A TORNADO left a trail of destruction after it ripped through Northampton causing thousands of pounds of damage to homes and allotments.
Fences and trees were knocked down, tiles blown off roofs and large parts of an allotment destroyed on Saturday.
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An allotment in Northampton was badly affected by the tornado's impactCredit: SWNS:South West News Service
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The tornado was spotted at around 8.15pm yesterdayCredit: SWNS:South West News Service
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Thousands of pounds worth of damage was caused by the tornadoCredit: SWNS:South West News Service
Tina Brown said: "We were sitting watching TV when I caught sight of some large cylinder-shaped objects in the sky.
"I thought 'What on earth are they?'.
"Seconds later the wind got up really strong in our back garden, the sound was frightening.
"I was sitting near the window so I quickly moved away.
"Some large troughs I had against one side of my garden took flight and landed on the opposite side.
"My garden fencing is held up with thick concrete posts.
"One concrete post was blown down along-side two fence panels."
Laura Brown, from Moulton, said: "I saw you posted an article an hour ago saying it’s not treated as a tornado unless it touches ground. Well, I live on the outskirts of Moulton and it certainly hit the ground behind the back of my house.
"The allotments behind us had severe damage and we had sheds fully intact flying towards the back of our houses, trees came down, garden fences and walls, tiles off the roof of the houses."
Peter Hubbard, who lives just metres away, said: "The whole length of the allotments at the rear of our garden suffered extensive damage.
"I would say the width of the extensive damage was actually quite small where the funnel passed but it coincided with the row of sheds.
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Wooden fences were ripped up when the tornado struckCredit: SWNS:South West News Service
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A local resident surveys the damage causedCredit: SWNS:South West News Service
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The tornado could be seen moving along the Northampton countrysideCredit: SWNS:South West News Service
"Most had roofs torn off or turned over. Greenhouses in the path of the tornado were twisted and smashed.
"The large water tanks which, even when empty, must weigh 20kg had been thrown around like they were paper.
"Our house is about 40 metres away and our garden furniture was blown around but we suffered no damage thankfully.
"As it was around 8.15pm and still light there may have been people working on their allotments but we didn’t see anybody who was injured when we arrived."
Ben Ireland, who lives in Moulton, said: "Some areas are flattened, others look untouched.
"There are about 50 allotment owners on site looking at the damage.
"There's smashed glass everywhere." Tornadoes are fairly common in the United Kingdom, with an average of 34 reported every year.
The Met Office says a tornado is "a rapidly rotating column of air that reaches between the base of a storm cloud and the Earth's surface.
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They form in very unsettled weather conditions.
Many conditions need to be present for a tornado to form but, when these conditions are met, a violently whirling mass of air, known as a vortex, forms beneath the storm cloud".
It adds: "If it continues stretching and intensifying for long enough the vortex touches the ground, at which point it becomes classified as a tornado."
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The tornado ripped through the allotment yesterday eveningCredit: SWNS:South West News Service
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A number of allotment sheds were completely destroyedCredit: SWNS:South West News Service
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The tornado appeared close to homes in NorthamptonCredit: SWNS:South West News Service
The parents of a young man whose death in a crash sparked an international diplomatic row have dropped their legal action against Northamptonshire Police.
Harry Dunn, 19, was fatally injured outside RAF Croughton in August.
His family began legal action against the force and the Foreign Office after US suspect Anne Sacoolas left the UK, citing diplomatic immunity.
After seeing documents disclosed in the case the family said the "police are absolved of any blame".
The information provided for the court proceedings showed the force "could have done no more last August and September to ensure that Mrs Sacoolas was brought to justice", said family spokesman Radd Seiger.
Police had been "kept in the dark" by the FCO (Foreign & Commonwealth Office) about uncertainty relating to Mrs Sacoolas' immunity status, he said.
Mr Seiger said: "Our case remains that the documents clearly show how the police investigation was effectively stopped in its tracks abruptly when the Foreign Office told the police shortly after Harry died that Mrs Sacoolas had diplomatic immunity."
Northamptonshire Police previously said it was "not informed" by the FCO of the arrangements that allowed Mrs Sacoolas to claim diplomatic immunity.
