Latest news with #Ozzie
Daily Mail
15 hours ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Machete-wielding robbers broke into our home and stole £20k in jewellery and watches but we don't care about any of that... they took our DOG
The devastated owners of a dog stolen by machete-wielding robbers say they are living through 'their worst nightmare' as they continue to search for his whereabouts four months on. Sashi Shutt, 40, was left terrified after being pinned against the wall by the violent gang as they ransacked the home she shared with her RAF officer husband Jason, 53, in Ruislip, West London. The robbers viciously stole £20,000 in cash, jewellery and designer watches, alongside the one item that the family deems as 'priceless' - their beloved eight-year-old pug, Ozzie. Since that fateful day on February 10, the Shutts have neither heard from or caught sight of the beige-haired pet, who has a distinctive scar on his hind leg after previously undergoing treatment for cancer. Despite repeated appeals for information, the family has been left bereft by what might have actually happened to Ozzie, who needs regular medication. Speaking to MailOnline, Jason's daughter Serena, 22, who is one of four siblings and lives in Dorset, said her family had been through enough emotional turmoil and simply wanted answers. Serena, an aerial silk instructor, said: 'As horrible as it sounds, if a day later we found Ozzie and he was deceased, it would have been so much easier than the pain we're going through right now. 'We still don't know what happened four months later.' Recalling the events of that morning, Serena explained how her father had gone to the RAF base close to the house, while her younger brother, Harry, 14, was on his way to school, at around 8.30am. Owner Jason Shutt, 53, pictured with Ozzie, is living his 'worst nightmare' after the dog was taken during the violent robbery in February A short while later her step-mother Sashi, an NHS nurse, had left for work but turned back after realising she had left some items in the house. 'She just came home to grab whatever she'd forgotten - and then walked in on this robbery. One of the gang pinned her up against the wall with a machete, and told her not to move. 'They had come in through the bottom dining room window. The latch was slightly off, so they must have just got through the window, opened up all the doors and ransacked the house. 'They went upstairs, took my dad's entire watch collection, which was worth about £20,000, and jewellery that was sentimental. Both of their parents had died and left jewellery for them. That's all gone, so they'll never get that back. 'They took £1,000 in cash that was saved up for holidays as well. 'But when they finally left, my step-mum realised Ozzie was nowhere to be seen or heard.' The family initially thought the dog may have run off after the door was left open, but now strongly suspect the robbers, who were fully clothed in black and wearing balaclavas, stole Ozzie during the raid. 'We thought he'd run off and that we'd find him within two hours, because you know, what are they going to do with an eight-year-old pug who is neutered? They would have no use for him. 'But there were no sightings of him at all and then a couple of days after, we actually found muddy boot prints by Harry's bed, where Ozzie would have been sleeping. 'We also discovered a black cabin bag that was at the top of the stairs had been taken so realistically we think they could have used that bag to to snatch him up and take him.' Serena said the family's pain of Ozzie's absence has been made all the worse because of the 'deep connection' he had with them. She said: 'Any pug owner would get this. They're not like normal dogs - he would literally get the front seat in the car over anybody else. 'He sleeps where he wants and he gets the most presents at Christmas. 'If you talk to him, he tilts his head like he just understands you. 'He's so in tune with with us, and more aware than than any dog we've ever had. He has to be completely connected to you, and that's what worries us so much because of this deep connection he had with us. 'I just can't imagine how he's feeling, and if I think about too much, I just start crying. 'We can only hope that he's being looked after. But again, we just don't know. We don't even know if he's alive.' Four months on, Sashi - who suffered PTSD as a result of the robbery - has moved with Jason to another property after finding it too traumatising to continue living in their home. Their search for Ozzie has also continued, with the family posting regularly on social media with renewed appeals - and are offering a reward for any information that could bring the diminutive dog home. Serena added: 'If someone has Ozzie, I just want them to know that nothing you do will compare to the life that he had with us and the love that we gave him, and how much he loves us. 'He needs to be back with us. 'Even if you have bought Ozzie innocently, all you need to do is go to a vet, say you have found a stray dog and walk away. We don't care to know your name, or how you came to have him. 'No more questions will be asked, we just care about bringing Ozzie home.' A Met Police spokesperson said: 'We were called at 9.36 am on Monday, 10 February to an aggravated burglary in Bridgwater Road, Ruislip. 'Officers swiftly attended and spoke to the victim. 'The victim was threatened with a knife by the two suspects before they fled the property with a number of items. 'Detectives from the West Area's Burglary and Robbery Team are investigating. 'No arrests have been made. Enquiries continue.
