LEXINGTON, S.C. (AP) — Sen. Darline Graham made her political debut before hundreds of Republican voters in South Carolina on Saturday, saying that she never envisioned a life in politics for herself until after the death of her brother Lindsey Graham, and now wants to work hard to promote the state and President Donald Trump’s policy priorities.

Graham is serving in an interim role to fulfill her brother’s current term. But as one of nine Republicans seeking to replace him more permanently in a special primary election set for Aug. 11, she is a relative political unknown facing off against some of the state’s best-known GOP names.

On Saturday, she acknowledged that she has not spent decades in politics, but argued that she understands the real-world applications of the federal policy debates her brother knew well, like budgeting and the cost of health care. She reiterated that, like her brother, she’s backed by Trump, who urged her to get into the race and has endorsed her.

“I certainly never expected to be on this stage, giving this stump speech,” Darline Graham said to a crowd gathered for the event in Lexington. “I’ve never had any desire to be a politician. I’m here today because I’m answering President Trump’s call to serve. I want to stand up for South Carolina, and I want to fight for President Trump’s agenda.”

Graham found herself thrust into the political spotlight just three weeks ago, following her brother’s sudden death from an aortic tear.

Given the compressed timeline of the special election, Darline Graham now has just more than a week to convince South Carolina Republican voters that she’s the best pick to represent the state. Up to this moment, she has been known to the state’s voters primarily through her brother’s origin story, including their hardscrabble upbringing and parents’ early death, and in the period of mourning for her brother, for whom funeral services in Washington and South Carolina took place just days ago.

All nine of the hopefuls were on hand Saturday for the event, with five minutes each to speak on stage. Former Gov. Mark Sanford, seeking yet another political comeback following a halted bid for Congress earlier this year, warned against deficit spending and debt accumulation, hallmarks of his decades in political messaging.

Reminding attendees of his endorsements in the race, including Sens. Rick Scott of Florida and Mike Lee of Utah, U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman also stressed his support for a voting bill known as the SAVE America Act, among Trump’s top policy priorities.

U.S. Rep. Russell Fry, a two-term House member, talked to voters of his own humble beginnings, saying that the things that held his family together “were our belief in God, hard work, blue-collar hustle.”

After the speeches concluded, hundreds of attendees got in line for free Chick-fil-A boxed lunches, as well as the chance to cast a vote in an informal straw poll for their preferred candidate — a survey in which Darline Graham eked out a victory, ahead of Fry and Norman.

Several attendees said they just wanted more information — and more time — to make their choices in the primary.

Charles Brentnell said his top three picks were U.S. Reps. Ralph Norman and Russell Fry, as well as Darline Graham, with whom he said he agreed on backing Trump’s demand to cut short its planned breaks to pass legislation, like the voting bill.

“Let’s keep the Senate in the Senate, instead of taking a month off,” Brentnell said.

Still mulling his choice as he stood in the straw poll line, Gary Atkinson said he was leaning toward picking Norman, but that he liked a lot of what he heard from several people.

“Those are all strong candidates,” said Atkinson, who said he had supported Lindsey Graham in the past, but disagreed on some issues, like the war with Iran. “It’s tough to make up your mind.”

If needed, a runoff election will be held Aug. 25. The Republican nominee will face Democrat Annie Andrews in the general election.

Other candidates speaking Saturday included Walterboro attorney Duke Buckner, Greenville businessman Mark Lynch, former Myrtle Beach Mayor Mark McBride, retired Air Force officer Glenda Gail Parker and entrepreneur Sam Shepherd.

___

Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP

Jennifer Aniston continued her sun-soaked European holiday with boyfriend Jim Curtis and friends over the weekend.

The actress, 57, showed off her incredible washboard abs in a dark bikini top and white shorts while lounging on the luxury Rising Sun yacht in Majorca, Spain. 

At one point, the smitten star shared a sweet kiss with her hypnotist partner, 50, as they enjoyed their romantic getaway. 

Aniston also took to the water for a pedal kayaking excursion during her idyllic vacation. 

