
Boy and man charged over Maidenhead attempted murder
A 17-year-old boy and a 47-year-old man have been charged in connection with an attempted murder after a man suffered serious injuries.Thames Valley Police has been investigating an incident in Holmanleaze, Maidenhead, at 13:40 BST on Friday.The man and boy, both from Maidenhead, were charged with one count of grievous bodily harm. The teenager was also charged with possession of a knife in public, said the force.Both have been remanded in police custody and are due to appear at Reading Magistrates' Court on Monday.
Police said the victim, a man in his 30s, was in a stable condition in hospital.
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BBC News
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Glasgow city centre roads closed due to ongoing 'disturbance'
A number of roads in Glasgow city centre have been closed due to an ongoing police said a man began causing a "disturbance" around 04:45, near St Vincent Street, and the public have been asked to avoid the roads closed are Berkeley Street at North Street, Granville Street at Sauchiehall Street, Kent Road from North Street to Elderslie Street, Cleveland Street and Cleveland Lane.A number of police vehicles and an ambulance are parked near the city's Mitchell Library.


Daily Mail
21 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Calls for catapult ban as slingshot-wielding youths target angry mother and her children when she challenges them over attacks on animals
A campaigner is calling for a catapult ban after a group of boys turned their catapults on a mother after she challenged them for targeting animals. Holly Collins was caught up in the shocking encounter in broad daylight on Sunday at St Clements Lake in Greenhithe, Kent, where she says catapults and ball bearings have become the weapons of choice for attacking ducks, swans, and even people. She said: 'I pulled up outside their house, and there were teenagers aiming at ducks in the lake. 'I shouted at them, "You better not be hurting those ducks, because I'll call the police,' and they all started swearing at me." Ms Collins estimated the boys to be around 12 or 13 years old and what started as an animal attack quickly escalated into a direct threat. 'I got back in the car and we drove off, but my son's friend had forgotten his phone, so we came back—and that's when they were all aiming the catapults at me,' she said. 'I had the window down with the kids in the car, and they hit it. Luckily, it missed me. Then they ran off.' Ms Collins and her children were left 'shaken up' and 'out of sorts' by the encounter, just the latest in a growing pattern of catapult-related violence in the area. The incident has now led to another resident and wildlife campaigner Carly Ahlen who says the yobs come to hurt the animals every weekend and has started a petition for a ban on the sale of catapults. 'After they tried to take a shot at Holly, I ran across to check in case they had managed to kill any ducks,' the 45-year-old said. 'They had run off, but we did circulate all around the lakes. I was very worried they had gone to Bluewater, because there are waterbirds there, and I was worried they were going to target them next. 'They had disappeared, but they could have gone into the shops by then, causing trouble and mischief. 'It's a weekly occurrence with no end in sight.' Ms Ahlen, founder of the ornithology organisation Gabo Wildlife, also believes that the regularity of attacks has resulted in a decrease in the bird population at the lakes. Last year, the mum-of-one was alerted to the killing of eight geese which had been deliberately hit in nearby Dartford. And just a few months ago, a moorhen and a goose were shot and killed with ball bearings on the St Clements Lakes development. Concerned neighbours have now set up a WhatsApp group to report incidents, which has around 300 members. Locals say it's not just the ducks under attacks, it's the entire community, with frustrated residents saying it's a 'weekly occurrence' both at St Clements Lakes and the lakes at Bluewater Shopping Centre, with 'no end in sight' A spokesperson for Kent Police said they were aware of the incident and details have been passed to local officers. It's also understood that some of the boys' schools have been informed of the incident. Locals say it's not just the ducks under attacks, it's the entire community, with frustrated residents saying it's a 'weekly occurrence' both at St Clements Lakes and the lakes at Bluewater Shopping Centre, with 'no end in sight'. Anum Abid, who has lived by St Clements Lakes for seven years, says she's witnessed several attacks on wildlife in the area and has had enough. 'It's just ridiculous how bad it's getting,' she said. 'Everyone is just so fed up and frustrated. 'You'll see an average kid here wanting to throw stones at a bird for absolutely no reason whatsoever and the thing is they seem to have no fear of anything. 'They're very vile individuals, but it's not just one group of kids, though.. I feel like it's not even one age group.' Ms Abid complained that residents felt they were responsible for policing the catapult-wielding youths. 'I don't understand why we are having to do this?' she said. 'We're not a law enforcement agency. They are breaking the law. 'We feel like we are just left to our own devices and there's only so much that we can do to try and protect the environment that we live in.' The frustrated resident says despite provided lots of information, including photo and video evidence no serious action has been taken. 'I'm really sick and tired of nothing being done by anybody,' she continued. 'Law enforcement has done nothing. 'We, as local residents, are the ones who have to come in and intervene and stop these vile, horrendous kids. 'They have no fear of anything. They think this is entertainment because they tape it and put it on things like Snapchat. 'And not only do they have no repercussions, [no one is] banning these catapults.' Ms Ahlen has now set up a petition calling for a ban on the sale of catapults. 'There's absolutely no reason children should be running around with them - it's madness,' Ms Ahlen said. 'If we can't ban the sale of catapults, we should definitely put an age restriction on them, so at least we can give police the power to make arrests or confiscate them. 'It's a daily occurrence now across Kent and London now - it's out of control. 'It's very awful to live in this small community where people are afraid to come out and stand up to them [the teenagers]. 'The police don't come. Because these kids are not found or prosecuted, others think, 'We can get away with it'. 'It's an epidemic - swans all over Kent, London, are being targeted by kids posting this on social media. 'It's not going to stop until they are held accountable for these terrible things.' Ms Abid added that the fact youths are now targeting local residents makes her feel 'unsafe'. 'They are now aiming and threatening people with it,' she said. 'I feel very unsafe here, to be honest. 'We keep raising this to the police and absolutely nothing happens - I don't understand like how much more noise needs to be created. 'If they are underage that's not an excuse. You are only grooming criminals for the future. 'And for people who don't care about animals, you have to understand that this behaviour is only going to progress to humans later. 'You might think you are safe, but you are not.' A spokesperson for Kent Police said: 'Police are aware of concerns raised on June 1, concerning the behaviour of a group of people at a lake next to Castleridge Drive, Greenhithe. 'It is reported a catapult was aimed at wildlife and was also used to fire an object towards a car, which was not damaged. 'The group had left the scene when the catapult incidents were reported, and details have been passed to local officers. 'Enhanced patrols are operating in the area over the summer months and residents are encouraged to report anti-social behaviour to their local beat officer, PC Calum Andrews.'


Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
‘I was counting on mum's inheritance – but she cut me out of her will'
If you have a conundrum that you want answered in a future column, email: moralmoney@ All our letters are genuine, but writers are anonymous. Dear Sam, My sister has made the choice to pass my inheritance to my children, leaving me and my husband with financial stress for the rest of our lives. I find it hard to describe how I feel – it is somewhere between hurt and furious. Our wonderful mum died a few months ago and we are very sad. She was in her 80s and died peacefully at home, which is the only blessing, and we know she would have been pleased not to have ended her days in a care home, since she saw my dad in care for the past year suffering with dementia and she did not want that for herself. When dad first went into care, mum rewrote her will to pass her assets to me and my sister equally. It was agreed that she did not want to pass it all to my dad given that it would likely be swallowed up in care costs. Unbeknown to me, she had since then added a codicil that actually bypasses me and my sister and passes her wealth to her grandchildren. My sister and I have two children each, so mum's estate is being divided between the four grandchildren. They are all adults with good jobs, mortgages and families, and although they can obviously all make use of the inheritance, none actually need it. My husband and I have struggled over the last decade financially. A mixture of poor health, a Covid-related business downturn and bad luck have seen our nest egg dwindle. We had been relying on the inheritance from my parents to help us repay our mortgage, which would ensure we have housing for life and can then manage on our pensions. My sister is named as the executor in mum's will. She knows that mum's original desire was to have her estate shared between me and my sister. It isn't clear to me or my sister when and why mum added the codicil. My sister is comfortable with the idea of her half going to her children, as she has enough for her lifetime already. I on the other hand am shocked and disappointed by the alteration. I have asked my sister to just ignore the codicil and go with the original intention of mum's will, and she could then give her inheritance to her children if she wants to. I need to keep my inheritance for my own wellbeing. However, my sister claims this is impossible and we have had a big row about it. I am very frightened that the outcome could leave me in dire straits, but my sister claims there is nothing she can do. Please tell me there is something I can do to have the original will honoured. The pain of losing my dad to dementia, my mum's recent death and now rowing with my sister is awful. I feel emotionally exhausted, so any help you can offer on how to stand up to my sister without doing more damage to our relationship would be greatly received. – Anon Dear reader, I am so sorry for your loss. It's clear that your mother was deeply loved, and I understand how the sadness of her passing has been compounded by what feels like a financial and emotional betrayal. You describe your feelings as somewhere between hurt and furious, and that is entirely understandable. Grief often magnifies tensions within families, especially when money and perceived fairness are at stake. But alongside the emotional toll, this situation does carry a hard legal truth – your mother's final wishes, as expressed in the most up-to-date version of her will and codicil, are legally binding. Regardless of previous versions or informal discussions, it is the latest valid document that dictates how her estate must be distributed. It may feel wrong that your sister, as executor, is refusing to 'go with the original intention', but according to our legal expert Gary Rycroft here at The Telegraph, she is not allowed to override the codicil. Executors must follow the will as it stands at the time of death. Ignoring the codicil or redirecting funds would not only breach her fiduciary duty, but could also be challenged as fraud. She could be held personally liable. That leaves you in a deeply difficult position. You were relying on an inheritance that emotionally, and perhaps logically, you believed was coming to you. And it sounds like your mother may not have discussed the change, leaving a wound of both surprise and rejection. You could, if you believe the codicil was written when your mother lacked capacity or was under undue influence, contest the will. However, such challenges are complex, expensive, and can cause irreversible damage to family relationships. If your mother was mentally sound and free to change her will – as is her legal right, even late in life – then you are unlikely to succeed. Another option is to appeal to the goodwill of your children, or your sister's children. While they are under no legal obligation to share their inheritance with you, they may be moved by your circumstances and sense of injustice. But this would need to come from a place of dialogue and mutual respect, not pressure or guilt. What you can do is take stock and focus on what's within your control. The good news is that you've told me your husband's business is recovering, and you are managing your mortgage. This doesn't erase the stress or the blow to your retirement plans, but it does offer a platform from which to rebuild. Financial resilience can sometimes come not from a windfall, but from a shift in mindset and strategy. Speak to a financial adviser to reassess your retirement options. There may be ways to restructure your mortgage, boost pension contributions, or even leverage the business more effectively. Emotionally, it may take time to come to terms with your mother's final decision. It may never feel fair. But it might help to consider whether she acted out of disapproval, fear, or simply changed perspective late in life. It is possible to disagree with her choice and still honour the life and love you shared. As for your sister, try to separate her legal duties from her personal feelings. She may not like the outcome either, but she has no authority to change it. If you want to preserve your relationship, you may need to let go of what you cannot alter and move towards a conversation rooted in compassion rather than conflict. The situation is painful, but not without hope. Your financial future is still salvageable. Your family bonds, though strained, can still be healed. And though your mother left behind a surprise, she also left behind a legacy of life, love, and care that no codicil can erase. Wishing you well, – Sam