Author: Blake Foster

Brian Smith had woken up in bed to a sharp pain on the top of his right hand but went back to sleep because he thought he was dreaming. The 43-year-old spotted two small fang marks the next morning and became increasingly concerned. (Image: Kennedy News and Media) Brian was rushed to hospital via ambulance where doctors told him he’d had a reaction to a spider’s venom.They revealed his hand could only swell 20 per cent more before ‘exploding’ and hospitalised him for three weeks while the venom spread from his hand to his shoulders and left leg.The dad-of-three’s leg ballooned…

Croydon’s town centre taskforce is working to clear identified hotspots and respond rapidly to residents’ concerns. Recent efforts have been focused on Factory Lane car park, known as Pitlake, which was deemed unsafe due to build-up of waste and antisocial activities. The council, joined by police and other agencies, engaged with those involved to prevent future disturbances. A similar clean-up was conducted in the passageway between Lamberts Place and Bridge Place under Windmill Bridge, following public complaints about mess and unpleasantness. Plans are now in place to install new lighting in this area. Both sites will be regularly monitored by…

The incident happened in Commercial Road near the Rotherhithe Tunnel just before 9.50pm yesterday (April 3).  Officers and London Ambulance Service crews attended and found a man injured.  He was taken to hospital for treatment where his condition was assessed as life threatening.  The driver, a 19-year-old man, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He remains in police custody. A spokesperson for Metropolitan Police said: “Police were called to a collision involving a car and a pedestrian on Commercial Road, Limehouse at 9.47pm on Thursday, 3 April. “The pedestrian, a man in his 30s, was taken…

The hidden gems of Atlantic coastline and the delights of Belgium and The Netherlands can all be experienced in our two cruise offers this week.   Available from Ambassador Cruiseline, with the Pilgrimage and Pinot: Brittany, Compostela & Bordeaux Experience you’ll be able to immerse yourself in the stories, cultures, and natural wonders of the Atlantic coastline. The 12-night cruise will see you explore the maritime treasures of Belfast before sailing to the historical richness of Brest and the coastal allure of Lorient.  Continue to El Ferrol there is the option to visit Santiago de Compostela and Gijon, Spanish ports steeped in…

At one of London’s poshest and most expensive bars, the price of a cocktail starts at £25, and its priciest is set at an eye-watering £41.  The Coburg Bar inside The Connaght hotel is world-renowned for offering a one-of-a-kind experience that is unlike any other bar. The posh bar shares that it offers “rows of premium spirits and rare vintages, glimmering in the soft light” and “armchairs that invite you to stay for just one more.” London’s poshest bar where a pint costs £12 The Coburg Bar adds that it has a “warm, quiet and intimate atmosphere” filled with “the…

Founded by Helena Isaacs, the salon has grown from a small treatment room to a thriving beauty destination, offering everything from HD brows and lamination to bio sculpture nails, facials, and massages. Helena told the News Shopper: “The shop was my husband’s dry cleaners 19 years ago. The Isaac family (Image: Helena Isaacs/Immaculate Beauty) “Twelve years ago, we turned the front of it into a small beauty room while we were raising our children. “I knew I was outgrowing it, and through COVID, I realised it was time to expand properly.” After a three-year renovation, Immaculate Beauty had its grand…

Kaliyah Coa is still missing since police were first alerted of her entering the water close to Barge House Causeway, near London City Airport, on March 31 at 1.23pm. She had been playing during a school inset day at the time, police have said.  Emergency service crews attended and conducted a large-scale search in an effort to locate her, but the search later scaled down. However, the Metropolitan Police says that it is committed to finding Kaliyah as the search enters the fifth day.  Residents were alerted to a girl entering the River Thames after her friends were heard shouting and screaming. Shaleen…

The work will be carried out throughout the weekend and will affect trains on Saturday and Sunday (April 5 and April 6). We have outlined and simplified the details so you can plan your journey.   Saturday (April 5): Engineering work is taking place between Lewes and Seaford, closing all lines. Buses will replace trains, calling at all stations, between Lewes and Seaford all day on Saturday.   Sunday (April 6): Engineering work is taking place between Raynes Park and Epsom or Dorking, closing all lines. Replacement buses will run between Sutton and Dorking. Engineering work is also taking place in the East…

The work will be carried out throughout the weekend and will affect trains on Saturday and Sunday (April 5 and April 6). We have outlined and simplified the details so you can plan your journey. Saturday and Sunday (April 5 and April 6): Engineering work is taking place in the London Victoria area, closing all lines used by Southeastern. Trains between London Victoria and Ramsgate or Dover Priory via Chatham will run from London Cannon Street instead and run nonstop between London Bridge and St Mary Cray or Swanley. On Saturday, stopping services which only run between London Victoria and Gillingham…

Much of the UK will be dry and sunny on Friday (April 4), with temperatures in some parts of central England set to hit 24C, the Met Office said. So far for the year, the highest temperature recorded was 21.3C in Northolt, west London, and Chertsey, Surrey, on March 20. It means the country is expected to be warmer than Marbella and Ibiza in Spain, Mykonos in Greece and even Los Angeles in California, according to Met Office forecasts. The end of the week is fast approaching – but will the weather be any different where you are on Friday? Find…