Police investigate Liverpool FC after young black football star breaks down in tears after 'racist abuse from crowd'

Witnesses claim the Tom Adeyemi was called 'a f****** black b******'


By David Gerges and Damien Gayle


Adeyemi, left, is consoled by a team-mate after being racially abused by fans


Racism in football reared its ugly head again last night as a young soccer star was so badly abused by the crowd in an FA Cup match that he broke down in tears.

Oldham defender Tom Adeyemi became upset after becoming the target of a section of the crowd at the famous Kop end at Anfield during Liverpool's tie with Oldham.

Police are investigating after fans allegedly called the youngster 'a f****** black b******' during their team's 5-1 victory over their lower league opposition.

It is understood that Adeyemi, 20, has given a statement to police in which he claimed he was the victim of a racist attack.

The event will undoubtedly mar the club's reputation following the recent suspension handed out to striker Luis Suarez for racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra.


And football is still reeling from the fact that England captain John Terry, meanwhile, is to face trial accused of racially abusing Queens Park Rangers' defender Anton Ferdinand during Chelsea's defeat at Loftus Road earlier in the season.

Race is also high on the political agenda, with this week seeing the jailing of two thugs, Gary Dobson and David Norris, for the murder of young black teenager Stephen Lawrence in 1993 in Eltham, South-East London.

It was near the end of the FA Cup 3rd round match at Anfield that last night's ugly incident took place.

Abuse seemed to emanate from the famous Kop end of the ground where, according to witnesses, fans were seen wearing Luis Suárez T-shirts and brandishing scarves bearing the player's name.

Adeyemi turned to confront his abuser, becoming visibly upset. Players from both sides intervened with Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard and striker Dirk Kuyt among those attempting to reassure the Oldham player.

As players from both teams tried to calm down Adeyemi, fans in Liverpool's stands then began singing the name of Suárez, upsetting the young player even more. He appeared to be in tears as he lifted his shirt to wipe his face.

A witness who gave evidence to Liverpool officials and the police was quoted by the Guardian as saying: 'I was to the right of the Kop and the No11 turned to walk away after a tackle.

'I heard a single voice shout, "You f****** black *******." He spun round with shock on his face and started pointing at the crowd, from where the shout had come.'


Adeyemi, centre, is restrained by Dirk Kuyt, left and match referee after receiving a tirade of racial abuse from the Anfield crowd

Adeyemi is surrounded by players from both teams and the referee as they try to calm him down after the incident

Liverpool confirmed an incident took place and said investigations were continuing.

'An incident occurred in the second half of the match which is now being investigated by both the club and the police,' said a statement.

'We will continue to work with the police to establish the details of what actually happened and will make a further statement in due course.'

Local police have released a statement, adding: ‘Merseyside Police can confirm that no one has been arrested this evening (Friday, 6 January) on suspicion of racially aggravated behaviour during tonight's FA Cup fixture at Anfield.

‘However, the Force and Liverpool Football Club are investigating following an incident that occurred during the second half of the game.

‘The aim of the investigation is to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident to ascertain if any action needs to be taken.’


A section of the crowd at Liverpool's Kop end appear to taunt Adeyemi. It is not known which Liverpool fans caused the player make his complaint of racial abuse

As Adeyemi told the referee about the incident, some fans in Liverpool's Kop end began singing the name of Luis Suarez, who was censured by the FA for racism last month


Today football fans around the world were expressing their disgust with the events at the match on Twitter.

Sai Adithya wrote: 'The way the #LFC fans started singing Luis Suarez after abusing Adeyemi is plain disgraceful!'

Meanwhile, Paul Dunn was able to turn the abuse into a dark joke that reflected the bad feelings over Liverpool's handling of the case involving Suarez.

He wrote: 'Liverpool FC officials are desperate to identify the fans who racially abused Tom Adeyemi, so they know which names to print on the t-shirts.'

Others took the abuse, coming so soon after the Suarez scandal, as evidence that Liverpool was a 'racist football team'.

South African football fan Kabelo MKhonto wrote: 'Liverpool is a racist football team fi[r]st they abused Patrice Evra now Tom Adeyemi who was visibly upset and tearful...'

And back in the UK Patrick McCafferty from Doncaster tweeted: 'Shocking abuse aimed at Tom Adeyemi last night. LFC should be embarrassed and ashamed. Racists WILL WALK ALONE. Horrible club and fans.'

Oldham manager Paul Dickov said he had not spoken to the player about the incident, but accepted something had upset him.

'From my point of view I have not spoken to Tom about it but I know the kid and something has been said,' he said.


Indignation: Adeyemi points into the crowd at where he believed he heard the racist abuse

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, 2nd left, offers Adeyemi, right, his reassurance after the Oldham players was abused by the home crowd


The Scot continued: 'He is a placid boy, a kid who has been well-educated with a fantastic temperament and has been with us since the end of August and I've never seen him raise his voice.

'For him to react like that it is obvious something has been said but what has been said I don't know because I've not had a chance [to ask] - I was too busy praising my players.

'He is fine now. He has calmed down. He is a laid-back kid who just gets on with business.

'Our players went and calmed him down and the Liverpool players did as well, which was fantastic and is why they are top professionals.

'I have been told the police are investigating it but that is all I know.' Born and raised in Norwich, Adeyemi is on loan to Oldham Athletic from Norwich City, who he signed for in 2008, aged 17.

He made his debut for Norwich in 2009, and in 2010 was named Championship Manager Apprentice Of The Year at the Football League Awards.

Oldham boss Paul Dickov, left, is flanked by police and the fourth official during the clash

All eyes will be on the reaction of Liverpool, especially after the Suarez saga.

The Uruguayan was accused of calling the French international 'negrita' - literally translated as 'black' more than ten times during their 1-1 draw at Anfield.

He has since been banned for eight weeks and eventually apologised, but did not say sorry to the player himself.

Distastefully, Liverpool players showed solidarity for their team-mate by wearing Luis Suarez T-shirts after he was charged.

