Latest news with #Cambridgeshire
Daily Mail
8 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Six-year-old British boy is arrested on suspicion of DRUG SMUGGLING in Mauritius 'after £1.6million of cannabis is found in his luggage'
Airport officials swooped on a six-year-old British boy after £1.6million of cannabis was found in his luggage after arriving in Mauritius. The youngster was arrested alongside six other British citizens who had travelled to the tropical Indian Ocean island on Sunday. Customs officials at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport were stunned to discover 14 kilos of cannabis concealed in the young boy's bag and 17 kilos in luggage belonging to another individual. They have condemned the use of the child as a drugs mule as 'inhumane', according to The Sun. Altogether, 161 kilos of the drug were found hidden throughout several other suitcases. Eleven numbered Apple AirTags were also discovered, suggesting the operation may have been linked to an organised crime gang responsible for smuggling drugs from Europe to Mauritius. The six arrested British adults - all from Cambridgeshire - included Laura Kappen, 28, a bar worker from Orton Goldhay, Shannon Holness, 29, a caterer, from Bretton, Shona Campbell, 33, a cleaner from Standground, Lily Watson, a caterer from Peterborough and window fitter Patrick Wilsdon, 21, also from Peterborough. Romanian national, Florian Lisman, 38, a machine operator living in Huntingdon, was additionally arrested. The youngster has since returned to the UK with his father, who flew out to Mauritius to collect him. On Monday, the seven arrested men and women appeared in court in Mahébourg and remain in custody. The drugs were discovered as part of a joint operation between the Customs Anti-Narcotics Section (CANS) and the Anti-Drug & Smuggling Unit (ADSU) at the airport. Shocked relatives have said they 'can't believe what's happened' after being alerted to the arrests. Carly Wilsdon, mother of Patrick Wilsdon, said her son was 'vulnerable' and had only been abroad once before. It is believed he was offered a 'free holiday' to Mauritius. She said: 'He wouldn't have known what he was doing because he wouldn't get involved in drugs. 'The person who told them about this free holiday is one of his circle of friends but now he has disappeared.' The incident is the latest in a spate of British citizens arrested abroad accused of smuggling drugs, including former air stewardess Charlotte Lee, who was arrested in May in Sri Lanka, after £1.15million worth of cannabis was allegedly found in her luggage, and Bella May Culley, 18, who was intercepted by police in Georgia for allegedly smuggling cannabis. A Foreign Office spokesperson said: 'We are supporting several British nationals who are detained in Mauritius and are in contact with the local authorities.'
The Independent
18 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
RAF chief chosen to lead British armed forces
The head of the RAF has been confirmed as the new chief of Britain's armed forces. The Ministry of Defence announced on Friday that Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton will take over as Chief of the Defence Staff from September. As the professional head of the UK military, he will be responsible for delivering the strategic defence review published earlier this month, and takes up his post as the Government seeks to boost defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by April 2027. The strategic defence review also introduced a new, more powerful role for the Chief of the Defence Staff, placing him in formal command of the other service chiefs for the first time as head of a new Military Strategic Headquarters. Sir Richard, an RAF engineering officer, has served as Chief of the Air Staff since 2023 and previously served as deputy chief of the defence staff between 2019 and 2022. A Cambridge engineering graduate, he joined the RAF as a university cadet in 1988 and went on to serve as a senior engineering officer, station commander of RAF Wittering, in Cambridgeshire, and in a number of staff posts. He is reported to have been chosen ahead of the current head of the army, former Guards officer and director of special forces General Sir Roly Walker. Sir Keir Starmer said Sir Richard had championed 'a culture of innovation and excellence' while head of the RAF, adding: 'I am certain he will make an exceptional leader of our armed forces as Chief of the Defence Staff. 'In such a rapidly changing global context, we need our armed forces to be more lethal, better integrated and equipped for the future as they keep our country safe, I know Rich will rise to that challenge.' The Prime Minister also paid tribute to the outgoing Chief of the Defence Staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, thanking him for his 'dedicated service and exceptional advice'. Sir Tony has been Chief of the Defence Staff since 2021. Sir Richard also paid tribute to his predecessor and said it was 'an honour' to be chosen as the new Chief of the Defence Staff. He added: 'I am acutely conscious of the dangers we face and the important role that the armed forces play in protecting the UK, our allies and our interests around the world. 'It will be an immense privilege to lead the outstanding people of our armed forces.'