The Friends star accessorized her look with a black hat and a pair of sunglasses. 

The couple were joined by Jason Bateman, male model Christian Hogue and stylist Jamie Mizrahi. 

Jennifer Aniston, 57, continued her sun-soaked holiday in Majorca, Spain with boyfriend Jim Curtis, 50, and friends over the weekend 

Advertisement

At one point, the smitten star shared a sweet kiss with her hypnotist partner as they enjoyed their romantic getaway

Aniston also took to the water for a pedal kayaking excursion during her idyllic vacation

Last week, Aniston was joined by her former co-star Courteney Cox, 62, and Pedro Pascal, 51, during another yacht day.

From snorkeling to kayaking, the group had everything an A-lister on vacation could want right at their fingertips.

But not even a luxury yacht trip could stop Aniston from working out her core.

In the middle of sailing the high seas, Aniston did some planks – a great exercise for keeping her torso toned.

Body balanced on her forearms and tiptoes, the star maintained a near-perfect plank position to ensure her abs would remain taut.

The results of Aniston’s dedication were apparent.

Clad in an itty bitty bikini, Aniston’s torso was svelte and sculpted and a reflection of all the hard work she put in her body.

Meanwhile, as Aniston enjoyed a quick workout, her pals relaxed about the boat.

Aniston showed off her sculpted abs 

The actress wore a dark bikini top and white shorts while lounging on the luxury Rising Sun yacht

Advertisement

The Friends star accessorized her look with a black hat and a pair of sunglasses 

She stayed hydrated, carrying a water bottle in her hand

The trip marks a bit of a full-circle moment for Aniston and Curtis, who were first linked while on vacation with friends in Majorca last year

Curtis ditched his shirt at one point 

Advertisement

The pair shared a tender embrace 

The loved-up duo cozied up aboard the yacht 

She wore her blonde hair down for the day

Last week Aniston was pictured working out on a yacht 

Advertisement

She kept busy during the action-packed holiday 

Aniston showed off her toned arms 

The couple were joined by Jason Bateman, male model Christian Hogue and stylist Jamie Mizrahi

The actor rocked blue swim trunks 

Advertisement

Curtis sat on a lounge chair while Cox appeared to do the same nearby. Pascal, meanwhile, kicked back in another part of the boat.

It wasn’t all just R&R with the group penciling in several action-packed adventures including kayaking and snorkeling.

The trip marks a bit of a full-circle moment for Aniston and Curtis, who were first linked while on vacation with friends in Majorca last year.

Aniston and Curtis celebrated their one-year dating anniversary in May, with a source revealing exclusively to the Daily Mail what the couple did to mark the milestone.

The insider shared at the time that Aniston and Curtis planned to vacation in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico after she finished filming season five of The Morning Show.

‘They want to have some fun in the sun and toast a year of bliss in her favorite place in the world, Cabo,’ the source revealed.

‘She is head over heels for this guy and wants him to be her forever person, so it’s fitting they take a romantic break to appreciate one another.’

The Daily Mail’s insider also provided insight on how Curtis has fit into Aniston’s A-list friend group, which includes Bateman, Sandra Bullock, Adam Sandler and Sean Hayes.

‘Jim fits right in with the crowd, they think he is a cool guy, which is very relaxing for Jen. She doesn’t have to sell Jim, everyone is sold on him!

‘Dinner parties, movie nights, premieres, they are easy breezy for Jen when Jim is by her side because he is so likable.’

At one point Aniston was spotted checking her phone

She mingled with Mizrahi

Advertisement

Aniston and Curtis started dating in early 2025 and were first spotted together in public in July, on vacation with friends

They made their first official public appearance at the ELLE Women in Hollywood event in Beverly Hills on November 17, 2025

Mizrahi showed off her incredible figure 

She also took to the water for a kayaking session 

Advertisement

Aniston is also reportedly so fond of her boyfriend because there is no competition between them – unlike her exes Brad Pitt, Vince Vaughn, John Mayer and Justin Theroux.

