Latest news with #ChrisEades
Scottish Sun
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Hapless French cops get worse at preventing small boats from crossing Channel as they make mockery of £480m deal with UK
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) HAPLESS French cops are getting even worse at preventing small boats crossing the Channel — despite demanding more money from British taxpayers. Police in Calais are making a mockery of the current £480million deal with the UK by stopping a lower proportion of illegal migrants this year, shock figures show. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 French cops are getting even worse at preventing small boats crossing the Channel Credit: Chris Eades 6 In March, for every migrant caught or made to turn back, 2.36 had to be picked up by the UK Border Force Credit: AFP 6 French officers refused to get their feet wet as an asylum seeker family struggled in water Credit: Chris Eades It comes the day after The Sun told how officers refused to get their feet wet as an asylum seeker family struggled in water trying to reach a dinghy off Gravelines. Analysis of Home Office data, which details how many migrants France claims to have prevented from making the journey, reveals the three-year cooperation agreement has changed nothing. Since May 2024, there have been only two months in which French cops have stopped more migrants than the number arriving in the UK — last August and this January. Our research also found that in March, for every migrant caught or made to turn back, 2.36 were picked up by the UK Border Force. READ MORE ON CHANNEL CROSSINGS DANGEROUS JOURNEY Migrants board dinghies for Channel crossing to UK - as French cops watch During seven days in late April, 1,312 migrants arrived, yet only 303 were stopped — a ratio of more than four to one. Overall, three of the French police's five least effective weeks have come since the start of 2025. Former Tory security minister Sir John Hayes yesterday said: 'These figures reveal what most people suspected — the French are half-hearted about what we're paying for them to do. 'Frankly, they've got enough people and resources to puncture every dinghy before it sets off. They should be doing all they can to stop these boats launching, not just standing around.' Downing Street admitted there was 'more to do' in stopping small boat crossings. But defending the France deal, Sir Keir Starmer's spokesman said: 'We have a stronger relationship with the French government. Ever closer cooperation is already bearing fruit but we do know that we need to go further and faster.' France counts arrests, dinghy captures, and finds of smugglers' gear like boats and life vests as 'preventions'. Scores of migrants board overloaded dinghies to make dangerous Channel crossing to UK - as French cops watch on It is set to change the law to allow 'taxi boat' interceptions at sea — but could demand more cash for a new elite police squad. However, militant police unions are blocking the measure and are instead instructing members to adhere to current guidelines that mean officers must stand back as soon as dinghies are in the water. It costs £41,000 a year for the UK to house and feed each illegal immigrant in one of 210 hotels or other private accommodation. 6 One family nearly drowned as they struggled to board the packed dinghy off Gravelines Credit: Chris Eades 6 France is set to change the law to allow 'taxi boat' interceptions at sea Credit: Chris Eades 6 More than 15,000 people have crossed so far in 2025 Credit: Chris Eades Had France stopped as many people as had arrived this year, 2,905 fewer migrants would have entered Britain between January and the end of May. That would have saved taxpayers at least £119million. Last week, The Sun revealed Britain's annual bill to keep migrants in hotels and look after them totals £4.7billion. That is the equivalent of every penny of tax from 582,000 workers, or all the workers in Manchester. More than 15,000 people have crossed so far in 2025 — up 42 per cent on this time year. The Home Office was approached for comment.