The Guardian
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘I was watching osprey for five hours a day': how the world fell in love with nature live streams
In 2012 Dianne Hoffman, a retired consultant, became a peeping Tom. For five hours a day she watched the antics of a couple, Harriet and Ozzie, who lived on Dunrovin ranch in Montana. The pair were nesting ospreys, being streamed live as they incubated their clutch of eggs. The eggs never hatched, but the ospreys sat on them for months before finally kicking them out of the nest. 'I do think they experienced grief,' says Hoffman, now 81, who watched the birds from 2,000 miles (3,000km) away in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. Hoffman was processing her own grief after the loss of her husband, brother and father, and watching the live streams was how she 'rejoined the world'. 'It was a very black time,' she says. Although Ozzie died in 2014, she still watches the nest and its current occupants for an hour a day. 'I can't think of anything the internet has done better for me than these cams.' Nature-focused live streams, set up near nests, water holes, dens or landscapes to provide a live, constant feed of the natural world, have proliferated over the past two decades, helped by cheap cameras and remote internet connections. The drama of nature – or sometimes the lack of it – is what draws people in. The seventh season of the TV series The Great Moose Migration from the Swedish broadcaster SVT involved 20 days of continuous live footage, drawing in millions of viewers. Norway's NRK has aired 18 hours of salmon swimming upstream and 12 hours of firewood burning. A viral fish doorbell allows viewers to watch migrating fish in a lock in Utrecht. In an increasingly urbanised society, as people spend more time on screens they are less connected with nature. 'While technology can draw us away from the natural world, we have also learned that technology can connect us with nature in unique ways,' researchers wrote in a paper published in March. It came after another study that found nature live streams could 'improve the lives of those who cannot leave their homes or live far from natural environments'. Researchers from the University of Montana first put up a camera focused on Harriet and Ozzie's nest in 2012. At the end of the breeding season, the owner, SuzAnne Miller, turned it off but scores of people contacted her. '[They said] please don't do that. We want to watch your ranch,' Miller says. As well as the birds, they could see what was going on behind the nest, she says, and wanted to keep watching. Initially, Miller did not understand why someone would livestream her doing mundane tasks such as scooping up horse dung. 'I did at first find that very odd,' she says. But she added three more live streams of the river, paddock and a bird feeder. It was only when she became ill and was not able to leave the house for six months that she understood the value of it – she too got hooked on live streams of the farm. If someone leaves a gate open, within minutes a viewer will contact the ranch to warn them. Members watched a vet put down a horse after it slid on ice and broke its neck. The horse's head lay in Miller's lap as it died. 'Many of these people are older and facing death themselves,' she says. 'It got them talking about death.' The stream has 275 paying subscribers, most of whom have never been to the farm. It cost $8 a month to be a member, and most are older people or those with reduced mobility. Several members have had their ashes scattered there despite never having set foot on the farm, because it became their favourite place in their final years. Many of these sites allow viewers to message one another or post messages on discussion boards. Established in 1994, FogCam is often billed as the oldest continuously operating webcam in the world. It is a single livestreaming camera that posts an image every 20 seconds, capturing the fog rolling in to San Francisco. 'If you can imagine it, there is probably a live stream about it,' says Rebecca Mauldin, assistant professor at the University of Texas at Arlington. 'It is a new area for research, but it's not a new area; millions of people watch nature live streams.' But they are not just another form of entertainment – research suggests they could also be good for wellbeing. A new study awaiting publication shows that playing nature-focused live streams increased the wellbeing of some of the older residents in a care home, improving their mood, levels of relaxation, and sleep. A previous study has also found Dunrovin webcams have a 'significant positive change' for care-home residents, and could be an 'innovative and effective way' to improve wellbeing more broadly. 