A murder investigation is under way after a man and woman in their 30s died inside a house in a Somerset village where two young children were present at the property.
Officers were called to Dragon Rise in Norton Fitzwarren at around 9.45pm on Sunday where they found the two victims with serious injuries, Somerset Police said.
Paramedics tried to save them, but they were pronounced dead at the scene.
A force spokesman added that "two young children were inside the property at the time of the incident".
"While thankfully they weren't hurt, they are understandably distressed at what has happened," he said.
Advertisement
Image:Police tape around the street sign for Dragon Rise in Norton Fitzwarren
Two men, aged 34 and 67, have been arrested on suspicion of murder and are still in custody.
There is a cordon in place at two properties in the street and a "voluntary referral" has been made to the police watchdog due to "prior police contact with those involved".
More on Somerset
Related Topics:
Somerset Police said "it would not be appropriate to go into further detail until the referral has been considered".
Causes of death have not been established and post-mortem examinations will be carried out in due course, the force added.
Detective Inspector Neil Meade, of the major crime investigation team, said: "The thoughts of everyone in the force this morning are with the families of the two people who sadly died last night.
"They are being looked after and specially trained officers have been deployed to support the victim's families in what is undoubtedly the most difficult of times.
"While this appears to be an isolated incident, there will be increased police activity in the area to provide the community with reassurance.
"Incidents like this are very rare but when they do happen, we know they cause significant concern so we'd urge anyone with worries or questions to speak to an officer or contact their local neighbourhood policing team."
Anyone with any information should call 101 with the call-handler reference number 5221274497.
Boris Johnson faced a backlash from senior aides and ministers last night after a chaotic speech to business leaders and a Tory rebellion over social care.
The prime minister gave a speech yesterday morning to the CBI in which he praised Peppa Pig World, compared himself to Moses and imitated the noise of an accelerating car. At one point he lost his place and spent 20 seconds asking those present to “forgive me” as he shuffled through his papers.
He faced a rebellion later from senior Tory MPs over sudden changes to his social care policy after the government admitted that some people could have to sell their homes to cover their costs. Ministers launched a frantic whipping operation to contain the rebels, who included
A minister has failed to guarantee people will not have to sell their homes to pay for social care ahead of a possible Tory rebellion over the issue.
Paul Scully, the small business minister, told Sky News Boris Johnson's 2019 manifesto promise was a "single headline" and it is not possible to tackle the problem of paying for social care by boiling it down into one line.
MPs will consider whether to accept changes to the government's proposed social care reforms announced last week that mean any help from the government will not count towards a lifetime cap of £86,000 - only what people pay privately.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said "everyone will be better off" under the reforms but MPs of all parties have said those with assets between £20,000 and £100,000 will struggle to reach that cap so may have to sell their homes to pay for care.
Advertisement
Mr Scully told Sky News' Kay Burley: "There will be fewer people selling their houses and hopefully none.
"I can't tell you what individuals are going to do.
More on Social Care
Related Topics:
"What I'm saying is the social care solution is all about getting a cap above which you do not need to pay - that gives people certainty."
Pushed on whether Mr Johnson was lying about nobody having to sell their home to pay for care, Mr Scully added: "No, I don't think he was.
"He was boiling down a complicated message - which is why social care hasn't been dealt with in at least 10 years - to something that people could appreciate."
He added: "If we boil it all down to a single headline then you'll never tackle any thorny issue like social care."
What are the changes and why could they be unfair?
In September the government announced a new £86,000 cap on the amount anyone in England should have to pay for their care when they get older or unwell.
People with less than £20,000 in assets – value of their home, savings or investments – will not have to pay anything towards their care, which is up from £14,250.
Those with assets between £20,000 and £100,000 will also now be eligible for new means-tested financial support from their local councils to help with the cost of their care.
This is calculated by taking into account how much income you have – and whether you are nearer the £20,000 lower limit or £100,000 upper limit.
But changes announced last week reveal that those means-tested payments you receive from your local council do not count towards the £86,000 cap.
This has led to accusations it will be unfair on poorer people and those who live in areas where homes are worth less.
