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Scottish Sun
5 days ago
- General
- Scottish Sun
Terrified woman forced to sleep in CAR after more than 500 bats invade Scots home
Scroll down to see the what Anne-Marie is dealing with HOME INVASION Terrified woman forced to sleep in CAR after more than 500 bats invade Scots home Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A TERRIFIED homeowner told how she's been forced to sleep in her car - because BATS have moved into her house. Spooked Anne-Marie Murchie has a colony of more than 500 of the winged creatures in her walls and roof. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Anne-Marie Murchie revealed she's being forced to sleep in her car Credit: Anne-Marie Murchie / Facebook 4 She posted a video on Facebook showing one of the creatures Credit: Anne-Marie Murchie / Facebook But because they're protected by law there is nothing she can do about the scary lodgers. And the taxi driver, from Aberdeen, revealed she's the one who's been forced out of her own gaff. Because she can no longer cope with the racket she's working nights and often kipping in her motor to escape. Anne-Marie said: 'I'm living in fear every day. "I'm scared to come into the house. Sometimes I actually sleep outside in the car. I'm just petrified. "The noise is horrendous, it's like running water. But I think it's all the wings going together, like flapping. "It never stops. They get louder at about five or six at night and then when they come in at five in the morning. But they're constantly making noise. I wonder if they sleep." Anne-Marie initially thought she had mice or a wasps's nest after hearing strange noises at her home. She told the BBC she called in pest control experts who revealed the problem was being caused by bats. Since then she's 'flipped' after she found one hiding in her toilet roll holder and others in her living room and kitchen. Snooker star bats away WASP on live TV during World Grand Prix leaving TNT Sports commentator baffled She revealed her anxiety has spiralled through the roof as she's plagued by noises and smells. But animal experts have warned that she can't do anything that will impact the colony of soprano pipistrelles, Britain's most common type of bats. At one point she moved out and is now spending as much time as she can on the road to avoid her winged tenants. She said: 'It's sad that you can't do anything about it in your own home. "I feel like the rules should change a bit. Surely someone can come in that's licensed and take them away to somewhere humanely?" It's hoped the bats will move on in the next few weeks and once they're gone Anne-Marie will be allowed to seal up the spots they've squeezed in through. A spokesman for Naturescot said: ''With regard to what you can do with them, actually nothing. 'They are a protected species under European protection laws and Scottish and UK laws. "So the bats themselves can't be touched, nor can the roosts.'' 4 Bats are a protected species Credit: Getty
The Irish Sun
08-07-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
‘Pretty certain' – Darts legend, 61, tipped for instant return to the sport just months after retirement
DARTS hero Steve Beaton has tipped to come out of retirement months after laying down his arrows. , 61, began on the professional circuit in 1991 - competing against the likes of Dennis Priestley and Bob Anderson - before 2 Steve Beaton has tipped to come out of retirement Credit: Getty Beaton is a former Lakeside World Champion and semi-finalist in the UK Open and World Grand Prix. The "Bronzed Adonis" played in his 33rd consecutive PDC World Darts Championship last year, seeing off Dutchman Wessel Nijman 3-1 in the last 96. Beaton, who holds the record for 33 World Darts Championship appearances, brought the curtain down on his three-decade-plus stint on the main tour at the end of 2024. He currently competes on the MODUS Super Series alongside the seniors circuit - which Phil Taylor used to feature in after retirement. READ MORE DARTS NEWS But Matthew Edgar, 38, has backed Beaton to make a remarkable comeback to the PDC this yea r. Edgar reckons the huge investment into the sport, combined with the expanded World Darts Championship format coming to Ally Pally later this year, will prove irresistible for the Coventry ace. Edgar told the Love The Darts podcast: "With the increased ranking money next year, if you're going to have a bad year and miss the big events, you can get away with it. "Because you can make it back up again in the previous year and the following year when you're not defending anything, you've got this heightened prize money , you can make the jump quite significantly. Most read in Darts 2 Matt Edgar believes Beaton's run in the PDC isn't over Credit: Getty CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS "You're guaranteed the UK Open so realistically you think, 'Well, if I just have an okay season I should be in three potentially big events." Sky Sports presenter Abigail Davies then guessed that Beaton could be among those players motivated to return, to which Edgar boldly declared: "I think he does, I'm calling it now. Darts fans hail 'greatest thing I've ever seen' as star lands extremely rare triple-bullseye checkout "I think Steve Beaton's at Q School this year. I am pretty certain of it." Q School is a qualifying tournament for players who compete against each other to earn a PDC Tour Card, which allows them to play on the professional circuit. The World Championship is expanding to 128 players for the 2025/26 edition, with a total prize fund of £5 million, including £1 million for the winner. Despite Edgar's prediction, it was only last month that Beaton revealed it was time for him to step back from such a demanding darts schedule. He said: ""You've got to move on. I'm 61 now. I can't keep playing darts all the time. "I do watch them and I feel for them you know, they're on the clock all the time. It's great when you're younger. But once you get older it's harder."