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Scottish Sun
French cops shrug & claim ‘it's difficult' as they stand & watch migrant family almost drown in bid to board small boat
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A FAMILY almost drowned today as they struggled to board a migrant boat — while ten French cops watched from the shore and shrugged: 'It's difficult.'. The mum, dad and young children were among a group of asylum seekers who tried but failed to wade out to the dinghy in time. 5 French cops shrugged their shoulders as they watched migrants pack into boats heading to the UK Credit: Chris Eades 5 One family nearly drowned as they struggled to board the packed dinghy Credit: Chris Eades 5 French cops shrugged their shoulders and said 'it's difficult' Credit: Chris Eades Fighting their way through currents, they returned in silence to the beach in Gravelines, around 15 miles east of Calais. The family, believed to be from Eritrea, finally recovered enough to declare they would try again to clamber on to the estimated £1,200-a-spot 'taxi' to Britain. Just feet away were the cops, watching with binoculars. They wore riot helmets and some carried shields and pepper spray. Asked why they would not intervene when it was clearly so perilous, one officer simply told The Sun: 'It's difficult.' The boat had been launched just before 5am further up the coast, and arrived to pick up the migrants. A waiting crowd then ran out from the sand dunes. French law enforcement have long said it is too risky to act once the boat is in the water — meaning the officers merely watched as the danger unfolded before missing the chance to arrest one of the smugglers. The Sun saw the boat turn up. First a large group of men scrambled aboard, followed by women and families with children. One man appeared barely able to keep his head above water, as he desperately reached from the sea towards the dinghy. Hull residents react to migrants living in iconic hotel Others held on to each other as they fought to keep their kids out of the surf. One cop kept an eye on the inflatable dinghy while four others stood chatting behind him. Another began filming the incident on his phone, while a pal inhaled from a vape. At one stage it appeared the boat was overloaded, with its engine either broken or not powerful enough. But it eventually set off, leaving a group of around ten people without a place. It momentarily paused, giving the desperate migrants a glimmer of hope, but by then the water was already too deep. MAKESHIFT CAMP A suspected smuggler who had steered the boat leapt out and made it to shore — leaving the passengers to negotiate the treacherous crossing alone. He took the group who had missed out back to their makeshift camp, but the police had already left the scene. He became aggressive when approached by The Sun. The family who came close to drowning stayed silent when asked how they were and why they were prepared to take young children on the crossing. They also did not respond when asked if they realised how dangerous the crossing was. But asked if they would try again, a boy believed to be eight or under heartbreakingly admitted 'Yes'. 5 Ten police officers stood on the beach, around 15 miles east of Calais, watching the loading unfold with binoculars Credit: Chris Eades 5 The family also stayed silent when The Sun asked how they felt about missing the boat Credit: Chris Eades Meanwhile another small boat was spotted setting off further down the coast, trailed by a French warship. The two dinghies carried an estimated total of 150 migrants. Photographs from Dover later showed many in life jackets being brought ashore after being intercepted by a UK Border Force patrol. It is unclear if these were the same migrants we saw, or others who set off elsewhere from the France. More than 15,000 people have illegally crossed the Channel this year, figures compiled by the Tories showed. This breaks last year's record of 13,489 arrivals in the first six months. There have also been ten migrant deaths in the Channel this year. Britain is paying France £476million for a deal which is supposed to see border commanders in Calais prevent crossings. But police routinely refuse to do anything once migrants are in the sea. The Sun on Sunday last week told how French police union boss Fabien Vanhemelryck had been branded a hypocrite. 'HYPOCRITE' UNION BOSS It emerged he had called migrants 'scum' and a 'pain' — yet was leading the charge against officers having to intervene. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp MP slammed a 'total loss of border control'. He added: '2025 is the worst year ever for small boat crossings so far. While traffickers and criminal gangs rake in millions, Labour Ministers stand in Westminster rehearsing soundbites.' The Home Office said: 'We have returned nearly 30,000 people with no right to be here and have driven up illegal working arrests by 42 per cent. 'We know more needs to be done with the French to build upon the 10,000 crossing attempts that we have stopped this year, and we are strengthening our cooperation to do this.' They added of the Tory plan to process asylum seekers in a third country: 'The Rwanda plan was not a deterrent. It did not lead to one person being forcibly removed and cost the taxpayer £700million.'
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Inside the World Crazy Golf Championship as 162 players compete for title on Hastings seafront – how did our man get on?