A two-day judicial review hearing at the High Court in November is scheduled, with Mr Dunn's parents, Tim Dunn and Charlotte Charles, claiming the foreign secretary "obstructed justice" by allowing Mrs Sacoolas to leave the UK.
Northamptonshire Police were brought into the legal claim in January.
The force will continue to be involved in the claim as an "interested party", said Mr Seiger.
SAFARI park baboons were seen armed with knives, screwdrivers and a CHAINSAW as workers fear pranksters gave them weapons to wreck cars.
The primates at Knowsley safari park, Merseyside, are long known to pounce on anyone pausing in the enclosure and ripping off a windscreen wiper or mirror.
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Baboons have been armed with knives, screwdrivers and even chainsaws at Knowsley safari park, MerseysideCredit: Rex Features
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Workers fear pranksters are arming the pesky primates, who are known to pounce on anyone who pauses and rip off windscreen wipers and mirrorsCredit: Rex Features
Workers now fear they are being armed with the lethal weapons "for a laugh" by visitors to bolster their attacks and the apes have even been seen rummaging around toolboxes themselves.
One park worker told The Sunday Times: “We’re not sure if they are being given weapons by some of the guests who want to see them attack cars, or if they’re fishing them out of pick-up trucks and vans.
"They will literally go into people’s toolboxes and carry them around. One of the baboons was seen lugging around a chainsaw.”
Another worker said: “The baboons have been found with knives and screwdrivers. I do wonder if it’s some of the guests handing them out.”
And the baboon attacks are so inevitable that mechanics across the northwest of England have come to know the enclosure well.
One mechanic in Sale, Greater Manchester said people know what to expect at the park and that he has had two customers fall victim to the baboons this year.
They added that one minute kids want monkeys on the car and the next it has no registration plate - but the issue provides "good money" for the garage.
Knowsley reopened on June 15 with Covid-19 security measures after insisting it was as safe as a McDonald’s drive-through as visitors do not leave their car on the five mile safari drive.
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The 550-acre park, home to lions, tigers, rhinos, wildebeest and camels, dismissed reports of armed apes as an urban myth.
A spokesperson said: “We believe many of these stories have grown in exaggeration as they’ve been retold, with embellishment to make the objects that are sometimes found in the enclosure seem more exciting and unbelievable."
In 2012 car manufacturer Hyundai let 40 monkeys from the park loose on its New Generation i30 model for 10 hours to prove it had the strength for families with small children.
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Workers fear apes have been given the lethal weapons "for a laugh"Credit: Rex Features
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One worker said: "They will literally go into people’s toolboxes and carry them around. One of the baboons was seen lugging around a chainsaw.”Credit: Rex Features
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In 2012 car manufacturer Hyundai let 40 monkeys from the park loose on its New Generation i30 model for 10 hours to prove it had the strength for families with small childrenCredit: Rex Features
A Government source accused the EU of slowing down negotiations in all areas - not just on difficult issues such as fishing and the so-called level playing field. But the UK side is keen to leave the sticking points until last and make progress where they can.
A source told The Sunday Telegraph: "The particular way the EU insisted on parallelism led to paralysis.
“Obviously everything needs to be up for discussion, but it makes no sense to have everything going at the speed of the most difficult issues.
"Now they need to adapt their approach to make sure talks throughout the summer don't suffer from unnecessary roadblocks."
Boris Johnson’s Europe adviser David Frost warned "considerable gaps remain in the most difficult areas" after the last round of trade talks.
Nigel Farage has insisted the UK must be “completely free” of EU rules when the transition period ends on December 31.
Writing for the Express, the Brexit Party leader said: “We need to make sure that when we complete the withdrawal process on December 31, we are completely free of EU rules.
“Anything less than that would be a betrayal of the referendum vote and the huge general election victory.”
He added that the “best hope” for Britain amid the coronavirus crisis is to “emerge confident and strong is for us to be out of this failed project”.
Britons have reacted furiously to a demand from Michel Barnier for European fishing boats to be allowed access to UK waters beyond the Brexit transition period.
Reacting to the story on Facebook, one Express.co.uk reader said: "Barnier still treating the UK as if we haven't left.
"His demands no longer work. David Frost is right to stand for what is rightfully ours."
