Man to face no action after boy hit in Blandford Forum accident
A man arrested after a three-year-old boy was seriously hurt when he was hit by a car towing a caravan will face no further action.The 19-year-old man was initially arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving after the boy was hurt near Milldown Road in Blandford Forum, Dorset, on 8 May.Dorset Police said officers had found no evidence of driving offences after an investigation.The boy was airlifted to Southampton Hospital in the aftermath of the the accident but was released from hospital in mid-May and is expected to make a full recovery.
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Scottish Sun
10 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
My name's Ulrika Jonsson & I'm an alcoholic – I was on knees swigging a bottle at 11am then one day I made cry for help
Read on as Ulrika bravely opens up about being trapped in a 'vicious cycle of hell' and how sobriety saved her life - and her sanity BOTTLE BATTLE My name's Ulrika Jonsson & I'm an alcoholic – I was on knees swigging a bottle at 11am then one day I made cry for help MY name is Ulrika and I am an alcoholic. Not a drop of alcohol has passed my lips in just over a year. 7 Ulrika Jonsson bravely marked one year of sobriety with before and after photos 7 The 57-year-old admits getting sober saved her life - and sanity Credit: Instagram For family and friends, it's been a cause for great celebration, it's viewed as a major feat. My eldest daughter even offered to take me out for a celebratory meal. For me, the run-up to this anniversary has been the cause of much trepidation and a sprinkling of fear. But, most of all, it's been a realisation. Because this is my life now. The day I surrendered and accepted I had a problem with alcohol, I knew I couldn't just give it up for a while. I knew I couldn't just cut back in the hope that I'd be cured, because alcoholism is a disease for which there is no cure. There is a solution, but there is no fix. I was trapped in a vicious cycle of hell. Even with my best friend calling me one Saturday morning to tell me to get help because I clearly had a problem, I refused despite the unbearable shame I felt. Alcoholics are selfish creatures. Yes, having a problem with alcohol meant I was an alcoholic. Even though I would NEVER have admitted it at the time. Then came June 5 last year. A hangover day much like any other, really. I sat on the sofa with my liver and brain pickled in equal measure, wrapped up in the blanket of shame, and something made me reach out for help. Ulrika Jonsson speaks out during Sober October about overcoming binge drinking I typed a message that read, quite simply: 'I can't do this any more' and sent it to a friend who was five years' sober. And that's how a life of sobriety saved my life and my sanity. There is every possibility I could have given up drinking by myself — my obstinance can be a virtue — but I wouldn't have been able to heal myself and reach the level of emotional sobriety I have today without the support of other ex-drunks and a programme to guide me. Saved my life It has saved my life in more ways than one. And, without sounding too evangelical about my journey, I've had a spiritual awakening and found an inner peace I never knew possible. I'm a different person to the Ulrika I was over a year ago. I've learnt more about myself in the past year than I did in my past 56 on this planet. I was trapped in a vicious cycle of hell. Even with my best friend calling me one Saturday morning to tell me to get help because I clearly had a problem Has it been easy? Nothing easily gained is ever worth having, I say. I've not had the temptation to pick up a drink, but alcohol is impossible to avoid — it's everywhere. What to do if you think are an alcoholic IF you're struggling with alcohol addiction, the most important thing is to recognise the problem and seek support - You don't have to face it alone. Seek Professional Help GP or Doctor – A medical professional can assess your situation and provide advice on treatment options. – A medical professional can assess your situation and provide advice on treatment options. Therapists or Counsellors – Talking to an addiction specialist can help address underlying causes and develop coping strategies. – Talking to an addiction specialist can help address underlying causes and develop coping strategies. Rehab or Detox Programmes – If physical dependence is severe, medically supervised detox may be necessary. Consider Support Groups Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) – A well-known 12-step programme that provides peer support. – A well-known 12-step programme that provides peer support. SMART Recovery – A science-based alternative to AA, focusing on self-empowerment. – A science-based alternative to AA, focusing on self-empowerment. Local Support Groups – Many communities have groups tailored to different needs. At the beginning, I would look lovingly at a glass of red wine when I went out for a Sunday roast. But knowing that a drink would not make things better, and it would never just be the