Afghanistan: UK pressure over Taliban safe passage pledge - BBC News

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The UK is seeking international agreement to ensure the Taliban sticks to its commitment to allow safe passage for Afghans and foreign nationals who want to leave Afghanistan.

A series of diplomatic meetings will be held this week with Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab set to hold talks with Turkish and Qatari officials.

It comes as troops arrived back in the UK after ending their Afghan operation.

The government says it will continue to help people eligible for resettlement.

While more than 15,000 people have been evacuated by the UK since 14 August, hundreds of people who are entitled to come to the country have been left behind.

It is feared that about 800 to 1,100 eligible Afghans, including those who worked for the UK government, and 100 to 150 British were unable to get on evacuation flights.

• Final flights arriving as UK's Afghan campaign ends
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• A country abandoned: John Simpson on Afghanistan

The Foreign Office says the UK and many other countries had been given assurances by the Taliban that foreign nationals and Afghan citizens with proper documentation will be allowed to leave the country.

Even if the Taliban is true to its word there is still uncertainty for those who are able to get to its borders as processing centres have yet to be set up in neighbouring countries.

During the series of meetings to be held on Monday officials will try to rally the international community to make sure the group keeps its promises.

Mr Raab will use a US-chaired virtual meeting to talk to representatives from Turkey and Qatar, who are considered to have more influence over the militant group than Western nations.

During the discussions, which will also include G7 counterparts and Nato, the foreign secretary is expected to underline that Afghanistan must not become a haven for terrorists, with stability in the region a priority, and will underline the need to hold the Taliban to account over human rights promises.

A meeting of the ambassadors from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the US, France, China, Russia and the UK - will also take place.

On Sunday Boris Johnson said the UK and its allies would "engage with the Taliban not on the basis of what they say but what they do".

"If the new regime in Kabul wants diplomatic recognition, or to unlock the billions that are currently frozen, they will have to ensure safe passage for those who wish to leave the country, to respect the rights of women and girls, to prevent Afghanistan from, again, becoming an incubator for global terror, because that would be disastrous for Afghanistan," he said.

Labour has criticised the government's handling of the crisis and accused ministers of being "missing in action".

Shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy has written to Mr Raab warning him that the government was working with a "serious underestimate" of the number of people eligible for evacuation who had been left behind.

The BBC's Lyse Doucet, in Kabul, says she and her colleagues are still receiving urgent SOS messages from Afghans who feel threatened by the Taliban.

They include musicians, university students and female politicians, and many say the Taliban are stopping them from leaving.

What happens to Afghan refugees coming to the UK?

• Arrivals on official flights enter a 10-day Covid quarantine in a hotel
• Government officials and local authorities are trying to find them permanent homes
• A shortage of suitable accommodation means many will be placed in hotels
• Some will get refugee status and can live in the UK permanently
• Others will get a five-year visa to live and work in the UK - and can then apply for permanent residence
• Afghans arriving independently will enter the normal system for asylum claims - which has a backlog of 70,000 people
• These people cannot settle, or work, while their claims are considered

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2021-08-30 02:21:37Z
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Britain faces biggest terror threat in years, Boris Johnson is warned - Daily Mail

Britain faces biggest terror threat in years, Boris Johnson is warned as PM calls on Taliban to stop Afghanistan becoming base for Islamist terrorists again

• Former counter-terrorism adviser and commander in Afghanistan Richard Kemp said UK faced 'greatest danger from terrorism since Islamic State at its height'
• The terror threat level is currently 'substantial' meaning a terrorist attack is likely
• It comes as Boris Johnson hinted Taliban could get diplomatic recognition if it stopped Afghanistan from turning into a base for Islamist terrorists once again

By Katie Feehan For Mailonline

Published: 02:01 BST, 30 August 2021 | Updated: 02:05 BST, 30 August 2021

Former counter-terrorism adviser and commander of troops in Afghanistan Col Richard Kemp (pictured) said the UK faced the 'greatest danger from terrorism since Islamic State was at its height'

Britain is facing the biggest terror threat in years, experts have warned Prime Minister Boris Johnson. 

Former commander of British troops in Afghanistan Colonel Richard Kemp yesterday said the UK faced 'the greatest danger from terrorism since Islamic State at its height'.

