Body found in River Avon after search for swimmer
The body of a 26-year-old man has been recovered from a river following an extensive search effort.Wiltshire Police said it responded to concerns for a man who had been swimming in the River Avon in Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, at 17:43 BST on Friday.Emergency crews from Trowbridge, Chippenham, Bath and Temple Back, along with water rescue units from Trowbridge, Stratton and Bath, attended the scene and later recovered a body.While formal identification has not yet taken place, police said the man's family had been informed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
11 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE We bought land behind our homes and erected a 6ft fence to keep yobs out... but then snobby neighbours complained to the council
A green verge used as a 'dumping ground' for drugs, alcohol, condoms and knives was bought by well-meaning residents to extend their rear gardens - but now they face losing thousands after the council refused permission to fence off the land. Five homeowners in Ramsey Court, in Slough, Berkshire and five more in the adjacent road, St Michael's Court, purchased an undeveloped strip of land at the rear of their properties from Taylor Wimpey last year. The neighbours claim the developer - which built the housing estates 30 years ago - was 'never interested' in maintaining the thick shrubs, which shot up to 20ft high in places. Many also complained the shrubland, which ran behind their properties in nearby Portland Close, looked 'unkempt' and blocked out sunlight into their homes, while becoming a magnet for antisocial behaviour. When they were offered the opportunity to purchase the land, the residents jointly agreed they would benefit from taking away the nuisance verge, while extending their rear gardens by two or more metres. A letter seen by MailOnline, which was sent by Taylor Wimpey to the homeowners, stated 'the land could make a very useful addition' by providing 'the opportunity to extend the size of your garden'. It added that while there would be a 'no build' restriction, this would not prevent residents from 'erecting garden sheds and other garden buildings'. But after buying the land and erecting a new 6ft fence, residents of Portland Close complained the fence was an 'eyesore' and petitioned council officials to have it taken down. The land-buying homeowners were advised they would need to apply for retrospective planning permission from Slough Borough Council to change the verge from 'a hedged boundary in a public use to private residential use.' But one by one, Slough Borough Council has refused all 10 planning applications for the fence. In their decision, planning officials said the fence had a 'detrimental visual impact' and was 'a harmful addition to the street scene' of Portland Close. The decision has now left the residents 'in limbo', with some fearing they may have spent thousands on a plot of land they may never fully benefit from. One resident, who has lived in Ramsey Court for 22 years, told MailOnline that he agreed to purchase the land with his neighbours because he believed 'it was a good thing' for the area. He said: 'It has always been an area that was unkempt. Taylor Wimpey never cut down the bushes. Many times we had to get a tree surgeon to come out, otherwise it would look really untidy and ugly, while no-one could even walk on the pavement. 'When they offered us the opportunity to buy it, we all agreed this would be a good thing and we could extend our gardens. Mine was only extended by about two metres, so nothing really fantastic, but I was happy to buy the land and make it look decent and pleasant. 'There used to be a lot of fly tipping, people taking drugs and drinking. On one occasion, I had a criminal jump over my fence while he was being chased by the police, which broke the panels.' Another, who has lived in a three-bed property on Ramsey Court for 31 years, said her neighbours are now in a dilemma over what will happen next. 'If they have to take that fence down and bring it back to where it was, who is going to look after the land in front of it? They've bought that land now. 'I think the decision is wrong. Those people have made it better for that road. I can't see how they can say it is worse and if they take the fence away it would just go back to being a dump, quite honestly. 'I feel sad for my neighbours. These people have spent a lot of money on that fence and this situation is causing them stress. I think it's totally unacceptable.' Among them is Danielle Robson, who moved into a property in St Michael's Court three years ago and has almost doubled her rear garden following the Taylor Wimpey deal. She told MailOnline that between purchasing the land, solicitor's fees and erecting the fence, she had spent £6,000. 'Because of this decision, we're just like in limbo thinking what can we do? 'We didn't used to get any light into our front room because the shrubs were so high. 'I know it's not nice getting rid of greenery, but it was unkempt and nasty and we were only going to do nice things with the extra garden. 