‘It is all about her and how she feels and what she needs,’ said the source. ‘He never talks about his career or tries to network with her contacts, he has no interest in being an actor or being famous.

‘She has said with him she can exhale, she can let herself go and breathe because there is no pressure.’

Being that Curtis is a life coach, he has reportedly been a healer for Aniston as well as her friend group.

‘Very often Jim gets people to take deep breaths, to focus on the here and now, to appreciate the good things in life, he is like a human peace sign.

‘He is the dude everyone gravitates toward at a party,’ the insider shared.

Aniston and Curtis started dating in early 2025 and were first spotted together in public in July, on vacation with friends.

They made their first official public appearance at the ELLE Women in Hollywood event in Beverly Hills on November 17, 2025.

Hogue enjoyed a paddleboard session 

He put his toned physique on full display 

They went Instagram official when she shared a photo of them together on Instagram around November 2, 2025.

Earlier this year, Curtis revealed that he and the Emmy-winner were introduced by mutual friends.

‘We were just introduced by friends. That’s it. We found out that we had mutual friends and we started to just chat,’ he said on the Today show.

‘It took a long time, we chatted for a long time and we became close.’

Chelsea adjusted their youth-focused approach to the transfer market come the end of the 2025/26 campaign, acknowledging the need to add more experienced players to the squad. With 400 Premier League appearances to his name, Welbeck will fill that role alongside Jordan Henderson, who is expected to join the club in the coming days.

“When he showed the final version to me, I said, ‘Now you have made a film with a capital F. It is your film. It is your vision’, and it settles the legacy of our father, who had invented a massive thing of the same name, but Justin made something humanist telling an important story.”

Josh Kerr stormed to Commonwealth Games mile gold as Scotstoun rocked to The Proclaimers.

It took the Scot less than four minutes to cover the distance. By the finish, the rest looked as though they had walked all 500 miles.

In a tactical and scrappy race, where sharp elbows were needed, Kerr surged to the front on the final lap and kicked clear of a world-class field to cross the line in 3:54.22, 12 seconds slower than his recent world record, but this mission had a higher purpose.

Australia’s Cameron Myers, widely viewed as his closest rival, had talked a big game but had no answers when the Scot turned on the burners with 200m to go.

Former world champion Timothy Cheruiyot of Kenya completed the podium, but this was ultimately a race at the mercy of the man of the moment.

Records can define you, but they don’t last forever; no one was removing this night from the history books as Kerr became the first Scot to win a middle distance blue riband at the Games.

“This means everything. It was the championship of my season, it was the one I’d circled on the calendar,” said Kerr.

“It doesn’t get any better than this. It was absolutely incredible. In front of a Scottish crowd where I learned how to race. I came here week after week growing up as a kid.

“I had a lot of energy to pull out a gap in the last 200m, so I decided to go early and save everyone some stress.”

Sixty years after the mile was last contested at the Commonwealth Games, and 72 years after Roger Bannister and John Landy went stride for stride in one of the most famous races of all time, Kerr secured his place in history.

He may have started favourite after breaking the 27-year-old world mile record in London two weeks ago, but he knew it would be no procession.

Myers, just 20, is viewed as one of the sport’s rising middle-distance stars, while teammate Ollie Hoare won the 1500m title four years ago in Birmingham.

And then there was fellow Scot Jake Wightman, the former world champion who is always dangerous in major championships when fully fit.

“I felt relaxed,” said Kerr, who has just 13 days to reset his sights on the 1500m at the European Championships in Birmingham and a potential showdown with arch-rival Jakob Ingebrigtsen.

“London was a big stress and I pushed my body to the absolute limit, so I really had to use my brain to save my body there.

“I didn’t put the performance together I wanted at the last Commonwealth Games and I felt the British crowd deserved more from me. I owed them that.”

Meanwhile, Jazmin Sawyers finally has the outdoor athletics gold she’s always dreamt of.

Eight years ago, the talented singer recorded Team England’s anthem. Now she was at the top of the medals podium rather than the pop charts.

