Latest news with #Collett
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Litter warning after 50-year-old crisp packet find
A man who found crisp packets thought to be more than 50 years old buried in a hedge has urged people to remember that litter can take a lifetime to break down. Neil Collett, 53, found the crisp bags near Redscope Primary School in Rotherham when he was picking up litter on 24 May. He said he was shocked to find the packet of Smiths crisps advertised a promotion that ended on 28 March 1975 - a date before he had even started primary school. "Any litter is always good to get off the street but the thought that I found such an old piece of rubbish, it was one of shock," Mr Collett said. Mr Collett, who founded volunteer group S61 Litter Pickers four years ago, said the age of the intact crisp packets was "scary". "Straight away, I took a photo of the crisp packet because I knew it was vintage," he said. "You might think you're just dropping a crisp packet, but it's going to outlive you." He said he felt it was morally wrong to drop litter and urged people to consider the impact. "Think about what you're doing," he said. "We've only got one planet. Just think of the consequences." Environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy warned that plastic waste could take a long time to break down. "Sadly, finding packaging that is decades old is an all-too-familiar thing for our litter-picking volunteers," a spokesperson for the organisation said. "Litter, once in the environment, can pollute it for decades or even centuries. "Plastics, in particular, don't just 'disappear'. They may break up into smaller and smaller pieces over time but they will still be there, ending up as microplastics." Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here. 'I've picked litter since childhood, now it's art' Bottle from 1800s among vintage litter found Old drinks can and crisp packet used to teach kids
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Elderly couple died in house fire after 999 operator did not hear smoke alarm
An elderly couple died in a house fire after the smoke alarm was not heard by the operator during a 999 call, an inquest heard. Bernard and Caroline Cleall, both in their 70s, perished in the blaze at the detached property in Addiscombe, near Croydon, south London, on the evening of Jan 5 2022. Mrs Cleall, who suffered from health issues including limited mobility, had been discharged from hospital months earlier with an alarm call button to be worn on a pendant all day. On the day of their deaths, Mrs Cleall pressed the alarm but was not able to communicate sufficiently as she was stuck in the room where the fire took hold and Mr Cleall was already incapacitated by the smoke. A smoke alarm was sounding in the same room but this was not heard by the call operator. Ivor Collett, the assistant coroner, said: 'The operator caused Careline responders to attend, but the fire brigade were called only once the responders arrived and discovered the fire. 'By that time it was too late to save the two occupants of the house.' At an inquest in April, their cause of death was given as 'inhalation of smoke'. Four fire engines and 25 firefighters were called to the cul-de-sac at 8.08pm and the blaze was under control by 8.59pm. Mr Collett raised concerns that Mrs Cleall was not given the enhanced alarm package, which includes a smoke detector. When triggered, the smoke alarm would have sent an urgent signal to the call operator without the need for the pendant button to be pressed. That automatic feature would have resulted in the London Fire Brigade being notified of an emergency immediately, the coroner said. Mr Collett issued a Prevention of Future Death report on May 9 raising further concerns about the assessment of which alarm package patients should be given. There was no evidence in this case of the content of any assessment, discussion or advice as to the appropriate level of alarm package for Mrs Cleall, he said. He also raised concerns that Croydon social care services was not able to access the record of assessments carried out at Croydon Hospital, depriving it of the ability to review patients' needs properly following discharge into the community. After their deaths, one neighbour said: 'They are a kind old couple ... The woman could barely walk. I know the son visits sometimes, but I don't think he was in.' Another neighbour said: 'They seemed like a sweet couple who always liked pottering around in their garden with their dogs. It looks like they lived there for a long time.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
The National
17-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
Inside the extreme far-right plot to infiltrate Reform UK
Extreme far-right party Patriotic Alternative (PA) and Unity News Network (UNN) – one of the most popular sources of information for the far right in the UK, which is run by a Scot – have signed a joint declaration encouraging supporters to support and infiltrate Nigel Farage's party. 'We encourage all of our supporters to become active organisers and members of Reform and seek candidacy to become MP's [sic], mayors, councillors, police commissioners, MSPs, researchers, party staffers,' the document – which was published in both the PA and UNN Telegram groups – reads. READ MORE: Sunday Times Rich List shows it's time for a wealth tax, say Greens 'Our combined support will be able to exert a significant level of influence on the direction of Reform and eventually within the corridors of power in this nation,' the statement went on. (Image: Telegram) Mark Collett, the founder of PA, later clarified the group are not 'directly campaigning' for Reform UK. 'They are not strong enough on issues such as mass immigration and the deportations that would be necessary to prevent the indigenous people of the British Isles from becoming a minority,' he wrote. Collett then suggested, however, that the party can be influenced from within. 'We suggest those who wish to stand as candidates do so covertly under the Reform banner,' he said. (Image: Telegram) 'By existing on the edge of Reform and using our combined power to help change the outcome of elections, we can interact with Reform members and supporters – taking our message to them and pulling the Reform Party in our direction. 