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Flood alerts after torrential rain
Several parts of the UK have experienced flooding following heavy downpours. The Met Office has yellow weather warnings for rain and wind in place for today for southwest England and Wales as the continuing downpours pose a risk of power cuts and fast-flowing floodwater. Parts of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, were almost completely cut off by flood water after the River Severn burst its banks following days of torrential rain. There were similar scenes in neighbouring Worcester where Worcester Racecourse and Worcestershire County Council Cricket ground remain submerged. There currently
remain 34 flood warnings and 97 flood alerts in place across England with 13 flood alerts in Wales.
Another arrest over Christmas Eve pub shooting
A man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering Elle Edwards in a Christmas Eve pub shooting on the Wirral. The 26-year-old beautician was shot in the head while celebrating at the Lighthouse pub in Wallasey Village as. Merseyside Police have said they do not believe she was the intended target of the attack. Yesterday, police said they had arrested a 22-year-old man from Wirral on suspicion of her murder. A woman, 23, also from Wirral, has also been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, bringing the total number of arrests in connection with the shooting to five. A 30-year-old man from Tranmere who was previously arrested on suspicion of Ms Edwards’s murder has been recalled to prison on licence.
Council fined £280,000 after girl killed by falling tree
The parents of a six-year-old girl who died after she was hit by a falling tree in her school playground say they hope lessons have been learnt after a council was fined £280,000. Ella was playing with friends at Gosforth Park First School, in Newcastle, on 25 September 2020, when a decaying willow tree collapsed.
According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), several other children were hit by the falling tree but managed to escape with superficial injuries. Ella had to be freed by emergency services and died later in hospital. The HSE found the tree was in a poor condition and that Newcastle City Council had failed to manage the risk it posed. The council pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety laws and was fined £280,000 and ordered to pay costs of £8,020 at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court.
Teenager jailed for armed robbery of man he met on dating app
A teenager has been jailed for robbing a man at knifepoint after arranging to meet him on a dating app. Ashley Jackson, aged 19, admitted to threatening the man in his 40s with a knife before stealing £180 in cash from him. After meeting on a dating website, the pair arranged to see each other in person on 11 November, at an address in Hackney, London. They spent some time together before Jackson pulled a knife from his sleeve and threatened the man, demanding that he give him money, according to the Metropolitan Police. He then took the cash, called a taxi and left the property, Scotland Yard said. Jackson was arrested four days later. A month later, at Snaresbrook Crown Court, he pleaded guilty to the robbery. He was sentenced at the same court yesterday to three years and four months in prison for robbery, and six months for being in possession of a knife.
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