A second warned: "During the Brexit process and when the EU believed we wouldn't leave, they made us dance to their tune and treated us with total contempt.
"They had the power purely because of Remainers giving them the confidence to stand firm.
"Now they are the on the back foot and they know ultimately they will have to dance to our tune and they hate it."
Another outraged reader wrote: "He is threatening US with No Deal if we don't back down?
"Hasn't he figured out if he accepts our terms the EU gets some fishing on an annually renewable licence.
"If we leave on WTO term they get NOTHING. Our Waters, Our Fish, NOT the EU’s."
Boris Johnson’s strong stance on not extending the transition period beyond December 2020 has been praised by Brexiteer Emily Hewertson.
Ms Hewertson said: "I think we fell into the EU’s trap last time round when we were negotiating the transition period.
"We just kept extending it and extending and it obviously did not work.
"Finally, we have Boris who is strong and says ‘we are going to leave with no deal if you do not give us something’ and ding dong guess what we suddenly get something.
"The EU finally decided to budge a little bit, so I think we are in a really strong position now."
7.30am update: Informal talks to resume next week
The EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier will travel to London next week for informal talks.
The next round of negotiations is planned for the end of August.
Boris Johnson will set out his strategy to tackle obesity on Monday - including a 12-week plan for people lose weight and cycling being prescribed by GPs.
Ministers estimate that about two-thirds of adults in the UK are above a healthy weight.
Labour said "radical action" on obesity was long overdue.
It is not yet clear how much new money will be allocated to the anti-obesity drive.
Mr Johnson has admitted that his own weight was a factor in how badly he suffered from coronavirus.
The government estimates that overweight and obesity related conditions are costing the NHS more than £6bn each year.
There were nearly 900,000 obesity related hospital admissions in 2018/19, with obesity a risk factor for chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes, some cancers, liver and respiratory disease.
The "Better Health" campaign will aim to reach 35 million people in a bid "to help them lose weight and live healthier lives", the government said.
This will be supported by a 12-week plan that people can use to develop healthier eating habits, get more active and lose weight.
A government spokesman said: "Covid-19 has given us all a wake-up call of the immediate and long-term risks of being overweight, and the prime minister is clear we must use this moment to get healthier, more active and eat better.
"We will be urging the public to use this moment to take stock of how they live their lives, and to take simple steps to lose weight, live healthier lives, and reduce pressure on the NHS."
Under the plans, NHS weight loss services will be expanded so more people get support, and GPs will be encouraged to prescribe cycling in pilot areas identified as having poor health outcomes.
Surgeries will provide access to bikes and ministers are promising local cycling infrastructure will be improved.
This may include segregated cycle lanes, low traffic neighbourhoods and secure cycle parking.
The government is also expected to ban junk food adverts online and before 21:00 on TV, while promotions on snacks will be curbed.
According to the Daily Mail, restaurant and takeaway chains will have to publish the number of calories in the meals they serve - while shops will have to do the same with any alcohol they sell.
Labour's shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said the UK was facing an "obesity crisis".
"Radical action on obesity is long overdue. Years of Tory cuts to public health budgets and the backsliding on a pre-watershed ban on junk food advertising have left us with some of the worst rates of childhood obesity anywhere in the world," he said.
ONE of PC Andrew Harper’s killers has boasted how he’ll be “out one day” and moaned about being behind bars.
Albert Bowers, 18, along with 19-year-old Henry Long and Jessie Cole, also 18, were charged with the murder of the brave officer but were instead found guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter.
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Albert Bowers jokes at court in handcuffsCredit: Hyde News & Pictures Ltd
PC Andrew Harper and his wife Lissie
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The letter in which he moans about being bored in prison
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Bowers birthday card to his mum
Long, Bowers and Cole hugged each other to the sound of their cheering families as the verdicts were read out at the Old Bailey yesterday.
As he was waiting to face trial, Bowers sent celebration cards home to his mum Donna, who posted images of the cards on Facebook.
He also posted two two hand-drawn pictures of golfers and semi-literate handwritten notes, the Sunday People reports.
Bowers said: “Mum I know it ain’t a birthday card but I had to send you...
