UK

An “increasing number” of drivers are “choosing to ignore” the official diversion route around the M25 closure, highways bosses have warned. National Highways say they are making “good progress” to install a new gantry and a new gyratory bridge between junctions 9 and 10 of the motorway. The seven-mile stretch, through Surrey, closed at 9pm

James Anderson has announced he will be retiring from international cricket after England’s first Test against the West Indies this summer. Anderson, known as Jimmy, is England’s highest Test wicket-taker of all-time and is one of only three bowlers, and the only seam bowler, to reach 700 Test wickets. “It’s been an incredible 20 years

A social enterprise that hopes to train young people to protect the ocean has expanded to the UK. The Sea Rangers Service is now running from Port Talbot, after first launching in The Netherlands in 2016. They hope to restore one million hectares of ocean biodiversity by 2040, while training 20,000 young people, mainly from

A police officer has been shot in the leg with a crossbow during an incident in High Wycombe. Police say the incident took place as the officer was responding to reports of a man in his 60s suffering a stab wound in the Buckinghamshire town. A 54-year-old man, from High Wycombe, has been arrested on

A teacher allegedly planned a “date night” with an “Ann Summers scratch card” and “rose petals” before revealing to one of her alleged teenage victims that she was pregnant with his child, a court has heard. Rebecca Joynes, 30, allegedly took the teenager’s virginity when he was 16, Manchester Crown Court heard, and had sex

The King has joked about being “allowed out of my cage” on a visit to an army barracks in Surrey. As he was being led around, he told the commanding officer: “I do apologise for taking you by surprise, when this opportunity appeared and I had been allowed out of my cage, I wanted to

A driver who reached speeds of 93mph has been jailed for causing the deaths of two women. Benjamin Lewis, 31, was sentenced to 10 years in prison at Chester Crown Court on Wednesday. Ellie Crossley, 20, and her friend Rebecca Doughty, also 20, who were both from Connah’s Quay in Flintshire, died in the collision

A teacher accused of having sex with two teenage boys laughed and said “Oh shut up! Stop saying that!” when one of them told her he wasn’t old enough to drive, a court heard. Rebecca Joynes also became pregnant by one of the teenagers, referred to as Boy B, while she was on bail for

Police called to reports of a crocodile seen in flood water near an English village have escaped unharmed after discovering locals were fooled by a replica. Officers from the South Buckinghamshire team at Thames Valley Police investigated after receiving reports of the reptile’s head poking above the surface of waters near Cholesbury, a village near

The King and Prince Harry won’t meet up on Wednesday during the Duke of Sussex’s trip to the UK due to a timetable clash between a royal garden party and an Invictus Games event. Harry is in London this week, celebrating 10 years of the Invictus Games. Since his trip from California was announced there

Former Tory immigration minister Robert Jenrick has called for the Home Office to be split in two as part of a 30-point plan to curb migration. Mr Jenrick, who is seen as a potential Conservative leadership contender, has been ramping up pressure on Rishi Sunak over the issue after quitting his government post last year.

A police investigation is under way after a deer was found beheaded near to a cemetery in the Scottish Highlands. Police Scotland said it was alerted to the dead animal in woodland near to Glenurquhart Road in Inverness at around 5.30pm on Monday. The force described the incident – near to Tomnahurich Cemetery – as

England players have been briefed by police on action to deal with racist abuse on social media ahead of the European Championship. Mark Roberts, the head of UK football policing, revealed today that he explained the reporting mechanisms to the men’s squad preparing for the tournament in Germany. He said: “We were keen to speak

Prince Harry will not meet the King during his visit to the UK, Sky News understands. The Duke of Sussex is in London for an event celebrating 10 years of the Invictus Games. It marks the first time the royal has been in the country since his rushed visit to see the King in February

The flood of tourists to the Lake District is turning Lake Windermere green by driving algal blooms, according to new research. The study – funded by the UK Space Agency – is believed to be the first to examine the impact of visitor numbers on the ecology of the lake in Cumbria. Algal blooms are

The housing market is “finding its feet” with a slight increase in prices, particularly for flats, according to analysis from part of the UK’s biggest mortgage lender. Average house prices rose by 0.1% in April after falling 0.9% in March but on an annual basis grew 1.1% annually, up from 0.4% growth last month, Halifax’s

Russia has warned that Ukrainian strikes on its territory with UK-supplied weapons could bring retaliatory attacks against British military facilities and equipment on Ukrainian soil or elsewhere. During a trip to Kyiv last week, Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron said Ukraine “absolutely has the right” to strike back at targets inside Russia using British-supplied weapons. Russia’s

The body of a missing British holidaymaker – who disappeared after reportedly jumping off a party boat in Prague – has been found following the search of a river. Joop Sparkes, 29, had travelled to the Czech Republic with friends on Friday 26 April and had been enjoying the capital city’s bars and nightclubs during

West Ham have agreed a deal in principle with Julen Lopetegui to take over from David Moyes as manager at the end of the season, Sky Sports News understands. West Ham have agreed a deal in principle with Julen Lopetegui to take over from David Moyes as manager. Lopetegui, 57, has been out of work

“The moment you have it yourself you hear it everywhere, but for something so prevalent it’s not talked about at all,” says Patrick Keane. His right arm is plugged into a tube that runs up to a bag of clear liquid in a treatment room at the Royal Free Hospital in north London, one of