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
RAF chief chosen to lead British armed forces
The head of the RAF has been confirmed as the new chief of Britain's armed forces. The Ministry of Defence announced on Friday that Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton will take over as Chief of the Defence Staff from September. As the professional head of the UK military, he will be responsible for delivering the strategic defence review published earlier this month, and takes up his post as the Government seeks to boost defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by April 2027. The strategic defence review also introduced a new, more powerful role for the Chief of the Defence Staff, placing him in formal command of the other service chiefs for the first time as head of a new Military Strategic Headquarters. Sir Richard, an RAF engineering officer, has served as Chief of the Air Staff since 2023 and previously served as deputy chief of the defence staff between 2019 and 2022. A Cambridge engineering graduate, he joined the RAF as a university cadet in 1988 and went on to serve as a senior engineering officer, station commander of RAF Wittering, in Cambridgeshire, and in a number of staff posts. He is reported to have been chosen ahead of the current head of the army, former Guards officer and director of special forces General Sir Roly Walker. Sir Keir Starmer said Sir Richard had championed 'a culture of innovation and excellence' while head of the RAF, adding: 'I am certain he will make an exceptional leader of our armed forces as Chief of the Defence Staff. 'In such a rapidly changing global context, we need our armed forces to be more lethal, better integrated and equipped for the future as they keep our country safe, I know Rich will rise to that challenge.' The Prime Minister also paid tribute to the outgoing Chief of the Defence Staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, thanking him for his 'dedicated service and exceptional advice'. Sir Tony has been Chief of the Defence Staff since 2021. Sir Richard also paid tribute to his predecessor and said it was 'an honour' to be chosen as the new Chief of the Defence Staff. He added: 'I am acutely conscious of the dangers we face and the important role that the armed forces play in protecting the UK, our allies and our interests around the world. 'It will be an immense privilege to lead the outstanding people of our armed forces.'
The Sun
a day ago
- The Sun
I dumped stressful teaching job in UK for French rainforest where wine is just £1 a bottle…now I can't stand going back
SIPPING a glass of red on a garden bench as the sun sets over the neighbouring chateaux, mum Nicola Glover relishes the silence bar the therapeutic sound of evening crickets. It's a world away from her former life in Cambridgeshire, where she felt constantly stressed in her job working 'ridiculous' hours as a primary school teacher to cover off her £1,000-a-month mortgage and rising bills. 8 8 8 'In 2020, I split with my first husband and was re-evaluating my life and what I wanted to do,' Nicola, 50, tells The Sun. 'I wasn't happy in my teaching job I'd been at for 14 years – I was very stressed and worked ridiculous hours with deadlines and performance targets that seemed impossible at times. It was always busy. 'I felt like I was on a hamster wheel and was longing for a more slow-paced life.' A few months after her marriage ended she began chatting to a man called Pete, now 58 and originally from Kent, in a Facebook community group for people considering a move to France. With Pete, an HGV driver, having also tired of the daily grind in the UK, the pair bonded over their love of the country. They began dating in August 2020, and decided to pursue their pipe dream to move across the Channel to start a new quieter, rural life together. 'I used to go to France every year as a child, and went to Strasbourg University,' Nicola explains. 'I've always loved everything to do with France. 'Pete was working as an HGV driver with very early starts and long days. He was fed up with traffic jams and the conditions of the roads. 'So we explored different areas of France to see which area we'd like to move to, and figure out what we could do as a business.' The couple eventually settled on the traditional French village of Affieux in the southern Corrèze region - a relatively undiscovered spot that's less popular than the neighbouring, touristy region of Dordogne. We ditched the UK and bought a 200-year-old French village for just £22k Primarily populated with native French people, Nicola adds: 'It has a rainforest vibe – it's green with lots of lakes. Although we do get quite a lot of rain, it's very hot in the summer.' Prior to moving the couple outright bought a 19 th century stone cottage with an acre of land and five bedrooms for €175,000 (£149K) in April 2023. They used their combined savings to purchase the house and used the sale of Nicola's house in the UK to fund renovations to the property, turning it into a boutique bed and breakfast. 'It's in the heart of the village of Affieux,' Nicola says. 'It's rural and very quiet, with amazing views. The architecture and buildings are medieval and stunning.' It took nearly a year to sort out the paperwork – visas, business plans, and police checks – before the couple finally moved to France in February 2024, both quitting their jobs in the UK. Nicola says: 'There is so much stuff that needs to be done before you can move over. 'You get a visa for 12 months initially, and once you're here you have to re-apply every 12 months to the local prefecture unless you get a multi-year visa. 'To get the multi-year visa, you have to meet certain criteria, which I managed to get.' Compulsory French However, with Pete's French language level not as high as Nicola's, his visa was only renewed for an extra year. 'Pete spoke relatively little French when we moved here but has since passed his A1 level French after receiving compulsory free lessons from the government,' Nicola explains. 'Everyone on a working visa is assessed on their French level when they move here and if your French isn't good enough you will be assigned free lessons. 'He is still continuing with French learning: online, books and apps.' 8 8 In her previous life Nicola says she was constantly on the go commuting, working, shopping, ferrying teenagers around, fitting in a social life, sorting admin and cleaning. Since moving to France, Nicola has loved the 'calm and quiet' of the old-school village she now calls home. 