
From Thunderbirds to Teletubbies: A lookback at 30 years of the UK’s top toys
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adminEvery year the demand, expectation and, sadly, the price tag of the top toys of the year increase, especially in the build up to Christmas.
In order to keep track of the trends, here we take a nostalgic look at the toys, games and tech that has topped wish lists for the past 30 years – according to data from the Toy Retailers Association.
Some items that topped the list in multiple years have been combined.

1993: Thunderbirds Tracy Island
The year is 1993, and in living rooms all over the UK the Thunderbirds Tracy Island play set is being unwrapped.
The toy, made by Matchbox, depicted the secret base of the international rescue team who had a fleet of space, land, air and sea rescue craft aptly named Thunderbird 1,2, 3, 4 and 5.
Despite the show having begun around 30 years earlier, the release of the set in the 1990s marked the start of technology being used in toys.

Blue Peter presenter Anthea Turner created a DIY model of Tracy Island made from household rubbish
“It was a big moment for boomer dads to really introduce something that they loved in the 60s to something that their kids loved,” William Newton, a curator, at the Young V&A Museum said.
“I was about five in 1993, and I remember my dad would say: ‘It’s Friday night, we are going to watch Thunderbirds’. And then with the toy, you couldn’t get one for love nor money.”
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Thankfully, even if shop shelves were empty, an episode of Blue Peter hosted by Anthea Turner taught families across the country how to make a DIY version of the island, largely out of paper mache.
“It became this ‘must have’ toy and then there was a way that anyone could have it, if you had newspapers, paint and some egg boxes. It was quite brilliant really,” Mr Newton said.
Use the slider to see the evolution of the Power Rangers figurines from 1994 to 2017.
1994: Power Rangers
In May 1994, another set of superhero type figurines hit shop shelves, the Power Rangers.
First launched by Japanese company Bandai, the figures became an instant hit with children following the release of television series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, in which a team of teenagers are recruited to battle enemies like Rita Repulsa and the Megazord.

A range of 1994 Power Rangers at The Museum of London
The franchise continued its success into the modern day, with 30 television series and three motion picture films, the final of which was released in 2017, the same year the Ultra Movie Megazord figurine neared the top of Christmas lists.

A set of OJ Simpson trial POGs
1995: POGs
Simply put, POGs involved stacking a pile of round discs of card that were once used to cover milk bottles produced by Hawaii-based company Haleakala Dairy.
The game got its name after the company put the name of their tropical fruit drink – Passion fruit-Orange-Guava or POG for short – on them, according to the Makawao History Museum.
Players would then take turns hitting the stack with another cap trying to flip the caps over on what was known as a slam board.
Soon, each disc had a different symbol, with some referring to popular films, political figures and even high-profile criminal cases like the OJ Simpson trial in the US.
Mr Newton put the popularity of POGs down to them being collectable items.
“Collectables are a way that children express their personalities, through the sort of things they collect, and how they arrange them into their favourite ones,” he said.
“A lot of that does come around Christmas, if you are selling POGs to children at Christmas, then you hope that they go on to buy more throughout the rest of the year.”

1996: Barbie
An unsurprising entry, and, spoiler alert, not the only time Barbie features on the list.
The doll first went on sale in 1959, with Ruth Handler creating the brand after observing her daughter, Barbara, play with paper.
Since then, Mattel, which owns the brand, has consistently revealed new dolls, games, films and other products to keep Barbie firmly on top of Christmas lists or at least on the top 10 best sellers list.
“It just shows you the power of Barbie,” Michael Hick, Mattel vice president and UK country manager said.

1990s College Barbies
“Brand’s like Barbie, and the momentum it has created, it is an unbelievably huge thing for Mattel as a company.”
When asked why he thinks Barbie has managed to remain popular, Mr Hick said: “For one, it is down to design, so it has to start with the product. And then there is innovation, brands that mums remember playing with and now want their child to play with.
“We have brands that are really rich in history, so we do a great job of innovating within these to make sure that they are really relevant to the modern child.
“Then there is marketing. We really pride ourselves in the way we go to the market and the way we work with retailers both in store and online.”