For example, if you have a home worth £90,000, under the new means-tested system, you will be eligible for local council payments to help with the ongoing cost of your care.
But those payments don’t count towards the £86,000 limit, at which point you no longer have to pay anything.
So the journey to that £86,000 will be slowed down by local council payments that don’t count towards the cap – forcing you to pay with your own money instead.
But because the £86,000 cap is universal, someone with a home worth £1million won’t get council support, but will reach the £86,000 cap quicker, and be left with more than £900,000.
Mr Scully insisted that there needed to be a cross-party consensus on social care.
Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt told the County Councils Conference the change to how the cap is calculated is "very disappointing" and is "a less progressive measure than was hoped for".
But he urged MPs thinking of voting to throw out the changes this evening to refrain from doing so as he said the cap is the most important change and how it is reached can be altered.
"Once this cap has been introduced at this current level, it will be entirely open to governments in the future to change the way the cap is calculated to make it more progressive going forward," he said.
"I think the really important thing is we have a cap which we didn't have before and so we have a system in place and we can then have a grown-up political debate about how the cap should operate on."
The PM defended his plans ahead of the vote, telling the CBI annual conference they are "incredibly generous and much better than the existing system".
"We are addressing a long-standing social injustice and it will benefit the people of this country," he added.
Image:Jeremy Hunt told the County Councils Conference the change to how the cap is calculated is 'very disappointing'
But shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth told Sky News the details on the cap are a "care con".
He told Burley: "If you live in a £1m house in the home counties, 90% of your assets will be protected if you need social care but if you live in an £80,000 terraced house in Hartlepool, Mansfield, Bury, Wigan, you lose nearly everything, that is not fair.
"That's not levelling up, it's daylight robbery so we're saying to Tory MPs 'join with us tonight in rejecting this proposal and instead ask the minister to retreat to the drawing board and come up with something fairer'."
A number of Conservative backbenchers have also been publicly critical of the proposals.
Former cabinet minister Damian Green told Sky News: "The flat rate means that you are much more likely to have to sell your house if you live in an area where house prices are lower, which is where most people are not well off, and that is monstrously unfair".
Former justice secretary Robert Buckland earlier said he was planning on voting against the plans during the vote at 10pm today.
Other backbench Tory MPs are expected to join him following lingering ill-feeling after being whipped to support former MP Owen Paterson in a standards row which the government then had to perform a U-turn on.
A teenage girl who died in a crash has been named by police.
The collision was reported on Saturday evening (November 20).
And the victim has been named as Keely Birks.
The 17-year-old was involved in a collision with a Vauxhall Astra at about 8pm and sadly died a short time later.
Her family and friends are being given specialist support by police officers.
The crash was reported in Harvey Road, in Allenton, Derby.
Derbyshire Police said: "Our investigation into the circumstances is ongoing but we can confirm that we have recovered the vehicle believed to be involved.
"We would like to ask for the public’s patience while we work to trace those involved, and urge people not to speculate on social media.
"Residents in the area around the collision site are likely to see an increased police presence throughout today as officers continue their enquiries.
"Detectives from the force’s specialist collision investigation unit are now wanting to hear from any witnesses who may be able to assist them – in particular any drivers with dashcam footage that may hold vital evidence."
Anyone with information is asked to contact the force, including reference 21*677767:
What is happening where you live? Find out by adding your postcode orvisit InYourArea
The taxi driver who survived the Liverpool terror attack has said it is a "miracle that I'm alive" in his first statement since the explosion on Remembrance Sunday.
David Perry and his wife Rachel have thanked the public for their "amazing generosity" in the wake of the attack outside Liverpool Women's Hospital on 14 November.
In a statement released by the police, Mr Perry said: "On behalf of myself, Rachel and our family, we would like to say thank you to everyone for all your get well wishes and for your amazing generosity. We are completely overwhelmed with it.
Image:Counter-terrorism police said the bomb contained ball bearings and could have caused 'significant injury or death'
"A special thanks to the staff at the Liverpool Women's Hospital, the staff and medical team at Aintree Hospital, Merseyside Police and Counter Terrorism Policing, who have all been amazing.