“I know it probley wont the best birthday but I’ll be out one day and we will have a better day wont we.
“Hope you had the best day you could of had.
“I pot two golf piks in that I done while I’ve been sat in me room bored. Love you mum xxxx” And in a card addressed to his sister, he whinged: “I wish I was out with ya.”
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Albert Bowers (left) and Jessie Cole (right) were pictured smirking as they arrived at court after being arrested over PC Harper's killingCredit: Hyde News & Pictures Ltd
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Deborah pictured with her tragic police officer son at his weddingCredit: Facebook
PC Harper was dragged to his death 'swinging like a pendulum' as he tried to stop three teens stealing a quad bike
The verdict has now been slammed as sticking "two fingers up at the criminal justice system" by chairman of the Police Federation John Apter.
He fumed: "What we see far too often is offenders who assault police officers or any emergency worker, who are then let off with nothing more than a slap on the wrist.
"There's got to be a deterrent, these are violent individuals. I support the increase but the increase in sentencing is worthless if it doesn't go hand in hand with a complete review and overhaul of the sentencing guidelines.
"At the moment it's almost the exception that people go to prison, that should be turned around. The exception should be that you don't go to prison."
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Henry Long, 19, (pictured) was driving the car that dragged PC Harper to his death
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Chairman of the Police Federation John Apter has slammed the verdictCredit: PA:Press Association
PC Harper's widow Lissie, who had only married her childhood sweetheart weeks before his death, wept as the decision was given.
She bravely read a heartfelt statement outside the court describing how she has her "own life sentence".
And she described her husband as "selfless, beautiful and heroic" and called his killers "senseless, barbaric and brutal".
Mrs Harper said: “In all honesty I am for the second time in the space of one year utterly shocked and appalled.
"The decisions made in these courts by strangers will never change the outcome that had already come to us."
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Lissie Harper said she was "utterly shocked and appalled" by the jury's decisionCredit: PA:Press Association
LISSIE HARPER'S HEARTFELT STATEMENT
LISSIE Harper said she was "shocked and appalled".
Speaking outside the Old Bailey, she told reporters: "I honestly thought I would be addressing you after a very different verdict.
“I had planned to talk of the beautiful future Andrew and I had before us, I expected my words to be so very different and in all honesty I am for the second time in the space of one year utterly shocked and appalled.
"The decisions made in the these courts by strangers will never change the outcome that had already come to pass. For many, many agonising months we have hoped that justice would come in some way for Andrew.
"We have put our faith in the justice system and all who work within it.
"We have waited with baited breath and heavy hearts as the dedicated prosecution barristers and investigation team of Thames Valley Police officers have worked tirelessly and who we thank sincerely for all they have done, as they stood in our corner and fought to make sure these men were made to repent for their barbaric crimes.
"No verdict or sentence will ever bring my incredible, selfless and heroic husband back.
The results from this trial I had hoped would bring justice but in reality make no difference to the heart-wrenching pain I will continue to feel for the rest of my life."
She continued: "Andrew was taken from us on that horrendous night last year and his life was stolen and the lives of his family and friends altered forever. This crime, whatever the outcome deliberated over in court, was brutal and senseless.
"The way in which Andrew was robbed of his life we all know to be barbaric and inexplicable. I am immensely disappointed with the verdict given today.
"Andrew served in Thames Valley Police with honour. He went out night after night risking his life for the safety and the wellbeing of the innocent as all police officers do with passion.
"Ultimately he laid down his life for us all and it pains me more than I can ever explain that this has not been appreciated by the very people who should have seen his heroic and selfless duty as so many other members of the public - total strangers - clearly do.
"Myself and Andrew's family will never come to terms with our new lives, we will never understand how such a beautiful, loving, decent human being could be dealt this fate.
"I now have my own life sentence to bear and believe me when I say it will be a lot more painful, soul destroying and painful journey than anyone facing a meagre number of years in prison will experience."
"Myself and our family will spend the rest of our days missing him, loving him and being utterly proud of the incredible man that he was.
"We will never forget the kindness that we as a family have received from all who have supported us over the last year - friends, family and total strangers and the almighty unity of the thin blue line. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you."
