Volunteers hailed by North Lanarkshire Council leader ahead of Volunteers’ Week

A masked gang abducted cyclist Jack Haycock, mistakenly thinking he was someone else, and forced him to hand over £500 before giving him £20 for a taxi. Joseph Waters, the gang's driver, has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for his role in the incident, which left Haycock with lasting psychological effects. Although Waters was arrested two days later, his accomplices remain unidentified, and further drug-related charges were discovered during the investigation. Full Article

Summary A German couple, Christian Steffen (53) and Melissa Ann Steffen (48), were arrested in Spain for allegedly keeping their three children—two eight-year-old twins and a ten-year-old brother—locked in a "house of horrors" since December 2021. The children had not seen sunlight for years, were forced to wear masks and nappies, and slept in caged beds, living in deplorable conditions filled with garbage and animal feces. The rescue was prompted by a neighbor's concern, and...

Summary Vale of Glamorgan Council in south Wales is voluntarily banning ring frisbees from its beaches due to the threat they pose to seals, which can get trapped in them, leading to injuries and infections. Councillors emphasized the need to address plastic pollution, noting that these frisbees do not float and are often discarded irresponsibly, while some residents expressed concern over more pressing issues like sewage dumping. Campaigners are pushing for a nationwide ban and...

Justin Bower, a 48-year-old lorry driver, was found guilty of dangerous driving that resulted in the death of four horses, including a prized stallion valued at over £1 million, after crashing his 7.5-tonne truck into a stationary horse transporter on the A9 near Perth in April 2021. The court sentenced him to a community payback order of 220 hours of unpaid work and a two-year driving ban, which will remain until he passes an extended...

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is making significant strides in local elections, with his party fielding candidates in 99.3% of contests, surpassing both Conservatives and Labour. This strategy has the potential to secure majority positions on several councils, and Farage's approach emphasizes community issues, similar to the Liberal Democrats. However, as the party seeks to establish its local identity, it faces challenges in defining its platform beyond opposition to the status quo, particularly in a...

Recent sightings of the Common European viper, or Adder, have increased in the UK, prompting warnings from authorities, especially for pet owners. Hikers in Wales, including Lorraine Flower, have reported encounters with these venomous snakes, which are generally not dangerous to humans but can pose risks to dogs. South Wales Police have advised dog walkers to keep their pets on leads due to the heightened risk of bites, particularly during the snakes' active months from...