1997: Teletubbies
In March 1997, the world said “Eh-oh” to the Teletubbies.
The TV show followed brightly coloured creatures Tinky Winky, Dipsy, La-La and Po, and when toy company Golden Bear signed a licensing deal with BBC Worldwide to produce the first Teletubbies soft toys, the country entered Teletubby mania.
Use the slider to see the evolution of the Furby from 1998 to 2013.
1998-1999: Furby and Furby Babies
From one strange creature to another, the next two years saw the Furby top the most popular toys list.
Created by Hasbro, the Furby is described by the manufacturer as a “mysterious, fuzzy, lovable creature who can’t wait to be your child’s bestie”.
The original model was extremely popular in 1998, and the following year Furby Babies – a smaller version – also proved to be just as exciting to children who wanted their very own “digital pet” that came in a range of colours, spoke the Furbish language and could communicate with others of its kind.

Furby Babies in a shop
The Furby also hit the top of the list again in 2012, this time with an updated look and a mobile app.
“Furby benefit from improvements in technology,” curator Mr Newton said. “It’s kind of a pet care simulator. It is sold in the same way as ‘puppy is for life, not just for Christmas’. But it isn’t actually alive so it doesn’t matter.
“The technology is always slightly improving so they can always have an extra gimmick. It is like a mobile phone, it is not much different to older versions but it has got a better something.
“Furby’s are examples of toys that consume a lot of children’s attention over the Christmas period.”
Toy expert Peter Jenkinson agreed, saying the Furby remakes are “fundamentally the same toy, just a bit cleverer”.
Use the slider to see the evolution of the Teksta from 2000 to 2013.
2000: Teksta
Manufactured by Manley Toy Quest, the popular Teksta (also marketed as Tekno) allowed children to have their very own robotic puppy.
The silver-coloured pooch had the ability to do tricks and also required walking and feeding.
The product also took the top spot in 2013, under the slightly different name Texta Robotic Puppy and an upgraded look.
The toy was available in blue or pink and came with a bone and small plastic ball which the dog could interact with.

2001: LEGO Bionicle
Another big hitter entering the list, LEGO.
Featuring characters like Onua and Tahu, the LEGO Bionicle range was the first in the brand’s history to focus on a rigid storyline, according to online toy shop, FireStarToys.com.
Marketed towards eight to 16-year-olds, it follows the exploits of the Toa, heroic biomechanical beings with innate elemental abilities whose duty is to maintain peace throughout their universe.
The company released a total of 30 Bionicle sets in 2001, which critically helped save the company from financial ruin at the dawn of the 21st century.

2002 – 2003: Beyblades
Developed by Japanese company Takara, but sold by Hasbro, Beyblades was another collectable, where people could go head-to-head battling their spinning top toys.
The aim of the game was simple, with points awarded if the opponent’s Beyblade stops spinning, gets knocked out of the playing arena (the Beystadium) or is damaged.
Individuals could collect different types of Beyblades and launchers that sent the discs spinning into the match at varying speeds.

2004: Robosapien
Described as a “humanoid robot”, the Robosapien is a small robot that performed tasks and responded to its environment.
Almost 10 years on, the Robosapien is still on the market. Created by WowWee, the Robosapien X™ is an “exciting update” to the award-winning toy.
The newer model has not changed much in regards to looks, but now comes to life using either the controller or via iOS or Android mobile device.

2005: Tamagotchi Connexion
Another product that has stood the test of time is the Tamagotchi – a small three-buttoned device that allows you to grow and look after your own virtual pet.

Pic: Glenn Copus/Shutterstock
The Connexion series, which first hit shelves in 2004 eight years after the first Tamagotchi, had an important difference – it used infrared technology to connect and interact with other devices.
In addition to playing games two Tamagotchi could go through six levels of friendship, the last being partners and having a baby.

2006: Doctor Who Cyberman Mask
The influence of popular culture on toy sales is no more evident than the Doctor Who Cyberman Mask.
Hitting shops after the hugely popular sci-fi series aired in which David Tennant played the 10th doctor and Billie Piper his assistant Rose Tyler.
The Cybermen featured heavily throughout the series including the last episode Doomsday – which any Whovians will know was the heartbreaking episode when the partnership between the Doctor and Rose came to an end.
It is no surprise that the mask, complete with voice changing capabilities, was extremely popular among children and adults alike.
“Licensed stuff is massive,” toy expert Mr Jenkinson said.
“25% of all toys sold in the UK are brought by adults for themselves or other adults. Which is why when you look at licensed brands, they sometimes focus on older television shows and brands. They are just seeking nostalgia.
“Parents are buying kids the toys that they really want for themselves.”