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PC Harper and his wife Lissie on their wedding day Credit: AP:Associated Press
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PC Harper was killed weeks after his wedding
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PC Harper's wife wept as the verdicts were read out at the Old BaileyCredit: PA:Press Association
Long, Bowers and Cole had watched the verdict via videolink after the jury had deliberated for almost two days.
The former had earlier admitted manslaughter, while all three had denied murder.
The trio are now facing substantially shorter jail sentences after being convicted of the lesser charge.
It came after the court heard a car driven by Long at "breakneck speed" swung PC Harper "like a pendulum" along a country lane, as he apprehended the teen gang during a botched robbery near Reading, Berks.
JURY PROTECTED DURING TRIAL
THE case was dogged by alleged attempts to "frustrate" the investigation and fears over jury nobbling, it can now be reported
Supporters of Long, Bowers and Cole had crowded into the public gallery of the Old Bailey as the case got under way in March.
But no sooner had it started, Mr Justice Edis brought the trial to a halt over an alleged potential plot to intimidate jurors.
He ordered extra security measures to protect the jury.
Without divulging details, he said police had received information "that an attempt is being considered by associates of the defendants to intimidate the jury".
The jury was provided with a private room, and anyone entering the public gallery was asked to provide proof of their identity. A third measure was kept secret.
When the case returned for retrial in June, security was stepped up.
Jurors were referred to by number rather than their name to be sworn in and uniformed police were out in force during a jury visit to rural Berkshire with a drone keeeping an eye overhead.
With the end of the retrial in sight, fears for its integrity surfaced on July 20.
An overly friendly juror was seen by a prison officer to mouth "Bye boys" to the defendants in the dock.
The female juror was discharged just a day before the remaining 11 men and women began deliberating on their verdicts.
While Bowers was so bored during the trial he fell asleep as the prosecutor showed jurors video footage of the Thames Valley Police officer being dragged to his death.
Jurors were told how the teens had tried to steal the £10,000 bike from the home of Peter Wallis in remote Bradfield Southend, when they were apprehended by PC Harper.
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Long drove up to 60mph to dislodge PC Harper
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Bowers was spotted sniggering with his other defendants during the trial
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Cole jumped through a car window to escape PC Harper, the court heard
An artist's impression of Henry Long (left) Albert Bowers (middle) and Jessie Cole (right) at the Old Bailey
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The gang had tried to steal this £10,000 quad bikeCredit: PA:Press Association
The gang had cased the property earlier in the day and later returned masked and armed with an axe, crowbars and a length of pipe to use against anyone in their way.
PC Harper and his colleagues came across the gang driving towards them on narrow Admoor Lane.
Cole unhitched the bike and dived through a passenger window to escape the hero cop who had got out of the unmarked BMW police car.
But PC Harper's ankles then got caught in the tow rope attached to the suspects' getaway car as they drove off.
He was dragged along the stretch of road at up to 60mph by the SEAT in horrendous circumstances.
The court heard that the officer - who was responding to the reported theft four hours after the end of his shift on August 15 last year - would have been rendered unconscious almost immediately and was unable to free himself.
PC Harper’s body was completely naked apart from his socks when discovered by the officer’s horrified colleagues.
The officer was "barely alive" but died at the scene a short time later.
His tragic and agonising death was just four weeks after marrying sweetheart Lissie Beckett.
Long initially denied involvement in the incident and told police in a prepared statement that he had been watching The Goonies and Fast And Furious DVDs.
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Jurors heard that he told detectives: "Look at me. Do I look like a murderer?"
Later, on September 18, when Long was charged with murder and conspiracy to steal, he said: "I don't give a f*** about any of this."
But during the trial Long finally admitted he had killed the police officer and said it made him feel “disgraceful”.
Mr Blaik added: "They had every opportunity to do that and it was a conscious decision by them not to assist police from the very outset, all the way through, and even during the trial."
Dashcam footage shows desperate search for 'murdered' PC Andrew Harper after his feet were 'whipped from under him'
PC Harper was probing the theft of a £10,000 quad bike when he became entangled in a tow strap behind a Seat Toledo (pictured)
PC Harper had worked four hours over his shift when he answered the call that would lead to his death
A sea of tributes left for PC Harper at his force's training centre