Racism is high on the political and social agenda at the moment after Labour MP Diane Abbott found herself enmired in a race row over comments on Twitter suggesting white people like to play 'divide and rule', apparently referring to colonialism.

Criticism of the Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP deepened after she yesterday suggested that taxi drivers were racist and would not stop for black people.




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Police investigate Liverpool FC after young black football star breaks down in tears after 'racist abuse from crowd'

-Witnesses claim the Tom Adeyemi was called 'a f****** black b******'


By David Gerges and Damien Gayle


Adeyemi, left, is consoled by a team-mate after being racially abused by fans


Racism in football reared its ugly head again last night as a young soccer star was so badly abused by the crowd in an FA Cup match that he broke down in tears.

Oldham defender Tom Adeyemi became upset after becoming the target of a section of the crowd at the famous Kop end at Anfield during Liverpool's tie with Oldham.

Police are investigating after fans allegedly called the youngster 'a f****** black b******' during their team's 5-1 victory over their lower league opposition.

It is understood that Adeyemi, 20, has given a statement to police in which he claimed he was the victim of a racist attack.

The event will undoubtedly mar the club's reputation following the recent suspension handed out to striker Luis Suarez for racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra.


And football is still reeling from the fact that England captain John Terry, meanwhile, is to face trial accused of racially abusing Queens Park Rangers' defender Anton Ferdinand during Chelsea's defeat at Loftus Road earlier in the season.

Race is also high on the political agenda, with this week seeing the jailing of two thugs, Gary Dobson and David Norris, for the murder of young black teenager Stephen Lawrence in 1993 in Eltham, South-East London.

It was near the end of the FA Cup 3rd round match at Anfield that last night's ugly incident took place.

Abuse seemed to emanate from the famous Kop end of the ground where, according to witnesses, fans were seen wearing Luis Suárez T-shirts and brandishing scarves bearing the player's name.

Adeyemi turned to confront his abuser, becoming visibly upset. Players from both sides intervened with Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard and striker Dirk Kuyt among those attempting to reassure the Oldham player.

As players from both teams tried to calm down Adeyemi, fans in Liverpool's stands then began singing the name of Suárez, upsetting the young player even more. He appeared to be in tears as he lifted his shirt to wipe his face.

A witness who gave evidence to Liverpool officials and the police was quoted by the Guardian as saying: 'I was to the right of the Kop and the No11 turned to walk away after a tackle.

'I heard a single voice shout, "You f****** black *******." He spun round with shock on his face and started pointing at the crowd, from where the shout had come.'

Adeyemi, centre, is restrained by Dirk Kuyt, left and match referee after receiving a tirade of racial abuse from the Anfield crowd


Liverpool confirmed an incident took place and said investigations were continuing.

'An incident occurred in the second half of the match which is now being investigated by both the club and the police,' said a statement.

'We will continue to work with the police to establish the details of what actually happened and will make a further statement in due course.'

Local police have released a statement, adding: ‘Merseyside Police can confirm that no one has been arrested this evening (Friday, 6 January) on suspicion of racially aggravated behaviour during tonight's FA Cup fixture at Anfield.

‘However, the Force and Liverpool Football Club are investigating following an incident that occurred during the second half of the game.

‘The aim of the investigation is to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident to ascertain if any action needs to be taken.’

A section of the crowd at Liverpool's Kop end appear to taunt Adeyemi. It is not known which Liverpool fans caused the player make his complaint of racial abuse


Today football fans around the world were expressing their disgust with the events at the match on Twitter.

Sai Adithya wrote: 'The way the #LFC fans started singing Luis Suarez after abusing Adeyemi is plain disgraceful!'

Meanwhile, Paul Dunn was able to turn the abuse into a dark joke that reflected the bad feelings over Liverpool's handling of the case involving Suarez.

He wrote: 'Liverpool FC officials are desperate to identify the fans who racially abused Tom Adeyemi, so they know which names to print on the t-shirts.'

Others took the abuse, coming so soon after the Suarez scandal, as evidence that Liverpool was a 'racist football team'.

South African football fan Kabelo MKhonto wrote: 'Liverpool is a racist football team fi[r]st they abused Patrice Evra now Tom Adeyemi who was visibly upset and tearful...'

And back in the UK Patrick McCafferty from Doncaster tweeted: 'Shocking abuse aimed at Tom Adeyemi last night. LFC should be embarrassed and ashamed. Racists WILL WALK ALONE. Horrible club and fans.'

Oldham manager Paul Dickov said he had not spoken to the player about the incident, but accepted something had upset him.

'From my point of view I have not spoken to Tom about it but I know the kid and something has been said,' he said.

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, 2nd left, offers Adeyemi, right, his reassurance after the Oldham players was abused by the home crowd


The Scot continued: 'He is a placid boy, a kid who has been well-educated with a fantastic temperament and has been with us since the end of August and I've never seen him raise his voice.

'For him to react like that it is obvious something has been said but what has been said I don't know because I've not had a chance [to ask] - I was too busy praising my players.

'He is fine now. He has calmed down. He is a laid-back kid who just gets on with business.

'Our players went and calmed him down and the Liverpool players did as well, which was fantastic and is why they are top professionals.

'I have been told the police are investigating it but that is all I know.' Born and raised in Norwich, Adeyemi is on loan to Oldham Athletic from Norwich City, who he signed for in 2008, aged 17.

He made his debut for Norwich in 2009, and in 2010 was named Championship Manager Apprentice Of The Year at the Football League Awards.

Oldham boss Paul Dickov, left, is flanked by police and the fourth official during the clash


All eyes will be on the reaction of Liverpool, especially after the Suarez saga.

The Uruguayan was accused of calling the French international 'negrita' - literally translated as 'black' more than ten times during their 1-1 draw at Anfield.

He has since been banned for eight weeks and eventually apologised, but did not say sorry to the player himself.

Distastefully, Liverpool players showed solidarity for their team-mate by wearing Luis Suarez T-shirts after he was charged.