2007: In the Night Garden Blanket Time Igglepiggle
Created by one of the co-creators of the Teletubbies, In The Night Garden was first aired on CBeebies in 2007. The huge success led to sales of merchandise, including one of the show’s main characters, Igglepiggle.

Ben 10 Alien Force Kevin Levin’s Action Cruiser. Pic: Toy Retailers Association
2008: Ben 10 Action Figures
Ben 10 followed a young boy named Ben Tennyson, who discovers the Omnitrix – a high-tech, extraterrestrial device shaped like a wristwatch.
The device allowed him to change into various alien species, the figures of which flew of shop shelves in the UK.

2009: Go Go Hamsters
Described as “no ordinary pets” by creators Cepia LLC, Zhu Zhu Pets, known in the UK as Go Go Pets, are hamster-like electronic creatures.
They have been named toy of the year nine times in seven different countries.

Pic: David Parry/PA Wire.
2010: Jet Pack Buzz Lightyear
Coinciding with the release of Toy Story 3, the Jet Pack Buzz Lightyear was the action figure every child wanted.
It included a rocket pack with afterburner jet lights and sounds.

2011: LeapPad Explorer
A child friendly version of an Apple iPad? Look no further than the LeapPad Explorer.
The device combined education and toys, allowing kids to read books, play games and listen to music.

2014: Disney Frozen Snow Glow Elsa
With the success of Disney’s Frozen in December 2013, it is no surprise that a doll in the shape of one of the film’s protagonists was the top toy in 2014.
It even belts out the popular song Let It Go.
The doll proved so popular at the time that police in Ireland were called to a toy store in Dublin after a fight broke out between customers desperate to get their hands on it.

Pic: PA Wire
2015: Pie Face
The only board game of the list, and what a corker it is.
Launched by Hasbro, the game revolves around the gag of getting a pie in the face, as each player takes turns to crank a mechanical handle, which could trigger a hand (ideally full of whipped cream) to launch straight onto their face.

2016: Hatchimals
Another animal-themed toy with a difference.
When you buy the Hatchimal, you buy an egg and over time, the robotic animal hatches, with children getting one of a number of different species.

Pic: Toy Retailers Association
2017- 2019: L.O.L Surprise!
The dolls with big heads, giant eyes and wearing brightly coloured clothing. L.O.L is one of the few newer brands to break into the toy industry.
Created by MGA Entertainment, each layer of the L.O.L packaging contains a new “surprise” whether that be outfits or accessories.

L.O.L Surprise 2-in-1 Glamper. Pic: Rick Findler/Shutterstock
“They are end of aisle products,” toy expert Mr Jenkinson said when asked about the product’s success.
“Anything from three to six quid, and it is something that children can touch and reach. L.O.L is massive because it also makes mini versions of big brands.
“You can buy something that is quite cheap, but you can have bigger versions of it, so you can always expand your set.”

Pic: Toy Retailers Association
2020: 5 Surprise Mini Brands Mystery Capsule from Zuru
During the COVID-19 pandemic when you had to queue outside supermarkets, people indulged in collecting as many miniature items of the nation’s favourite brands as possible.
Mini Brands by Zuru are marketed as the “brands that fit in your hands” and include replica packages of everything from Aunt Bessies Yorkshire Puddings to Skippy Peanut Butter.

Pic: Mattel
2021: Barbie Day to Night Dreamhouse
A twist on an old classic.

2022: Squishmallows
The Squishmallow is a plush toy made by the company Jazwares.
The popularity of the soft toy was boosted by the likes of Lady Gaga, Kim Kardashian and others, who helped make the plush stuffed toys a viral sensation on TikTok.