'I've realised it is not just for older adults – there are all sorts of reasons why you might not have full access to nature,' says Mauldin. There are hundreds of webcams across 35 of the US's national parks. The Giant Panda Cam captures activities of animals at Smithsonian National Zoo, and Africam looks at wildlife using cameras across Africa. In the UK, the Wildlife Trusts have 25 live webcams. One of the most popular is the peregrine falcon cam on top of the town hall in Leamington Spa, which had 160,000 views in 2024. In more remote locations, webcams provide an alternative for people who are unable to visit in person. In Skomer Island off the Welsh coast, the island's 42,000 puffins are captured on a live stream that had 120,000 views in 2024. They are also a way of learning more about animal behaviour. Conservationists are using a live cam to study grey seals at South Walney nature reserve, which is free from human disturbance as there is no public access to the beach. 'One of our trainees spotted the first-ever seal pup born on the reserve via the camera – a small, white, fluffy pup nestled among the adults,' says Georgia de Jong Cleyndert, head of marine at Cumbria Wildlife Trust. For some birds such as the ospreys, permanent cameras double up as CCTV. 'The osprey cam is primarily for security, to ensure that these protected birds and their nests are safe, and to act as a deterrent to anyone who would wish to harm them,' says Paul Waterhouse, reserves officer for Cumbria Wildlife Trust. Mauldin says her research shows nature live streams relax people and help them put their own concerns into perspective. 'It also tells a lot about human curiosity – we like to learn, we like a sense of surprise – sometimes it's nothing, sometimes it's something amazing. It's yearning for connection with the world around us,' she says. Keen to start watching nature online? Here are six of the most popular live streams to get you started: Bears going fishing: From late June and throughout July, bears flock to Brooks Falls in Alaska to catch migrating salmon. At times up to 25 bears can be seen onscreen at once (if you can't wait until June, here are two hours of footage as a taster) Bats on the move: In the daytime, all is quiet on the live stream of Bracken Cave, Texas in the US – but in the evening, you can catch its 20 million resident Mexican free-tailed bats streaming out of the cave to go on the hunt. Baby storks: Knepp Estate in Sussex in the UK is home to a growing population of white storks which bred for the first time in 2020 after an absence of hundreds of years. A livestream shows the nest currently playing host to four fledged offspring: Isla, Ivy, Issy and Ivan. At the time of writing they are tearing up a small dead rabbit. Love Island for osprey: This has been like a series of the hit reality show, with four osprey couples battling for space in one nest at the Loch of the Lowes wildlife reserve in Scotland. After weeks of grafting and being mugged off, two birds have claimed top spot and appear to be putting their eggs in one basket. Going for a drink: This live stream spies on a watering hole in Tembe elephant park at the border of South Africa and Mozambique, and you can watch a steady stream of elephants, lions, rhinos and buffalo stopping by for a sip. After dark, the cam's night vision lights up a calming, spinning world of moths and fireflies. Live jelly cam: Monterey Bay Aquarium's jellyfish cam offers a hypnotic experience, immersing you in the serene world of sea nettles, native to the eastern Pacific Ocean. Jellyfish can be seen drifting through, gently pulsating their tentacles as they go. And if you're already an avid watcher, share your favourite live stream in the comments below. Find more age of extinction coverage here, and follow the biodiversity reporters Phoebe Weston and Patrick Greenfield in the Guardian app for more nature coverage
Daily Mail
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Jack Draper vows to 'compete like an animal' in Rome after rising to world No 5 - as he bids to back up run to the Madrid Open final
