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Some schools will close and people are being told to stay at home as Storm Babet bears down on parts of the UK.

The Met Office has issued a rare red warning for “exceptional and persistent” rain in eastern Scotland, as well as amber and yellow warnings for wind and rain in other areas.

The red alert covers parts of the east of Scotland between the Dundee and Aberdeen areas from 6pm on Thursday until midday on Friday, “with some locations likely to see 200-250mm” of rainfall.

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It marks the first time a red warning for rain has been issued in the UK since Storm Dennis in February 2020.

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Storm Babet will be ‘unprecedented’

Babet, a complex area of low pressure that developed to the west of the Iberian Peninsula, will last until Saturday and is expected to cause flooding, power cuts and travel disruption.

Yellow severe weather warnings, meaning there is the threat of strong winds, extremely wet conditions and potential flooding, have been issued across the week until Saturday for a vast swathe of the UK, covering already-saturated parts of Scotland and northern and eastern England, all the way down the coast to Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

The Irish forecasting agency Met Eireann has also issued yellow and amber weather warnings for parts of Northern Ireland for heavy rain into Thursday.

On Tuesday, the Met Office raised the level of its warning for eastern Scotland from yellow to a more severe rating of amber.

A yellow weather warning covers Northern Ireland today
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A yellow weather warning covers Northern Ireland today. Pic: Met Office

A red warning for rain is among the warnings in place on Thursday
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A red warning for rain is among the warnings in place on Thursday

As the rain moves northwards, it will stall across central and eastern parts of Scotland where the rain will become heavy and persistent from Thursday through to Saturday.

There is an amber severe weather warning for rain for this area, meaning exceptionally wet conditions are likely. Up to 150 to 200mm of rain could accumulate in some areas of higher ground.

Several warnings are in place for Friday
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Several warnings are in place for Friday

Much of Scotland and the east of England is under a yellow warning on Saturday
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Much of Scotland and the east of England is under a yellow warning on Saturday. Pic: Met Office

‘Please stay at home’

Earlier on Wednesday, the Scottish Government held a meeting of its Resilience Room (SGoRR), in an effort to mitigate the affects of Storm Babet in the coming days.

In a statement, Deputy First Minister Shona Robinson said: “The strong message is that if you are in the parts of Angus and South Aberdeenshire affected – please stay at home and do not travel.

“Other parts of Scotland are also at risk of flooding as rivers respond and drainage systems become overwhelmed. The risk is exacerbated by the fact that many catchments are already saturated following last week’s heavy rainfall and flooding.

“No one should take the risks for granted and I would urge everyone in the country to prepare where necessary, heed the travel warnings issued by Police Scotland and take extreme care around fast-flowing water.”

In early October, up to 180mm (8in) of rain was forecast which led to landslides, train cancellations and sporting events being postponed due to floods.

In Angus, an area north of Dundee and up to the Cairngorms, schools will close at lunchtime on Thursday and into Friday, as the local council works to “preserve life”.

Flood prevention measures sit against a wall in the main street in Aberfoyle in Perthshire. Aberfoyle was hit with flooding a couple of weeks ago as storm Babet will bring heavy rain to the UK this week, with extensive flooding expected in already-saturated parts of Scotland. The Met Office has upgraded a weather warning for rain in eastern Scotland to amber, as some areas could see more than a month's worth of rain in a few days. Picture date: Wednesday October 18, 2023.
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Residents in Aberfoyle, Perthshire, prepare for Babet

Sand bags sit piled against a wall in the main street in Aberfoyle in Perthshire. Aberfoyle was hit with flooding a couple of weeks ago as storm Babet will bring heavy rain to the UK this week, with extensive flooding expected in already-saturated parts of Scotland. The Met Office has upgraded a weather warning for rain in eastern Scotland to amber, as some areas could see more than a month's worth of rain in a few days. Picture date: Wednesday October 18, 2023.
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Residents in Aberfoyle, Perthshire, prepare for Babet

‘Danger to life’

Under the amber warning, the Met Office warns “extensive flooding to homes and businesses is possible, which could lead to collapsed or damaged buildings or structures” and “fast flowing or deep floodwater is likely, causing danger to life”.

