Strictly stars go loco for Blackpool
THE stars of Strictly Come Dancing look seriously excited as they share a selfie on their way up north by train.
The couples piled into the first-class carriage of the London Euston to Blackpool service yesterday morning ready for tomorrow night’s show from the Tower Ballroom.
Comedian Chris Ramsay, 33, took the grinning group shot with his dance partner Karen Hauer, 37, sitting opposite.
They posed alongside US TV star Michelle Visage, 51, her partner Giovanni Pernice, 29, football pundit Alex Scott, 35, and pro dancer Neil Jones, 37.
“Friends headed to BLACKPOOL! Yaaaaassss,” Michelle wrote on her
Instagram page. While Neil, who will dance for the second week running after a fortnight out from injury, messaged: “En route to Blackpool with this crazy bunch.”
The live show is the last major milestone on the way to the final when the winning star lifts the glitterball trophy.
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A RAIDER stealing Rembrandt paintings worth millions of pounds was foiled by a brave police officer who gave chase despite being sprayed with a mystery substance.
The burglar broke into Dulwich Picture Gallery in south London on Wednesday night and removed two unnamed paintings from an exhibition devoted to the Dutch master.
Police were called at 11.30pm and challenged the raider.
The thief fled after spraying a chasing officer in the face with the unknown substance.
But the officer continued the chase and swiftly recovered one painting.
The other was found soon afterwards still in the gallery grounds.
The sprayed officer did not suffer serious injury and stayed on duty.
The gallery will be closed till further notice as police investigate.
A spokesman said: “We have a robust security system that alerted police, who arrived in minutes.”
Detective Inspector Jason Barber from Scotland’s Yard’s Flying Squad said: “This was an audacious attempted burglary and was planned in advance.”
The exhibition, Rembrandt’s Light, marks 350 years since his death and features works including Girl At A Window, dated 1645, and Christ And St Mary Magdalen At The Tomb.
Some of the art was loaned from the Louvre in Paris and Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum.
Another Rembrandt permanently kept in the gallery, The Portrait Of Jacob De Gheyn III, has been stolen from it a world record four times since 1966 – and always recovered. clearly