An allotment that helped feed hundreds struggling with the cost of living, but was destroyed by vandals, is now the subject of a police investigation.
Carly Burd, 43, from Harlow in Essex, transformed her garden to grow organic fruit and vegetables as part of her “A Meal on Me With Love” initiative but was “heartbroken” to discover her hard work destroyed when five kilograms of salt was thrown on the soil.
Officers from Essex Police have opened an investigation to find the culprits and have asked anyone with information to come forward.
Image: Police are now investigating the damage
A fundraiser set up in the wake of the incident has smashed its £4,000 target and has now raised almost a quarter of a million pounds.
Ms Burd said the ordeal, which was reported to police on Wednesday, has been “heart-wrenching”.
“What made it worse is that yesterday, the children that helped me plant it actually turned up, and it just broke me,” she said.
“They were so lovely they said ‘it’s okay, we can replant it’.
“They’ve worked so hard. They’ve put the effort in and we’re trying to make a change – it’s upsetting.”
The project began when Ms Burd, who lives with multiple sclerosis and lupus, went without heating last year – and felt compelled to help those in her community in a similar position.
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Appeal to the vandals
The keen gardener said she is “really looking forward” to repairing her allotment and feels that doing so “gives me the opportunity to support other charities in my area”.
Surprised by the incident, Ms Burd said that she has “never felt such hate”, but urged the culprits to contact her.
“I’ve never felt such hate. I get on with everyone in my community,” she said.
“I want to say to whoever did it, I’m here if you want to talk to me. No aggression intended, that’s not my style.
“It won’t leave my lips and it won’t go out to anyone, but come and talk to me.”
While she struggles to understand why the incident happened, she hopes to support the person who vandalised her allotment.
“I’m not a threat to anyone – I’ll be there and support you and I’ll do everything I can to support you,” she added.
“I can’t understand why somebody would do something so hurtful, but I’m here for a chat.”
Image: Her Go Fund Me has now raised almost a quarter of a million pounds
Salting ’caused real harm’
The incident is understood to have taken place between 2pm on 7 April and 9am on 8 April.
Chief Inspector Paul Austin, district commander for Harlow, issued an appeal for witnesses and anyone with CCTV or doorbell footage of the incident to come forward.
“Carly is naturally devastated about this mindless act, which has caused real harm to her efforts to help those most in need in Harlow,” he said.
“However, it is striking how determined she is to ensure this act does not stop her good work.
A man has died after suffering cardiac arrest onboard a boat attempting to reach the UK.
The vessel turned back towards Equihen beach on the French coast yesterday morning.
A nurse tried to resuscitate the man but was unsuccessful.
Image: Pic: PA
French authorities have now launched an investigation into the circumstances.
A spokesperson for Doctors Without Borders, also known as MSF, has criticised authorities on both sides of the Channel.
Jacob Burns said: “Yet again we have a tragedy in the Channel, that is the consequence of the deadly, costly and ineffective security policies implemented by the UK and France.”
Image: Pic: PA
Later on Saturday, a lifeboat carried migrants who have made the voyage into the Port of Dover.
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Photographs showed them huddled under blankets and orange life jackets on board.
“The opportunity of tomorrow and what’s on offer is the best thing in football,” the England captain said. “I think we don’t necessarily carry the weight of it and how much it means to people, but we’re aware of it because it means the same to us.”
So often they were only watching other nations making finals.
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England’s first was the men winning the 1966 World Cup.
Image: England manager Sarina Wiegman reacts to defeat against Spain at the Women’s World Cup final in 2023. Pic: Reuters
Image: Lauren James looks dejected after their World Cup defeat, but is confirmed fit for Sunday’s revenge match against Spain. Pic: Reuters
Now, in Basel, comes the chance for revenge against Spain – even though no one in the England camp is saying that, publicly at least, in Switzerland.
Especially knowing how challenging a task it is coming up again against Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putella – the recent winners of football’s biggest individual honours.
Image: England fans celebrating after England beat Italy to reach the finals. Pic: Reuters
Image: Given England’s history against Spain, it could be a nerve-wracking time for England fans. File pic: Action Images/Reuters
But this is Spain’s first Euros final.
And there is some fear from the world champions at England’s grit and resolve to produce comebacks late in the quarter-finals and semi-finals – with 19-year-old Michelle Agyemang’s goals integral to the fightbacks.
Image: England celebrate their semi-final win against Italy to reach the finals. Pic: Reuters
Image: Michelle Agyemang has propelled England to the Euro 2025 final with two vital goals. Pic: AP
Spain captain Irene Paredes reflected yesterday on how the Lionesses can flip a result late on.
But she was also discussing how their World Cup win was tarnished by the on-pitch kiss that led to former Spanish federation president Luis Rubiales being convicted of a sexual assault on striker Jenni Hermoso.
It sparked a wider clamour in Spain for improved rights and respect for women.
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Spain’s players struggle for respect
“Since then [2023] we took big steps forward,” Paredes said.
“I think this idea is disappearing from society. I still believe we have to continue opening doors… we’re a reference for boys and girls in society, but we still have things to do.”
It is a reminder that while tonight is about collecting silverware, both England and Spain know that emerging as champions can drive further growth in women’s football back home.
Amid it all, they’ll try to savour just what reaching a final means and how rare they are – until recently for English and Spanish women.
A woman who thought she was being injected with Botox was left unable to swallow and doctors thought she had suffered a stroke – after she contracted a life-threatening illness from a potentially illegal product.
Nicola Fairley is one of dozens of people who have developed botulism linked to unlicensed anti-wrinkle injections.
She had the procedure done with her regular beautician after winning a Facebook competition for three areas of “Botox”.
Image: Nicola Fairley
“Within two or three hours my forehead and the sides of my eyes had started to freeze,” Nicola says.
“At first I thought ‘amazing’, that’s what I wanted – then it just carried on.”
Nicola was eventually sent to A&E in Durham, where she met several other patients who all had similar symptoms.
Doctors were stumped. “They thought I’d had a stroke,” she says.
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“We all had problems with our eyes, some of us with our breathing. I couldn’t swallow – they put me on nil by mouth because they were worried I would choke in the waiting room.”
Image: Doctors were worried Nicola could choke after she was injected with a suspected illegal product
It turns out all of the patients had recently had anti-wrinkle injections containing botulinum toxin.
Health officials believe they were imported, illegal products.
Botulism – the disease they caused – is so rare many doctors never see it in their entire careers.
It can cause symptoms including slurred speech and breathing problems, and can be deadly.
The disease is so unusual, and so many cases were coming in, that doctors exhausted their stocks of anti-toxin and had to ask hospitals as far away as London to get more.
The UK Health Security Agency has so far confirmed 38 cases of botulism linked to cosmetic toxin injections, but Sky News has been told of several more.
The outbreak began in the North East but cases have now been seen in the East of England and East Midlands as well.
There are only a handful of legal botulinum toxin products in the UK – of which Botox is one.
But cosmetic treatments are largely unregulated, with anyone allowed to inject products like fillers and toxins without any medical training.
Cheap, illegal products imported from overseas are easily available.
Image: Dr Steven Land
‘It’s the Wild West’
Dr Steven Land runs Novellus Aesthetics clinic in Newcastle upon Tyne. He worked for decades as an emergency medicine doctor before moving into aesthetics.
He says he has been warning health officials of an outbreak for years.
“It’s the Wild West,” Dr Land told Sky News.
“Because anyone can do this, there is a lack of knowledge around what is legal, what’s not legal, what is okay to be injected.
“These illegal toxins could have 50 units, 5,000 units or rat poison – there could be anything in there.”