'Much-loved' Brit teacher trampled to death by elephant on Africa safari identified
A school has paid a heartbreaking tribute to a British tourist who was crushed to death by an elephant on a safari.
Brit Janet Easton, 68, was fatally trampled on by a nursing elephant in Africa. Tour guides desperately tried to save her but were unable to deter the animal on July 3. The ex-chemistry teacher was sadly killed alongside another female tourist from New Zealand.
She has been identified as Alison Taylor, 67. The pair were on a guided safari trip at the South Luangwa National Park when tragedy struck. They were walking around when the animal suddenly charged towards them at high speed. Tour workers attempted to block the animal by using firing shots but failed.
Now, her former place of work, Titus Salt School in Baildon, Bradford, has paid tribute. On its website, she was described as an "intreped traveller" and "much-loved" friend. The teacher, also known as Janice, taught at the site from September 1983 until she retired in August 2022.
Headteacher Phil Temple said she was "admired" for her skills. He wrote: 'Sad news. We are sorry to hear the tragic news of the death of our friend and former colleague. Janice Easton whilst travelling in Africa. Janice started working at Titus Salt School in September 1983 and completed almost 40 years of service when she retired in August 2022.
"Janice was a highly skilled Chemistry teacher and was for many years responsible for transition to high school. In these roles and others Janice had a profound impact on generations of pupils and students in the local community as well as countless colleagues who admired her skill, tenacity and determination to ensure all young people had the opportunity to succeed.
"As well as an exemplary professional Janice was an intrepid traveller, keen photographer and much-loved friend. Janice will be fondly remembered by all in the Titus Salt School and wider communities." Local police chief Robertson Mweemba earlier told the BBC: "They were moving to other camps when the elephant charged from behind. We are really sorry that we have lost our visitors. They both died on the spot." He continued: "It is very difficult to control the animals and tourists like feeding them."
The tour was operated by Expert Africa, reports The Times. Managing director Chris McIntyre, previously said: 'This was a deeply tragic and highly unusual incident in one of Africa's most remote wilderness areas. Our hearts go out to the families and loved ones of the travellers involved. Our priority has been supporting the families in every way possible. We remain in close contact, doing what we can to assist them. We are liaising closely with the local authorities, our partners on the ground and the relevant consular services to support those involved and to understand how this tragic event occurred. We will, of course, co-operate fully with any official investigations that take place.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scotsman
3 hours ago
- Scotsman
Mackerel are definitely in the Forth
It is just after 8pm on a beautiful night with an almost flat calm sea and light breeze on the River Forth. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Six happy anglers celebrate as we pulled into the dockside. They say goodbye then lifted a crate, yes a crate, laden with mackerel, all taken in a two-hour trip. Two strong guys struggled to carry the container up the jetty and the fish were, they said, destined for a home-built smoker in one of their gardens. They showed us a picture, it was indeed sizeable. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad One, a Romanian, fishing at the stern of the boat, was particularly adept. On four occasions, he hooked into five mackerel at one time on his rig, five silver dressed hooks. Leanne Taylor (right) with another successful angler, Graham Brazenall. Others on the well-appointed and spotlessly clean catamaran, operated by Forth Sea Safaris, were not so lucky, yet they were only a few paces away. Green and pink tinged hooks, some with beads and some without, were attached and they did attract, but not in the volume of our Romanian friend who left the boat with his clothes covered in fish scales. He was knackered with the effort, but smiles better having made the trip. He knew how to plunder the darting and surprisingly strong fish from the depths. No real science to it. Drop feathers overboard, don't cast as that is dangerous - gulls and gannets can attack the hook – and you need a weight strong enough to take the feathers through the water column. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Some fish were tempted on the drop, others near the bottom. Let the weight hit the deck and lift it around two turns on the reel then jig the feathers up and down. We all did it, but the tactic worked better for some than for others. The anglers who hooked into mackerel on board the Forth Sea Safaris boat out of Burntisland take a selfie It does make one jealous, however, when somebody close catches and you don't, but that's the joy, or not, of fishing. However, everybody went home with some and is no surprise the hard-fighting fish are so eagerly sought by local anglers. Locals shouted to us from the harbour wall as we came in asking how we had fared. They were struggling in their quest for the sliver scaled fish which are considered healthy and nutritious. Mackerel are, according to experts, packed with Omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and various vitamins and minerals. Regularly consuming mackerel, loved on the Continent, but once shunned by British shoppers, but not any more, has been linked with numerous health benefits, including improved heart health, brain function and reduced risk of chronic diseases. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad However, you either love mackerel or loathe them. I'm in the loathe camp, I'm afraid, even when converted to mackerel pate, smoked or unsmoked. Grilling or pan frying are popular methods which allegedly highlight the flavour. Our Romanian colleague said: 'My freezer had about 40 last year. This time, I'll keep about 20 and then give to friends and neighbours.' Then he departed. Forth Sea Safaris are based at the East Dock Harbour, only a two minute walk from Burntisland Station and many groups take the train, some from Edinburgh Waverley. The dock is a 20 minute drive from the Forth Road Bridge and parking is at the top of the jetty. The boat, which can be chartered for special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries, and has also been used for ashes scattering and a marriage proposal, is equipped with the latest navigation and safety equipment. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The twin engine craft, with Stuart at the helm, welcomes youngsters aged 15 but they must be looked after by a parent or guardian. Leanne, no mean fisherman herself, is on hand to sort out issues, like tangles which do happen, particularly with inexperienced anglers using several hooks. A maximum of three is recommended. Equipment can be hired and Leanne confirmed: 'This is prime mackerel season and we have availability in the coming weeks, with trips every Friday night and Saturday morning.' Young people, she said, love the experience of landing a fish, particularly their first, and it is rare that anglers don't catch. Wearing appropriate clothing is advised as it can get cold out in the Forth which can also get choppy, and seasickness is unpleasant, to say the least. However, lets accentuate the positive, it can be great fun. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Elsewhere, there are three legs left of the ten-leg, summer series run by the Bass Rock Shore Angling League and Craig Ogilvie leads the race for the title with 34 points. The North Berwick-based angler is six ahead of Jimmy Green from Musselburgh with club chairman, Alan Brown (West Barns), third on 26 points. James Ogilvie (Haddington), the club secretary, is fourth with 20 points and Graham Meadows (St Boswells) fifth on 19 points. Brown won round seven with a rockling of 27cm, one centimetre ahead of new member Dave Ellis who was second on his debut. Fishing was 'dire' off the sea wall at Dunbar with only two cards being handed in. On to coarse angling and Colin McKerrell (Glasgow) had the stand out weight in the second round of the Scottish Federation for Coarse Angling float only series at Strathclyde Park. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He totalled 775g but weed made life difficult for entrants who fished the far side of the boating pond at the south end of the loch. Robert Neill-Took (Glasgow) was second with 445g and Heather Lauriston (Cumbernauld), a member of the Edinburgh and Lothians Coarse Angling Club (ELCAC), third on 425g. Organiser Gus Brindle (Dunfermline) was fourth with 325g and James Dornom (Currie, Midlothian), a Scottish international, fifth with 230g. The third and final round is on Sunday, August 31 and pegs will be confirmed nearer the date. ELCAC host March 6 of their ten-leg summer series at Orchil near Auchterarder on Saturday (July 26).
