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  • Business opens new office in Lichfield – Lichfield Live®

    Business opens new office in Lichfield – Lichfield Live®


    AN accountancy and advisory firm has opened a new office in Lichfield.

    The Wiltell Road base of bk plus will be led by Tom Phillips, David Ross and Amy Cotterill.

    The company said the move came after “strong existing demand” from clients in the local area.

    Shaun Knight, CEO of bk plus, said:

    “Opening in Lichfield is a natural extension of our footprint in the Midlands.

    “Our team there already have strong relationships with businesses in the area, and having a dedicated base means we can continue to offer the close, personal service bk plus is known for, right on our clients’ doorstep.

    “In a world where so many services are becoming more centralised and automated, our clients are telling us they want the opposite – real people, locally based, who they can sit down with face to face.

    “This is very much part of our wider ambition to be a firm that grows with, and stays close to, the communities we work in.”

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  • Cambridgeshire Sustainable Travel Alliance calls for more bus funding

    Cambridgeshire Sustainable Travel Alliance calls for more bus funding



    Cambridgeshire Sustainable Travel Alliance is calling on Combined Authority mayor Paul Bristow to take urgent action to increase funding for buses.The organisation is also calling for buses to be given more priority, which they argue is a proven way to “substantially reduce” operational costs.Mayor Paul Bristow. Picture: Keith HeppellBus franchising is proposed by Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority to reduce congestion and boost public transport.However, an independent report for the Conservative mayor has warned that it will require more funding, major new depots and could lead to network reductions.It found that freezing the mayoral precept – part of the council tax bill – combined with revised demand assumptions and the mayor’s pledge to avoid significant borrowing, has created a funding gap that “could be closed by reducing the size of the network”.The Combined Authority will decide whether to accept the recommendations of the review at its board meeting today (Wednesday, 15 July). Sarah Hughes, campaign officer for Cambridgeshire Sustainable Travel Alliance, said: “A glaring contradiction exists between the mayor’s ambition for extensive, inclusive growth across our region, and the lack of a credible plan to maintain, let alone increase the size of our public transport network.“Mayor Bristow should invest more in bus services and wholeheartedly support the rollout of extensive bus priority schemes in the Cambridge area, including a wider network of bus gates.”

  • Young girl seriously injured in Staffordshire motorbike crash

    Young girl seriously injured in Staffordshire motorbike crash



    Police want witnesses and footageAuthor: Adam SmithPublished 7 hours agoA young girl is in hospital with potentially life-changing injuries after a collision involving a motorbike in Tamworth.She was riding a push bike across a footpath on a playing field near Cambrian when the incident occurred at around 4.10pm on 13th July. The motorbike, which had a rider and passenger, collided with the girl, leading to her being taken to hospital by ambulance. Her condition is described as serious but stable. Police have arrested a 20-year-old man from Tamworth on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He remains in custody as the investigation continues. Additionally, a 16-year-old boy was arrested last night on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and driving while unfit through drink or drugs. He is also still in custody. Authorities are keen to hear from anyone who witnessed the crash or who may have footage from CCTV, dashcams, doorbell cameras, or mobile phones. If you have information, you are urged to contact police on 101, quoting incident number 601 of 13th July. For anonymous reports, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. First for all the latest news from across the UK every hour on Hits Radio on DAB, at hitsradio.co.uk and on the Rayo app.