Racism is high on the political and social agenda at the moment after Labour MP Diane Abbott found herself enmired in a race row over comments on Twitter suggesting white people like to play 'divide and rule', apparently referring to colonialism.

Criticism of the Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP deepened after she yesterday suggested that taxi drivers were racist and would not stop for black people.




source:dailymail

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Desperate mother has baby induced early so she can meet her dying 10-year-old sister

-Loss of little Katy's smile alerted her mother to spectre of illness
-Baby Scarlet brings the cancer-stricken schoolgirl happiness
-Family seek radical help from Australia to save their daughter


By Daily Mail Reporter


A heavily pregnant mother took the heartbreaking decision to induce her child early so that her unborn daughter could meet her dying older sister.

Paula Holmes, from Penwortham, near Preston, Lancashire, asked doctors to deliver baby Scarlet three weeks early to allow cancer-stricken Katy the chance to meet her little sister.

Katy, 10, was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour in October and as her condition deteriorated Paula and husband David were afraid she would not meet the new addition to their family.

Me and my little sister: Katy Holmes, from Lancashire, cuddles baby Scarlet, the baby her mother delivered early so that she could meet her before she dies

Paula said: 'The realisation that I was pregnant and that Katy might not get to see the baby was terrifying. My consultant agreed to do it without hesitation.'

And she added: 'Katy loves Scarlet, and seems to have a special way with her. All we have to do is put Scarlet in her arms and she starts smiling.'

Until a few weeks before her diagnosis Katy had been a happy and healthy child, but it was a mother's instinct that led Paula to take Katy to the family doctor.

As Paula and David watched a normally beaming Katy receive a school certificate they immediately noticed that something was amiss with their usually smiling little girl.

Support: Katy, centre, with baby Scarlet and sister Charley, 8, from left, mother Paula, brother Craig, 19, brother Lee, 24, dad David and sister Kelly, 27.

Paula added: 'Katy is the type of child who always has a smile on her face, and has a happy nature.

'But when the headteacher gave her the certificate, she did not smile or even flinch. She just looked sad, which was really out of character.

'My mother’s instinct sent alarm bells ringing, and I knew there was something seriously wrong.

Support: Katy, centre, with baby Scarlet and sister Charley, 8, from left, mother Paula, brother Craig, 19, brother Lee, 24, dad David and sister Kelly, 27.

Paula added: 'Katy is the type of child who always has a smile on her face, and has a happy nature.

'But when the headteacher gave her the certificate, she did not smile or even flinch. She just looked sad, which was really out of character.

'My mother’s instinct sent alarm bells ringing, and I knew there was something seriously wrong.


'I took Katy straight to the GP and said, ‘You’re going to think I’m mad, but I am really worried as Katy isn’t smiling anymore’.'

Katy first began to mention that she had been suffering from blurred vision and headaches shortly after starting Year Six at St Mary Magdalene's Primary School as head girl.

Paula explained: 'We have a history of headaches in the family, so did not suspect anything abnormal. But we took Katy to the GP straight away just in case.

“The doctor thought it could be migraines, and asked us to keep a week-long diary of Katy’s headaches.

“But just days later, we had the school assembly, and the lack of a smile made me head straight back to the doctors.”

Katy was sent to the Royal Preston Hospital for a CT scan ordered by her GP and it came back clear.

The little girl then left for a few days on a school trip but when she returned a teacher expressed concern that while taking a photograph of Katy she had noticed that something didn't seem right with one of her eyes.

Paula rushed her daughter to A&E where doctors performed an MRI scan revealing a brain tumour.

Further investigation revealed that the tumour was embedded in the brain stem which was why it had not appeared on the first scan.

It was after the schoolgirl had been sent to the Royal Manchester Childrens' Hospital that the family were told the devastating news that because of the type of cancer and its location the tumour was inoperable and that the only course of treatment was radiotherapy.

Katy was given between six and nine months to live.

David said: 'It is the worst and most aggressive type of brain tumour there is.'

The self-employed upholsterer added: 'To be told our daughter had it, and that it couldn’t be operated on, was the worst news we could have heard.'

The family have not told Katy that the condition is terminal.

Her parents have been told three times times that they should say their goodbyes but Katy has pulled through on each occasion.

She is now being cared for at Derian House Children's Hospice in Chorley, Lancashire.

The family are now pursuing their last hope by trying to contact Dr Charles Teo in Australia who is known for making bold medical decisions.

Paula says: 'We are utterly desperate now, and need whatever help we can get. We feel totally helpless as Katy’s life ebbs away.

'Our beautiful daughter is fighting and astounding medics, so we owe it to her to do everything humanly possible to help her fight.

'If this was a war, and Katy was sent to fight, as a mother I would be right in front of her, protecting her from oncoming troops.

'It is no different now, except I don’t actually know what I can do, or how to do it.'




source: dailymail

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Woman gets her Mojo back: Firefighter resuscitates CHIHUAHUA using oxygen mask after fire

By Daily Mail Reporter


Overcome by smoke: Firefighters in California start to resuscitate Moho the chihuahua using a child's oxygen mask


Firefighters revived a chihuahua using an oxygen mask after finding the dog unconscious in a burning trailer home.

California firefighter Brendan Saffer of El Cajon rescued the miniature dog, Mojo, which had been overcome by smoke, while putting out the fire on Wednesday.

Mojo's owner had managed to escape from the trailer unharmed.

Revived: After several minutes of pumping with oxygen Mojo begins to show signs of life

Placing a paediatric oxygen mask to Mojo's face, Heartland Fire and Rescue paramedic Travis Timmins was able to squeeze air into the dog's lungs.

After several minutes of pumping, Mojo showed signs of life.

Then he sensed the presence of his owner, who was watching over Mr Timmin's shoulder, and squirmed back into her arms where he was wrapped tightly in a clean blanket.