Sawyers upgraded the Commonwealth long jump silver she won 12 years ago in Glasgow, producing a best effort of 6.93m to secure the title with room to spare.

Injuries have long plagued the 32-year-old’s career, and Sawyers spent 20 months on the sidelines after rupturing her Achilles in the build-up to the Paris Olympics.

She won the European indoor title three years ago but confessed this triumph went straight to the top of her achievements, 15 years after she made her international debut.

“It hasn’t properly hit me yet. This is the thing I’ve been telling myself all the horrible bits are for,” said Sawyers.

“The feeling is overwhelming. I had to pull out of the British Championships and stop during the Diamond League because my body was telling me, ‘No, you’re not ready and you’re going to hurt yourself’. For the first time in my career, I was protecting the major championships, and I think it worked.”

Thanks to National Lottery players, more than £33m is raised every week for good causes. It’s because of you that sport, arts, heritage and community projects, as well as our athletes competing at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, are supported across the UK.

Animal rights campaigners have demanded the World Black Pudding Throwing Championships use vegan alternatives, arguing it was wrong for the ‘blood and fat’ of pigs to be hurled for ‘a bit of fun’.

The annual competition, held in Ramsbottom, Lancashire, sees rivals throw bloody sausages in a bid to knock traditional Yorkshire and Lancashire black puddings off a 20ft high plinth.

The quirky northern tradition is said to have been inspired by a bitter 1455 battle in nearby Stubbins during the War of the Roses – fought between the House of Lancaster and the House of York.

In a letter to event organisers, Peta said it was wrong for the animals to have their ‘blood and fat thrown at a target for a bit of fun’.

‘It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt,’ the organisation wrote. ‘In the case of the World Black Pudding Throwing Championships, someone does indeed get hurt: pigs.’

The campaigners also said they would pay for ‘cruelty-free’ options in lieu of the Yorkshire puddings and the bloody sausages thrown towards them.

Paul Jenkins, who organises the annual event, said the ‘quintessential British event’ already offered vegan alternatives to its competitors.

And while he said the championships would not make the use of vegan alternatives compulsory, he said people who opted for them were ‘more than welcome to’.

The quirky northern tradition is said to have been inspired by a bitter 1455 battle in nearby Stubbins during the War of the Roses (Pictured: PTom Lowten celebrating his win in 2019)

Of the event, he said: ‘It’s on the same level as cheese-rolling at this point.’

It comes as Peta also demanded a small Welsh coastal town, famed for its colourful Ballamory-esque homes, be rebranded from its mackerel festival into one about cabbage.

Aberaeron, nestled along the picturesque coast of west Wales, welcomes hundreds of visitors annually for the event marking the end of fishing season.

During the mackerel fiesta, residents carry a huge papier-mâché mackerel through the streets of the town located in Ceredigion.

The procession, mocking ones seen in funerals, sees the faux fish carried through Aberaeron before being burnt on the beach.

Some believe this tradition helps to secure a bountiful mackerel harvest the following season.

However, Peta proposed to event organisers, Aberaeron Yacht Club, that they use a giant papier-mâché cabbage and also included an AI-mocked image in their letter.

Dawn Carr, Peta’s vice-president of vegan projects, penned: ‘Celebrating life-giving plant produce rather than fish slaughter would be more in line with the compassion and warmth Wales is known for.’

In a letter to event organisers, Peta said it was wrong for the animals to have their ‘blood and fat thrown at a target for a bit of fun’

Advertisement

Last year’s annual black pudding throwing contest was won by 18-year-old Harry Ogden, who managed to knock six Yorkshire puddings from the 20ft high plinth

‘Fish value their lives and deserve respect and freedom.’

A man at the club rejected the suggestion, adding that they were not even burning a real fish. 

He asked: ‘What about being cruel to cabbages? 

‘It seems a strange thing to focus on. It’s just a bit of fun, and an excuse, really, to drink some beer. It brings the village together.

‘They should have bigger, more relevant targets, you’d think, than a small little Welsh harbour town.’