'All you can hear are cows in the field behind the house and crickets,' she says. 'There is hardly any traffic. It's all country roads unless you're going to one of the big cities.' She reckons this slow pace of living is in part due to French culture. 'I think the French put more importance on downtime,' she says. 'It's not all 'work, work, work'. 'As soon as we go back to the UK we feel stressed. Everyone seems like they are in a rush. 'Here it's very slowed down. Everyone shuts for lunch, and hardly anywhere is open on a Sunday. You have to plan your day around it, which has taken some getting used to.' Community feel Nicola and Pete have the full support of their grown-up children, who now often visit for holidays. The couple married in September 2024, and now feel they have much more time for themselves and each other, alongside running their bed and breakfast. 'We play golf, go for walks, explore the area, and cook together,' Nicola says. 'We both love renovating and I do a lot of upcycling furniture. We spend time together in our garden, our allotment, and then work on the house.' The community feel of Affieux has been a much-loved benefit of the move, Nicola adds. 'There is always a village fete, festival, or evening event. Our neighbours have all been really welcoming. 'We've been around to theirs for drinks in the evening, and lunch. They talk to us about our lives. 'They don't speak in English – we have to integrate in French. They've all been so helpful with any information I've ever needed.' 8 8 Although most costs are similar to the UK, Nicola says the house prices in the Corrèze region are cheaper, as she was able to get much more for her money. Her bills are also cheaper, especially given her house in France is considerably bigger than the small home she had in the UK. Her water bill is £200 a year cheaper, council tax is £400 cheaper, gas and electricity is £1,500 a year and her weekly shop is two thirds of the cost it was back in Blighty. Wine is also a lot cheaper, with a basic cheap bottle costing just over a euro, and a nice bottle setting them back just €4. For a 'fancy' three-course lunch, Nicola would expect to pay no more than €25. Nicola says: 'We only buy food that's in season here, and we waste less food. We also grow a lot of our food now, which we didn't do in the UK. 'We have room for our own allotment on our land here and have a 30ft polytunnel in our garden. We're currently growing all sorts which will save us even more money. 'People in France generally rely less on ready meals and convenience foods than in the UK, most meals are prepared from scratch. 'If fruit and veg is not in season it's generally more expensive - I've seen cauliflowers out of season for sale at €5.99 in one supermarket! 'In the UK, we are so used to getting anything at any time. They don't do that here. 'Seafood is much cheaper though - 12 large tiger prawns cost me €2.25 yesterday!' Nicola and Pete brought their own car to France and had it registered there, something that proved quite costly. 'We wanted to keep a right hand drive vehicle and cars are more expensive here than in the UK,' Nicola says. 'This was a long-winded process though and cost quite a bit as we had to change the headlights.' Car insurance is much the same as in the UK, but they don't pay an annual tax on cars in France, and MOT s are done every two years. Another thing that Nicola says is more expensive in France are clothes - but outside of the big cities she's noticed there isn't an emphasis on fashion, so she doesn't feel pressure to keep up with the latest style. 'It's very casual - jeans, trainers, top and blazer,' she says. 'There aren't many charity shops like there are in the UK. People hold onto their clothes forever.' There aren't many charity shops like there are in the UK. People hold onto their clothes forever Nicola Glover With the increased number of sunny days in France compared to the UK, Nicola spends lots of time outside with her dog or in her allotment. 'It's nice to be outdoors more,' she says. 'The blue sky and sunny days help with your mental health.' Although she misses her twin daughters, both at university in the UK, as well as Marmite and Dairy Milk chocolate, Nicola can't see herself moving back to the UK and would recommend rural France to anyone seeking a slower pace of life. 'I haven't thought that far ahead, but we're happy where we are right now,' she says. 8 Nicola's five top tips for how to make the move to France Do your research of which area of France you would like to move to. Visit often and at different times of the year to see what is going on in the area - for example, some areas of France can be extremely quiet in the winter. Consider renting in an area first before committing yourself to buying a property so that you can get a true feel for the area. If you're going to need to work while here you can only be self-employed unless you're sponsored by a company, so you need to have a niche or something you can offer France. You'll need to put together a robust business plan which needs to be approved before you start the visa process Start learning or improving your French while still in the UK. Join Facebook groups and communities - look on Tiktok also, as there are lots of accounts on there about moving to France - to learn about the process of emigrating and what it means to be an immigrant here. You can find some great advice and support. Stay patient and positive! Lots of people have made the move post-Brexit. It is more difficult but it is still achievable.
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Crews tackle 'accidental' blaze in pub garden
Fire crews have tackled a large blaze in the garden of a pub which left the area badly damaged. Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service were called to the incident at The Falcon on Princes Street in Huntingdon at about 05:57 BST on Thursday, with teams from Huntingdon and St Neots attending. A spokesperson for the service said: "Firefighters arrived to find a large fire in the open involving tables, chairs, fencing and decking. They extinguished the fire using hose reels." The service added that the cause of the fire was accidental. A spokesperson for The Falcon said they had received "a lot of community support" and hoped to get the area restored soon, as well as thanking the fire fighters for their help. Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service