Cradled: The tiny dog nestles in a firefighter's arms as another firefighter carries on pumping the oxygen mask


Safe: A happy Mojo back with his owner, who had managed to escape from the blazing trailer unharmed


Mojo was later taken to an animal medical centre to be treated for smoke inhalation.

While the mobile home has been considered a total loss with damage estimated at $40,000, Mojo is expected to make a full recovery.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

Watch the video here



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Mother drowns baby daughter in bucket while boyfriend watches live on Skype

By Emma Reynolds


A mother drowned her baby daughter in a bucket while her boyfriend watched live over the internet.

Norwegian Yasmin Chaudhry killed the one-year-old by plunging her into a bucket of water during a 3am Skype video call with her British partner.

Chaudhry, 26, said she had just wanted to discipline her baby for waking up and 'disobeying her'.

Shocking act: The Norwegian drowned her one-year-old daughter in a bucket while her boyfriend watched from Britain over Skype


She told paramedics that the baby had fallen into the bucket by accident, according to a report in The Sun. The girl was pronounced dead the next day.

But after being arrested on suspicion of murder, Chaudhry claimed that her boyfriend - who is not the child's father - told her to do it.

Both she and the Briton, who she met over the internet, deny wanting to kill the baby.

'They have the same story, but with some differences,' police prosecutor Kristin Rusdel told the newspaper.

'She says he instructed her to do it, whereas he says that they more or less figured it out together after talking about how to discipline her.

'He says the intention was never to kill the child. They were both very scared and decided to cover it up.

Murder inquiry: Police are discussing extraditing Chaudhry's British boyfriend after flying over from Oslo to question him with the help of Scotland Yard


'He is her internet boyfriend. They met once in real life and carried on the relationship over the net for about a year.'

Officers from Oslo flew to Britain just before Christmas to question the boyfriend - who has not been named - with the help of Scotland Yard.

Chaudhry's five-year-old son was taken into care following the horrific episode in October 2010.

Yesterday she was remanded until February 4.

Ms Rusdel confirmed a preliminary murder charge had been filed against the British man and said police were discussing extradition.

The baby's father now lives in Pakistan after splitting with the mother.
His lawyer said: 'He is, of course, very shocked.'


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Welcome to a brave new world: Genetic scientists create freakish man-made monster ants with huge heads and jaws

-Ancient genes activated by dab of hormones
-Ants seem to contain a 'toolkit' for creating monsters
-May be a throwback to ancestors from millions of years ago


By Rob Waugh


Nightmarish 'supersoldier' ants with huge heads and jaws have been created by activating ancient genes.

Scientists believe the monster ants may be a genetic throwback to an ancestor that lived millions of years ago.

Scientists say they can create the supersoldiers at will by dabbing normal ant larvae with a special hormone - the larvae then develop into supersoldiers rather than normal soldier or worker ants.

A supersoldier next to a normal ant: Scientists say they can create the supersoldiers at will by dabbing normal ant larvae with a special hormone - the larvae then develop into supersoldiers rather than normal soldier or worker ants


Supersoldier ants can occur naturally in the wild, but only rarely. In the deserts of America and Mexico, their job is to protect the colony from raids by invading army ants.

The supersoldiers use their enormous heads to block the nest entrance and attack any enemy ants that get too close.

Scientists showed that ordinary ants of the species Pheidole morrisi contain all the genetic 'tools' needed to turn them into supersoldiers - they just need a hormonal push.

The research is reported today in the journal Science.

Scientists created the monster ants in the laboratory by activating ancient ancestral genes


Authors Dr Rajendhran Rajakumar, from McGill University, Canada, and colleagues wrote: 'We uncovered an ancestral development potential to produce a novel supersoldier subcaste that has been retained throughout a hyperdiverse ant genus that evolved 35 to 60 million years ago.'

The results suggest that holding on to ancestral development toolkits may play an important role in evolving new physical traits, say the researchers.


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Who’s a naughty kitty? Pet cat walking across cooker blamed for starting £250,000 blaze that destroyed two houses

By Suzannah Hills


Pet kittens have been blamed for sparking a blaze that burned down a young family’s home causing £250,000 of damage.

Fire investigators believe the tabby cats, Jesse and Dora, may have walked across a touch-sensitive hob in the kitchen - turning it on.

The cats’ owners, Reina and Andrew Ainscough, were visiting relatives for New Year with their young twins when the blaze broke out.

The fire ripped through their home and quickly spread to the neighbouring property in Lowton, near Leigh, Greater Manchester, amounting to £250,000 of damage.

The kittens both died in the blaze.

Mr Ainscough, 28, who runs a staffing agency with his wife, said: 'It’s just such a freak incident.

'They can’t be sure what caused it yet but it is possible it could have been the cats.'

The family are currently staying with relatives while the damage is assessed by insurers.

Their twin son and daughter, Kian and Darcy, had been due to start nursery in Salford, this week but their uniforms and clothes were destroyed.

Mrs Ainscough, 27, added: 'It was so lucky that no one was in the house at the time. It could have happened at any time and I’m glad we weren’t in.'

Roofless: Severe damage was caused to the roof


The fire quickly spread to the house next door, which was also unoccupied as the owners were in the process of selling the house, and had moved out just two days before the incident.

Firefighters stayed on the scene for around 12 hours but it is likely the entire building will still have to be pulled down.

Reina and Andrew Ainscough in front of their home gutted by a fire


Fire investigators said the cause was still to be determined but confirmed they were looking at the possibility one of the kittens had jumped on to the cooker and activated the hob.

Watch manager at Leigh Fire Station, Steve Patterson, said: 'Damage to both houses is extensive. I would think that the whole building will have to be torn down.'