  • When will it rain again in London? Capital facing longest dry spell in years

    When will it rain again in London? Capital facing longest dry spell in years



    The heat goes on. London has basked in ten days of heatwave conditions with daily temperature highs above 28C since Sunday, July 5.London Fire Brigade has warned of an “extreme” risk of wildfires in the capital, as the city basks in what looks like another week of warm sunshine. What’s the forecast for this week?Wednesday looks set to be another dry and hot day, with temperatures potentially topping 30C, according to the Met Office. That would mean 11 straight days of heatwave in the capital, which is defined as at least three straight days of highs of at least 28C.The rest of the week also looks warm and dry, with daytime temperature peaks of 29C on Thursday and 28C on Friday. Is there a change in the weather coming?The Met Office sees little change to the drought-like conditions in its seven-day forecast for London.BBC Weather gives us a longer two-week view. But even there, as of Tuesday morning, zero rain is forecast until Saturday, July 25, and even that appears far from nailed on with around a 30% likelihood of precipitation. After that, it is forecasting a return to dry and sunny weather through to the end of the 14-day window, on Monday, July 27.If it does rain next on July 25, that was mean London will have gone 28 days without rain. That would be the longest dry spell in London since 2018, when the capital went 47 days without rain, according to Wanstead Meteo. Could thunderstorms break the dry weather?On Monday morning, BBC Weather was predicting thunderstorms for London on Saturday, July 25, giving a 60% likelihood of that happening.However, the latest forecast makes no mention of thunderstorms.

  • Husband arrested in South Africa after family found dead in Bedfordshire – AOL

    Husband arrested in South Africa after family found dead in Bedfordshire – AOL



    Credit: X / @LopangAlamuAn IT consultant suspected of murdering his entire family at their Bedfordshire home has been arrested by police in South Africa, The Telegraph can reveal.Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma, also known as Mark Tshuma, left the UK on Saturday, two days before the bodies of his wife and two daughters were discovered.Police mounted an international manhunt for Mr Tshuma and Interpol issued a red notice for his arrest.The 45-year-old initially fled to Dubai from Heathrow airport on July 4, then took a second flight to Johannesburg.The Telegraph understands that Mr Tshuma then travelled to his native Zimbabwe but returned to South Africa shortly afterwards. Police apprehended him in Kensington, Johannesburg, on Friday.Mr Tshuma’s wife, Nothabo Zandile Tshuma, 42, known as Zandile, and his daughters Natalie, 15, and Nala, five, were found dead at their £1.3m home in Great Denham, Bedfordshire, on Monday.Andrew Southam, who services the family’s swimming pool, said Mrs Tshuma was in the process of divorcing her husband.CCTV footage from Saturday was released by Bedfordshire Police, showing Mr Tshuma at Heathrow, clutching his boarding pass and pushing a dark blue suitcase.South Africa shares an extradition treaty with the UK and it is expected that Mr Tshuma will be brought back to Britain for questioning and potential charges.The manhunt for Mr Tshuma lasted five days, with his wife’s family turning to a private investigation company in Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital, to locate him.Mr Tshuma’s mother, Patricia Tshuma, who lives in a modest home on the outskirts of Bulawayo, declined to comment on the investigation to find her son when approached by The Telegraph. “I will only talk to the relevant departments,” she said.The family’s home in Great Denham, Bedfordshire, a four-bedroom property – Jacob King/PAMrs Tshuma, who was born and educated in Zimbabwe, emigrated to the UK in 2011.She worked as an analyst for a care home service and later in senior anti-fraud roles for Barclays and KPMG. Her last role was as an associate director for the Forensic Risk Alliance.A family spokesman said: “We are deeply saddened by this tragic loss of life, a young, beautiful family that has needlessly lost their lives and future. We are all grappling to make sense of this tragedy, I don’t know if it will ever be possible for us to find closure.”Mr Tshuma owns and runs Nexus Trove Holdings, a property business, from his address in Great Denham, according to Companies House.The most recent filings showed that the business had more than £1m in assets at the end of 2024. The firm made a £48,277 profit that year.According to Rightmove, the family’s house was bought for £1.27m in May 2024, and has a swimming pool, four bedrooms and four bathrooms.Both girls were privately educated. Natalie attended Bedford Girls’ School while Nala was at Pilgrims Pre-Prep School.‘A shocking and tragic case’A spokesman for Bedfordshire Police said Mr Tshuma had been remanded in custody and “work is now under way to return him to the UK”.Det Insp Lee Martin, the senior investigating officer, said: “This has been a fast-moving investigation which has involved multiple law enforcement partners, including the National Crime Agency, Interpol and authorities in both Zimbabwe and South Africa.“Thanks to the tireless work and dedication of all those involved, we have managed to swiftly locate and arrest Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma, who we want to speak to in connection with this shocking and tragic case.“Our investigation remains ongoing and we’ll be working closely with our counterparts in South Africa, as well as the National Crime Agency and the Crown Prosecution Service, to bring him back to this country.“Our thoughts remain very much with Zandile, Natalie and Nala, as well as their loved ones, at this time.”Mr Tshuma has been charged with three counts of murder and will appear in court in South Africa on Monday.