The threat could be bigger than that posed by ISIS and Britain faces an 'extremely dangerous' situation, he told Times Radio.

He said the Taliban 'will allow and probably encourage jihadists to pour into the country from around the world, who plan, meet, prepare, train, organise and carry out strikes against the West from Afghanistan.'

The current threat level, which is determined by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, is 'substantial' which means an attack is likely and is the third highest rating.

The levels above substantial are severe, which means an attack is highly likely, and critical which means an attack is highly likely in the near future.

Col Kemp previously urged the Government to raise the threat level to severe as he warned there is an 'immediately increased threat from British jihadists inspired and motivated by events in Afghanistan'. 

It comes as Boris Johnson urged the Taliban to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a base for Islamist terrorists.

Boris Johnson has said the Taliban could get diplomatic recognition if they ensure safe passage for those who wish to leave the country. Pictured: Cargo plane at RAF Brize Norton

Members of the British armed forces disembark a C-17 aircraft after landing at Brize Norton

HOW THE UK'S TERROR THREAT LEVELS WORK

The threat level for the UK from international terrorism is set by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC).

Analysts take a variety of factors into consideration before determining the appropriate threat level for the UK.

This could include available intelligence, an examination of known terrorist capabilities and the timescale.

There are five levels of the terror threat system. These are:

LOW - an attack is highly unlikely

MODERATE - an attack is possible, but not likely

SUBSTANTIAL - an attack is likely

SEVERE - an attack is highly likely

CRITICAL - an attack is highly likely in the near future

The last time the UK was facing a severe terror threat level was from July 2019 to November 2019 at which point it was downgraded to substantial. 

The threat level has only been critical twice since 2010 - once in May 2017 for four days and once in September 2017 for two days.

The critical levels followed the Manchester Arena bombing and the Parsons Green bombing respectively.  

Mr Johnson said on Sunday: 'If the new regime in Kabul wants diplomatic recognition, or to unlock the billions that are currently frozen, they will have to ensure safe passage for those who wish to leave the country, to respect the rights of women and girls, to prevent Afghanistan from, again, becoming an incubator for global terror, because that would be disastrous for Afghanistan.'

Meanwhile, Tobias Ellwood, Tory chairman of the Commons defence select committee, warned that 'terrorism will raise its ugly face again' and that drone strikes would not defeat it.

A government source told the Sunday Times there was no intelligence suggesting Isis posed a greater threat to Britain as a result of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.

The source said that Isis-K was also opposed to the Taliban and there was 'no evidence they have the capacity to launch attacks outside Afghanistan's border'.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and other officials are set to focus on future engagement with the Taliban in a bid to find an international consensus on how to deal with Afghanistan's new regime.

A series of diplomatic meetings are planned for the coming days, after the UK pulled its final troops and diplomatic staff out of Afghanistan on Saturday.

Diplomatic sources suggested Mr Raab would be setting out how the response to the Taliban must be pragmatic and based on the group's actions.

The Government has previously insisted that how the new regime in Afghanistan would be received and engaged with was a decision that had to be made in agreement with international partners.

Mr Raab will on Monday take part in a meeting with G7 counterparts, Nato, Qatar and Turkey.

He is expected to underline how Afghanistan must not become a haven for terrorists, and that stability in the region must be a priority.

The final UK troops and diplomatic staff were airlifted from Kabul on Saturday, drawing to a close a 20-year engagement and a two-week op to rescue UK nationals and Afghan allies

He will also stress the need to hold the Taliban to account on their human rights promises.

Top of the agenda is expected to be the Taliban's promise to allow safe passage for foreign nationals and Afghans authorised to enter third countries.

It follows a statement from the UK and more than 90 other countries and organisations that said assurances had been received to this effect from the Taliban.

The Prime Minister's special representative for Afghan transition, Sir Simon Gass, will also push the same messages in Doha.

The pledge is particularly important amid fears that the numbers of Afghans left behind who may be eligible for resettling was far higher than Government estimates.  

On Saturday, chairman of the foreign affairs select committee and Tory MP Tom Tugendhat described the UK's efforts to withdraw people from Afghanistan as a 'sprint finish after a not exactly sprint start'.

On Sunday former head of the British Army General Lord Richard Dannatt said it was 'unfathomable why it would appear that the Government was asleep on watch'.