Gutted: More than £250,000 of damage was caused to the Ainscough's home and their neighbour's property



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Pictured: Partner of gunman shot dead by 'suicidal' taxi driver who killed THREE in New Year's Day shooting

-Susan McGoldrick, 47, was shot dead by her boyfriend Michael Atherton
-Tanya Turnbull, 24, was McGoldrick's niece and the youngest victim
-Atherton also killed Miss McGoldrick's sister Alison Turnbull, 44
-Police called in 2008 after claims Atherton was threatening to self-harm
-Laura McGoldrick, 19, escaped through upstairs window after being shot
-Two other survivors discovered in the house where shotgun was found near Atherton's body
-David Cameron says gun licence laws 'will not be revisited'

By Chris Brooke and James Tozer


Shot at close range: Susan McGoldrick, circled bottom right, the partner of gunman Michael Atherton, was killed in the massacre; the identities of her friends in this image is not known


These are the first pictures of the victims of the a 'suicidal' taxi driver who shot dead three women on New Year's Day

Susan McGoldrick, 44, was the partner of gunman Michael Atherton, 42, while her niece Tanya Turnbull, was the youngest of three women killed.

Both are believed to have been shot at close range on Sunday night, alongside Alison Turnbull, 44, who was Miss McGoldrick's sister and Tanya Turnbull's mother.

After shooting the three women, Atherton turned the gun on himself.

Atherton, 42, was licensed to own a small arsenal of six guns despite being investigated three years earlier when officers were tipped off about his mood swings.

There have today been calls from the pro-gun lobby to avoid a 'knee-jerk reaction' to the tragedy and, despite the concerns of Grahame Morris, the Labour MP for Horden, David Cameron's official spokesman has said there are currently 'no plans' to revisit the licencing laws.

However, that is likely to anger Mrs McGoldrick's family. Her brother Bobby Hardman has described the family as 'numb from head to toe'.

'We've lost three family members in one swoop and that's all I can say really,' he said.

Atherton, who is believed to have been recently suffering from depression, also wounded stepdaughter Laura McGoldrick, 19, in the late-night rampage inside the family home.

She witnessed the bloodbath and survived only by escaping through a first-floor window and jumping to safety. The bloodsoaked teenager then raised the alarm.

Questions about the ‘senseless’ murders have now turned to why Atherton was still a lawful holder of the guns.

An independent investigation will examine the 2008 decision by Durham Police to clear Atherton and will spark further debate about Britain’s gun laws, which were tightened after the Dunblane massacre in 1996.


Escape: Laura McGoldrick, pictured at her 18th birthday party, was shot during the incident but managed to escape by climbing through a window

Desperate: Drenched in blood and hysterical, Laura, pictured, pounded on the door of a neighbour's house


Forensic specialists were seen arriving at the house today in a white van and uniformed officers kept guard at the top of the road as the investigation continued.

Senior investigating officer Detective Superintendent Paul Goundry said there had been other people in the house at the time of the shooting who were now being interviewed.

Atherton and his long-term partner Miss McGoldrick had gone out separately to local pubs on the evening of New Year’s Day.

The couple were not known to have argued over the holiday period and Atherton was said not to have been drunk.

However, Atherton was said to have been depressed following a heart operation last summer,

Family friend Steve Patterson said Atherton's brother, Chris, had told him before the shootings that his brother had been suffering from depression.

Mr Patterson: 'He said he was fed up with the way his life was going. I think he started feeling down after an operation he had on his heart.'


Tributes: A police officer with flowers left by a member of the public places them at the scene in Peterlee today


Investigation: Police guard the home where three women were killed by Michael Atherton who then killed himself with a shotgun. Pictured is the rear of the property

Cordon: Police forensic investigators enter the house in Greenside Avenue, Peterlee, Co Durham, where the massacre took place


Police were called to the semi-detached house in Greenside Avenue, Peterlee, Durham, at 11.45pm, moments after the shootings.

Witnesses told of chaotic scenes after gun shots were heard.

A neighbour recalled seeing a man coming out of the house covered in blood and ‘screaming’ at police arriving at the scene.

He said: ‘He was saying “he has shot my lass. She is dead, she is dead. He has shot her in the head.”’

The group of seven family and friends had gathered at the house after returning from the pub when Atherton took a shotgun and started firing.


Investigation: A forensic team member carries an evidence bag with a white investigation tent in the background


Bloodbath: Police on the scene at Greenside Avenue in Peterlee where neighbours told of chaotic events after shots were heard

Horrific: Uniform officers confer with forensic investigators outside the semi where the bodies were found on Sunday


He is believed to have blasted Miss McGoldrick, her sister and her niece to death from close range.

Three other people in the house survived the slaughter which ended with Atherton shooting himself.

Firearms officers arrived within 20 minutes to find all four bodies close to each other downstairs in the three-bedroom house.

Laura McGoldrick – the teenage daughter of Susan from her earlier marriage – was hit by shotgun pellets in the wrist and shoulder.

She clambered on to a sloping roof and jumped 8ft to safety before running to a neighbour’s house.

Laura, a performing arts student, was released following hospital treatment and gave police a detailed account of the horror that unfolded.

Investigation: Police have cordoned off the house, not pictured, while they carry out a forensic examination of the scene


Detective Superintendent Paul Goundry said he believed all the shootings took place within ‘seconds’ of each other. A long-barrelled shotgun was found beside Atherton’s body and police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the murders.

Atherton and supermarket worker Miss McGoldrick were not married but had been together for around 19 years. Their 17-year-old son Michael, junior, is believed to have been one of the ‘survivors’ from the house.

A taxi driver friend said the couple had split up some years ago but got back together.

Atherton had firearms licences for three shotguns and three ‘high-powered’ guns, believed to be high velocity rifles.

He regularly went out shooting rabbits and game on a farmer’s land and police said he was believed to be a member of a gun club.

Police are still investigating which gun or guns were used in the slaughter. All six of them were registered to the house but it is not known if they were routinely stored in a cabinet, as is required by law.

Prime Minister David Cameron's official spokesman said today the Government had no plans to revisit UK gun laws which were 'amongst the toughest in the world'.

'We are trying to balance the need to protect public safety with the need to make sure those controls are practical and work,' he said.

'On this specific case we need to wait for the investigation to conclude.'