BBC News
6 hours ago
- BBC News
c2k1k2xg7wko (GIF Image, 1 × 1 pixels)
James Robinson Local Democracy Reporting Service BBC Two fires have been caused by solar panels at two council buildings over the last 13 months Potential safety issues with solar panels were known to a council for more than a year before a fire broke out at a primary school. Shanklea Primary School in Cramlington caught fire on 5 July, but Northumberland County Council said it had been aware of potential safety issues with the panels since June 2024 when a similar fire broke out at Northburn Community Centre. A council spokesman said similar panels fitted on 141 of its buildings had been switched off as a "precaution" following the school fire. Local Labour leader Scott Dickinson called the year-long delay "crazy" and accused the council of putting lives at risk. "How lucky are we that the fire happened at the weekend?" he said. "Somebody could have died. "There have been two fires, we're just lucky they have not been at a school full of children or a building that could have injured the workforce." David Fisher The fire broke out on 5 July, when the school was closed A council spokesman said there had been "no requirement or recommendation" for the solar panels to be turned off following the Northburn fire but further action would have been taken if there were concerns over public safety. Following the community centre fire, Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service began a plan to inspect all the council's solar panels installed prior to 2019. The spokesman said there were 81 schools, 10 fire stations, six leisure centres and 44 other buildings fitted with these solar panels in the county. They all remain open. The council said the fire service had been contacting the sites since July 2024 to request access so the checks could be carried out. The local authority has been contacted to find out how many of these inspections have been carried out. "As a precautionary measure, and while the matter is being investigated, the council has isolated solar panels across all similar properties where installations predate 2019," a council spokesman said. "This will enable the council additional time to consider the findings of the fire investigation report and any recommendations or implications for the wider solar portfolio of sites." Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Northumberland County Council
The Guardian
7 hours ago
- The Guardian
Benjamina Ebuehi's recipe for strawberry and custard doughnuts
I don't make doughnuts very often, but few things are better than the first bite of a freshly fried, pillowy-soft one, sugar-coated lips and all. When it comes to fillings, custard just about beats jam for me, but who's to say you can't have both? So, to satisfy everyone, I've filled these doughnuts generously with a thick vanilla custard and a speedy strawberry jam. Prep 15 min Prove 1 hr 45 min+ Cook 1 hr 45 min Makes 9 For the custard 4 egg yolks 50g caster sugar 25g cornflour 400ml milk½ tsp vanilla bean paste 100ml double cream For the strawberry jam250g strawberries, hulled and roughly chopped100g caster sugar 1 tbsp lemon juice For the dough360g bread flour, plus extra for dusting 7g dried instant yeast 55g caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling ½ tsp salt 100ml milk1 large egg 40g unsalted butter, softened1 litre vegetable or sunflower oil Make the custard by beating the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour in a bowl until smooth. Put the milk and vanilla in a small saucepan and heat gently until steaming. Pour a big splash of the hot milk mix on to the eggs, whisk well, then whisk in the remaining milk. Pour back into the saucepan and cook, whisking constantly, over a medium heat, until thick and bubbling. Pour the custard into a clean bowl, cover with clingfilm so it touches the surface, and leave to cool completely before chilling in the fridge. To make the strawberry jam, put the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a small pan and bring to a boil. Simmer for seven to nine minutes, until softened and jammy, using the back of a spoon to mash any large pieces of fruit. Set aside to cool, then spoon into a piping bag. To make the dough, put the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix to combine. Make a well in the centre, pour in the milk, water, egg and softened butter, and knead on low speed for six to seven minutesrest uncovered in the bowl for five minutes. Knead again for five minutes, until the dough is smooth and supple and isn't sticking to the sides of the bowl, then transfer to a lightly greased bowl, cover and prove in a warm place for one or two hours, until nearly doubled in size. Knock out the air, turn out the dough on to a well-floured surface and roll the dough into a rectangle about 1¼cm thick. (If it keeps springing back, let it rest for a few minutes before rolling again.) Use a round cutter to stamp out nine doughnuts, re-rolling the dough if needed. Put each doughnut on a small square of greaseproof paper, cover with a damp tea towel and prove for 30-40 minutes, or until puffy. Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan until it reaches 175C. Fry two or three doughnuts at a time (no need to peel off the greaseproof paper; it will float in the oil so you can pick it out) for a minute and a half to two minutes per side, until deeply golden. Transfer the cooked doughnuts to a plate lined with kitchen paper and repeat with the remaining dough. Once they're cool enough to handle, put some caster sugar on a shallow plate and roll each doughnut around until covered. Remove the custard from the fridge and whisk well to remove any lumps. Lightly whip the double cream to soft peaks, then fold into the custard; transfer to a piping bag. Using a skewer, make a hole in the top of each doughnut and fill with custard and jam. Serve immediately.