'We should have done better, we could have done better. It absolutely behoves us to find out why the Government didn't spark up faster,' he told Times Radio.

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2021-08-30 01:01:51Z
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Afghanistan: Pen Farthing has 'mixed emotions' after landing in UK with animals - but without his staff - Sky News

A former Royal Marine who founded an animal shelter in Afghanistan has expressed "mixed emotions" after landing in the UK with nearly 170 dogs and cats.

Paul "Pen" Farthing was trying to get his staff and rescue animals out of Kabul when they became caught up in Thursday's airport bomb blasts.

His privately-funded charter flight landed at London's Heathrow Airport on Sunday morning - but his 24 staff and dependents from the Nowzad shelter were not on board.

Image: Mr Farthing's Operation Ark campaign has proved hugely divisive, attracting huge support and controversy

Dominic Dyer, a friend and animal welfare campaigner, said the former British soldier was forced to travel back alone after being told it was not possible to find people to fill the plane's seats.

He said the shelter staff were "still in their homes", adding that efforts would be made to try to get them out of Afghanistan.

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He added that they are among thousands of Afghans "that have a right to leave the country but actually have no safe passage out at the moment".

Mr Farthing tweeted: "Arrived Heathrow with partial success of #OpArk.

More on Afghanistan

"Mixed emotions and true deep feeling of sadness for Afghan today.

"Witnessed 1st hand the compassion Heathrow is showing Afghan refugees."

Mr Farthing said his team made it inside the airport perimeter on Friday, but was turned away after US President Joe Biden changed paperwork rules two hours earlier.

The nearly 100 dogs and 70 cats on the flight were almost all "healthy", with the dogs placed in kennels, according to Mr Dyer.

Arrived Heathrow with partial success of #OpArk Mixed emotions & true deep feeling of sadness for Afghan today. Heathrow Ops centre, Border Force, HARC & Air Pets were all bloody amazing. Witnessed 1st hand the compassion Heathrow is showing Afghan refugees. 🙏🏼❤️#AboveAndBeyond

— Pen Farthing (@PenFarthing) August 29, 2021

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Mr Dyer claimed an appeal was made to the UK government "to see if we could fill seats with refugees within the airport", but the response was that "there was no one they could find".

Mr Farthing's "Operation Ark" campaign attracted a lot of support on social media, but the defence secretary said it distracted from efforts to evacuate vulnerable people.

The former Royal Marine, originally from Dovercourt in Essex, set up the Nowzad animal shelter in Kabul after serving in Afghanistan in the mid-2000s.

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2021-08-29 21:08:32Z
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Nicola Sturgeon self-isolating after close contact tests positive for covid - Daily Record

Nicola Sturgeon has been forced to self-isolate after being identified as a close contact of someone who has tested positive for covid.

The First Minister took to social media earlier this evening to say she has taken a PCR test after being pinged.

In a tweet to her more than 1.4 million followers the SNP leader thanked the contacted tracers from NHS Test and Protect for their work during the pandemic.

It comes as Scotland recorded its highest daily coronavirus rate since the pandemic began.

A total of 7,113 Scots returned positive tests from the deadly virus in last 24-hour period.

Sturgeon tweeted: "I’ve had notification tonight that I’ve been identified as a close contact of someone who is positive for Covid.

"Accordingly, and in line with the rules, I’ll be self-isolating pending a PCR test result.

"My thanks to all the contact tracers working so hard in NHS Test & Protect."

Scotland has seen a huge spike in covid cases over the last week with the daily rate broken three times over the last seven days.

New cases have more than doubled in a week, although the figure released on Sunday includes some tests taken more than 48 hours ago due to backlog and delays in the testing system.

The number of patients in hospital with recently confirmed coronavirus infections has also risen for the ninth consecutive day, reaching 507, with 52 in intensive care.

A further 17,655 vaccinations were carried out in the past 24 hours.

Of those, 3,233 were first doses and 14,422 were second doses, taking the totals to 4,101,311 and 3,655,287 respectively.

Earlier today Sturgeon tweeted: "We are seeing a rising curve of cases in Scotland.

"It's reassuring that vaccines are preventing the levels of serious health harms that case numbers like this would once have caused.