Ministers were looking at guidance and the way gun laws were implemented following a critical report by the Home Affairs Select Committee, he

That chimed with the concerns of the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), which warned against 'any knee-jerk reaction' to the tragedy.

Tragic: Flowers have been left at the scene while tributes have been posted online for Atherton, likely to be regarded as deeply offensive by the victims' family
But Grahame Morris, the Labour MP whose Easington constituency includes Horden, said Parliament must reconsider gun laws following the tragedy.

Speaking outside the police cordon, he said questions remained about whether Atherton should have had his shotgun licence revoked after an incident in 2008 when 'concerns were raised about his mental health'.

Another issue was whether he was 'a fit person to have firearms in a domestic situation'.

Mr Morris said: 'There are issues for Parliament and Government to look at. We need to take a measured approach.

'I don’t want to put any unfair criticism on the police.

'I think in the circumstances they have done a really good job in allaying public concerns.

'However, there are issues about whether we need to have some professional input and assessment where concerns are expressed about a person’s mental health, and whether someone suffering from depression should have, as a matter of course, their shotgun or firearms licence revoked.

'There are no easy answers. I know many hundreds of thousands of people enjoy quite legitimately countryside pursuits although I am not a shooter myself.'

Mr Morris, who grew up in the nearby village of Murton, added: 'This is a very tight-knit former mining community.

'Everyone knows everyone else and it has been a real shock.

'Gun crime is not the norm in this area. People are appalled and shocked.'

Assistant Chief Constable Michael Banks said officers were carrying out detailed inquiries into Atherton’s background and gun ownership. He said the force would be voluntarily referring itself to the Independent Police Complaints Commission over the incident.

He said police were contacted about an incident in which Atherton ‘verbally’ threatened to ‘self-harm’.

‘We have had contact with the family. We are busy reviewing the exact circumstances around that.

'There was a report of a male at that address self-harming. That was some years ago. We are researching all of this,’ said Mr Banks.

‘There were words. There was nothing came from that.’

It is not known where in the house the guns were kept or the exact nature of the three ‘high-powered’ weapons.

Both Atherton and his partner came from large families and relatives were stunned by the tragedy.

Miss McGoldrick’s brother Bobby Hardman said of his sister: ‘She was just a wonderful person, what else can I say. It’s just devastating, the whole family is numb from head to toe. We’ve lost three family members in one swoop and that’s all I can say really – it’s devastating.’

Another brother Norman said: ‘I’ve no idea what led to this. It’s just a senseless waste of life.’

Michael Lloyd, the boss of the taxi firm for which Atherton worked, said he was ‘totally shocked’ as he had ‘not been in trouble before.’ He added: ‘He was just a really nice guy.’

A barman at the Victory Club said Atherton had been drinking earlier that night but was not drunk.

Miss McGoldrick had gone with her relatives to a different pub.

Another taxi driver friend said Atherton regularly gave him rabbits that he had shot. He said: ‘He was a quiet man. I’m surprised he would do a thing like that.’

One woman, who did not want to be identified, said: 'I always called them Mike and Sue. I am devastated, totally devastated. Two nice people, I did not think anything like this could happen.

'We are all just shocked, just stunned. There are no other words to describe it. I cannot believe that four people died there.'

Alison Turnbull had been married to husband Robert for 25 years. They had two children Tanya and Robert Jnr, 23.

Gun laws that should have prevented massacre

By Chris Greenwood Crime Reporter

The overwhelming question raised by the Peterlee massacre is how a man with known mental problems could be allowed to keep firearms.

Supposedly tough rules are designed to stop potentially unstable people getting their hands on weapons through legitimate channels.

And if suspicions are raised about a gun owner’s mental state after a licence has been granted, the police have ample powers to revoke the licence.

Those who apply for weapons must declare whether they have been treated for depression or mental illness when they apply for a licence. Police are also expected to make follow-up checks during the five years that a firearms licence is valid.

So they must now explain how Michael Atherton was able to amass an arsenal of six guns despite warnings he had depression.

His weapons included three traditional shotguns and three ‘Section One’ firearms, which could include rifles for shooting vermin, multi-shot shotguns or high-powered air rifles. Gun licensing was tightened in the wake of the Dunblane and Hungerford massacres which left more than 30 dead. Virtually all automatic and semi-automatic firearms, military weapons and modern handguns are illegal without special permission from the Home Secretary.

Those who want to possess a legal weapon must declare any criminal convictions and explain why they need it.

Medical records are usually checked only if police have concerns about an applicant’s state of mind.

Around 435,000 legitimately held guns are in circulation today, the highest since records began, and substantially more than before the 1996 Dunblane tragedy. Only a tiny number of licences are refused each year, around 1 per cent of all shotgun and firearms certificates.

In the wake of the Cumbria shootings in June 2010, when taxi driver Derrick Bird shot dead 12 people before killing himself, David Cameron said he did not want to see a ‘knee jerk’ reaction.

He added: ‘You can’t legislate to stop a switch flicking in someone’s head and for this dreadful sort of action to take place.'



source: dailymail

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No more monkeying around for you! Puyul the 40-year-old orangutan rests up after breaking his leg

By Lee Moran


Treatment: Puyul, a 40-year-old orangutan, is seen undergoing an operation for a broken leg


Puyul the orangutan won't be monkeying around for quite some time - after he broke his leg by falling out of a tree.

The 40-year-old plummeted to the ground when conservationists found him roaming at a rubber plantation too close to an Indonesian village.

Vets from the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP) treated him at a clinic in Batu Mbelin, North Sumatra.

Treatment: Puyul, a 40-year-old orangutan, is seen undergoing an operation for a broken leg

Laid up: With a drip in his arm, vets operate on Puyul's broken leg at their clinic in Batu Mbelin, North Sumatra, Indonesia


They also removed an air rifle pellet from his body. Indonesia has lost half of its rain forests in the last half century.

It has put the remaining 60,000 orangutans, who live in scattered, degraded forests, in frequent and often deadly conflict with humans.