ONE, stopped me from picking it up. I found Christmas difficult initially and, disconcertingly, Easter was even harder, with family around me drunk and laughing at things that just weren't funny. I had a couple of dates earlier this year, when I knew the social lubricant of alcohol would have calmed my nerves and allowed me to hide beneath a veil of intoxication. But at least I was able to be my authentic self — to be more discerning and accept that these men were just not for me. Sobriety comes with a hefty dose of honesty, which can be as welcome as it can be unwelcome. So, this journey goes on. It's not a destination. It will only end with my dying breath. I've yet to learn the exact damage my drinking might have inflicted on those around me. 7 I was trapped in a vicious cycle of hell and my best friend told tell me to get help because I clearly had a problem, says Ulrika 7 Ulrika admits she was binge-drinker who drank to black out I think of my children and how worried about me they were. How I must have scared them. How torn they must have been between wanting to say something and just hoping I would come to my senses. I have amends to make. I have character defects to accept and improve. I have to remember to live in the moment and that whether I'm one year or ten years' sober, for me it will continue to be one day at a time. I still have alcohol in the house. Removing it would make no difference to me. I believe if I really wanted a drink, I would go to buy it. I have no objections at all to others drinking around me but, by Christ, people can be annoying when drunk! At least it's not me doing the crazy stuff, dancing on the tables or doing things I will quickly forget or regret. Nor do I wake up with punishing hangovers and terrifying anxiety or even a new haircut because the rum thought it was a great idea to give myself a new look the night before. Beautiful things happen in sobriety. Good things come your way. Beautiful people come into your life, too. People without judgment who fundamentally care for you and understand you. That has been my greatest reward. Don't get me wrong, life has continued to throw me curveballs. I'm just better equipped to deal with them as a sober person. Sobriety comes with a hefty dose of honesty, which can be as welcome as it can be unwelcome I have a history of alcoholics in my family on my mother's side, but I don't have decades of alcohol abuse behind me. I didn't become addicted after the first sip of Pimm's at the age of 14 when I first got drunk. My drinking history is quite unremarkable. It didn't result in me losing my job, my marriage, my children or even my driving licence. I didn't get arrested or end up in jail. I wasn't a vomiting mess that couldn't get her kids ready for school in the morning. I wasn't a violent drunk. Which is why it might be helpful for anyone else out there to note that alcoholics come in all shapes and sizes and many live among us in plain sight. But the few years running up to my decision to quit, I was clearly drinking for the wrong reasons and I had no control over my cravings. I was a binge-drinker who drank to black out. Heavy shame A perfect storm of life led me to self-medicate, to soothe away life's ills and sharp edges; to quell my crippling anxiety by drinking neat rum from the neck of the bottle while kneeling into the cupboard underneath the stairs. There is nothing quite as 'sobering' as admitting to dropping to your knees at 11am and sticking your lips around a bottle of 40 per cent alcohol; feeling it swiftly burn your throat and immediately extinguish your anxiety, fears and self-loathing. Drinking was 'my thing'. It was a personal and private activity I had all to myself. I foolishly believed it was harmless because it didn't affect anyone else, so it was nothing anyone could take away from me. And I loved it. It made me feel instantly better and helped me cope with life. It killed my feelings of being overwhelmed; it relaxed me and made me a much nicer person. I thought . . . See, the one thing I had established by the time my drinking got completely out of hand was that I simply wasn't cut out for life. 7 Beautiful things happen in sobriety. Good things come your way. Beautiful people come into your life, too, says Ulrika Credit: Getty 7 Ulrika says she's now better equipped to deal with life's curve-balls 7 I've not had the temptation to pick up a drink, but alcohol is impossible to avoid — it's everywhere, says Ulrika Credit: Instagram I just couldn't cope. Everyone else seemed on top of everything while I was constantly swimming against the tide. I was forever traipsing through fields of molasses; perpetually found myself on the battlefield of life utterly unarmed. I was just no good at it. While I made no specific plan to end my life, my hope was eventually that alcohol would destroy me. I was a solitary drinker. But what might have started out as fun very quickly, and without fail, ended in blackout. I couldn't just have the one drink. What weirdo does that? I wasn't seeking light inebriation. I wanted the full anaesthetic effect. My self-esteem and self-worth were so bad, I