“There is a chance that communities in flooded areas could be completely cut off, perhaps for several days,” it adds.

“Power and other essential services, such as gas, water or mobile phone service, may be lost.”

Scotland typically receives around 168mm of rainfall in October but the country will receive more than this amount in the span of a few days.

Parts of England can expect more than 100mm of rainfall during the week, with some isolated areas facing up to 150mm.

There are already mass train cancellations across Scotland, expected to last until Saturday, with services stopped from Aberdeen, Elgin, Edinburgh, Fife, Perth and beyond.

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Ireland warned of ‘dangerous’ weather

Rain warnings for every county in the Republic of Ireland were in place overnight, having come into effect at various stages on Tuesday.

A Status Orange rain warning, meaning there is the possibility of dangerous or disruptive weather, is in place along Ireland’s southern coast for counties Cork, Kerry and Waterford.

That warning is due to the risk of flooding, dangerous road conditions and possible wave overtopping at high tide amid heavy rain and strong gusts.

The advisory is due to expire at 1pm, with a Status Yellow rain warning, meaning there is the potential for localised dangerous weather, in place for the rest of the country until between 6pm to 8pm.

Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Tony Wardle said: “Storm Babet will bring disruption for parts of the UK in the coming days, with heavy rain and strong winds likely for many.

“Heavy and persistent rain will fall onto already saturated ground bringing a risk of flooding. It is important to stay up to date with warnings from your local flood warning agency as well as the local authorities.

“As well as heavy rain, Storm Babet will bring some very strong winds and large waves near some eastern coasts too. Gusts around 70mph are possible in eastern and northern Scotland from Thursday. Met Office warnings will continue to be reviewed as the forecast develops.”

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Bank worker and brother who murdered drug dealer in ‘ferocious’ knife attack are jailed

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Bank worker and brother who murdered drug dealer in 'ferocious' knife attack are jailed

A brother and sister have been jailed for the murder of a drug dealer in a “ferocious” knife attack.

Isaiah Marsh, 21, and his 23-year-old sibling Mya Marsh were sentenced to a minimum of 20 years in prison for killing Minister Enfrence, 21, in a row over a £200 cannabis debt.

Bank worker Mya was trying to buy drugs from Mr Enfrence in Kings Norton, Birmingham, when she met him armed with a kitchen knife at about 10am on 5 November, the city’s crown court heard.

Judge Simon Drew KC said that Mya was the aggressor in an initial confrontation with Mr Enfrence over the debt as he sentenced the siblings on Thursday.

Mya called her brother Isaiah to the scene, who “launched a ferocious attack on Minister as he lay defenceless on his back on the floor” and had intended to kill, the judge said.

Mr Enfrence suffered at least 12 stab wounds to his body, arms, hands and head in the “unprovoked” attack.

He did not die instantly and managed to escape before collapsing nearby.

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Judge Drew said footage of the attack, which was caught on CCTV, was “truly sickening” to watch as Mr Enfrence died a “traumatic and painful death”.

Minister Enfrence. Pic: West Midlands Police
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Minister Enfrence was killed on 5 November. Pic: West Midlands Police

Siblings unanimously convicted of murder

The footage shows Mya passing a knife to her brother during the stabbing.

The judge told them: “This was an attack by two people on one. That attack was unprovoked. Members of the public, including a child in a pushchair, passed very close by while the attack was taking place.”

After the killing, Mya went to work “as if nothing had happened” after taking the morning off work, citing mental health problems, the court was told.

Isaiah later handed himself in to the police.

A jury unanimously convicted the siblings of murder on Monday following a three-week trial.

Both had denied murder and alternative charges of manslaughter.

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Isaiah claimed he acted in self-defence, while Mya claimed she did not believe her brother would use the knife to stab Mr Enfrence.