'I'd be happy to compromise and move the fence back and make the other side gravel or something. 'It's just all been a bit stressful to be honest and I think it looks much nicer with the fence.' Another resident of Ramsey Court told how he was forever cutting back the greenery, while his original fence became so damaged by the proliferating bindweed he was forced to replace it. 'It was also just a real dumping ground,' he explained. 'I've personally picked up hundreds of silver nitrous oxide canisters, beer cans, bottles. One Christmas morning I even reported a dumped motorbike behind there to the police. 'The residents of Portland Close will tell you that it was a public area that was looked after and it was lovely. 'But that was not our experience. It was all brambles and shrubs. You couldn't use the pavement, while anyone in wheelchairs or with prams was forced into the road. 'There was also dogs' mess out there. We would sit in the backyard in the summer and you could really smell it. That verge has been a constant issue.' Asked his thoughts on the permission being turned down, the resident said he is most concerned about how he could be impacted legally. 'My wife spoke to a solicitor. If we are asked to push back the fence, from the step of the pavement to the fence line is still my land - and if someone twists their ankle or falls over, I could be liable. So how do I protect myself? 'If I can't put a fence up, how do I protect my liabilities? That can't be right, surely.' The resident said that while it was ultimately the council's decision, his neighbours in Portland Close - where house prices average £650,000 for a four-bed detached home - had 'campaigned' against the fence. 'They've always had a problem with us,' he said of Ramsey Court, where terraced homes cost £477,000 on average. 'They have this mentality that they're a better class of person, because these were originally British Airways shared ownership houses. 'They would often complain to the council about us. They don't like us parking in the road round the back of our homes, for example - even though its a public road. 'They hated the fence from the word go. One of them called it a "monstrosity" and said we had been underhanded, but we haven't been. 'They all jumped on the bandwagon and now they have succeeded. 'I'm sure the council will in time send an order to remove the fence and return the greenery. 'They [Portland Close residents] will expect it to be Chelsea Flower Show over there - but it wont be.' For their part, several residents in Portland Close told MailOnline they had supported the petition to remove the fence, arguing their neighbours had acted 'underhand' and greenery had been taken away from their road without their consultation. In letters to Slough Borough Council, they had also argued that the 'removal of trees, plants, and hedges has disrupted the local ecosystem and driven foxes into our gardens in search of shelter.' They added: 'This is a significant concern, as these animals may carry diseases and pose a potential threat to children's safety and public health.' One said: 'I've got no problem with them putting a fence up, but we should have been informed about it. 'I can't speak for everyone, but if we had been contacted we could have come to an arrangement where some of the hedge on this side was left. 'I think part of the problem was Taylor Wimpey contacted Ramsay and St Michael's about buying the land - but they never contacted us. 'Some have also put in back gates, which I don't know why they need them going into our road. Others have not, so it's not even uniform. 'They said they wanted to take away the hedges for security reasons, but now you can see right into their back gardens. At the moment it just looks awful. 'And how is taking away the hedges going to stop the antisocial behaviour? A hedge actually hides a lot of rubbish and it's far easier for somebody to climb over a fence than straight through a big hedge.' The homeowner added that while she was sympathetic her neighbours could lose the money they have invested into buying the land, 'those are the rules'. 'If you're spending a lot of money putting fencing up, surely you should check the planning rules? 'My opinion is that it's an eyesore. One minute we had a hedge and now we don't. I have actually found that quite upsetting.' In their decision, Slough Borough Council said: 'The development, by reason of the change of use from the pre-existing hedged boundary in a public use to private residential use is detrimental to the amenities of the area and by reason of the timber close boarded fencing and concrete plinth, comprises a harmful addition to the streetscene, poor siting, height, loss of soft landscaping and loss of informal green space. 'The development has a detrimental visual impact within the area and fails to improve the character or appearance of the surroundings and street scene at Portland Close. 'If planning permission is granted for this development it would make it difficult for the LPA to resist other similar forms of harmful development, resulting in further unacceptable impacts.' The homeowners are now considering launching an appeal against the decision.