THE historic majesty of the Old Course at St Andrews, the lush, rolling greens of Georgia's Augusta National . . . And last but not least, the windswept, drizzly grandeur of Hastings' Pelham Place, home to arguably the greatest fixture in the global sporting calendar — the 22nd World Crazy Golf Championship. 5 Nick McGrath travelled to Hastings for the 22nd World Crazy Golf Championship Credit: Chris Eades 5 Sun man Nick trying his luck at the windmill Credit: Chris Eades 5 Nick looks unimpressed as he checks his score Credit: Chris Eades Standing on the slate-grey seafront, just beyond the miniature railway and the swan lake pedalos, the tricky 18-hole course has played host to some of the most compelling confrontations in golfing history. And as the rain lashes the painted windmill on hole five, it's my turn to take to the tee. A hush falls over the cagoule-wearing crowd in East Sussex as I flick seagull poo from the soggy felt green and prepare to take the tournament by storm. Nick 'The Hack' McGrath — your time is now. Feet shoulder-width apart, back straight, putter poised, I stroke my WCGC-monogrammed ball effortlessly past the windmill towards the par two hole. My opponents in the novice competition — Dee 'The Retailer' Relf, a 49-year-old Poundland store manager from Kent, and retired local aromatherapist 'Fragrant' Sue Goodhand, 74 — raise their eyebrows in surprise, clearly intimidated by my commanding presence. Seventeen holes, 55 scattergun shots and zero holes-in-one later, I've disgraced myself and almost detached the wooden watermill on hole nine from its hinges. 'You did really well,' lies Sue charitably. 'Most first-timers average six or seven a hole, so well done.' 'Pretty fierce' Like Sue, it's Dee's second year in the championship, but she's not confident about retaining the women's crown she took home last year. 'Too many mistakes this year,' she sighs, before revealing how she will spend her prize money if she does top the leaderboard again. The ultimate hole-by-hole World Crazy Golf Championships course guide as 'Holy trinity' descend on Hastings 'Probably down the pub with a nice Jack Daniels and Coke.' Sue and Dee are just two of the estimated 11million Brits that play crazy or mini golf regularly. The first UK course opened in Skegness in 1926 and today there are more than 1,200 in Britain. 'There is definitely an element of crazy in crazy golf,' admits event organiser Simon Tompkins. 'We started with 24 entrants in 2003, and there are 162 competitors this year, from as far and wide as Hungary, America and New Zealand. 5 Champ Marc Chapman, competing for the 15th time, with rival Adam Kelly 'It's a fun pastime for all the family and all generations. But when you get to the final round with the elite players, all the balls are in play at the same time, and they can knock each other out. The rivalry can get pretty fierce.' The titans of the modern game are two-time champion Adam 'AK 47' Kelly and reigning, four-times winner Marc 'The Force' Chapman, who will become the joint most successful player of all time if he takes home the £1,250 first prize in the Pro Contest. When you get to the final round with the elite players, all the balls are in play at the same time, and they can knock each other out. The rivalry can get pretty fierce Event organiser Simon Tompkins A fencing coach from Canterbury, 39-year-old father-of-one Marc believes crazy golf divinity has nothing to do with luck, and everything to do with mental strength. 'If you only played a one-round shootout, then anyone could get lucky and win,' says Marc, competing for the 15th time. 'But over a weekend of six or seven rounds you need focus, consistency and presence of mind. Without that, you're gone.' And far from crumbling under the pressure, he positively revels in his rivalry with Adam Kelly and fellow elite veteran and former winner Michael Smith, who is sadly absent this year. 'We're like the Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer of the Crazy Golf world,' says Marc, who plans to spend his prize money on servicing his Audi Q3. Competing for the 16th time, double winner Adam, who triumphed in 2022 and 2023, is desperate to regain the title from his arch-rival. 'Last year, if I'm honest, I was just outplayed. Marc Chapman had a great year, and I wasn't quite at my best. 'I'd love to get the title back and go on to win five championships and to be talked about among the all-time greats of the tournaments. Of course I would.' But Adam is also a realist. He is aware that he and other elite performers are not striking fear into Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and the professional golfing community. 'Rude awakening' 'You've got to have a sense of perspective,' admits Lincoln-based Adam. 