Rachel Brand KC, representing Mya, said the attack was “utterly out of character” for her client and that Mya had shouted “stop it” and “break it up” during her brother and Mr Enfrence’s struggle.

Isaiah, meanwhile, would find it “almost impossible to reconcile what he saw on the CCTV with who he is”, his barrister Michael Ivers KC told the court.

“He has told everyone who will listen when they have spoken to him that he is full of remorse about what happened,” Mr Ivers said.

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Woman’s testimony from beyond the grave helps to convict rapist Steven Connery

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Woman's testimony from beyond the grave helps to convict rapist Steven Connery

A “despicable” rapist has been brought to justice and jailed for 10 years in part thanks to a woman’s testimony from beyond the grave.

Steven Connery, 41, repeatedly raped and sexually assaulted two women in the Forth Valley and Tayside areas.

Judge Douglas Brown said Connery’s first victim was left “so shocked that she couldn’t speak” following a painful attack in a bathroom while she was getting ready for a night out.

A court heard how the second woman was also left in “agony” after a sex assault.

Connery was arrested in 2022 after his past crimes were brought to the attention of Police Scotland.

His second victim died before a trial was held at the High Court in Glasgow, but her evidence was read out in the form of a statement by one of the investigating officers.

Connery denied any wrongdoing but was in March found guilty of four charges.

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He returned to the dock on Wednesday and was handed a 13-year extended sentence, with 10 years in jail and three years on licence once released back into the community.

Judge Brown said: “It is almost inevitable that offences of this nature will cause substantial harm and in relation to the second complainer, who has since died, it is clear from a victim impact statement submitted by her sister that your behaviour had a massive impact not only on her but also on her family.”

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It was noted that Connery was “still reasonably young” at the time of some of his offending, but the judge added: “Though there is little to indicate that a lack of maturity was a significant factor.”

Connery was additionally placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely and banned from contacting the woman who is still alive.

Detective Sergeant Khalid Abdulrahman said: “Although one of Connery’s victims passed away, it was right that her evidence was heard in court through the reading of statements.

“I hope this sentencing brings some comfort to both her family and the other victim in this case.

“Our thoughts remain with them, as without their information Connery wouldn’t have been held accountable for his despicable actions.”

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Police hunt for teenagers seen ‘carrying dismembered kittens in duffel bag’

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Police hunt for teenagers seen 'carrying dismembered kittens in duffel bag'

Police investigating the torture and killing of a pair of kittens in west London have published CCTV pictures of two teenagers they want to speak to.

Warning: This article contains details some readers may find distressing

The Metropolitan Police were tipped off on 3 May that two teenagers had allegedly dismembered the animals at Ickenham Road, Ruislip.

No arrests have been made.

Officers released footage of a boy and a girl on Thursday and asked people to help identify them.

The boy is described by the Met as 5ft 6in (168cm) tall, with short dark hair. He was wearing a dark jacket with long sleeves, with blue jeans.

Police sergeant Babs Rock said the boy “was also seen carrying a black duffel bag, which sadly is thought to have contained the kittens”.

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BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE Screen grab taken from CCTV dated 03/05/25 issued by Metropolitan Police of CCTV of two teenagers they want to speak to after two kittens were tortured and killed in Ruislip. The Metropolitan Police received a report on May 3 that alleged two teenagers dismembered the animals in Ickenham Road, Ruislip. Issue date: Thursday May 15, 2025.
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The two youths. Pic: Metropolitan Police/PA

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Sergeant Rock said the young girl was the same height as the boy, with long red hair.

“She was wearing a white top with black shorts. She was also carrying a purple jumper, which she later puts on to wear,” she said.

“If you know these two individuals then please come forward to us, we would like to speak with them as soon as possible.”

In the video, the pair are seen walking down a street and then later running back the way they came.

Sergeant Rock described it as “an incredibly distressing incident which I know has caused concern in the local community”.

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