Daily Record
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Chilling and disgusting abuse aimed at World Grand Prix darts champion as he goes public over sickening taunts
Belgian star latest top star to be hit by keyboard grief Mike De Decker has been subjected to chilling and disgusting social-media abuse following a defeat at the Players Championship. The Belgian star became the latest in a line of darts and sporting stars to be hit by unacceptable messages on various online platforms. In an article in it is written that De Decker shared some of the posts with some appeared to be linking to betting as he responded 'bye bye' to one which stated they have to kill themselves after losing 20k. Another wrote: You're a fraudster, I hope some (one) kills you, you don't deserve to be on earth. In another post, De Decker was subjected to an individual reportedly wishing cancer on him after the loss to German Dominik Gruellich. The World Grand Prix champion is the latest in a line of stars who have been upset at comments which have rained upon them. Premier League stars spoke openly about abuse and grief which was dished out to them during the campaign. Ironically, it was the exclusion of individuals such as De Deck and the inclusion of Nathan Aspinall and Gerwyn Price in the eight-man showpiece that brought a raft of stuck towards the Stockport slinger. He later reflected on the difficulties of the sniping and said: 'I'm not going to lie, it was s**t, it was hard, it was horrific, I came off social media because of the abuse I was getting. I'm not being exaggerated here, but it ruined my life for a month, not just my life, my family's, it was horrific. 'But I'm a professional sportsman, you've got to deal with it and I put things in place to deal with that. I think me and Gezzy have both received the same treatment and we've used it to our advantage.' World No.1 Luke Humphries is another who hit at social-media stick after facing a backlash earlier for honest opinions. He said: 'Considering the comments, people not understanding what I meant, [this] will be the last time I ever confess my real feelings to the public. Everything I ever say or do just never seems to be good enough for anybody. As long as no-one complains when we all give the same answers in interviews like robots and not our true feelings. Then everyone I guess will be happy, or as usual will still find a way to moan at us.' Latvian Madars Razma also pleaded for it to stop as he said on Facebook: 'I never thought that I would have to do this, but keyboard warriors keep commenting my performance and results in darts and it really kills. I know there always will be some idiots, but I hope that after this, someone will stop doing it. 'I know that in the last few months I have been far from the performance I can and I want to show. But I have my own reasons why I don't respond to your messages and decline all interviews. Just a few days before the start of the season uninvited guests came to my family's new house.'
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Unreal' feeling for friends and family of NI's world champs
Northern Ireland won their first World Cup of Darts with victory over Wales [Getty Images] Family and friends of Northern Ireland's newest world champions have said the sensation of watching them triumph felt "unreal". Daryl Gurney and Josh Rock clinched glory for NI in the World Cup of Darts on Sunday night. Advertisement The team lifted the trophy for the first time with victory over Wales in a final-leg decider. Gurney and Rock picked up a team first prize of £80,000 after beating two-time champions Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton 10-9 in Frankfurt. They were playing together for the first time but Darryl's dad Tommy Gurney said "they just clicked and pulled off something unreal." 'I am just as proud as anyone can be' Tommy said he was "one very proud father". "I can't actually put it into words, I am just as proud as anyone can be," he told BBC News NI. "Some of the family was over there with him for the final and let me just say there were just so many tears. Advertisement "I phoned him after his first game, and I told him he's trying too hard and I said; 'Just let them go', play your game, and after that he was throwing better then." Tommy bought Daryl, who grew up in Londonderry, a set of darts as a 12-year-old and after he "messed about" for a while he took the game up seriously at 14. "He just kept getting better and we knew there was something special there - I think he did a 10-darter when he was 15," Tommy said. Tommy Gurney described the victory as "unreal" [BBC] Tommy said representing Northern Ireland was special to Daryl. "He said it himself, this one is even better than any of the individuals he won," he said. Advertisement "He's won the World Grand Prix and the Players Championship, but I think this means a bit more than any of the individuals." Brian Doran is friends with Josh Rock and plays darts with him [Brian Doran] Brian Doran, who is friends with Rock and has played alongside him, said it was brilliant to see his friend win the World Cup. "I've been watching it the whole weekend and basically watch all of Josh's matches, he's unreal," Mr Doran said. "He's just been getting better and better and