Dawn Carr, Vice President of Vegan Corporate Projects said: “Pigs are curious, sensitive animals, who deserve better than being forcibly bred, confined, and slaughtered for a meal, or in the case of this event, a prop. It would be just as entertaining for people to toss a vegan black pudding, a sponge, or a locally grown turnip, so there’s no reason to involve a pig’s blood in the festivities. That’s why PETA is urging the Stubbins Village Community Trust to give the pigs a break by ‘pudding’ on a kinder, and more sustainable, bloodless event.” 

A Florida evangelist who bragged that airline passengers have ‘no choice’ but to listen to her sermons was booted from a flight after the crew said they no longer felt safe with her onboard.

Whitney Lynn, 40, stood in the aisle of an Alaska Airlines jet at Orlando International Airport on Thursday and began preaching as passengers waited for the delayed flight to depart for San Diego.

Lynn recorded the ordeal and shared the footage in a seven-part series on Instagram. She told her fellow travelers that God’s timing was perfect and suggested that he might be protecting them from danger. 

‘Maybe he’s sparing us from danger today,’ she said during the sermon, which lasted less than a minute.

Lynn claimed she finished the message and returned to her seat without being asked to stop or sit down.

But an airline employee then ordered her to collect her belongings and leave the aircraft.

‘The crews don’t feel safe with you,’ he told her in footage Lynn shared on social media.

Lynn repeatedly asked why she was being removed and described the incident as ‘spiritual warfare.’

Lynn is an Orlando-based evangelist, singer-songwriter, producer and self-described ‘deliverance minister’ who regularly records herself preaching in public

‘Demons don’t like the name of Jesus,’ she declared as she prepared to leave.

She then delivered a final message to passengers, telling them: ‘We are in the last days. We are being persecuted, persecuted to be a Christian.’

Lynn continued filming as she confronted the employee escorting her from the jet.

‘I didn’t know the message of Jesus Christ was unsafe,’ she said. ‘So freedom of speech is not safe?’

At one point, she asked the employee whether he was from Puerto Rico because she said she could not understand him.

Lynn later accused him of trying to shut a door on her and failing to notify the airline about her removal.

She also claimed a flight attendant pushed her bag with her foot and then lied about it.

None of Lynn’s allegations against individual employees has been independently verified.

Lynn said she preaches on most flights because passengers ‘have no choice but to hear the truth,’ describing her message as a life raft offered to someone who is drowning

Advertisement

Alaska Airlines allegedly barred Lynn from its flights ‘for the foreseeable future,’ while she said she was considering taking legal action

Lynn subsequently spent about 40 minutes speaking with police officers at the airport and said she had been given the opportunity to pray over them.

No arrests or criminal charges have been reported.

Lynn continued preaching after leaving the plane and claimed that she managed to convert two people.

One of her videos had attracted three million Instagram views by Friday afternoon, according to The Washington Post.

Lynn released footage of the saga in at least seven installments as part of what she called her ‘Kicked Off the Plane for Preaching the Gospel’ series.

She described the sermon as one of the ‘softest’ messages she had ever delivered.

‘This wasn’t a harsh message at all,’ she wrote. ‘That’s why I was so shocked.’

‘But the truth is, demons tremble at the name of Jesus. It doesn’t matter whether the message is soft or bold – when you share the gospel, it offends some people.’

Lynn later spent about 40 minutes speaking with police officers at Orlando International Airport, but she was not arrested or charged

The Florida evangelist has amassed more than 270,000 Instagram followers by sharing videos of her sermons on planes, streets and other public spaces

Alaska Airlines said its crew became increasingly concerned about Lynn’s behavior and removed her for safety reasons.

‘The passenger was asked to deplane the aircraft for safety reasons,’ the airline said.

‘For the foreseeable future, the guest will not be permitted to travel on our flights.’

Lynn said she was initially told she could rebook and arranged to take another flight later that night.

But two and a half hours before its scheduled departure, she received an email from the company’s corporate security department informing her that she had been banned pending an investigation.

The email said she could not travel aboard Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines or Horizon Air while the companies investigated reports concerning her recent travels.