believed the drink would make me become someone else. Or better still, nothing at all. I had such crippling anxiety about the present and future, which was coupled with past ordeals, that I was desperate for my feelings just to STOP. Because I didn't initially drink every day, and because my life looked impeccable from the outside, I convinced myself there wasn't a problem. I was still in control. However, I know now that those close to me saw a different picture. They heard my slurred voice on the phone; saw my drunk eyes betray me; worried about my volatile and highly strung demeanour and mood swings. They grew tired of repeating things to me that my blackouts had erased. It took months to rid myself of the heavy shame that drinking brought. Now, I realise I was really ill — both physically and spiritually — and that makes me go a bit easier on myself. In short, I'm grateful to my alcoholism for bringing me to where I am today: a life of honesty and integrity; of clarity and calm and being the person I never believed I could be. My name is Ulrika and I'm an alcoholic. And I have chosen life.
Scottish Sun
10 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Horror moment jiu-jitsu student left PARALYZED from neck down after being slammed by instructor ‘Sinistro'
THIS is the horror moment a jiu-jitsu student was left paralysed from the neck down after being slammed by his black belt instructor. Jack Greener, a beginner white belt, was seen receiving horrific injuries after his instructor put on a move that struck his neck. 4 Moment Greener's trainer put on a move that struck his neck. Credit: Instagram 4 Greener was seen on the floor after receiving horror injuruies Credit: Instagram 4 The horrific accident crushed his cervical vertebrae, effectively paralysing his entire body below the neck Footage shows Greener pitting against his instructor, dubbed "Sinistro", inside a training facility. The beginner was on all fours when his instructor flipped him forward before twisting his head and neck. Greener immediately lost control over his body and fell to the ground. He was rushed to the hospital - just days before he was supposed to graduate from college in 2018. The horrific accident crushed his cervical vertebrae, effectively paralysing his entire body below the neck. Greener was forced to spend months in the hospital, recovering from multiple strokes as a result of his injuries, according to the New York Post. He then sued Del Mar Jiu Jitsu club in San Diego for the injuries and blamed his instructor, Iturralde, for his 'dynamic, aggressive grappling style". Greener, now a mountain climber and a popular motivational speaker, was first awarded $56 million by a San Diego jury in 2023. Rahul Ravipudi, one of Greener's attorneys, said: "[The judgement] cements a critical legal victory not only for our client, but also for injured athletes across California by reaffirming that sports instructors and facilities may be held accountable when they unreasonably increase risks beyond those inherent in the sport." BJJ legend Rener Gracie, who was called as an expert witness in the case, said: "The black belt instructor did a technique that placed his entire body weight on Greener's neck, causing him to instantly fall limp and lose all function of his limbs." It comes after a champion martial artist tragically died after a horrific collapse in the ring. Mohit Sharma, 21, was fighting in the second round of a university wushu tournament on Monday in India. People immediately rushed to provide assistance, and medics were called. Sharma, though, could not be revived after a reported suspected heart attack. According to the Indian Express, he was taken to the on-site medical centre then transported to a district hospital. But the young boxer sadly passed away as he was declared dead on arrival at Kharar Government hospital on Monday evening, it was later confirmed. Meanwhile, a mixed martial arts fighter died days after collapsing during a training session. 4 Greener was forced to spend months in the hospital, recovering from multiple strokes as a result of his injuries Credit: Instagram Zach Doran was sparring at his local gym when his heart suddenly stopped. The 18-year-old spent 10 days in a coma before his parents Jason and Tami made the "tough" decision to turn his life support machine off. "He literally fought to his death," his dad, a teacher and American football coach, said. "He was doing a sparring session and during round seven or eight, he just collapsed. "They had thought that he had taken a kick to the chest or a blow to the head, but someone was recording his bouts and it was none of that. "You could tell he was getting tired and just folded over." The "super healthy" teenager, who had been an MMA fighter for two and a half years and was captain of his Varsity American football team, had no underlying health conditions. But his girlfriend Libby Gilmore, 18, believes energy drinks contributed to Zack's "shock" passing. The sportsman reportedly "always had one" before going to the gym or an MMA session, as well as a "pre-workout" - a supplement designed to enhance energy.