  • Former NHS consultant with personal memories of the Holocaust is honoured by the University of Leicester | News | University of Leicester

    Former NHS consultant with personal memories of the Holocaust is honoured by the University of Leicester | News | University of Leicester


    14 July 2026

    One of the dwindling number of people with personal memories of the Holocaust has been honoured by the University of Leicester.
    Dr Martin Stern MBE, who had a 42-year career as an NHS consultant with University Hospitals of Leicester, has devoted much of his life to educating people about what he saw and experienced between 1939 and 1945.
    His achievements were recognised with an honorary Doctorate of Laws, which Dr Stern accepted at a graduation ceremony held at De Montfort Hall, Leicester, today (Tuesday 14 July).
    Born in Hilversum in the Netherlands in 1938 to German refugees, Dr Stern lived just a few streets away from Anne Frank until 1943, when he was sent, with his one-year-old sister, to the Theresienstadt ghetto near Prague, a transit camp from which thousands of Jews were transported to death camps.
    After the liberation, he returned to the Netherlands before moving to the UK in 1950, becoming a British citizen four years later. Dr Stern attended Manchester Grammar School then studied Animal Physiology at Brasenose College, Oxford, to which he later added an MSc in Immunology from the University of Birmingham.
    Dr Stern, who used to live in Oadby, worked for many years at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust as a Consultant Clinical Immunologist, retiring in 2002. From the mid-1980s onwards, he has been closely involved with the Midlands Asthma and Allergy Research Association and he set up the Leicester Children’s Allergy Service, based at Leicester Royal Infirmary, in 1987.
    Since retirement, Dr Stern has been very active in preserving and disseminating the story of the Holocaust, from his own personal experience. He gives frequent talks at the National Holocaust Centre and Museum in Nottinghamshire and is an Honorary Associate Member of the University’s Stanley Burton Centre for Holocaust and Genocide Studies. He was awarded an MBE in 2018 for his work in Holocaust education.
    Alongside his important historical work, Martin’s interest in immunology remains undiminished. In 2024 he was involved with the launch of the Swisens Poleno sampler which provides real-time pollen counts from atop the University’s George Davies Centre.
    Dr Stern said: “I am deeply honoured to be offered an honorary degree by the University of Leicester, with which I have had a 42 year relationship as NHS consultant at the University Hospitals of Leicester.
    “In particular, I witnessed the founding by Professor Aubrey Newman of the Stanley Burton Centre for Holocaust and Genocide studies, the first such centre in any British university. I remain a member of the centre.
    “With the help of hundreds of Leicestershire volunteer clinical trial patients we helped to develop safer antihistamines, preventing road deaths, and funded staff to introduce aerobiology at the University. Classical music at the University has been a joy and led to wonderful friendships and I remain grateful for the support from members of University staff throughout my career.”
    President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leicester, Professor Nishan Canagarajah, said: “I am truly humbled to be able to pay tribute to Dr Stern.
    “His four decades of dedication to the health and wellbeing of the people of Leicester and wider region, though his work with the NHS, cannot be underestimated. Nor can his determination to provide significant health services to local children, after single-handedly setting up the Leicester Children’s Allergy Service, which has gone on to expand significantly at the Leicester Royal Infirmary.
    “He has, of course, devoted much of his life to Holocaust education, and many of our criminology students have travelled to hear him speak at the National Holocaust Centre and Museum. His first-hand accounts of life as a Holocaust survivor have inspired our students to challenge antisemitism and to recognise the corrosive impacts of all forms of prejudice. He is a true Citizen of Change.”