Other orangutans to be treated by SOCP's vets include four-year-old Marvel, whose left leg had to be amputated.


Bandaged up: Puyul looks slightly worse for wear after his operation

Get well soon: An x-ray shows the break in Puyul's leg (left), while a drip is in his arm (right)


He had been chained up when kept as a pet and developed open wounds which became infected.

Now on the road to recovery, he still has respiratory problems which he has to be treated for.

And two newcomers to the conservation programme are orphaned babies Septian and Seroja, who regularly play inside their very own basket at the centre.


Preparing for surgery: Marvel the orangutan, who is four, is pictured about to receive treatment for a respiratory problem


Open wide: Vet Yenni Saraswati plays with Marvel (left) as he is prepared for surgery, while Marvel, whose left leg has been amputated, plays in a cage (right)


Monkeying around: Orphaned baby orangutans Septian and Seroja play inside a basket at the SOCP centre in Indonesia



source:dailymail

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Mystery of the DEAD herring: What made 20 TONNES of fish wash up on Norwegian beach?

By Lee Moran


Thousands of dead herring have been discovered washed up on a north Norwegian beach - prompting Doomsday predictors to hail it as another sign the world is set to end.

More than 20 tonnes of the fish is currently carpeting the beach of Kvaenes, in Nordreisa, with experts views differing on how they have come to be there. One thing is for sure, it will provide welcome ammunition to those believing the Mayan prophecy that 2012 will bring the end of Earth.

Jan-Petter Jorgensen, 44, was walking with his dog Molly when he found the stinky haul.

Washed up: Molly the dog seen walking around the tonnes of dead herring that have mysteriously appeared on a beach at Kvaenes in Nordreisa, northern Norway


He said: 'People say that something similar happened in the 80s. Maybe the fish have been caught in a deprived oxygen environment, and then died of fresh water?'

Experts have said the school could have been trapped by tidal waters after predatory fish - such as coalfish - chased them towards the shoreline.

Another theory is that the fish were washed ashore during a recent storm, or trapped in shallow waters and affected by freshwater from a river that flows into the bay.

Jens Christian Holst, of the Institute of Marine Research, said several factors could have come together at once. And he said he hoped they would be able to conduct tests on the dead fish to see if they had died of a disease.

The incident in Norway is not the only mass death mystery over the New Year.

On Sunday, 200 blackbirds mysteriously fell from the sky in a small Arkansas town - although officials now believe the birds were targeted by someone with fireworks, experts say.


Mystery death: One of the hundreds of blackbirds that fell out of the sky on New Year's Eve in Arkansas


Last month 25 dead horses were discovered at the bottom of a cliff near Glenn Innes, New England.

And similarly bizarre and unexplained massacres took place on the opening days of last year, with millions of spot fish washing up in Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, more blackbirds dying in Arkansas, and masses of marine life dying in a Louisiana bayou.



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There are 345 stray dogs being found every day, yet why is it so hard to give a dog a loving home?

By Shona Sibary


Last January we lost our lovely ten-year-old Labrador, Oscar. The vet found an inoperable tumour in his abdomen and gently suggested we take him home to say our goodbyes.

We cuddled him on the sofa and tried to feed him small morsels of his favourite cheddar, but it was obvious he was fading from us fast.

Nothing prepared me for the agony of having him put to sleep the next morning. The children clung to him and wept before leaving for school — the same children who, as toddlers, had swung from his neck, covered his nose with Buzz Lightyear stickers and attempted to ride him like a horse across the garden.

Shona Sibary with her rescue centre dogs Juno (left) and Albus (right). More than 126,176 dogs have been picked up by local authorities over the past 12 months, but she found rescue wardens patronising


He was a family dog through and through. He’d seen me off at the front door to give birth to three babies and been there, waiting, each time I returned home — giving a gentle sniff to the tightly blanketed bundles, followed by a wag of approval.

Oscar’s death left us bereft and even though we’ve always owned a dog, it didn’t feel right, somehow, to rush into replacing him. But as winter thawed, so, too, did our resolve. By spring we were ready to share our lives with a four-legged friend again.

I started researching breeders on Google and was horrified to discover the price of a Kennel Club-registered Labrador puppy was £600 to £800. We’d paid £250 for Oscar in 2000.

It suddenly seemed hugely extravagant, not to mention socially irresponsible, to spend all that money on a dog when there are thousands of homeless mutts in rescue centres all over the country.

Figures by the Dogs Trust, the country’s largest dog welfare charity, reveal that the number of stray dogs in Britain has reached an 11-year high, with more than 126,176 dogs being picked up by local authorities over the past 12 months — equating to 345 stray dogs being found every day.

You would think, with so many strays needing a home, I’d have been welcomed with open arms at any dog rescue centre of my choosing.

But you’d be wrong. If I’d known then what I know now about the dog re-homing process, I’d have hot-footed it to the nearest pet shop, bought a goldfish and told the children to start bonding.

No one warns you of the ridiculous hoops you have to jump through and of the high-handed, often patronising manner of rescue wardens.

'Juno (left) is a Husky-cross-Pointer with piercing blue eyes. At the age of one, she was still deemed to be a "puppy" and we were still "officially" not allowed to have her,' said Shona


There were times — during a ludicrously long-winded and bureaucratic process of adopting our two pets, Juno and Albus — that I wanted to turn to the centre and say: ‘Look, do you want us to take these dogs or not?’

Perhaps it’s not the same for everyone. Certainly, more and more celebrities are opting to re-home a stray rather than parting with money to a breeder — even President Obama. But I couldn’t help wondering if they were all subjected to the same relentless grilling about their suitability to own a dog as we were.

Did Barack have to throw open the White House doors and show an officious dog warden around his home and garden (to ensure it was properly fenced the entire way round) before they would let him take Bo, a Portuguese water dog? Somehow, I suspect not.

Part of the problem for us was that with four children — one a toddler — I was reluctant to risk adopting an adult dog that might have behavioural problems. I felt, rightly or wrongly, it was just too much of a gamble and I would never be able to trust an older new pet in the same way I trusted Oscar.