Pic: Mattel
2023: Barbie Pop Reveal
Last but by no means least is the Barbie Pop Reveal, described by Mattel vice president, Mr Hick, as an “unbelievable item”.
“It is a doll that essentially you can unbox and you have all these amazing sensory surprises as you unwrap a doll in a drink cup,” he said.
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UK
Detective who helped catch ‘sadistic’ serial killer Peter Tobin believes there are more victims out there
Published
1 hour agoon
July 19, 2025By
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What started as a missing person case led to the capture of an “evil” serial killer who “got sadistic sexual pleasure” from murdering women.
Peter Tobin died in October 2022 at the age of 76 while serving three life sentences for the murders of Angelika Kluk, Vicky Hamilton and Dinah McNicol.
Former detective superintendent David Swindle helped to unmask the murderer and has always believed there are more victims out there.

Peter Tobin. Pic: PA
Mr Swindle told Sky News: “Peter Tobin was evil. And, you know, there’s a lot of speculation – nature, nurture or born evil. He’s evil. This is someone that got sadistic sexual pleasure from killing people.
“And when we look back at his life, we see that he cut the head off a dog. He tortured animals – a trait that featured with Ian Brady killing a cat.
“This kind of stuff – he was progressing, he had all the traits early on. And then we traced various partners that he had, and they describe horrific, violent domestic abuse.
“This is someone progressing towards it. And Tobin is evil. He’s killed other people, but we don’t know how many else he’s killed.
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“And the reason we don’t know it, is because he targeted vulnerable people and he was forensically aware. So, there could be others, there will be other cases.”

Former detective superintendent David Swindle
Tobin’s secret reign of terror was unveiled following the disappearance of Polish student Angelika Kluk in September 2006.
The 23-year-old had been enjoying her second summer at St Patrick’s Church in Glasgow, where she was living and working as a cleaner to help finance her Scandinavian studies course at the University of Gdansk.
She was reported missing after failing to turn up to work and was last seen alive in the company of the church’s handyman, “Patrick McLaughlin”.

Angelika Kluk. Pic: PA
The caretaker initially spoke to police before sparking suspicion by disappearing himself.
Following a public appeal, the force discovered “McLaughlin” was instead registered sex offender Tobin.
In 1993, Tobin attacked two 14-year-old girls while living in Havant, Hampshire.
He attempted to evade justice for the horrific sex assaults but was jailed the following year and spent a decade behind bars before returning to his home county of Renfrewshire in 2004.
In 2005, he fled Paisley after being accused of attacking a woman and managed to avoid detection until Angelika’s case.

St Patrick’s Church in Glasgow. Pic: PA
Mr Swindle said he can still remember the day he was brought onto the case after Tobin’s true identity was discovered.
Angelika instantly became a high-risk missing person as she was last seen in the company of a registered sex offender.
Officers were sent back to search the church, where Angelika’s body was thereafter discovered under the floorboards.

A picture of a hatch at St Patrick’s Church, which led to the underfloor passage where Angelika’s body was hidden. Pic: PA
Forensic scientist Carol Rogers ordered for the body not to be moved and crawled under the floorboards to collect vital DNA evidence from the bloody crime scene.
Angelika suffered a violent death in the sexually motivated murder. A post-mortem examination revealed she had been bound and gagged, raped, beaten with a piece of wood, and stabbed 16 times in the chest.

The underfloor passage where Angelika’s body was found. Pic: PA
Mr Swindle said the “ferocity” of what had happened to Angelika was “absolutely horrendous”.
He said: “I’ve worked on hundreds of murder investigations in my long time in the police, mostly in the CID. This was horrendous, absolutely horrendous, and it was organised.
“The way he had put poor Angelika under the floor and concealed her remains and stayed at the scene – this is someone that’s cool, calculating, someone that knew what he was about.”
A manhunt was launched for Tobin, who had absconded to London.
He was eventually captured after admitting himself to a hospital under the name “James Kelly”. His deception was foiled after a staff member recognised Tobin from the media coverage.
Tobin was initially brought back to Scotland for failing to comply with his sex offender requirements.
Mr Swindle said: “So, you’ve got the person, you’ve got the individual, but you need to work round it all.
“Meanwhile, it’s very fast moving. There was huge media interest, rightly so, and you’re always thinking, ‘okay, it’s him, we’ve got to prove this’.
“And you have to prove it beyond reasonable doubt, and that was the issue. And then later on that week, we got the DNA. It was Tobin’s DNA. That is a significant development.”
Tobin denied any wrongdoing and went to trial despite the DNA evidence stacked against him.
Dorothy Bain KC, Scotland’s now lord advocate, was the prosecutor in the case.
Jurors heard how semen recovered from Angelika’s body linked back to Tobin, as did fingerprints on tarpaulin left at the scene of the crime. The victim’s blood was also found on a wooden table leg and on Tobin’s watch.
The defence, led by Donald Findlay KC, claimed any sex was consensual.
Suspicions were instead cast on to the parish priest at the time, who claimed he’d had a sexual relationship with Angelika, as well as a married man the victim was having an affair with.