The Courier
12 hours ago
- The Courier
MARTEL MAXWELL: Dundee 'weight-loss wave' has me tempted by shortcuts
As summer approaches and holidays are planned, it is not unusual to notice a friend – or maybe two – looking fabulous. You do a double take when you see them – they look younger, fresher and thinner. The kind of dramatic weight loss that is transformative. Middle-age spread, pot belly, and puffy face gone. But here's the thing. And it's quite a thing. I'm double taking all the time. Give me any gathering of people in Dundee – school pick-up, kids' football match or a night out – and it's like a Slimming World magazine. Many will have found that oft elusive motivation to shed pounds (we all know how it works), to eat less and move more. Others – and not just the ones who admit to it – will have taken the short cut of injecting the new, increasingly-prominent, weight-loss drugs which suppress appetite and work to shift excess fat. More power to both camps – no judgement. But it's getting a bit Twilighty. It's like body snatchers are sneaking down to Dundee as night falls, replacing the lumpy and bumpy with Instagram-edited version of themselves – all flat stomachs and cheekbones. Regular readers of my column will know I've touched on this before, including last year when I discussed the Ozempic boom. I told you about a friend who admitted she was on the weight-loss jabs. She all but tapped her nose as we looked around the ladies' charity lunch we were at and said: 'Mark my words, women here are on it.' She told me she'd developed a sixth sense in telling who was on the medication. My friend was brilliantly honest, explaining how she paid for the jabs and how she couldn't shift the middle-aged spread which had taken her from a size 10 to 14. No clothes fitted and it was getting her down. She quickly lost a stone with the jabs but also admitted they affected her mood and made her a bit sick for the first few weeks. Another friend who's gone from a size 16 to 10 says she has had no side effects. She has more energy and claims the jabs took away her desire to drink as much alcohol, which was becoming a daily few glasses of wine after work. Fast forward eight months and sudden transformations are everywhere. I have also noticed an increase in people committing to sport, which is great. One friend is wild swimming twice a week while another is running ultra marathons. And one has even started her own CrossFit business – PeaceFit in Wormit. Many mutual friends attend her classes and look awesome – stronger, fitter and toned. I've noticed couples losing weight together. Going back to the jabs, I suppose it's too easy for the muffin tops like me to point a finger and say everyone's on them. But who wouldn't want a quick fix? A stone down for summer? The reintroduction of a bikini following a decade of covering up after kids and – if I'm entirely honest – dieting and sporadic exercise interspersed with occasional gluttony… I'm tempted myself. However, if something seems too good to be true, maybe, just maybe, it is. The jury is still out, with research pointing to the possibility of health complications involved with the jabs. This can be counter-argued with the fact obesity can cause diabetes, heart problems and cancer. Shifting weight if you're over 40 has the magical plus of shifting a few years in appearance too – puffy faces and pot bellies begone. Some of the people I'm seeing seem to have had a magical elixir of youth. If I sound envious, I probably am. Let me know if you've seen a younger, slimmer Dundee – and maybe even if you've taken a shortcut yourself. Bon appétit!