"I feel like it's a miracle that I'm alive and so thankful that no one else was injured in such an evil act. I now need time to try to come to terms with what's happened and focus on my recovery both mentally and physically.
Advertisement
"Please be kind, be vigilant and stay safe."
Mr Perry managed to escape when a suspected terrorist device exploded in his car on Remembrance Sunday.
More on Liverpool Terror Attack
Related Topics:
On Friday, counter-terror police confirmed that the bomb contained ball bearings and could have caused "significant injury or death".
Merseyside Police were called at 10.59am on 14 November to reports of a car explosion at Liverpool Women's Hospital.
Image:Emad Al Swealmeen, 32, died after his device exploded in a taxi shortly before 11am on Remembrance Sunday
Mr Perry's taxi, carrying 32-year-old Emad al Swealmeen, had pulled up to the hospital and exploded shortly afterwards.
Al Swealmeen, who had been picked up from the Rutland Avenue area and asked to be taken to the hospital about 10 minutes away, died at the scene.
In a news conference on Thursday, assistant chief constable Russ Jackson, head of Counter Terrorism Policing North West, formally identified Al Swealmeen as the person who died in the explosion at Liverpool Women's Hospital.
He told reporters Al Swealmeen is believed to have been born in Iraq and most recently lived at Rutland Avenue - and appeared to have made an improvised device that caused the explosion.
Mr Perry has been discharged from hospital after running from his vehicle moments after the attack.
Posting on Facebook on Monday, Mr Perry's wife Rachel called her husband's escape "an utter miracle" and said he is "lucky to be alive".
Image:Al Swealmeen reportedly arrived in the UK from the Middle East in 2014 and had an application for asylum rejected the following year - but had a fresh appeal ongoing at the time of his death
Ms Perry thanked friends for their messages and said her husband was "extremely sore and just trying to process what's happened".
"The explosion happened whilst he was in the car and how he managed to escape is an utter miracle," she wrote.
"He certainly had some guardian angels looking after him."
Speaking to reporters earlier this week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Mr Perry had apparently acted with "incredible presence of mind and bravery", and Liverpool's mayor praised him for diverting "what could have been an absolutely awful disaster" by locking the taxi's doors.
But Ms Perry's statement on Monday appeared to dampen reports that Mr Perry had acted heroically, stating: "There are a lot of rumours flying round about him being a hero and locking the passenger inside the car... but the truth of the matter is, he is without a doubt lucky to be alive."
She added: "Let's pray this doesn't happen to anyone else."
Image:Mr Perry said it is 'a miracle' he is alive following the explosion
A CCTV video captured the moment of the explosion.
It shows the cab slowly pulling up yards from reception and a violent blast sending white smoke and debris shooting into the air as soon as it stops.
Emerging from the smoke, Mr Perry runs from the driver's side door as a man in a yellow hi-vis vest dashes to help.
The vehicle is then engulfed in flames, but luckily at the moment of explosion the area appears deserted apart from some parked cars.
They are also investigating "episodes of mental illness" that he's believed to have had.
Image:Al Swealmeen had been picked up from the Rutland Avenue area which is about 10 minutes away from the hospital
His brother has been interviewed to gain an "insight" into the 32-year-old's state of mind.
Al Swealmeen, an asylum seeker who had converted to Christianity, reportedly arrived in the UK from the Middle East in 2014 and had an application for asylum rejected the following year, but had a fresh appeal ongoing at the time of his death.
The UK's terror threat level has been raised to severe - meaning an attack is "highly likely" - though police have stressed there is no specific intelligence another attack is imminent.
But the teenager, who lived in the local area, could not be saved and died a short time later.
His mum, Lorraine Dudek, said she and her family are currently in shock.
Jermaine Cools made it to hospital but died from multiple stab wounds
She told MyLondon: "This was my son Jermaine Cools, we are in shock and in pieces and ask for some time to grieve and make sense of the loss of our amazing beautiful son."
A post-mortem confirmed Jermaine died of multiple stab wounds and a murder investigation has been launched.
No arrests have been made yet.
Metropolitan Police Detective Chief Inspector Richard Vandenbergh, from Specialist Crime, is leading the investigation.
