UK

Areas hit hard by flooding after Storm Henk will be able to apply for thousands of pounds in government money to pay for recovery work and repairs. The government has announced the financial support will be available to eligible areas in England that have experienced exceptional localised flooding. Schemes include flooded households being eligible for

A yellow cold weather alert across England comes into force at 9am this morning – and will remain in force for most of next week. All of this comes as many parts of the country continue to grapple with the aftermath of Storm Henk, with heavy rainfall inundating homes and almost cutting off communities. As

A football club has apologised to its fans after a stadium bar was decorated in the colours of its arch-rivals, days before the teams meet in the FA Cup. Bosses at Sunderland AFC have admitted the club made a “serious error in judgement” after banners saying “Keep the Black and White Flying High” and “We

Police are “extremely concerned” over the disappearance of a woman who vanished in South Ayrshire days before Christmas. Laura Wilkie, 43, was last seen sitting on a bench near Ayr’s Millenium Bridge at around 8.30pm on Monday 18 December. On Wednesday, investigating officers carried out a stop-and-speak operation in the area in an effort to

British police are reportedly investigating the sexual abuse of a child’s avatar in the metaverse – prompting the NSPCC to warn that tech firms must do more to protect young users. Online abuse is linked with physical abuse in the real world and can have a devastating impact on victims, the charity’s campaigners said. The

A body has been recovered during the search for a missing fell runner in Cumbria, police have said. Edward Catmur, from the London area, had been reported missing after he had not been heard from since 10am on 31 December. He had been intending to fell run a route to Cross Fell and Hartside Cross,

Google and Amazon must do more after a British woman made a suicide pact with two people she met online and used the internet to buy poison, a coroner has said. Chloe Macdermott, 43, died in May 2021 after buying a lethal substance from the US on Amazon. An inquest at Inner West London Coroner’s

The number of young people taking ketamine has tripled in recent years – a surge which experts blame partly on its affordability and widespread availability during the cost of living crisis. Now, the mother of an 18-year-old student who died on her first night at university after taking the drug has called for the police

Eurostar trains are set to resume this morning after “unprecedented” flooding in a tunnel brought chaos for thousands. The company said all services would run to Paris, Brussels, London and Amsterdam – but warned there could still be delays and packed stations. Southeastern and Thameslink rail are also predicting serious disruption. Travellers were stranded yesterday

A fire has broken out at Blackpool Tower, with video showing flames at the top of the iconic structure. Firefighters in climbing gear are “on their way up”, according to a tourist information page, as high winds continue to hit the seaside resort. In a statement Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service said: “We have six

The King has used his second Christmas message to praise people’s “growing awareness of how we must protect our Earth”. The monarch described the natural world as a “manifestation of the divine” and said that caring for it is a “responsibility owned by people of all faiths and none”. “We care for the Earth for

Millions of mobile phone users are being warned of potential text scams in the lead-up to Christmas, peaking today on what is being dubbed “Super Saturday”. The BT-owned EE network has said cyber criminals could try to take advantage of the busy last-minute shopping period to issue delivery-style scams, suggesting parcels are waiting to be

A body has been recovered from the River Tay in the search for a missing woman. Although formal identification is yet to take place, the family of Clare Marshall have been informed. A search was launched for Ms Marshall at the beginning of the week, with specialist help from the Police Scotland helicopter. The 64-year-old

A criminal investigation has been launched into alleged child abduction in connection with Alex Batty – who reappeared this month after going missing six years ago. The investigation has been launched by Greater Manchester Police. Alex, now 17, has returned to the UK after spending years in France and Spain with his mother and grandfather.

Serious concerns have been raised about West Midlands Police, with the force found inadequate in three areas. His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) said it had concerns about how the police force – the country’s second-largest – investigates crime, protects vulnerable people and manages offenders and suspects. It graded West

COVID-19 infection levels are rising and more people aged 18-44 are catching it than the elderly, new figures suggest. Around 2.5 million people, or one in 24 in England and Scotland, are likely to have tested positive for the illness on 13 December. That equates to around 4.2% of people in private households across the

When Brianna Ghey left home on 11 February, she thought she was going to meet a friend. But in what detectives described as the “ultimate betrayal”, the 16-year-old had been lured from her house that Saturday afternoon by a girl with “murderous intent”. A little more than two hours later Brianna, who was transgender, was

England and Manchester United goalkeeper Mary Earps has been crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year. The 30-year-old strung a series of impressive performances as the Lionesses reached the Women’s World Cup final this summer, including a penalty save from Spain’s Jenni Hermoso in the final – a game England lost 1-0. Earps also won

Police are still searching for a missing woman who vanished in Perth. Investigating officers believe Clare Marshall, 64, left the Dundee Road area in the early hours of Monday and may have walked to Moncreiffe Island. Extensive searches within the area and along the River Tay have taken place since the alarm was raised. Specialist

Drivers are falling victim to scams involving fake online parking payment websites, Which? has warned. An investigation by the consumer champion found an increasing number of fake adverts for popular parking apps appearing near the top of online search results. The fake sites impersonate popular parking payment apps to trick drivers into giving away their