She received a flight credit but said she had no way to use it while barred from the carriers.

Lynn, who said she was traveling to California to attend a follower’s funeral, ultimately rebooked with another airline.

Some of her followers urged her to sue, but Lynn said she was ‘praying’ about whether to pursue legal action.

The evangelist continued filming as she confronted the employee escorting her from the aircraft and questioned whether her freedom of speech had been violated

She compared herself to the biblical figures Moses and Esther and claimed that the airline had violated her First Amendment rights.

‘This isn’t about anything other than my freedom of speech and my First Amendment rights being infringed upon because of religious discrimination,’ she wrote.

The First Amendment generally restricts government action rather than decisions made by private companies.

Lynn also questioned why members of the LGBTQ community and abortion-rights advocates could speak publicly while she was removed for talking about Jesus.

‘But the minute we talk about Jesus for 56 seconds on a plane, I literally get persecuted, kicked off, and banned?’ she wrote.

Lynn previously discussed her habit of turning aircraft cabins into makeshift churches just days before the incident.

She told The Washington Post that she preached on most flights and recorded the sermons for social media.

‘They have no choice but to hear the truth,’ she said of her fellow passengers.

‘When I have a gift and I have a life raft, if you’re drowning, I want to give you that life raft so you can be saved.’

Lynn claimed she finished her sermon and returned to her seat without any crew member asking her to stop preaching

An earlier video showed Lynn preaching about sin, hell and redemption as passengers waited to leave another plane in San Diego.

‘I just love a captive audience,’ she captioned the footage.

Lynn describes herself as an evangelist, singer-songwriter, producer and ‘deliverance minister’ and has amassed more than 270,000 Instagram followers.

Alaska Airlines has not disclosed what conduct, beyond her sermon and subsequent confrontation, caused the crew to feel unsafe.

The Daily Mail has contacted Lynn, Alaska Airlines and Orlando International Airport for further comment. 

North Yorkshire Council are installing a new zebra crossing in Railway Street in Malton.

A spokesperson for the council said: “This will be installed on the existing raised area outside the Cornmill.

“Work is due to take place between Monday 10 August and Friday 28 August under traffic light control.

“We will also require a full road closure for one or two days.

“The exact date of this closure depends on progress. Please look out for signage for notice of the road closure.

“To facilitate this closure we will be lifting the one-way system.”

A fresh controversy has engulfed the amateur cricket club at the centre of the ‘Clicky Ponting’ cheating scandal after an umpire released footage appearing to show another player deploying the same tactic.

Saltburn Cricket Club has been at the centre of a storm after fielder Brian Devine allegedly cheated during a Second XI Division Two match against Norton. Video footage of Devine appearing to be clicking his fingers to mimic the sound of a bat edge, tricking the umpire into giving the batsman out, went viral on social media.

On Monday, the North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League launched an investigation into Devine, 38, who has since been suspended by the club for the ‘foreseeable future’.

Now, fresh footage has emerged appearing to show another Saltburn player successfully using the same tactic during a Third XI match against Marton.

The fielder appears to click his fingers as the ball flies past the bat and into the wicketkeeper’s gloves, prompting the on-field umpire to give the batsman out. The footage was posted on social media by Berkshire-based umpire Andy Smy.

The captain of another team in the same league earlier this week claimed the alleged tactic had not been confined to Saltburn’s victory over Norton.

He said: ‘It was not confined to just one game. I was at the other end when one of our players was dismissed and I heard a big sound as the ball went through and immediately thought: “He’s out.”

‘The umpire didn’t hesitate either, but our batsman was adamant he was nowhere near the ball and couldn’t understand the loud click.

‘In all we had three batsmen given out caught behind, but all of them said they hadn’t touched the ball. One protested so much the umpire had to speak to him and threaten him with a warning.

‘I know of at least three other teams who now have suspicions and it should be noted that in one match against Shildon their wicketkeeper took eight catches.

‘You hear of all kinds of things going on in cricket but this is something I haven’t heard of before. I hope the league takes appropriate action.’