  • Appeal for witnesses after motorbike crash near Wimblington

    Appeal for witnesses after motorbike crash near Wimblington



    Police request information following serious collision at Boot’s Bridge crossroadsAuthor: Adam ClarkPublished 11 hours agoLast updated 11 hours agoA serious collision involving a motorbike and a car occurred near Wimblington, prompting police to appeal for witnesses and dashcam footage.The incident took place at Boot’s Bridge crossroads at 6.40am on Thursday (9th July) and involved a red Honda CBR125 motorbike and a black Nissan Qashqai. The motorcyclist, a 24-year-old man from Terrington St Clement, Norfolk, suffered serious injuries. He was airlifted to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, where he is currently in stable condition. The driver of the Qashqai, a 54-year-old man from Kettering, Northamptonshire, was uninjured in the collision. He was arrested under suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, driving without a licence, and driving without insurance. He has been bailed while further enquiries are ongoing. Police are seeking information and dashcam footage from anyone who either witnessed the collision or saw either vehicle leading up to the crash. The public is encouraged to contact police via the force’s website or by calling 101, quoting Operation Waxwing.First for all the latest news from across the UK every hour on Hits Radio on DAB, at hitsradio.co.uk and on the Rayo app.

  • Every Premier League transfer so far as new Leeds rivals sign £20m winger

    Every Premier League transfer so far as new Leeds rivals sign £20m winger



    New Leeds United rivals have signed a £20m winger as the Premier League’s summer trading gathers pace. We compile every top-flight deal so far, alongside the latest Leeds ins and outs.According to yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk, the list includes Coventry City’s club-record £20m purchase, Crystal Palace adding a defender, and a fresh move for former Leeds youngster James Debayo.Arsenal have taken Illan Meslier on a free after his Leeds exit and made Piero Hincapie’s loan move permanent for £25m. Jakub Kiwior has joined Porto and Karl Hein has signed for Werder Bremen after loans.Aston Villa have a pre-contract in place for Modou Keba Cisse from LASK. Sil Swinkels and Louie Barry have joined Sheffield Wednesday, and Kadan Young has gone on loan to Annecy.Bournemouth have appointed Marco Rose head coach. Marcos Senesi has joined Tottenham as his contract expired, Luis Sinisterra has switched to Cruizeiro after a loan, and Romain Faivre, Michael Dacosta Gonzalez, Hamed Traore and Owen Bevan have departed, while Andoni Iraola has left for Liverpool.Brentford have added Jannik Schuster, Jaidon Anthony and Callum Wilson. Reiss Nelson has returned to Arsenal after a loan, and exits include Frank Onyeka to Coventry City plus loans for Michael Olakigbe and Romelle Donovan.Brighton have signed Pascal Struijk, Michael Svoboda, Rodrigo Rego, Zadok Yohanna and Costinha, while Jan Paul van Hecke has joined Tottenham and James Milner is retiring. Chelsea have brought in Marco Palestra and Geovany Quenda, with Marc Cucurella moving to Real Madrid.

  • 7.15pm kick-off confirmed for Stafford Rangers Vs Shrewsbury friendly at Marston Road – El-Balad.com

    7.15pm kick-off confirmed for Stafford Rangers Vs Shrewsbury friendly at Marston Road – El-Balad.com