'We have seen massive shifts in the Overton Window in recent years, and we have already shifted the political discourse dramatically.' A former leading member of the British National Party (BNP), Collett has repeatedly recommended Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf to his audience, according to advocacy group HOPE not hate, and in 2019 described Hitler as a 'simple, humble painter'. More recently, he has defended keeping Kanye West's new song, Heil Hitler, along with its companion title, WW3, which similarly glorifies Hitler, on music streaming platforms. Once the UK's largest fascist organisation according to anti-racism charity HOPE not hate, PA has since splintered. The group was previously involved in anti-migrant protests in Erskine and unfurled a 'white lives matter' banner at the top of Ben Nevis in 2021. At the heart of its ideology is the 'White Genocide' myth, with the group actively campaigning for the mass deportation of immigrants. READ MORE: Lidl knocked back by Scottish Government amid 15-year battle over store signage UNN, meanwhile, is run by former Scottish Conservative and Labour councillor David Clews. The channel was created in 2018, also with former leader of UKIP's youth wing Carl Pearson. UNN's Facebook page has 105,000 followers and 21,000 subscribers on Telegram, and helped to actively spread misinformation about the far-right riots seen in England and Northern Ireland last year. On Thursday, a few days after posting the declaration, another post from UNN on Telegram said the 'ultimate aim' was to be positioned in order to 'seize control by the early 2030s'. 'Our Strategic Plan has 3 main stages but all are equally important and now in play,' the message reads. 'The ultimate aim is to be positioned in order to seize control by the early 2030s. This isn't a game. This isn't about being 'honourable' and other such weaknesses. This is about the cold, ruthless and calculated accumulation of strength leading to supreme power. 'If not, what's the point?' The message was followed by several antisemitic messages from followers. 'There is no benefit in everything you do without eliminating the Jews and removing them,' said one. The far-right declaration between PA and UNN also claimed that 'thousands' of the group's supporters are already members of Reform UK and 'occupy positions of power' – but argued that more support was needed to exert influence and ensure the party enters into government. A recent investigation by anti-racism charity HOPE Not Hate revealed that seven Reform UK candidates standing in Doncaster in the local elections – six of whom were elected – had previously posted antisemitic conspiracy theories, neo-Nazi material, and extreme anti-Muslim content. One of them, Steve Plater, shared articles from PA, including claims of 'a multicultural and anti-White tyranny'. He also wrote that Muslims 'can't wash off the smell of donkeys' and 'cook over burning camel shit'. Momentum with Reform UK (Image: PA) THE declaration comes swiftly off the heels of Reform UK sweeping to victory across more than half a dozen English councils earlier this month, as Farage said his party had eaten 'Labour for lunch' and 'wiped out' the Conservatives in parts of England. The party took control of seven local councils, winning hundreds of seats across localities from Durham to Kent and toppled a 14,000-strong Labour majority in a parliamentary by-election in Runcorn and Helsby – winning by a very slim six votes. Polls have also been suggesting voters across the UK are flocking to the populist far-right party. Last week, three Westminster polls in less than 24 hours gave the party a significant lead over Labour. The leads range from five points to 13, suggesting Reform UK are on track to replace Labour in power at Westminster come the next General Election. It's a prospect that is certainly exciting for extreme far-right groups such as PA and UNN. READ MORE: Almost 50 homes could be built on ex-festival site near BBC HQ in Glasgow But these extreme groups are not all in agreement. The far-right Homeland party has kept quiet while the extreme National Rebirth Party has hit out at the declaration, calling it a 'pitiful display of weakness and self-interest'. Polls suggest Reform UK are also on the rise in Scotland, with the party even beating Scottish Labour to take second place in a by-election in West Dunbartonshire on Friday. Clews took to Telegram to celebrate the result. He said: 'Reform's just a juggernaut now, right? And here's the thing, it's got nothing to do with Reform, it's got nothing to do with Farage, it's got nothing to do with me, it's got nothing to do with Rupert Lowe. It's to do with the British public having had enough. 'They came a close second in Clydebank. Clydebank! Singer factory, unions, Upper Clyde shipbuilders, decades of Labour. I mean that's just incredible.' He added: 'Now, clearly the media are pushing reform, and that has to make us slightly sceptical of it, which I understand, but we need to ride this train.' Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie MSP (above) said this should be a 'clear warning about the danger Reform represents'. 'I know many people are sick of the dominant parties right now, and are looking for an alternative, but I am convinced most voters will reject the hateful extremism of the far right, and the more people who see that's what Reform truly are, the more people will reject them,' he told the Sunday National. 'The country does need change; a change from governments that serve the interests of the super rich while punching down against the most vulnerable, ignoring the environmental crisis, and cutting services and social security. The Greens will stand for the change we need, on our track record of making it happen, while Reform will keep peddling the politics of hate.' A PA spokesperson, meanwhile, said: "Our FAQ posted on our website is very clear. We are not supporting Reform, instead we are campaigning against both Labour and Conservatives in order to allow Reform to break the anti-democratic two-party system and to push the political narrative in a pro-White direction." Reform UK and UNN have been approached for comment.