Aneta and Wladyslaw Kluk, Angelika’s sister and father, at the High Court in Edinburgh in 2007. Pic: PA
Mr Swindle said: “What happened very early on with the murder of Angelika Kluk was what you see so many times in cases – victim blaming and victim shaming.”
Jurors saw through Tobin’s lies and found him guilty.
Judge Lord Menzies described the rapist and murderer as an “evil man” as he handed down a life sentence with at least 21 years behind bars in May 2007.
The killer kicked a press photographer to the ground as he was led from the High Court in Edinburgh.

Tobin at the High Court in Edinburgh in May 2007. Pic: PA
Following Tobin’s conviction, what was then Strathclyde Police launched Operation Anagram to investigate his life.
Mr Swindle said: “As soon as I saw what Peter Tobin had done to poor Angelika – how organised he was, how methodical he was, the fact that he was using a false name, the fact that he gave a statement to the police in a false name before the heat was on him.
“He was 60 years of age. He’s done this before.”
Mr Swindle said “fortunately” there aren’t many serial killers in the UK.
He added: “Serial killers – they’re cunning, they’re controlling, they’re conniving, they can be charming, and that’s what we actually found out about Tobin, and they can be clever.”
Mr Swindle likened Tobin’s traits to that of Moors murderer Ian Brady and fellow Scot Dennis Nilsen, who admitted murdering at least 15 young men between 1978 and 1983.
Mr Swindle said: “And that’s when I thought we have to look at his whole life.”
As officers mapped the thrice-married Tobin’s movements over the years, it was discovered he was living in Bathgate at the time of Vicky Hamilton’s disappearance in February 1991.

Vicky Hamilton. Pic: PA
Vicky was just 15 when she went missing from a bus stop in the West Lothian town.
The teenager had been staying with her older sister in Livingston and vanished during a cold weather snap while making her way home to Redding, near Falkirk.
She was last seen alive eating from a bag of chips while waiting for her connecting bus.
The case was one of Scotland’s most high-profile missing person enquiries.
Sadly, Vicky’s heartbroken mother, Janette, died in 1993 without knowing what happened to her daughter.

Police searching Tobin’s former home in Bathgate in June 2007. Pic: PA

Furniture was removed from the property. Pic: PA
In June 2007, police searched Tobin’s old Bathgate home and recovered a dagger hidden in the loft space. A piece of Vicky’s skin was recovered from the weapon.
Vicky’s purse, which had been discarded in Edinburgh following her disappearance in an attempt to fool police she had run away, was submitted for testing and found to contain traces of saliva linking back to Tobin’s then young son.
It is believed the toddler may have put the purse in his mouth while playing with it.

Police conducting a search in June 2007 near to Tobin’s former Bathgate home. Pic: PA
There was no sign of Vicky, but the mystery would soon unravel nearly 500 miles away.
In October 2007, a search was conducted at Tobin’s old home in Margate, Kent, where he had moved to a few months after Vicky went missing.

Aerial view of Tobin’s old home in Margate, third from left. Pic: PA

A major search was conducted at Tobin’s former Margate home. Pic: PA
Officers believed he may have been involved in the disappearance of 18-year-old Dinah McNicol.
The Essex teenager vanished in August 1991 after accepting a ride while hitchhiking home from a music festival in Hampshire.

Dinah McNicol. Pic: PA
Her male friend was dropped off by the man, but she was never seen again.
Following Dinah’s disappearance, large sums of money were withdrawn from her bank account along the south coast. The location of the ATMs linked back to places Tobin had lived.

