Connect with us

Published

on

An amber weather warning is in force for millions of people across the UK – with parts of the country dealing with flash floods after some areas saw more than a month’s worth of rain in 24 hours.

The warning for heavy rain came into force at around 8:15am and will remain in place until 9pm, sweeping over Bath, Oxford, Reading and Milton Keynes.

The Met Office originally issued an amber warning covering Worcester, Birmingham, Nottingham and Hull before updating its advice.

A larger but less severe yellow rain warning is also in place until midnight covering the North East, the Midlands, the South East, much of the southern tip of England and eastern Wales.

Heavy rainfall has already seen parts of Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and London submerged – causing widespread travel disruption and damage to properties.

Follow live weather updates: UK on alert for ‘significant flooding’

SHARE WITH SKY NEWS

You can share your story, pictures or video with us using our app, private messaging or email.

::Your Report on Sky News apps

::WhatsApp

::Email

Met Office meteorologist Jonathan Vautrey has said Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and up towards the Wash and the Humber could see over a month’s worth of rain falling on Monday. Many places could see between 60mm and 80mm (2.36in and 3.15in) – with up to 120mm (4.72in) possible in a few locations, according to the Met Office.

People in Kent and Sussex woke up to rail disruption this morning due to flooding on the Hayes and Hastings lines.

The flooding, caused by overnight rainfall, has impacted signalling kit – the railway’s traffic lights.

The amber and yellow warnings in place in the UK. Pic: Met Office
Image:
The amber and yellow warnings in place in the UK. Pic: Met Office

The scene on one road in Dunstable at the weekend. Pic: Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue
Image:
The scene on one road in Dunstable at the weekend. Pic: Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue

A man from Northamptonshire has described the moment he saw a “wave of water” heading towards him during flooding on Sunday night.

Tim Maher and his partner Carol Findon, from Grendon, saw their two-storey home partially submerged overnight with more than a foot of water.

A tractor pulling a vehicle which is stuck in flood water in Grendon, Northamptonshire. Pic: PA
Image:
A tractor pulling a vehicle which is stuck in flood water in Grendon, Northamptonshire. Pic: PA

Flooding in Perry Barry, Birmingham. Pic: PA
Image:
Flooding in Perry Barry, Birmingham. Pic: PA

Mr Maher said: “We’ve had some damage to the carpets, settees and other furniture. The most difficult bit will be drying out the structure.

“We haven’t had much sleep and at least eight houses on our road have been impacted. It would be nice to get a permanent solution to this problem.”

Tim Maher looking out of the window of his flooded house in Grendon, Northamptonshire. Pic: PA
Image:
Tim Maher looking out of the window of his flooded house in Grendon, Northamptonshire. Pic: PA

Meanwhile, Newcastle and AFC Wimbledon’s Carabao Cup third-round meeting on Tuesday called off due to “extensive overnight flooding” at the London club’s stadium.

The Cherry Red Records Stadium in Wimbledon, which appears to have a sinkhole on the pitch, is closed as a result of the flooding. A rescheduled date for the Carabao Cup tie is yet to be confirmed.

Pic: Jordan Pettitt/PA
Image:
Pic: Jordan Pettitt/PA

It came as Woburn in Bedfordshire had about 108.8mm (4.29in) of rainfall overnight.

National Highways confirmed the A421 in Bedfordshire was closed in both directions between the A6 Bedford and the M1 J13 near Marston Moretaine due to flooding.

It came as Bedfordshire Police said it had closed off part of Dunstable High Street due to “substantial flooding”, with footage shared on social media showing cars battling high water around the Saracen’s Head pub.

The force has said it is aware of “multiple issues” caused by the weather and urged people to only contact them if “there is an immediate threat to life or crime in progress”.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Flooding turns roads into rivers

“All emergency services and council teams are working as quickly as possible to help those affected but our priority will be the vulnerable,” it said.

“Please stay clear of flooded roads and affected areas.”

See the Sky News forecast for your area

A flooded road in Dagnall, Buckinghamshire
Image:
A flooded road in Dagnall, Buckinghamshire


A repeat of Friday's gloomy scene on the M3 looks likely today. Pic: PA
Image:
Drivers faced wet weather on the M3 motorway near Basingstoke on Friday. Pic: PA

The Met Office said some areas were at particular risk because the land is already sodden from storms in recent days.

Sky News weather producer Jo Robinson has said parts of the South were hammered with nearly two months of heavy rainfall on Sunday.

Many places have basked in higher than average temperatures over the last few weeks – but that was probably summer’s last hurrah as autumn beds in.

As of 9am on Monday, 17 flood warnings – meaning flooding is expected – were issued for England by the Environment Agency.

Areas affected by the flood warnings include Atherstone in Warwickshire, Leighton Buzzard and Luton in Bedfordshire and parts of London including Wimbledon and South Ruislip.