'It's great to be able to call yourself a world champion and not many people get to do that. But I've also got enough perspective to realise it is a bit silly.' Flamboyant Texan Rainey 'Rainman' Statum has travelled 5,000 miles from Houston to compete for the first time in the competition and he is struggling with the conditions. 'This one has been on my bucket list for years and years,' says the confident 63-year-old. My ex-wife got rid of me because I played too much crazy golf, so yeh, it kinda cost me my marriage Rainey 'Rainman' Statum 'But it's been a rude awakening. I'm Texas-born and raised and it's usually 95 degrees out there, so I'm freezing. 'I've got five layers on and I'm still shivering but I'm still confident. And if it doesn't work out this year, I'll be back next year.' Rainey, who works in building maintenance at the Deerwood Country Club Golf Course in the US, featured in the 1996 comedy movie Tin Cup and has won $200,000 and numerous American crazy golf titles. He believes that preparation is pivotal and played 25 rounds on the Hastings course before the event itself. 5 Flamboyant Texan Rainey 'Rainman' Statum has travelled 5,000 miles from Houston to compete for the first time in the competition Credit: Chris Eades 'I've also got this bible,' he says, clutching a notepad full of intricate line drawings of the undulations, angles and eccentricities of each hole. 'This definitely helps, but you've still got to hit them.' Obsession has its pitfalls though, reveals Rainey. 'My ex-wife got rid of me because I played too much crazy golf, so yeah, it kinda cost me my marriage. But my new lady friend loves it.' As the competition draws to a close on the Sunday afternoon, AK 47 slides down the leaderboard. "But my new lady friend loves it.' As the competition draws to a close on the Sunday afternoon, AK 47 slides down the leaderboard. Leapfrogging him into second place as the final round approaches is wily Welshman Seve 'The Dragon' Kukielka, currently top seed in the British Minigolf Association Rankings. He gets to within a single shot of Marc Chapman but the Canterbury competitor's two holes-in-one in the final three holes earns him a record-breaking fifth title and enough prize money to service his Audi. He is clearly jubilant after joining Tim Davies at the top of the all-time World Crazy Golf Championship table, and local player Murray Thompson eventually pips Seve to second place. Marc is already thinking about passing the baton on to his crazy-golf-mad son Ambrose, three. And how will Marc celebrate his triumph? 'Probably with a restless night being kicked in the back by the little one when he gets in the big bed.'
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Inside the World Crazy Golf Championship as 162 players compete for title on Hastings seafront – how did our man get on?
THE historic majesty of the Old Course at St Andrews, the lush, rolling greens of Georgia's Augusta National . . . And last but not least, the windswept, drizzly grandeur of Hastings' Pelham Place, home to arguably the greatest fixture in the global sporting calendar — the 22nd 5 Nick McGrath travelled to Hastings for the 22nd World Crazy Golf Championship Credit: Chris Eades 5 Sun man Nick trying his luck at the windmill Credit: Chris Eades 5 Nick looks unimpressed as he checks his score Credit: Chris Eades Standing on the slate-grey seafront, just beyond the miniature railway and the swan lake pedalos, the tricky 18-hole course has played host to some of the most compelling confrontations in golfing history . And as the rain lashes the painted windmill on hole five, it's my turn to take to the tee. A hush falls over the cagoule-wearing crowd in East Sussex as I flick seagull poo from the soggy felt green and prepare to take the tournament by storm. Nick 'The Hack' McGrath — your time is now. READ MORE IN SPORTS Feet shoulder-width apart, back straight, putter poised, I stroke my WCGC-monogrammed ball effortlessly past the windmill towards the par two hole. My opponents in the novice competition — Dee 'The Retailer' Relf, a 49-year-old Poundland store manager from Kent, and retired local aromatherapist 'Fragrant' Sue Goodhand, 74 — raise their eyebrows in surprise, clearly intimidated by my commanding presence. Seventeen holes, 55 scattergun shots and zero holes-in-one later, I've disgraced myself and almost detached the wooden watermill on hole nine from its hinges. 'You did really well,' lies Sue charitably. 'Most first-timers average six or seven a hole, so well done.' Most read in Other Sports 'Pretty fierce' Like Sue, it's Dee's second year in the championship, but she's not confident about retaining the women's crown she took home last year. 'Too many mistakes this year,' she sighs, before revealing how she will spend her prize money if she does top the leaderboard again. The ultimate hole-by-hole World Crazy Golf Championships course guide as 'Holy trinity' descend on Hastings 'Probably down the pub with a nice Jack Daniels and Coke.' Sue and Dee are just two of the estimated 11million Brits that play crazy or mini golf regularly. The first UK course opened in Skegness in 1926 and today there are more than 1,200 in Britain. 