"However, we can't be complacent and are monitoring carefully. In meantime, please take care."

The SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford took to Twitter to send his best wishes to Sturgeon.

Scottish politics

He tweeted: "Best wishes to you and I hope you will be OK. You are rightly doing the right thing as you always would, as we all have a duty to do under such circumstances."

To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here.

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2021-08-29 19:32:57Z
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Tottenham vs Watford LIVE: Stream, score, TV channel – Premier League latest as Son free kick gives Spurs l... - The Sun

TOTTENHAM picked up their third win of the Premier League season with a 1-0 victory over Watford at home.

Heung-min Son's free-kick gave Nuno Santo's side a big three points at Spurs' Stadium.

JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply)

• Unfortunately, Tottenham vs Watford is not available to watch on TV or live stream in the UK.
• Tottenham XI: Lloris, Tanganga, Dier, Sanchez, Reguilon, Hojbjerg, Skipp, Dele, Bergwijn, Son, Kane.
• Watford XI: Bachmann, Cathcart, Troost-Ekong, Sierralta, Masina, Kucka, Etebo, Sissoko, Sarr, Dennis, King.

• THAT'S ALL FOR NOW!

  Spurs march on to the top of the table after a third win on the spin under new boss Nuno Espirito Santo.

  Son Heung-min got the only goal of the game just before half-time when his free-kick found the far corner of the net on his 200th Premier League appearance.

  It was a hard-fought win for Spurs against a battling Watford side, but the Hornets never really threatened Hugo Lloris.

  After the international break, Spurs head to Crystal Palace, while Watford host Wolves.

  Until next time!

  

  .Credit: EPA

• NUNO'S VERDICT

  Nuno Espirito Santo hailed his side’s battling qualities as they secured a third successive win to go top of the fledgling Premier League.

  He said: “It feels good. I think we did a good game, a consistent game. We knew the threat of Watford.

  “It was hard to find the spaces and gaps. In the second half we improved and had chances.

  “I’m very happy as the players worked very hard.

  “I’m proud of the players. They are the ones that deliver. We are on the way.

  “We’re not perfect but we’re becoming solid and compact, and everyone is working for each other.”

  1 - For the first time in top-flight history, Tottenham Hotspur will end the day top at the same time as Arsenal ending the day bottom of the table. Parallel. pic.twitter.com/Z926RdCCMa

  — OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 29, 2021

• FT: TOTTENHAM 1-0 WATFORD

  Spurs go top of the league thanks to a third straight 1-0 win.

  Son Heung-min got the only goal of the game just before half-time when his free-kick from the left evaded everyone and found its way in at the far post.

  Spurs weren’t at their fluent best but Watford only had a few half-chances without really threatening Hugo Lloris.

  With Harry Kane staying on, it's turned out to be a pretty good start to the season for the north London side.

  

• PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
  THE FINAL WHISTLE GOES!

• TOTTENHAM 1-0 WATFORD

  90. As four minutes of additional time are announced, Etebo tries to get Sarr in behind but he's caught offside.

• TOTTENHAM 1-0 WATFORD

  89. Hernandez goes for an overhead kick as Ngakia’s cross comes in, but he gets it all wrong and misses his shot completely. That could be that for the Hornets.

• TOTTENHAM 1-0 WATFORD

  87. Second change for Spurs as George Harrison lookalike Bryan Gil replaces Son for his Premier League debut. That was Son's 200th Premier League game.

• TOTTENHAM 1-0 WATFORD

  86. Skipp goes in the book for a foul on Sarr.

• TOTTENHAM 1-0 WATFORD

  85. The corner is headed down into the path of Kane. You expect the net to bulge but Bachmann pushes the shot away.

• TOTTENHAM 1-0 WATFORD

  84. What a run from Moura down the right. He sends in a brilliant low cross which Masina gets the slightest of touches on to turn behind. Kane was poised to slot the ball home into an empty net.

• TOTTENHAM 1-0 WATFORD

  81. Skipp gets a whack in the back from Kucka as he heads a Watford corner away. He’s okay to continue.

• TOTTENHAM 1-0 WATFORD

  80. Alli brings down Sarr near the centre-circle but play continues. The Spurs man is on a booking.

• TOTTENHAM 1-0 WATFORD

  75. Hojbjerg’s free-kick deflects off the Watford wall and forces Bachmann to tip it behind. 

• TOTTENHAM 1-0 WATFORD

  72. Bachmann’s kicking has been awful. He gives the ball away again and Moura pounces. He goes for goal but Bachmann palms his effort behind..