    Shrewsbury Town’s first pre-season outing ahead of the 2026/27 campaign will now kick off at 7.15pm on Tuesday night, with Stafford Rangers and Shrewsbury Town set to meet at Marston Road in Staffordshire.The change gives supporters a clear new time for the fixture, which is the first run-out of the summer for Gavin Cowan’s side. It also places the focus firmly on a useful opening test rather than the clock, with Shrewsbury Town beginning their build-up in familiar friendly fashion.First outing in StaffordshireThe trip to Staffordshire is the start of Shrewsbury Town’s pre-season schedule, and it comes before the squad moves on to the Isle of Man. After Staffordshire, the Salop squad will head to the Isle of Man and begin that trip with a fixture against Radcliffe.For now, though, the immediate detail is simple: Stafford Rangers vs Shrewsbury Town now has a 7.15pm start on Tuesday night at Marston Road. For supporters making plans, that is the key change. For Cowan, it is the start of the work that will shape the weeks ahead.

  • Far-right 'security' outfit claims 'our guys' arrested for Muslim festival terror scare | Searchlight

    Far-right 'security' outfit claims 'our guys' arrested for Muslim festival terror scare | Searchlight



    British Security Project members pictured near the UK Ijtima

    Twelve people were arrested this week after Counter Terrorism Policing London uncovered what it says was an extreme right-wing plot targeting the UK Ijtima, the four-day Tablighi Jamaat gathering that drew an estimated 15,000 Muslims to Shrubland Hall, near Ipswich.

    The event was cut short on police advice on Sunday; three men aged 55, 60 and 82 were arrested in Surrey on suspicion of conspiracy to murder, the 82-year-old since bailed.

    A 48-year-old woman arrested in east London on suspicion of assisting an offender has also been bailed. Eight further men remain held under section 41 of the Terrorism Act.

    British Security Project posted these pictures of a drone being launched at the Ijtima

    Commander Helen Flanagan of CTP London said officers had “moved extremely quickly” once aware of the threat; Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the response had “undoubtedly saved lives.”

    Since the arrests, the online accounts of the far-right, but minuscule, British Security Project, have claimed that those arrested were BSP members and that all they were doing was flying a drone over the event to see what was going on.

    Military style

    Video has been posted of men in camouflage and military-style gear standing in a field near the site, apparently operating drones, alongside separate aerial footage said to have been shot over the Ijtima itself.

    The footage was posted by BSP member Tom Manning who also claims to be a Restore activist and who has posted a photo of himself with Restore’s national security spokesman Henry Boulton.

    Tom Manning (left) with Henry Boulton and Jay Martin

    BSP’s founder is Jay Martin, who first surfaced at May’s Dover anti-migrant demonstration, where he informed attending police officers that they were committing an offence under the Treason Felony Act 1848 by failing to prevent what he characterised as an invasion of foreigners.

    He is not a lawyer.

    Jay Martin (in hat) berates police during Dover anti-migrant demo in Dover in May

    British Security Project’s own website is a grab-bag of self-published blog posts about SIA licensing and “security career pathways,” padded out with grandiose ambitions to place tens of thousands of “British Security Project staff” on trains and in schools nationwide.

    A project on this scale only exists so far in Martin’s copy, and his imagination.

    Shane Wiskin – familiarity with events

    Police have not publicly named individual suspects arrested, nor on what suspicion each is being held.

    Heavily publicising the BSP line online is Shayne Wiskin, the east London Restore Britain supporter familiar to Searchlight readers as the balcony fitter turned self-styled “Renaissance man” of the far-right fringe.

    His talents range from House DJ, self-published author, and proprietor of the AI-generated “virtual film studio” MoonOwl Studios.

    Wiskin’s posts suggest a close familiarity with what was happening at the Ijtima.

    He has announced online that “Twelve of our guys have been arrested under the Counter terrorism Act” and added that he doesn’t understand why he hasn’t been arrested himself.

    “Perhaps they’re building a case against me”.

    Restore connection

    Wiskin stood as an Independent for Newham Council in the May local elections, though making clear his Restore Britain connection.

    As Restore had not, at that stage, registered as a political party, he could not run as an official candidate. He finished bottom of the poll with 1.7% of the vote.

    The police have said searches are continuing at addresses linked to those in custody, and that the investigation remains ongoing.