Earlier this week, Saltburn’s Second XI forfeited their match against Marton, dumping themselves out of a cup competition, with a source close to the league saying ‘none of the players will have wanted anything to do with this game while they’re under such focus’.

They did, however, return to the field on Saturday for a league match against Marton. And table-toppers Saltburn crashed to a nine-wicket defeat without Devine fielding at slip, with Marton reaching their total of 101 in just 20 overs.

Amateur cricket player Brian Devine has been caught appearing to click his fingers to make it appear that a batter has been caught behind when in fact they haven’t hit the ball at all

Advertisement

Devine has been dubbed as ‘Clicky Ponting’ on social media for his alleged actions on the cricket field

Saltburn player has been caught on camera seeming to be clicking his fingers

Devine, a father and auction mart worker from Guisborough, North Yorkshire, is planning to ‘lie low’ until the scandal dies down.

A friend said: ‘Brian is completely bewildered by the way this has gone all around the world.

‘He’s had an Australian podcast offering to pay his legal bills today – it’s the first he’s heard that he’s got any legal bills and he’s hoping it won’t get that far.

‘His mates have been telling him to sell his story in Australia, but he just wants it all to go away and hopes he can get back to playing cricket, though at the moment that feels impossible.

‘He woke up on Monday morning thinking the world was still the same place he’d left it the night before and suddenly his story was all over the world – in Australia, India, New Zealand and the UK, of course.

‘He understands why there is an investigation but the reaction from around the world has knocked him sideways.’

The North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League said it was treating the allegations of cheating ‘with the utmost seriousness’ and called for the ‘rights of all parties’ to be respected amid intense scrutiny on social media.

‘We would want to place on record our genuine concern for the welfare of those at Saltburn Cricket Club and ask for all to take that into account. There are many people at the club and one of our aims will be to provide them with any wellbeing support we can,’ the league said.

‘Whilst we understand, to some degree, the interest this issue has generated in the press and media, it is imperative that, now this process is under way, the rights of all parties are observed, including the overriding principles of natural justice and the right to a fair hearing for any individual or entity concerned.

‘Anything less risks prejudicing any formal action which may follow.’

Saltburn, in a statement on Wednesday, said: ‘This has been a very distressing and stressful experience for all those concerned, and we would ask that this reality is borne in mind and that personal boundaries are respected, as we are an amateur club run entirely by volunteers.’

Prince William has said he was ‘truly saddened to hear of the tragic death’ of British special forces climber and Netflix star, Nirmal Purja. 

The former British Army soldier, 43, was confirmed dead today after his party vanished in an avalanche on a Pakistani mountain, Broad Peak.

Mr Purja, also known as Nims, was among several missing after the avalanche struck the world’s 12th highest mountain at around 12pm local time on Thursday. 

The 43-year-old had been leading an expedition of ten climbers across the mountain. All have been confirmed dead.

His body was found alongside other members of the expedition following search efforts, his climbing company Elite Expeditions said on Saturday. 

Three explorers, Nepalese climber Pur Bahadur Gurung, Omani climber Nathira Ahmed and American climber Mallory Geis, were also confirmed dead yesterday. 

The Prince of Wales paid tribute to the ex-serviceman, saying that he ‘served with distinction’ before ‘becoming one of the world’s greatest mountaineers’. 

‘I was truly saddened to hear of the tragic death of Nirmal Purja and those who lost their lives in the avalanche on Broad Peak,’ he wrote on X. 

‘Nims served with distinction in the British Armed Forces before becoming one of the world’s greatest mountaineers, putting Nepalese climbers on the map. 

‘His relentless pursuit of what seemed impossible, combined with his humility and selflessness, made him truly unique. 

#My thoughts are with his family and the families of all those who died.’

Earlier today, Made in Chelsea star Spencer Matthews said he was praying ‘for a miracle’ for his mountaneering friend.   

Prince William has said he was ‘truly saddened to hear of the tragic death’ of British special forces climber and Netflix star, Nirmal Purja

It comes as the Prime Minister of Nepal, Balendra Shah, announced ten people in total were killed in the avalanche. 