Police searching Tobin’s former Margate home. Pic: PA

Police recovered Vicky and Dinah’s remains from the back garden of Tobin’s former Margate home. Pic: PA
After 16 years, the mystery surrounding the disappearance of both Vicky and Dinah came to a close with the discovery of their bodies in the back garden of Tobin’s old Margate home.
Vicky had been dismembered.

Flowers placed on the ground where Vicky and Dinah’s remains were found in the garden of Tobin’s former Margate home. Pic: PA

Ian McNicol, Dinah’s father, visiting the Margate home after his daughter’s remains were recovered. Pic: PA
Prosecutors argued Tobin drugged the teenagers with amitriptyline, which he was prescribed at the time, before raping and murdering them.
Tobin once again denied any wrongdoing – despite his fingerprints being found on the refuse bags used to wrap the bodies – but was found guilty of both murders.
In December 2008, he was sentenced to at least 30 years in jail for killing Vicky. The following year he received a whole life order for the death of Dinah.

Lindsay and Sharon Brown, Vicky’s sisters, making a statement outside the High Court in Dundee following Tobin’s conviction in 2008. Pic: PA

Michael Hamilton and Ian McNicol, the fathers of Vicky and Dinah, outside the High Court in Edinburgh in 2010. Tobin failed to appear and would later drop an appeal case. Pic: PA
Tobin died on 8 October 2022.
The HMP Edinburgh inmate had been receiving palliative care at the city’s royal infirmary following a fall in his cell the previous month.
A fatal accident inquiry was held last year, which revealed Tobin was suffering from bronchial pneumonia, vascular disease and prostate cancer at the time of his death.
The serial killer’s ashes were later scattered at sea as no one came forward to claim them.
Tobin has long been suspected by police of murdering other women due to the sheer amount of aliases, cars, and homes he held over his lifetime.
Mr Swindle said: “Tobin’s killed other people – there’s no doubt about it.”
However, Tobin took his secrets to the grave.
Mr Swindle said: “Police Scotland were at his bedside when he was dying and asked him to do the right thing. He didn’t.
“It’s the ultimate control. It’s like Ian Brady – a narcissist. They lack empathy, it’s all about them.”

In 2010, Sussex Police searched an old home of Tobin’s in Portslade. Pic: PA
Tobin’s name was linked to the disappearance of Louise Kay, 18, from Beachy Head in Eastbourne in 1988.
The murder of Jessie Earl, 22, in 1980 was also reinvestigated as part of Operation Anagram.
Her remains were recovered in 1989 in thick undergrowth on Beachy Head, a place she would often take walks and the same area Louise disappeared.

Mr Swindle, left, at the police search in Portslade in 2010. Pic: PA
Mystery continues to surround dozens of pieces of jewellery recovered from Tobin’s possessions in Glasgow after he fled the church following Angelika’s murder.
Mr Swindle believes Tobin’s plan was to move Angelika’s body away from the crime scene – as what he did with Vicky – but police arrived before he could dispose of the evidence.
Mr Swindle said: “That phrase that’s used quite a lot – trophies. I don’t like that phrase. I think the word trophy sounds like a victory. I call it souvenirs from a horrible act.
“And Tobin, I thought, ‘he’s kept them, they’re souvenirs from a terrible act’.
“And to take it further, the jewellery is examined and there’s DNA profiles on that jewellery. Profiles of women, which we’ve never identified. Trophies is a horrible word.”
Read more from Sky News:
Man who had leg amputated after hit-and-run criticises sentence given to driver
Man stabbed to death by girl, 14, was ‘failed by state’, his parents say

Tobin at the High Court in Edinburgh in 2007. Pic: PA
Tobin has also been mentioned in connection with the Bible John killings, a series of murders that brought terror to Glasgow in the late 1960s.
The deaths of the three young women – who met their killer at the city’s renowned Barrowland Ballroom – remain unsolved.
Mr Swindle said: “I’m not convinced the same person was involved in these three murders.
“And there’s no evidence, I don’t think professionally and evidentially, that Peter Tobin killed these women either.”