Follow Sky News on WhatsApp
Follow Sky News on WhatsApp

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

Tap here

Read more from Sky News:
Hezbollah deputy delivers chilling message to West
See if you’re eligible for free vaccines as ‘tripledemic’ approaches
‘Disturbing’ sculpture ‘not meant to upset’

Environment Agency flood duty manager Sarah Cook said: “Persistent heavy rain and thunderstorms could lead to significant surface water flooding on Monday across parts of England.

“The impacts could include localised flooding in urban areas and fast-responding catchments, including some property flooding as well as travel disruption. The risk from river flooding remains low.

“Environment Agency teams are out on the ground and ready to support local authorities in responding to surface water flooding.”

Monday’s downpours are forecast to ease overnight into Tuesday, but the rain is set to be persistent for many this week.

“Through Wednesday and Thursday, unsettled weather is set to return as frontal systems move in from the Atlantic, bringing showers or longer spells of rain to many parts of the UK,” said Met Office deputy chief meteorologist David Oliver.

Meanwhile, Sunday also marked the autumnal equinox – when the day and night are the same length.

Astronomers regard it as the start of the season but weather forecasters generally count the season as beginning on 1 September.

Continue Reading

UK

Russell Brand charged with rape and sexual assault

Published

on

By

Russell Brand charged with rape and sexual assault

Russell Brand has been charged with rape and two counts of sexual assault between 1999 and 2005.

The Metropolitan Police say the 50-year-old comedian, actor and author has also been charged with one count of oral rape and one count of indecent assault.

The charges relate to four women.

He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday 2 May.

Police have said Brand is accused of raping a woman in the Bournemouth area in 1999 and indecently assaulting a woman in the Westminster area of London in 2001.

He is also accused of orally raping and sexually assaulting a woman in Westminster in 2004.

The fourth charge alleges that a woman was sexually assaulted in Westminster between 2004 and 2005.

Police began investigating Brand, from Oxfordshire, in September 2023 after receiving a number of allegations.

Read more from Sky News:
Mum spared prison after son’s death
Last UK blast furnaces days from closure
Ship owner files legal claim after North Sea crash

The comedian has previously denied the accusations, and said all his sexual relationships were “absolutely always consensual”.

Met Police Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, who is leading the investigation, said: “The women who have made reports continue to receive support from specially trained officers.

“The Met’s investigation remains open and detectives ask anyone who has been affected by this case, or anyone who has any information, to come forward and speak with police.”

Continue Reading

UK

Last UK blast furnaces days from closure as Chinese owners cut off crucial supplies

Published

on

By

Last UK blast furnaces days from closure as Chinese owners cut off crucial supplies

​​​​​​​The last blast furnaces left operating in Britain could see their fate sealed within days, after their Chinese owners took the decision to cut off the crucial supply of ingredients keeping them running. 

Jingye, the owner of British Steel in Scunthorpe, has, according to union representatives, cancelled future orders for the iron ore, coal and other raw materials needed to keep the furnaces running.

The upshot is that they may have to close next month – even sooner than the earliest date suggested for its closure.

Read more: Thousands of jobs at risk as British Steel consults unions over closure

The fate of the blast furnaces – the last two domestic sources of virgin steel, made from iron ore rather than recycled – is likely to be determined in a matter of days, with the Department for Business and Trade now actively pondering nationalisation.

The upshot is that even as Britain contends with a trade war across the Atlantic, it is now working against the clock to secure the future of steelmaking at Scunthorpe.

British Steel proceesing

The talks between the government and Jingye broke down last week after the Chinese company, which bought British Steel out of receivership in 2020, rejected a £500m offer of public money to replace the existing furnaces with electric arc furnaces.

More on China

The sum is the same one it offered to Tata Steel, which has shut down the other remaining UK blast furnaces in Port Talbot and is planning to build electric furnaces – which have far lower carbon emissions.

These steel workers could soon be out of work
Image:
These steel workers could soon be out of work

However, the owners argue that the amount is too little to justify extra investment at Scunthorpe, and said last week they were now consulting on the date of shutting both the blast furnaces and the attached steelworks.

Since British Steel is the main provider of steel rails to Network Rail – as well as other construction steels available from only a few sites in the world – the closure would leave the UK more reliant on imports for critical infrastructure sites.

British Steel in action

However, since the site belongs to its Chinese owners, a decision to nationalise the site would involve radical steps government officials are wary of taking.

They also fear leaving taxpayers exposed to a potentially loss-making business for the long run.

British Steel

The dilemma has been heightened by the sharp turn in geopolitical sentiment following Donald Trump’s return to the White House.

The incipient trade war and threatened cut in American support to Europe have sparked fresh calls for countries to act urgently to secure their own supplies of critical materials, especially those used for defence and infrastructure.

