, and our thoughts are with the child’s family, as well as all those who knew her.

“Our teams are working hard to build a picture of what happened, and a significant police presence will remain in Pyrcroft Road over the coming days.

“We appreciate that the incident itself, as well as the significant police presence, will be concerning for residents and we would like to thank them for their co-operation as we conduct our investigation.”

A Surrey Police spokesman added: “At this stage, we are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.”

A significant police presence remains in the area as detectives continue their inquiries. Kerjean is a French national born in the Central African Republic.

On Friday, floral tributes were left outside Syward Place, a block of flats on the corner of Pyrcroft Road and Bell Bridge Road, as shocked residents paid their respects.

One local resident said: “I’m surprised, that’s very unusual for Chertsey”. While another added: “It’s tragic. Things like that don’t happen around here.”

A police spokesman added: “If you have any information which could help our investigation, please contact us via direct message quoting PR/SYP-20260625-0759. If you do not wish to leave your name, you can call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

The true crime series certainly lived up to the high expectations

With an endless supply of true crime shows to choose from, it can be quite overwhelming when it comes to deciding what to watch. My watch list continues to grow and grow.

However, there is one title that everyone needs to watch, it just took me a little longer to tune in. After seeing countless reviews dubbing the series as an “ultimate” watch with an “unmatchable ending”, I popped it on my ready to watch pile – but never got down to turning it on until this week.

And wow was I left speechless. Very rarely does a show live up to the expectations people set, but this one definitely does. If you haven’t seen it yet, go at watch The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst.

Having first aired back in 2015, it quickly established itself as “one of the most definitive true crime documentaries of all time”, Sky reported.

Available to stream on Sky, NOW and HBO Max, Sky previously revealed: “The Jinx results from nearly a decade of research by the filmmakers, who expose police files, key witnesses, never-before-seen footage, private prison recordings, and thousands of pages of formerly hidden documents.”

It plunges viewers into an investigation into the strange history of Robert Durst, an eccentric heir to a New York real estate empire who was long suspected in three unsolved murders. But he had never been convicted.

With a rating of 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, one person previously said: “Compelling, chilling, weird. This is one of the more bizarre murder mystery doco’s you will see, and it will have you hooked. The best docu-series of 2015.”

Another added: “Perhaps the best true crime docuseries ever.” A third penned: “Peeling the layers away of psychopath bit by bit through a six part drama….with an unmatchable ending.”

A fourth wrote: “Mind blowing, the final episode is beyond my immediate comprehension, not because I could not understand it, but because of how it [unravels] so dramatically, the truth, after 30 plus years.”

Another said on social media that it had the “wildest” twist, and so I tuned in with high expectations – and it did not disappoint.

Without giving anything away, I was left speechless after the final episode, and just had to tune in to Series 2 before ending up down a rabbit hole needing to know everything and anything.

I was actually annoyed that I had not watched it before, given how long it has been readily available, but I must admit, I had shivers down my spine.

Now TV previously posted on Facebook: “The most chilling end to a documentary you’ll ever see”, as the replies poured. One person wrote: “I remember my mom watching this documentary I always remembered his eyes so dark and empty still gives me the creeps.”

The Jinx can be streamed on NOW and HBO Max

BERLIN (AP) — Temperatures hit record highs from Switzerland to the Czech Republic, Germany and Denmark on Saturday, as a heat wave that baked western European countries this week moves to central and eastern parts of the continent.

Unusually high temperatures were recorded even in the Nordic countries not known for sweltering summers. The Danish Meteorological Institute reported a new record of 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) in Ødum north of Aarhus — the warmest day since records began in 1874.

In Switzerland, a record of 38.8 C (101.8 F) was set in the city of Basel. And Germany marked a new high of 41.5 C (106.7 F), in Möckern-Drewitz in Saxony-Anhalt, according to preliminary data by the German Weather Service. The previous record was set a day earlier.

The country’s famous Autobahn was overwhelmed, too. In two places outside Berlin, the concrete of the A2 burst due to the high temperatures and the highway had to be closed. Other highway damage was also reported across the country, according to German daily Bild.

Train operator Deutsche Bahn and other rail companies advised against all nonessential travel train travel this weekend.

“Germany’s transportation infrastructure is being severely affected by the record-breaking heat this weekend,” Deutsche Bahn said in a statement.

The Czech Republic also saw its hottest day on record, with 40.6 C (105 F) in the northern town of Doksany. Forecasters said it may still rise.

Residents evacuated from German nursing home

In the western German city of Dormagen, dozens of residents of a nursing home were evacuated for medical care due to dangerous heat conditions in the building.

The local fire department reported that temperatures inside the home had reached 35 C (95 F). Air conditioning is not widespread in Germany and many countries in Europe because the continent is largely unused to such oppressive heat.

A resident at the home died overnight, but it was not yet clear whether the heat was the cause, a city spokesperson told German news agency dpa.

Hospitals under intense pressure in France

In France, temperatures were easing as the peak of the heat wave was starting to pass in some parts of the country. But hospitals remained under intense pressure in the face of heat-related emergencies, including heart attacks, heatstroke and dehydration.

The Paris public hospital authority said it activated its emergency response plan across all 38 hospitals to deal with a continuous increase in activity.

The AP-HP authority said Friday its emergency departments treated nearly 3,000 patients in the past 24 hours, over a third more than normal, with a large proportion of them over the age of 75 requiring hospitalization. Phone calls to its medical dispatch centers were up nearly 80% compared with the same period in 2025, it said.

A new study from the World Weather Attribution, a Europe-based collaboration of scientists, reported Friday that the record-breaking heat and humidity in Europe this week would not have been possible without climate change.

The rapid study found that the heat would have been virtually impossible just five decades ago, and is 200 times more likely today than it would have been 20 years ago.

André Corrêa do Lago, the president of the U.N. climate talks known as COP30, said the heat wave has “helped strengthen the perception of urgency of fighting climate change.”

“The fact that we are living with this amazing heat in London is a strong argument, we need to agree, that we have to take action as soon as possible,” do Lago told The Associated Press.

___

Hui reported from London and Leicester from Paris. Associated Press writers Trisha Thomas in Rome, Suman Naishadham in Madrid and Karel Janicek in Prague contributed to this report.

Police confirmed they have ‘limited information’ as officers in Thailand investigate why two boys are in the country

Two British teenagers have been detained in Thailand, triggering a police investigation into the “circumstances” surrounding their trip. South Wales Police confirmed on Friday evening that it has “limited information” about the arrests of the 17-year-olds, who are both from Cardiff, reports the Daily Star.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is working alongside Thai authorities while police officers are “gathering as much information as possible”.

South Wales Police stated: “We are investigating the circumstances which led to the boys travelling to Thailand. We understand this is a very concerning time for the families and wider community.”

A spokesperson for the FCDO said: “We are supporting two British nationals detained in Thailand and are in contact with the local authorities”.

Anyone with information pertaining to the case has been urged to contact South Wales Police, quoting reference number 2600200125, or to reach out to Crimestoppers anonymously

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