• TOTTENHAM 1-0 WATFORD

  71.  Final change for Watford as Tom Cleverley replaces Sissoko. The Frenchman gets a warm ovation from the Spurs fans.

• TOTTENHAM 1-0 WATFORD

  69. With Watford pushing forward, it’s opening up now for Spurs. Kucka makes a well-timed challenge on Kane as the striker shaped to shoot.

• TOTTENHAM 1-0 WATFORD

  67. Should have been 2-0. Son finds Kane and his cross is met by Alli who sends a first-time effort wide. Moura is on for Bergwijn.

• TOTTENHAM 1-0 WATFORD

  65. Another change for Watford as Cucho Hernandez replaces Josh King.

• TOTTENHAM 1-0 WATFORD

  63. Spurs don’t clear their lines from a Watford corner. The ball eventually finds Sarr on the right. He sets up Sissoko who sends his shot high and over.

• TOTTENHAM 1-0 WATFORD

  61. Alli takes out Sarr as he looks to break away on the counter. Into the book he goes despite his protests. It's 2-2 on bookings.

• TOTTENHAM 1-0 WATFORD

  59. Son goes for a curler from the edge of the area, but it’s comfortable for Bachmann.

• TOTTENHAM 1-0 WATFORD

  57. Sanchez tries an audacious flick from a Son corner but it's always rising and goes wide.

• TOTTENHAM 1-0 WATFORD

  54. Sissoko trips Skipp as Spurs look to break and is shown a yellow card.

• TOTTENHAM 1-0 WATFORD

  54. Fine driving run by Sissoko to the byline. He pulls it back to Sarr but his shot is blocked by Sanchez. Really good chance that.

  

  .Credit: Reuters

• TOTTENHAM 1-0 WATFORD

  53. Good work by Sarr down the right. His cross towards Kucka on the edge of the ara takes a horrible bounce and the Slovakian sends his shot miles over the bar.

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2021-08-29 13:25:51Z
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Ex-Team GB gymnast faces jail after sexually assaulting woman after bragging 'I'm going to f*** her' - Daily Mail

Former Team GB gymnast, 23, faces jail after sexually assaulting drunk woman after bragging 'I'm going to f*** her' to his friends

• Ex-Team GB gymnast Alexander Hicken, 23, has been convicted of sexual assault
• He abused a drunk woman, after he bragged 'I'm going to f*** her' to his friends
• Coach, who had a girlfriend, ignored her pleas to stop in the eight-hour ordeal
• He faces jail after he was convicted unanimously by jurors after a four-day trial 

By Kate Dennett For Mailonline

Published: 12:55 BST, 29 August 2021 | Updated: 12:55 BST, 29 August 2021

A former Team GB gymnast has been convicted of sexual assault after he abused a vulnerable and drunk woman, after bragging 'I'm going to f*** her' to his friends.

Alexander Hicken, from Basingstoke, who is now a coach at a renowned Hampshire gymnastics school, preyed on his intoxicated victim after she was put to bed at a party in August 2019.

The 23-year-old tumbling coach, who had a girlfriend, ignored the woman's demands to stop during the eight-hour ordeal and repeatedly sexually touched her, Winchester Crown Court heard.

The disgraced gymnast, who represented the junior Team GB at Loule Gymnastic World Cup in Portugal in 2012, faces jail after he was convicted unanimously by jurors after a four-day trial.

Former Team GB gymnast Alexander Hicken (pictured), from Basingstoke, sexually assaulted his intoxicated victim after she was put to bed at a party in August 2019

Prosecutor Emily Cook said Hicken's victim, who has been left with nightmares, had drunk so much Lambrini and vodka jelly shots that she 'had to be put to bed'.

Ms Cook told the court that the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was 'so drunk she was sick every time she moved'.

Hicken, who teaches children at Basingstoke Gymnastic Club, sat on the edge of her bed, rubbing her thigh and bottom, and was told to leave her room before he went to the pub.