Police outside Linlithgow Sheriff Court in 2007. Tobin was unable to attend the hearing linked to Vicky’s case due to an attack by a fellow inmate
Police Scotland has since scaled back Operation Anagram.
Mr Swindle retired from the force in 2011 but went on to set up David Swindle Crime Solutions.
As well as offering expert crime advice and spearheading independent case reviews, he can also be found on tour with his latest stage show, Murder: A Search For The Truth.
Mr Swindle additionally established Victims Abroad to help support families who lose a loved one in a foreign country due to homicide or suspicious death and are faced with confusing updates and legal processes in different languages.
Speaking of Operation Anagram, Mr Swindle said: “Throughout my long police career, I’ve worked in some big, big investigations.
“This, for me, is a career defining moment and also a personal and professional defining moment in my life.
“I’ve never worked on anything like it, and I hope never ever to experience it again. And I hope no other serving officers have to experience such horrendous things.”
UK
‘I think it’s appalling’: Man who had leg amputated after hit-and-run criticises sentence given to driver
Published
1 hour agoon
July 19, 2025By
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A man who had his leg amputated after a hit-and-run has criticised the “appalling” sentence given to the motorist – as he backed a campaign to increase the “shoddy” penalties for uninsured drivers.
Ieuan Parry also suffered a fractured skull when he was struck by the driver of a white Mitsubishi fleeing police at high speed near Ebbw Vale, South Wales.
The uninsured motorist fled the scene and Mr Parry – who had been working on the roadside of a closed lane – was left with devastating injuries and the “agony” of “phantom pain” following his amputation.
The driver – who had reached speeds of more than 130mph during the police chase – later tried to blame the incident on his ex-partner by calling 999 and falsely claiming she had stolen his vehicle, according to reports.
He was jailed for three years and four months in February 2024 after pleading guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving and perverting the course of justice. It is understood he has since been released from prison.

The car involved in the collision. Pic: Motor Insurers’ Bureau
Mr Parry – who asked Sky News not to name the motorist – said he felt “extremely frustrated” and “angry” about the driver’s actions and believes he should have received a longer prison term.
“I think it’s appalling to be honest with you,” the 27-year-old told Sky News.
“(The sentence was) not harsh enough for the seriousness of his crime.”
The Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB), which has been supporting Mr Parry, is now calling for fines for uninsured drivers to increase from £300 to £1,200, saying the current penalty “simply isn’t enough of a deterrent”.
Mr Parry was 24 when he was struck by the car while working by the A465 Heads of the Valleys road near Ebbw Vale in November 2021.
Describing the incident, he said he was using a leaf blower on the roadside shortly after noon when he heard a “droning noise” and looked up to see the vehicle coming towards him at speed.
“Before I had chance to do anything or move, I was struck – hit off my feet,” he said.
“That’s where the nightmare started.”

Mr Parry underwent five surgeries following the collision. Pic: Ieuan Parry
‘Excruciating pain’
Mr Parry suffered a fractured skull and a badly broken left leg that later had to be amputated below the knee.
“(I was in) excruciating pain on the side of the road,” he said.
“I remember asking: ‘Is my leg okay? Will I lose my leg?'”
Despite the severity of his injuries, Mr Parry tried to reach for his phone to contact work colleagues while lying in the road.
“I was more concerned about how it had happened – because I was in a coned-off lane,” he said.
“I wondered, ‘would there be more cars coming behind this car?'”

Some of the damage to the car following the hit-and-run. Pic: MIB
Describing his feelings towards the driver, Mr Parry said: “Obviously extremely frustrated… angry.
“God forbid it never happens, but if I ever found myself in a situation where I’d injured someone, the last thing I’d be doing is thinking about fleeing from the accident.”
Leg amputated
Mr Parry spent 17 days at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff where he underwent surgery on five occasions.
Recalling the moment he was told his leg would have to be amputated, he said: “A lot of things went through my mind in terms of work, the relationship with my girlfriend… how everything in my life that I’ve worked towards thus far was going to be flipped round on its head.
“I did find that very difficult to deal with… losing your independence, not being able to go to the toilet on your own, not being able to wash yourself, not being able to do even the simplest of tasks.”