Read more:
Car manufacturers fined £461m for collusion
There were no winners from Trump’s tariff gameshow

Gareth Stace, head of UK Steel, the industry lobby group, said: “Talks seem to have broken down between government and British Steel.

“My advice to government is: please, Jonathan Reynolds, Business Secretary, get back round that negotiating table, thrash out a deal, and if a deal can’t be found in the next few days, then I fear for the very future of the sector, but also here for Scunthorpe steelworks.”

British Steel declined to comment.

Continue Reading

UK

Prince Andrew’s Pitch@Palace branded ‘crude attempt to enrich himself’ as Chinese spy documents set to be released

Published

on

By

Prince Andrew's Pitch@Palace branded 'crude attempt to enrich himself' as Chinese spy documents set to be released

Prince Andrew’s efforts to make money from his Pitch@Palace project have been branded as a “crude attempt to enrich himself” at the expense of “unsuspecting tech founders”, as new documents may shed more light on what he and his team have been attempting to sell.

Today is the deadline for documents to be released relating to Prince Andrew‘s former senior adviser Dominic Hampshire and his interactions with the alleged Chinese spy Yang Tengbo.

In February, an immigration tribunal heard how the intelligence services had contacted Mr Hampshire about Mr Yang back in 2022. Mr Yang helped set up Pitch@Palace China, a branch of the duke’s scheme to help young entrepreneurs.

The alleged Chinese spy, Yang Tengbo, has links with Prince Andrew
Image:
The alleged Chinese spy, Yang Tengbo, has links with Prince Andrew

Pic: Pitch@Palace
Image:
Yang Tengbo. Pic: Pitch@Palace

Judges banned Mr Yang from the UK, saying his association with a senior royal had made Prince Andrew “vulnerable” and posed a threat to national security. Mr Yang challenged that decision at the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC).

Since that hearing, media organisations have applied for certain documents relating to the case and Mr Hampshire’s support for Mr Yang to be made public. SIAC agreed to release some information of public interest. It is hoped they may include more details on deals that he was trying to do on behalf of Prince Andrew.

So what do we know about potential deals for Pitch@Palace so far?

In February, Sky News confirmed that palace officials had a meeting last summer with tech funding company StartupBootcamp to discuss a potential tie-up between them and Prince Andrew relating to his Pitch@Palace project.

More on Prince Andrew

The palace wasn’t involved in the fine details of a deal but wanted guarantees to make sure it wouldn’t impact the Royal Family in the future. Sky News understands from one source that the price being discussed for Pitch was around £750,000 – there are, however, reports that a deal may have stalled.

Photos we found on the Chinese Chamber of Commerce website show an event held in Asia between StartupBootcamp and Innovate Global, believed to be an offshoot of Pitch.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Who is alleged Chinese spy, Yang Tengbo?

Documents, released in relation to the investigations into Mr Tengbo, have also shown how much the duke has always seen Pitch as a way of potentially making money. One document from 21 August 2021 clearly states “the duke needed money at the time, and saw the relationships with China through Pitch as one possible source of funding”.

But Prince Andrew’s apparent intention to use Pitch to make money has led to concerns about whether he is unfairly using the contacts and information he gained when he was a working royal.

Norman Baker, former MP and author of books on royal finances, believes it is “a crude attempt to enrich himself” and goes against what the tech entrepreneurs thought they were signing up for.

Read more:
Who is Yang Tenbo?
Virginia Giuffre says she has days to live
Emails between Andrew and Epstein revealed

He told Sky News: “The data given by these business people was given on the basis it was an official operation and not something for Prince Andrew, and so in my view, Prince Andrew had no right legally or morally to take the data which has been collected, a huge amount of data, and sell it…

“And quite clearly if you’re going to sell it off to StartupBootcamp, that is not what people had in mind. The entrepreneurs who joined Pitch@Palace did not do so to enrich Prince Andrew,” he said.

Rich Wilson was one tech entrepreneur who was approached at the start of Pitch@Palace to sign up, but he stepped away when he spotted a clause in the contract saying they’d be entitled to 2% equity in any funding he secured.

He feels Prince Andrew is continuing to use those he made a show of supporting.

He said: “It makes me feel sick. I think it’s terrible – that he is continuing to exploit unsuspecting tech founders in this way. A lot of them, I’m quite grey and old in the tooth now, I saw it coming, but clearly most didn’t. And a lot of them were quite young.

“It’ll be their first venture and you’re learning on the trot, so to speak. So to take advantage of people in such a major way – that’s an awful, sickening thing to do.”

We approached StartupBootcamp who said they had no comment to make, and the Duke of York’s office did not respond.

With reports that a deal may have stalled, it could be a big setback for the duke – especially with questions still about how he’ll continue to pay for his home on the Windsor estate now that the King no longer gives him financial support.

Continue Reading

Trending