'There is definitely an element of crazy in crazy golf,' admits event organiser Simon Tompkins. 'We started with 24 entrants in 2003, and there are 162 competitors this year, from as far and wide as 5 Champ Marc Chapman, competing for the 15th time, with rival Adam Kelly 'It's a fun pastime for all the family and all generations. But when you get to the final round with the elite players, all the balls are in play at the same time, and they can knock each other out. The rivalry can get pretty fierce.' The titans of the modern game are two-time champion Adam 'AK 47' Kelly and reigning, four-times winner Marc 'The Force' Chapman, who will become the joint most successful player of all time if he takes home the £1,250 first prize in the Pro Contest. When you get to the final round with the elite players, all the balls are in play at the same time, and they can knock each other out. The rivalry can get pretty fierce Event organiser Simon Tompkins A fencing coach from Canterbury, 39-year-old father-of-one Marc believes crazy golf divinity has nothing to do with luck, and everything to do with mental strength. 'If you only played a one-round shootout, then anyone could get lucky and win,' says Marc, competing for the 15th time. 'But over a weekend of six or seven rounds you need focus, consistency and presence of mind. Without that, you're gone.' And far from crumbling under the pressure, he positively revels in his rivalry with Adam Kelly and fellow elite veteran and former winner 'We're like the Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer of the Crazy Golf world,' says Marc, who plans to spend his prize money on servicing his Audi Q3. Competing for the 16th time, double winner Adam, who triumphed in 2022 and 2023, is desperate to regain the title from his arch-rival. 'Last year, if I'm honest, I was just outplayed. Marc Chapman had a great year, and I wasn't quite at my best. 'I'd love to get the title back and go on to win five championships and to be talked about among the all-time greats of the tournaments. Of course I would.' But Adam is also a realist. He is aware that he and other elite performers are not striking fear into 'Rude awakening' 'You've got to have a sense of perspective,' admits Lincoln-based Adam. 'It's great to be able to call yourself a world champion and not many people get to do that. But I've also got enough perspective to realise it is a bit silly.' Flamboyant Texan Rainey 'Rainman' Statum has travelled 5,000 miles from Houston to compete for the first time in the competition and he is struggling with the conditions. 'This one has been on my bucket list for years and years,' says the confident 63-year-old. My ex-wife got rid of me because I played too much crazy golf, so yeh, it kinda cost me my marriage Rainey 'Rainman' Statum 'But it's been a rude awakening. I'm Texas-born and raised and it's usually 95 degrees out there, so I'm freezing. 'I've got five layers on and I'm still shivering but I'm still confident. And if it doesn't work out this year, I'll be back next year.' Rainey, who works in building maintenance at the Deerwood Country Club Golf Course in the US, featured in the 1996 comedy movie Tin Cup and has won $200,000 and numerous American crazy golf titles. He believes that preparation is pivotal and played 25 rounds on the Hastings course before the event itself. 5 Flamboyant Texan Rainey 'Rainman' Statum has travelled 5,000 miles from Houston to compete for the first time in the competition Credit: Chris Eades 'I've also got this bible,' he says, clutching a notepad full of intricate line drawings of the undulations, angles and eccentricities of each hole. 'This definitely helps, but you've still got to hit them.' Obsession has its pitfalls though, reveals Rainey. 'My ex-wife got rid of me because I played too much crazy golf, so yeah, it kinda cost me my marriage. But my new lady friend loves it.' As the competition draws to a close on the Sunday afternoon, AK 47 slides down the leaderboard. "But my new lady friend loves it.' As the competition draws to a close on the Sunday afternoon, AK 47 slides down the leaderboard. Leapfrogging him into second place as the final round approaches is wily Welshman Seve 'The Dragon' Kukielka, currently top seed in the British Minigolf Association Rankings. He gets to within a single shot of Marc Chapman but the He is clearly jubilant after joining Tim Davies at the top of the all-time World Crazy Golf Championship table, and local player Murray Thompson eventually pips Seve to second place. Marc is already thinking about passing the baton on to his crazy-golf-mad son Ambrose, three. And how will Marc celebrate his triumph? 'Probably with a restless night being kicked in the back by the little one when he gets in the big bed.'