Mr Parry said his life ‘flipped’ following the hit-and-run. Pic: Ieuan Parry
Since the amputation, Mr Parry said he has dealt with the “weird sensation” of “phantom pain”, which he continues to face to this day.
“It’s basically the nerves that still reside in my amputated leg sending signals to the brain,” he said.
“It’s almost like you feel as if your amputated limb is still there and you can get various sensations, from pins and needles and numbness…. through to quite severe pain.
“It almost feels like someone’s got a set of pliers on your toe and is squeezing it.
“Those sorts of pains, although they are getting better now, are still fairly frequent and they can immobilise you with agony.”
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‘My life is never going to go back to normal’
Mr Parry has also faced feelings of anxiety over the “massive change” in his appearance and his inability to do tasks he once found “very straightforward”.
He said he was “eternally grateful” for the support of his close family – particularly his partner Sophie who he married in June last year.
“There’s no way on this I’d have been able to cope with it on my own,” he added.
Since the collision, Mr Parry has started his own fencing and groundwork company but said: “I’ve come to the realisation that my life is never going to go back to normal as it was before.”

Mr Parry said he was ‘eternally grateful’ for the support of his wife Sophie. Pic: Ieuan Parry
He added: “I’m always going to have disadvantages and issues with mobility and completing tasks, where I would not even have thought twice about it before.”
Campaign to increase uninsured driving penalties
The MIB is calling on the government to increase the current £300 fine for driving uninsured to £1,200 as part of its new five-year strategy, called Accelerating To Zero, which aims to end uninsured driving for good.
What are the penalties for driving without insurance?
Police can issue a fixed penalty of £300 and six penalty points to anyone caught driving a vehicle they are not insured to drive.
If the case goes to court, the penalties can increase to an unlimited fine and the culprit can be disqualified from driving.
Police also have the power to seize and, in some cases, destroy a vehicle that has been driven uninsured.
A YouGov poll of more than 2,000 people found 78% did not think a £300 fine was enough of a deterrent and three-quarters supported increasing the fine to £1,200, according to the MIB.
The MIB’s chief executive Angus Eaton said uninsured drivers “wreck lives”, adding: “We believe that the current penalty of £300, which hasn’t changed in over 10 years, simply isn’t enough of a deterrent.
“We’re calling for the penalty to be raised so that it is double the average premium, to help eradicate the issue.”

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Mr Parry has backed the campaign, saying a fine for uninsured driving “definitely needs to be a lot more than £300”.
“For the fine to be less than an average insurance premium for the year, I think it’s a bit shoddy,” he added.
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “We take uninsured driving very seriously – it is dangerous and unacceptable.
“That is why the department is considering policy options on the motoring offences as part of the Road Safety Strategy.”
UK
Child who died in Minehead school coach crash was 10-year-old boy, police say
Published
17 hours agoon
July 18, 2025By
admin
The child who died in a school coach crash in Somerset on Thursday was a 10-year-old boy, Avon and Somerset Police have said.
A specially trained officer is supporting the child’s family, the force said, adding that two children taken to Bristol Royal Hospital for Children by air ambulance remain there as of Friday.
Four children and three adults also remain in hospital in Somerset.
There were between 60 to 70 people on board when the incident happened near Minehead, just before 3pm on Thursday.
The coach was heading to Minehead Middle School when it crashed on the A396 between Wheddon Cross and Timbercombe.

Pic: PA
Police said that 21 people were taken to hospital, including two children who were taken via air ambulance.
Gavin Ellis, chief fire officer for Devon and Somerset, said the coach “overturned onto its roof and slid approximately 20ft down an embankment”.
Rachel Gilmour, MP for Tiverton and Minehead, said the road where it happened is “very difficult to manoeuvre”.
“You have a very difficult crossing at Wheddon Cross, and as you come out to dip down into Timbercombe, the road is really windy and there are very steep dips on either side,” she told Sky’s Anna Botting.
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1:40
Tearful MP reacts to coach crash
It comes after a teacher at Minehead Middle School praised the “incredibly brave” pupils for supporting each other after the coach crash.
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“You have looked after each [other] in what was a life-changing event, we will get through this together,” they wrote on Facebook.
“I feel so lucky to be your teacher. I am so grateful to my wonderful colleagues during this time who were also fighting to help as many people as we could.”
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