Ms Cook said: 'On the way to the pub Alex Hicken was making claims about the victim and saying that he was going to have sex with her and then said "whoops, shouldn't have said that".'

He then went on a night out with his friends, where a witness said they overheard Hicken saying 'I'm going to f*** her'.

When he returned to the house, he 'was not finished' with her and went on to sexually touch and kiss her, before he was startled by others coming upstairs.

The 23-year-old tumbling coach (pictured), who had a girlfriend, ignored the woman's demands to stop and repeatedly sexually touched her, Winchester Crown Court heard

The victim said: 'I remember waking up and Alex was stood in the doorway. He came in, I asked him what he was doing.

'He said at that point "you just want a s*** or something", I said "I absolutely do not".

'He then went to get into my bed, and I asked him what he was doing. He said he just wanted a cuddle, I told him that he wasn't going to get it from me because I didn't want to.'

Hicken continually sexually assaulted his victim in an eight-hour time ordeal, where he repeatedly put his hand on her thigh and bottom, despite her pleas for him to stop and reminding him that he had a girlfriend.

Hicken also tried to stick his tongue in the victim's mouth after she had vomited and grabbed her body over her clothes whilst she lay 'scared' and 'crying'.

In the two days after she was assaulted, the woman made 27 separate searches on her phone in relation to sexual assault, the court was told.

The searches included 'how to deal with sexual assault,' 'mental health effects of sexual assault and abuse' and 'rape and sexual abuse helplines'.

The disgraced gymnast (pictured), who represented the junior Team GB at Loule Gymnastic World Cup, faces jail after he was convicted unanimously by jurors after a four-day trial

Friends of the woman said the incident in August 2019 had 'changed her' and she was 'distressed', while the victim said she still has repeated nightmares.

One friend told the court: 'It was almost as if the person I was so used to being with every other day wasn't there. It was almost as if it wasn't her.

'(She was) quite distressed in a way I've never seen her before. She normally takes stuff on the chin but this had really knocked her, so I knew something drastic had happened.'

The victim said: 'I have (nightmares) repeatedly. For a few months, it was every night.

'They were the same every night. I wake up panicked and have to check that he is not in the room.'

Hicken, who arrived at the court with his social worker, mother, father and deputy headteacher, denied the claims, with members of Basingstoke Gymnastic Club speaking in his defence.

Hicken will be sentenced at Winchester Crown Court in October.

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2021-08-29 11:55:40Z
CAIiEMKwOs9Cxaz_FJBfpKvhAMEqGQgEKhAIACoHCAowzuOICzCZ4ocDMM7TqQY

Fudstock festival: Three injured in Barrow fairground ride incident - BBC News

Fudstock

A woman has been critically injured and two others were seriously hurt after an incident involving a fairground ride at a festival in Cumbria.

It happened at Fudstock, which was being held at Cavendish Park, Barrow, on Saturday at around 20:30 BST.

Two of those injured were said to have been on the ride at the time, and two women and a man were taken to hospital.

Cumbria Police and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are conducting a joint investigation into what happened.

All three people who were injured were taken to Furness General Hospital and the critically-injured woman was later transferred to Royal Preston Hospital.

A second woman and a man who sustained serious injuries have been discharged.

No further details about those who have been injured have been released.

Festival organisers praised the "amazing" efforts of security staff who organised a mass evacuation of the site, which had around 3,000 people there, as well as the emergency teams who attended.

Fudstock

"Unfortunately there was a serious incident at the end of the night involving three people on one of the fairground rides," they wrote on Facebook.

"Our thoughts and best wishes are with those involved, as we await further news.

"We appreciate this is upsetting and we'd ask people to be kind and not speculate out of respect to the families and friends."

Police, ambulance, fire and air ambulance teams attended the scene, and a cordon has been put in place at the site.

A spokeswoman for the HSE said it was aware of the incident and was making inquiries.

Fudstock, which is a community event, launched in 2018 in memory of Barrow man Richard Thorne - known as Fud - who died from bowel cancer aged just 38, and whose dream it was to create a festival in his hometown.

It has raised and donated £60,000 for St Mary's Hospice in Ulverston, which cared for him before he died.

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Related Internet Links

• Fudstock 2021

• Cumbria Police

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2021-08-29 11:29:27Z
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