better in every tournament. "It just took this one major, wait to you see what he wins now." When watching his friend from Broughshane in County Antrim compete on Sunday, Mr Doran said he "goosepimples, sweating, hoping he did it. Advertisement "Because it is Northern Ireland, we are basically an underdog at times, and they actually put our name on a trophy to say we are World Cup champions. "Being friends with Josh, it's unreal. I say my friend's a World Cup champion." Julie-Ann Coll grew up on the same street as Daryl [BBC] 'Screaming at the TV' Julie-Ann Coll told BBC News NI the whole of Tullyally in Derry was incredibly proud of "hometown hero" Gurney. Ms Coll grew up on the same street as the star and is best friends with his sister. "I wouldn't have missed that final for the world. I was actually a bit sick in bed, unfortunately, but I had to watch them," she said. Advertisement "It was very tense. I always say to Stacey, Daryl doesn't like to do things the easy way. "Many times, I was crying, shaking, and screaming at the TV. "The family and just everyone here is so very proud of everything he has done. "It shows all the young people here, if you put your mind to something, practice a lot, you can achieve anything. "A World Cup coming back home, it's just unreal."
Daily Mirror
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
World Cup of Darts team-mates ignored each other on stage as feud escalated
Dimitri Van den Bergh and Kim Huybrechts formed one of the most explosive partnerships in World Cup of Darts history, but they won't play together at the 2025 event One of the most infamous pairings in World Cup of Darts history has been broken up. For the first time at the event, which is underway in Frankfurt, Belgian No.1 Dimitri Van den Bergh and World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker have teamed up for their country as they bid to topple overwhelming favourites, Luke Littler and Luke Humphries of England. At the last two tournaments, Van den Bergh has been paired with Kim Huybrechts, with dramatic and hilarious consequences. Prior to the start of the 2023 event, unbeknownst to most observers, the pair had had a spectacular falling out and were not on speaking terms. And they made no secret of their animosity towards each other during their opening match, a 4-0 win against Finland. The pair couldn't even bring themselves to look at each other during the tie. At the end of the game, there was no handshake or hug. Instead, as Van den Bergh danced around the stage in customary fashion, Huybrechts made a hasty exit. Realising they had embarrassed themselves and Belgian darts, the pair released a statement, vowing to put on a more united front in their next matches. The statement said: 'Following last night's win at the My Diesel Claim World Cup of Darts, we have sat down to discuss our recent differences. 'Whilst some issues remain to be resolved in the fullness of time, we are both fully committed to doing our best as a team to win the World Cup of Darts for Belgium, and to represent ourselves, our families and our country in the best light. That begins with tonight's game against China, and our focus is now on preparing for that match as a team." Amid speculation over the root of their feud, there were claims it stemmed from Van den Bergh making a complaint to the PDC about Huybrechts. The pair did indeed manage to put their differences aside for the rest of the tournament. Having given each other the cold shoulder, the pair looked like bosom buddies in their following matches. High-fives and hugs were suddenly the order of the day, much to the amusement of watching fans. Their newfound camaraderie threatened to take them all the way, but eventual champions Wales ended their dramatic run at the semi-final stage. However, that run failed to bring them closer together and on the eve of last year's tournament, Van den Bergh revealed that he and Huybrechts were still at odds. He told Sky Sports: 'I wasn't interested in anything of that. Everybody needs to know that me and Kim are not best friends, and that's period.' As a result, speculation was rife over how they could co-exist at the 2024 event. Speaking after their group stage win over Singapore, Van den Bergh attempted to play down their rift, saying: 'We're here for Belgium. We have learned a lot from last year. We haven't showed the best in the first game last year and this year we're in the position to say we've got to grow up, we've got to be adults. 'We've got a whole load of pressure on ourselves. What is that, our national colours. That means so much more to us as a person and in that case that means even more to us as a country. That's what we're doing and need to be doing, and that's being professional.' The pair made it through to the last four again, only to suffer a heavy defeat to Austria in what could be the last time they join forces following the emergence of De Decker, who is now Belgium's top-ranked player, just ahead of Van den Bergh, while Huybrechts has tumbled down the rankings. This year, fifth seeds Belgium are in Group B with Latvia and the Philippines. The winners of each group advance to the second round, where the top four seeds, England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, enter the competition.