This included Purja, as well as five Nepalis, one climber from Pakistan and Oman, another from America, as well as one Chinese participant. 

Naila Kiana, a spokeswoman for the Alpine Club of Pakistan, described Purja who had led many of the expeditions, as a ‘very experienced climber’ as well as ‘fearless’.

British adventurer Bear Grylls also tribute to the former British soldier, describing the incident as heartbreaking for ‘so many climbers around the world’ who knew him.

‘We will never forget you Nims and your unstoppable spirit,’ he added.

Purja’s company Elite Expeditions said in a statement: ‘It is with profound sadness and immense heartbreak that we confirm that Nirmal ‘Nimsdai’ Purja, tragically lost his life following the avalanche on Broad Peak. 

‘We have also received confirmation that other members of this expedition sadly did not survive.

‘Today, we mourn not only Nims, but every life lost in this tragedy including his trusted climbing partners and guides, Pur Bahadur Gurung (Yukta) and Nima Sherpa.

‘Our deepest thoughts, prayers and heartfelt condolences are with their families, friends and loved ones. 

‘No words can erase the pain of this unimaginable loss, and we ask that everyone respects their privacy as they grieve.’ 

Broad Peak, at 8,047 meters (26,401 feet), is the world’s 12th-highest mountain and is located in Pakistan’s Karakoram range.

The range is home to five of the world’s 14 peaks above 8,000 meters, attracting climbers from around the globe. 

Earlier, former reality TV star Spencer Matthews said he was praying ‘for a miracle’ for his friend

Advertisement

British adventurer Bear Grylls paid tribute to Mr Purja on Instagram

Purja, who appeared on the 2021 film 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible, was confirmed dead today

Along with Mr Grylls, Mr Purja was enlisted by Spencer Matthews to help recover the body of his brother, Michael, the youngest Briton to summit Everest who disappeared on the mountain in 1999. 

Despite searching with a team, they did not locate Michael. 

Mr Matthews, 37, shared a photo with the mountaineer on Instagram describing the news as ‘heartbreaking’. 

‘The mountains inspire us with their beauty, but they also demand immense respect,’ he said.

‘Every person who ventures into that world understands the risks, yet they go anyway, driven by curiosity, purpose, passion and a deep love for the places few will ever experience.

‘The news from Broad Peak is heartbreaking. So many lives, families, friends and teammates now facing unimaginable loss. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy.

‘May those who have been lost be remembered not only for how they died, but for how they lived, the courage they showed, and the lives they touched. Rest in peace.’

Born in a village in western Nepal, Mr Purja joined the Gurkhas in his teens, and in one interview described a pair of flip-flops as a luxury during his childhood.

Mr Purja joined the British Army in 2003 and then went on to become a part of the Special Boat Service – the special forces unit of the Royal Navy – in 2009.

He became the first Gurkha to join the elite unit and worked as a cold-weather warfare specialist. 

He served in the British military for 16 years, ten of which were spent in the special forces, and he was awarded an MBE by the late Queen in 2018 for his achievement in extreme high-altitude mountaineering. 

In 2016, he broke mountaineering conventions to rescue a climber left in the “Everest death zone”, bringing her to safety alone. 

He later rose to prominence when he climbed all 14 of the world’s mountains with peaks above 8,000m (26,247ft) in 189 days – smashing the previous record by more than seven years. 

Broad Peak, at 8,047 meters (26,401 feet), is the world’s 12th-highest mountain

Advertisement

Mr Purjal’s documentary received critical acclaim upon its release

The challenge was the focus of a Netflix documentary called 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible. 

At the time, he said: ‘It has been a gruelling but humbling six months, and I hope to have proven that anything is possible with some determination, self-belief and positivity.

‘I could not have made it happen without the unending support of my friends and family who have been in my heart this entire time. We started with nothing, but look how far we’ve come.’ 

Mr Purja, who lived with his wife and three-year-old daughter in Hampshire in southern England, said he was the first Gurkha to climb Everest while serving in the British military.