Daily Mail
11 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Hero who stopped phone snatcher in his tracks with fearsome body check reveals why he stepped in - as thief faces jail
A heroic Londoner who fearlessly tackled a phone snatcher off his bike has revealed why he stepped in, as the thief is set to face jail. Alex, originally from New Zealand, was on his lunch break from work when he said he first spotted a cyclist that he described as looking 'slightly off'. Speaking to MailOnline about his initial scepticism towards the 'slow moving' cyclist, he said: 'The way he turned around slowly and then did a quick U-turn on his bike looked slightly off to me. 'He looked as though he was perched on a road corner and doing laps in an attempt to pinch phones. I suspected that a phone snatch was about to occur'. In fact, Alex had laid eyes on Spencer Duarte, of Saffron Walden. On Monday, he admitted to one count of theft at Inner London Crown Court and will be sentenced on September 12. Having witnessed the 28-year-old make a swipe at an innocent victim holding their phone in hand, Alex was confronted with a dilemma - he could either choose to confront the robber head on, or continue to walk by as if nothing had happened. For him, it was a no-brainer. The quick-thinking pedestrian's instincts immediately kicked in and Alex courageously leapt for the phone thief, shoulder-barging him off his bike and into the street. Recounting the shocking ordeal on August 7 last year, he said: 'It's all a bit of a blur, but I remember seeing him make the attempt at snatching the phone and quickly leapt out at him. It all happened so fast. After witnessing the 28-year-old make a swipe at an innocent victim holding their phone in hand, Alex said his instincts kicked in and he courageously leapt for the phone thief, quickly shoulder-barging him off his bike and into the street 'The side of my face hit the ground quite hard as I fell but I managed to get back up and later grabbed him by his bag straps and that's when he decided to flee without the bike. His bag then ripped but I threw it to the side and kept chasing him'. In shocking CCTV footage, Alex is captured tackling the robber off his e-bike, knocking the pair of them into the road at Ludgate Hill, London. Duarte, who initially stood up and was able to get back on his bike, was then chased down by Alex and the victim. Cornered on the side of the pavement, he was pulled from his bike a second time as he attempted to flee. Dressed in a fluorescent top and helmet, the thief then proceeded to run across the road away from the furious Londoners. In a last minute attempt at halting the robber, another threepedestrians reached out to try and grab hold of Duarte, who darted at speed between the different men before making a successful exit down the road. Alex, who said that he was not fearful of Duarte and made a quick momentary 'cost-benefit decision' regarding the level of risk, said that the group of furious Londoners then all banded together to call the police. Dubbed the 'Cinderella phone snatcher', Duarte was eventually caught for his crimes as a result of the DNA found on a shoe he lost in the ensuing struggle. Insisting that he would not hesitate from making a similar decision in the future, Alex said: 'Its a tough trade off but on that day all the things lined up well and I made the decision in a few seconds. 'I looked at the traffic levels and didn't feel threatened by Duarte so made that choice within a matter of seconds. 'My jaw took a bit of a knock and was sore for a little while, but it was an easy win.' After giving a brief witness statement to the Metropolitan Police officers who instantly descended on the scene, Alex then went back to the nearby lunch cafe before returning to his office to continue his normal day at work. 'I told my colleagues what had happened and they were amazed, but that was the end of it really. I was hoping that the interaction would have left Duarte scared straight and meant he would never do anything like that again', he said. The fearless Londoner also recounted speaking briefly with the phone thief victim that had been understandably 'left shaken' by the ordeal but had endlessly 'thanked' him for his help. Feeling that members of the public have a responsibility to intercept the growing numbers of phone snatchers that continue to terrorise the capital's streets, Alex added: 'crime is happening all of the time around us and I feel like if you see a crime happening and have an ability to stop it, then you should'. However, he stressed that choosing to make such a daring call can come with risks that should certainly be considered. He said: 'I guess you have to make that judgement as obviously you don't want to put yourself at risk or simply go around assaulting people without being certain of what their intentions are. 'You also have to be somewhat confident that members of the public will assist you. In this case, all of those things came together and we worked well together. 'But even if you can't physically get involved, you can always assist by pulling your phone out and getting some video footage. Everyone can do a bit more, even if its just making sure to report these things when they happen.' Andrew Walker, physical forensics manager of the City of London Police, described how Duarte was ultimately caught as a result of his trainer being left at the scene after the public brawl. He said: 'We were able to get sufficient levels of DNA from the shoe to obtain a single, major profile that was suitable for searching against the national DNA database. 