After a whirlwind trip home to see his grandparents and dog Ozzie, Jack Draper is ready to go again in Rome. Ready to transform - superhero style - from a normal 23-year-old guy into the monster competitor who is taking the tour by storm. 'The one thing I look forward to more than anything is that moment before the match,' says the world No5, fresh off his runner-up finish at the Madrid Open. 'When I'm in the changing room on my own, I've got my music in and I know I'm going to give everything to every ball. 'I'm going to just compete like an animal. It feels like a bit of an alter ego for me.' Draper, who begins his Italian Open campaign against home player Luciano Darderi on Friday, said in Madrid that one of the factors which drives him is a fear of defeat. That felt like a rare admission for a world class athlete but he expanded upon that point here in Rome: 'I respect everyone at this level,' he says. 'I respect each player. I know what they're capable of. 'I know there's a chance that I could lose every match. So that uncertainty, that fear, that doubt, makes me compete hard for every single ball. 'I know if I've prepared well and do the right things, then I'm going to give myself the best chance of winning the match. So I guess that uncertainty drives me a lot and helps my competitive nature.' There are a couple of challenges facing Draper this week. The first is to back up his breakthrough run on clay with another solid week. He failed to do so after his Indian Wells title in March, falling in the first round of Miami, albeit to eventual champion Jakub Mensik. The second question mark which hovers over him in Rome is whether his forceful brand of clay-court tennis can be as successful away from the altitude of Madrid, where balls zip through the air. Conditions at the Foro Italico are much slower - and so success here is traditionally seen as more of a bellwether for the French Open. 'Let's see, let's see,' he said on BBC radio. 'I'm confident that I'm playing some really good tennis, on any surface, any conditions, and I think if I do all the right things I'm going to be a tough guy to beat.' As Draper's game has evolved over the last six months it has become astonishingly complete. In the semi-finals in Madrid, Lorenzo Musetti said he struggled with the Draper forehand; Casper Ruud in the final was impressed by his backhand. The British No1 says it has been a conscious effort to ensure there are no holes in his game; no areas of the court from which his opponents can feel safe. 'I've been working hard for many years on all areas of my game,' he says. 'My movement, I've got certain strengths that are good for a big guy, and all the skills I had when I was younger, when I was scrapping, I can still do that but same time I'm big now so I can also rip the ball quite hard, use my serve and my height. 'When I was younger, I was always thinking: if I'm gonna be a top player, if I play someone what do I want them to think? I want them to think I have no weaknesses. So that's the goal I want to get to.' What is the final piece of the puzzle, then, to achieve true completeness? 'Time and experience,' says Draper.
BBC News
07-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Italian Open: Jack Draper in Rome after short Madrid Open final turnaround
Playing a final in Spain on a Sunday, flying home to see his family and dog and then practising in Italy on a Wednesday points to the type of whirlwind schedule that could become the new normal for Jack Draper. This is the price of success on the ATP Tour, which the British number one is getting accustomed to. After playing in the Madrid Open final, Draper was practising at the Italian Open in Rome three days later – although the reasonably close proximity to home meant he still squeezed in a flying visit to spend time with his grandparents, mother Nicky and dog Ozzie. The new world number five – who became the Indian Wells champion in March and finished runner-up to Casper Ruud in Madrid – was not home for long. He had a practice session with Russia's Andrey Rublev to get to, as he builds up to his opening match in the Foro Italico on Friday. "It's becoming normal now for me," Draper told BBC Sport, shortly after arriving on site for the first time. "These events, they are tough, they are gruelling, they are long. But that's tennis, it is relentless and I feel like mentally I'm adapting to that and I feel good. "I went home for a day or so, caught up with my grandparents, saw my dog, my mum - just tried to get a bit of normality back because being in the tennis bubble is very consuming."