He said: “While our investigation continues to make good progress I am still appealing to anyone who witnessed this fight in the vicinity of West Croydon station on Thursday evening to come forward.
“I am also keen to hear from any road users who may have captured events on dashcam – your footage could prove to be vital in piecing together what happened.
“Jermaine’s family have been left devastated by his murder and we need to identify the person responsible for this.
Get London's biggest stories straight in your inbox
Do you want to stay up to date with the latest news, views, features and opinion from across the city?
MyLondon's brilliant newsletter The 12 is absolutely jam packed with all the latest to keep you keep you entertained, informed and uplifted.
You'll get 12 stories straight to your inbox at around 12pm. It’s the perfect lunchtime read.
And what's more - it's FREE!
The MyLondon team tells London stories for Londoners. Our journalists cover all the news you need - from City Hall to your local streets, so you'll never miss a moment.
Don't skip a beat and sign up to The 12 newsletter here.
"If you can help please get in touch with my team or you can leave information anonymously with Crimestoppers.”
Jermaine is now the 27th teenage homicide victim in London this year.
The highest number of teenage fatalities in the city was 29 in 2008, but there are fears London could pass that sad total by the end of 2021.
Any witnesses, or anyone with any information is asked to call police on 101, quoting reference CAD 6179/18Nov, tweet @MetCC or call Crimestoppers, 100 per cent anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Footage and pictures can be provided at this link.
Want more news like this? Subscribe to MyLondon's FREE newsletters here.
Thirty climate activists have been arrested following a sit-down protest which blocked a major central London bridge to traffic for several hours.
The demonstration on Lambeth Bridge took place in support of nine Insulate Britain campaigners jailed this week for breaching an injunction designed to stop activists blocking roads which have angered motorists.
The nine were sentenced at the High Court on Wednesday after they admitted taking part in a blockade at junction 25 of the M25 during the morning rush hour on 8 October.
Saturday's arrests came after Public Order Act conditions were imposed on the protest, which involved up to 250 people who had marched from the Royal Courts of Justice. Some demonstrators later caused disruption at nearby Vauxhall Cross, by Vauxhall Bridge, before police reopened roads there.
Image:The climate protest took place on Lambeth Bridge
Image:The bridge was blocked for several hours
Referring to the conditions, the Metropolitan Police said: "Lambeth Bridge has now been reopened, 30 arrests were made for breach of S14 conditions."
Advertisement
Insulate Britain, an offshoot of Extinction Rebellion, said it was not involved with setting up the bridge event. Those who took part claimed it was community-led.
Extinction Rebellion said the protest was to break the injunction granted to National Highways, in solidarity with at least 34 people who have broken these injunctions so far, including those jailed this week.
More on Insulate Britain
Related Topics:
During the sit-in, demonstrators gave speeches, sang songs, and chanted slogans.
Campaigners told the crowd the nine jailed activists were "political prisoners" and will not be the last to be locked up.
Image:From top left: Ben Taylor, Ana Heyatawin, Louis McKechnie and Emma Smart were among the nine jailed this week
Insulate Britain began a wave of protests in September. Supporters have blocked the M25, roads in London including around parliament, roads in Birmingham and Manchester and around the Port of Dover in Kent.
The group has said it intends to continue protests until the government agrees to insulate homes in the UK to help deal with the climate crisis.
Gabriella Ditton, 27, an animator from Norwich, was among those who took part on Saturday.
She claimed she has been arrested six times with Insulate Britain, including once for breaking the injunction.
She said: "I expect to go to prison at some point for at least six months because I am not going to be apologetic about this.
"I have known for a couple of years that the only thing that is going to serve us is civil resistance. I have faith in people coming together. Solutions to this crisis exist, we just need the political will to do it."
Zoe Cohen, 51, travelled from her home in Warrington, Cheshire, to take part in the demonstration.
She said she attended because she was "angry, distraught and grieving for the huge amount of nature that we have already lost".
She claimed "ordinary people should not have to do this and risk prison" and added "any disruption is microscopic to the suffering of millions of people who are dying now across the world due to this crisis".