'This search generated a 'hit' to a male whose profile had previously been uploaded. 'The slipper fitted our Cinderella and we were able to bring him before the courts.' Jake Dean, Police Constable of the City of London Police, said: 'Do not come to the City and think you can steal from residents, workers or visitors without paying the penalty. 'Our targeted patrols, excellent police work and extensive CCTV will mean you will be caught and brought to justice. 'Phone snatching has a significant impact on victims and our key priority has been to reduce the number of phones stolen and relentlessly target those criminals responsible.' Describing finding out about Duarte's upcoming sentencing as 'bittersweet' Alex acknowledged that the police face an increasingly challenging predicament as they attempt to get the growing rates of London's phone theft under control. He said: 'I'm sure this puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the police, even if they did catch everyone I'm not sure how they would process all of the crimes. I think we can certainly all do more to help'. The dramatic video footage comes as the numbers of London phone thefts have reached a record high, with a shocking 37 people daily having their mobile stolen in the capital's West End alone. New data has revealed that almost 231,000 phone thefts and robberies were recorded over the past four years in the capital, a threefold increase. The epicentre for these brazen crimes is in the world's theatre capital, the West End, a magnet for tourists where around 40,000 phones were reported stolen over the same period, data by the Metropolitan Police shows. Phone thefts in London have soared to record levels, with organised gangs targeting busy areas like the West End and St James's, where luxury streets and royal residences sit side by side with swarms of unsuspecting tourists and shoppers. One major hotspot identified is the area surrounding St James's Park, where Piccadilly and Haymarket meet Pall Mall and Clarence House, home to exclusive members' clubs and high-profile buildings. Meanwhile, Scotland Yard figures show a staggering 81,256 mobile phone crimes were recorded in 2023, a 20 per cent year-on-year rise, and the highest on record. Police believe the true number is even higher, as many incidents go unreported. Senior Scotland Yard bosses previously admitted there was a 'growing and very serious problem' as they struggle to grapple with the 'organised criminal enterprise'. They revealed how three-quarters of stolen devices in the capital are sent abroad, with vast numbers ending up in both Algeria and China. Appearing before a House of Commons committee, Metropolitan Police officers said the black market for smartphones was driving rates of theft, robbery and knife crime. James Conway, the Met Police's lead on phone theft, said the scale of phone theft in London last year had a street value of around £20million. However, the replacement value of stolen phones for members of the public and insurance companies was estimated at £50million last year.
The Independent
19 minutes ago
- The Independent
Five children injured after tree falls in public park
Five children have been injured after a tree fell in a public park, including two who are in a serious condition. Emergency services were called to reports of a tree falling in Chalkwell Park in Southend, at around 3pm on Saturday, police said. Two children suffered serious injuries in the incident, ambulance crews said. Three more were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. 'We remain on the scene of a serious incident at Chalkwell Park. Officers, alongside ambulance and fire service colleagues, are responding,' Essex Police said in a statement. 'There have been a number of casualties and our work at the scene is ongoing. 'We would please ask the public to avoid this area where possible while this work continues.' An East of England Ambulance Service spokesperson said: 'We were called at 2.55pm to reports that a tree had fallen in Chalkwell Park in Chalkwell. Six ambulances, three ambulance officer vehicles, the London Air Ambulance and Kent Air Ambulance were sent to the scene. 'Two children were transported by road to Southend University Hospital. A further three children were later transported by road to the same hospital with minor injuries.' Footage showed an increased police presence around the perimeter of the park and an air ambulance on the grounds. Adam Hutchins, 47, told EssexLive: 'I heard there were kids playing on the tree. They heard a big crack. It must have pretty loud. They went running over and there were kids underneath the tree. 'All the cricket guys ran over and tried to loft the tree up. I think it's one of the oldest trees. It had metal stands propping it up.' David Burton-Sampson, Labour MP for Southend West and Leigh, said: 'I am hearing about a worrying incident in Chalkwell Park and I'm awaiting further details. In the meantime please avoid speculation until full details are released. 'My thoughts are with those affected.' Leader of Southend-on-Sea City Council Daniel Cowan said: 'I'm aware of this very serious incident. We're working with Essex police, the Ambulance Service and Fire Service, who are still at the scene. 'I do understand that a tree has fallen, there's a number of casualties and we're just asking the public to avoid the area whilst those services carry out their work, and my thoughts are with those affected.' Chalkwell Park is a recreational ground that covers 27 hectares and contains a number of flower gardens, two children's playgrounds, a skate park, and football, cricket, basketball and tennis grounds.