BBC News
02-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Midlands projects win RIBA architecture awards
A transformed 1930s fire station and a carbon-neutral nursery are among five projects to pick up regional architectural awards. The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) announced the winners at a ceremony on Thursday evening celebrating great architecture across the five schemes were selected by an expert jury who visited all shortlisted Collett, chair of the West Midlands RIBA jury, said the winning projects demonstrated how "constraints can become opportunities". "Whether spanning a road tunnel, replacing a car park, or transforming underperforming existing structures into dynamic and exciting places to study and live, these projects deliver outstanding value," he 2025 RIBA West Midlands Award winning buildings are: One Centenary Way by Howells, Birmingham The sustainable, steel-frame office building, bridging over a busy road tunnel in Birmingham was awarded Project Architect of the Year. Hanbury Hall by Howells, Worcestershire The hall picked up its regional award after the addition of a new cafe to the Grade I listed country house. University of Staffordshire Woodlands Nursery by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios The timber-clad, carbon-neutral nursery, which is built on a former car park, received the Sustainability and Client of the Year award. Coventry University, College of Arts & Society by BDP The transformation of two brutalist buildings into a "future-facing hub" at Coventry Universities' College of Arts and Society was named Building of the jury praised how the architects ambitiously "knitted the formerly disparate existing buildings together". Old Fire Station by KKE Architects Ltd, Worcestershire The 1930s fire station on Copenhagen Street picked up one of the regional awards after it had been renovated into 28 new apartments and a retail space. Speaking about all UK award winners, RIBA president, Muyiwa Oki, said: "This year's winners exemplify architecture's power to transform - turning spaces into places of connection, creativity, and care."The Midlands winners will now be considered for a RIBA national award, which will be announced on 10 July. The shortlist for the RIBA Stirling Prize for the best building of the year, will then be drawn from the RIBA national award-winning projects later in the year. Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
USA Today
30-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Tyler Collett wins PGA Professional Championship in record style; Michael Block also advances
Tyler Collett wins PGA Professional Championship in record style; Michael Block also advances Tyler Collett, who led by seven after 54 holes, ballooned his lead to 11 before cruising to a 10-shot win in the 2025 PGA Professional Championship in Port St. Lucie, Florida, a tournament that's serves as a ticket for 20 PGA professionals to gain entry into the 2025 PGA Championship. After three days at PGA Golf Club, Collett just missed setting the 54-hole scoring mark by two shots. Playing the Wanamaker Course in the final round, Collett closed with five birdies over his final seven holes to finish at 15 under. Collet's total beat the previous mark of 14 under set by Larry Gilbert at Doral in 1991. Collett can now look forward to his fourth PGA Championship appearance. Jesse Droemer was second at 5 under. Michael Block tied for third at 4 under. Also getting through is Andre Chi, who Monday qualified into the Valspar a couple of weeks ago. Who are the 20 PGA professionals who advance to PGA Championship? Tyler Collet, 15 under Jesse Droemer, 5 under Brian Bergstol, 4 under Michael Block, 4 under Dylan Newman, 3 under Brandon Bingaman, 3 under Ryan Lenahan, 3 under Andre Chi, 3 under John Somers, 2 under Justin Hicks, 2 under Rupe Taylor, 2 under Tom Johnson, 2 under Nic Ishee, 2 under Eric Steger, 2 under Bob Sowards, 1 under Bobby Gates, 1 under Greg Koch, 1 under Timothy Wiseman, 1 under Larkin Gross, 1 under Brad Lardon, even par Dakun Chang, even par Michael Kartrude, even par Andy Svoboda, even par All 20 who advance finished at even par or better. There were five women in the 2025 PGA Professional Championship Sandra Changkija, Joanna Coe, Ashley Grier, Allie Knight and Katelyn Sepmoree all competed in this event. Those same five have also earned spots in the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco in June. At the PGA Professional, Changkija was the lone female golfer to make the 54-hole cut. She tied for 35th overall at 3 over. What are the prize money payouts at the PGA Professional Championship? The total purse in 2025 is $750,000 with Collett taking home $66,700. The champ of this event also earns exemptions into six PGA Tour over the course of the next 12 months.