But, similarly to the child adoption process, puppies, like babies, are hard to come by. Dog homes are full of older dogs.

A large proportion are cross breeds no one wants — pit bull terriers, Rottweilers and Doberman mixes.

In re-homing a dog, I knew I couldn’t be too picky — but there are limits. I’d have been insane to put my children’s safety at risk by selecting a dog with questionable parentage and a dodgy background.

So when, in June, we found a rescue centre in the South of England advertising six Rhodesian Ridgeback-cross-Boxer puppies on their website, we couldn’t believe our luck.

They were 12 weeks old — young enough to adapt to our family and still impressionable enough to train and fit into our way of life.

'Juno and Albus have brought that wonderful doggy spark back into our lives - wrestling for space on the sofa and barking endlessly at washing drying on the line,' said Shona


First mistake. I called the dog home to register our interest and was told their policy was never to re-home puppies into families with children younger than eight years old because — and I quote: ‘We can’t guarantee the puppy won’t, at some point in the future, bite one of your children.’

Instead, we were offered an older dog, one that had been assessed and deemed suitable to be around small people.

How they could guarantee that this dog — with eight years of goodness-knows-what treatment behind it — wouldn’t bite one of the children, I have no idea.

This was to be the first of several regulations that struck me as having no logic whatsoever.

So I did something naughty. I’m not proud of it, but I called back the next day pretending to be someone else with three children over the age of eight. And no toddler. Now I could be considered for a puppy — but only if I had owned a dog as an adult. Otherwise I would not be deemed suitable.

The next step was attending an interview at the dogs’ home and meeting Albus — we had decided to name the puppy we had fallen in love with online.

I can accept that an interview is an entirely reasonable part of the process. The centre must ensure their dogs are going to suitable families who will treat them well. After all, the last thing they want is for the dog to be abandoned a second (or even third) time.

They also insisted on seeking independent permission from our landlord (we live in rented accommodation) and separate references from our vet.

Part of me was pleased they were being so thorough. But we were far from finished.

Hurdle number two was that every member of the family had to visit Albus at the centre 70 miles away. Not just once. Or twice. But several times for ‘bonding’ purposes before they would release the puppy to us.

This involved several expensive train journeys for all of us and, of course, on each occasion, I had to find childcare for the toddler who didn’t exist.

'I can't imagine our lives without Juno and Albus. Which is a shame, because they still don't legally belong to us,' said Shona


It was during one of these visits that we fell in love with another stray in the rescue centre.

Juno is a Husky-cross-Pointer with piercing blue eyes. At the age of one, she was still deemed to be a ‘puppy’ and we were still ‘officially’ not allowed to have her.

But having lied once, we were on a roll and so we decided to take both dogs.

Hurdle number three was The Home Visit. By then, I was starting to feel more than a little irritated.

We had already expended a huge amount of time, money and energy in meeting their re-homing requirements. Sending a warden to assess our home seemed to be an excessive measure.

Let’s not forget we are talking about a dog — not a child. We were clearly a nice, middle-class family trying to do the right thing by giving not one, but two, strays a loving future with our family.

The centre had been assured that our garden was properly fenced and secure — the reference from our vet had confirmed this.

I had also told them that we live in the middle of beautiful National Trust countryside and are experienced dog owners.

But their stance through the entire process was one of distrust and annoying superiority.

They even insisted we pay for a whole term of puppy-training classes — and show them the receipt — before they would consider releasing Juno and Albus to us.

On the day of the home visit, supposedly the final box-ticking exercise, we removed all evidence of the toddler from the house.

The warden arrived for the inspection bringing another dog with her and asked if it could come inside the house. I suspected immediately this was a test of how dog-loving we are.

I made all the appropriate cooing noises despite the fact it was quite a smelly dog who proceeded to relieve itself all over our hallway rug.

By then, I would have done anything to get this woman to authorise our suitability — including waxing lyrical about the smell of dog urine.

'If the rescue centre finds out we have broken any terms of our contract (ie that we have a two-year-old), they have the right, with police force, to remove Juno and Albus from our care,' said Shona


Then she checked every single downstairs rooms and opened all our cupboards.

Luckily, she failed to see a toddler’s dummy on the draining board and, after a thorough inspection of the garden, shed and greenhouse she drove away — without once offering to help clean the hallway rug.

So, finally, after weeks of meeting the dog rescue centre’s requirements and attending a three-hour seminar on how to care properly for a canine, we were finally cleared to take Juno and Albus home.

Don’t get me wrong. I am as much of a dog lover as the next person. But there were many times during our re-homing adventure that I couldn’t help feeling the pooch police had lost the plot.

I’m quite convinced Madonna had an easier time adopting David and Mercy from Malawi than we did our two puppies.

Oh, and of course we still needed to pay £120 per dog for the privilege of this grilling we’d been subjected to.

Now that they’re with us, it all feels worth it. They’ve brought that wonderful doggy spark back into our lives — wrestling for space on the sofa and barking endlessly at washing drying on the line.

In fact, I can’t imagine our lives without them. Which is a shame, because they still don’t legally belong to us.

If the rescue centre finds out we have broken any terms of our contract (ie that we have a two-year-old), they have the right, with police force, to remove Juno and Albus from our care.

That’s why I’m writing this article — in the hope the centre will realise they are, at times, a little too stringent and this may put off some affectionate owners. After all, Albus and Juno couldn’t be more loved.

If we ever go on holiday abroad, we have to tell them. If for any reason we are unable to continue to look after the dogs, we are not allowed to give them away to family or friends — they have to go back to the rescue centre.

Oh, and Juno and Albus are micro-chipped back to the dogs’ home, so if they do ever find a gap in a fence and decide to run off, the dogs’ home will always know.

So there you have it. Barking mad or sensible measures? I’ll let you decide or, perhaps, we should let sleeping dogs lie.



source:dailymail

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