Latest news with #Staines
BBC News
01-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Dispersal order put in place in Staines town centre
A dispersal order has been put in place in a town centre in Surrey to tackle anti-social Police put the order in force in Staines on Saturday and it was set to run until 20:00 BST on Sunday. It covers the railway station, Elmsleigh Shopping Centre and Lammas Recreation orders give officers the power to order a group of two or more people to leave an area if they are suspected of committing, or likely to commit, a criminal offence or anti-social behaviour. Surrey Police said: "Anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated across our county and we will deal with offences robustly."Officers will be patrolling the area and police are urging anyone with concerns to get in contact with them.
The Sun
16-05-2025
- The Sun
My first-ever river holiday on the outskirts of the UK capital – with palaces, locks and barbeques on the top deck
WE clamber out of the boat and on to the pavement, piling into the bakery to stock up with fresh snacks and local treats for our adventure ahead. Our destination? Staines, to the west of London. 4 4 It may not sound glamorous and we may have only been a few junctions along the M25 from home, but as we plodded along the Thames on our first-ever river holiday, the winding waterway shimmering in the sun's morning glow, it felt like we were worlds away. My family and I had booked our floating holiday home through the boat-rental site Le Boat, which operates in 18 destinations across nine different countries in Europe and Canada. Our vessel, the eight-person Mystique, had a fully functioning kitchen, an airy living room, three bedrooms and a sundeck. I'd never been on a boating holiday before, but that didn't matter as Le Boat's friendly staff talked us through all the dos and don'ts, including how to drive and tie ropes, upon arrival to Penton Hook Marina. After that we were free to take the wheel, slowly weaving our way along the Thames, with no experience or special licence needed. Captaining our vessel felt like driving a car on ice. And while we barely got above 10mph, the first few hours were a little nervy — particularly as we approached our first lock. Luckily, we spotted a retired couple in a canal boat up ahead who knew exactly what they were doing (and could clearly see we didn't!). Boating folk are a friendly bunch and my new water buddy Roger, who'd been travelling this stretch of the Thames for more than 50 years, talked me through the simple mechanisms for the lock. We opened the gate, lining our boat up next to his, and tied our ropes to one of the moorings on the pavement. Viking Sun ship docks in London for start of world's longest cruise of 245 days with 100,000 bottles of champers It had to be loose to ensure that when the water level changed, the boat was able to move up or down with it, Roger told us. Then, I headed to the simple control panel before opening the sluices, the mechanisms that controlled the flow of water. We watched as the canal — and our boats — slowly drifted down to the next level with a big sense of achievement. It's good etiquette to leave the gates and sluices closed after you've finished, so as not to cause any issues for the next travellers using the lock, Roger told us before waving us off. Go with the flow With each lock we faced, our confidence grew until myself, my sister and brother-in-law plus our five kids were a well-oiled lock-conquering machine. Everyone knew their jobs and the kids relished being given responsibilities. Roger and his partner weren't the only friendly locals we met that weekend. We passed families, couples and big groups sipping champagne and lager as they pootled along the river, all exchanging tips on the best places to moor for the night. That's the beauty of a boating trip: you have the freedom to go with the flow (literally). Our first night on board was a little tricky, I'm a light sleeper and a host of new noises kept me awake. 4 4 Fortunately the bedding on board Mystique was comfortable enough to make it feel like a home from home. And despite filling the boat to its maximum passenger capacity, we never felt cramped, especially with use of the top deck, where nightly barbecues were a big hit. And from the top deck, we could take in all the sights, too. I've lived locally for much of my life but was stunned to see sides of the river I'd never encountered before, thanks to Le Boat's Thames Guide which gave us information on all of the destinations between Benson in Oxfordshire to Chertsey in Surrey. Along the many routes you'll find former palaces and National Trust parks as well as quaint cafes and shops. The town of Windsor was the highlight for us, though, and we were treated to the best view of its famous castle from our vantage point on the river. Exploring the 11th century historic fortress and tucking into huge scoops of colourful ice cream was the perfect way to round-off our river adventure.
The Sun
14-05-2025
- The Sun
Mystery as body found in reservoir next to Heathrow Airport as cops probe death
THE body of a man has been recovered from a reservoir near Heathrow Airport. The man was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency services who were called after the discovery in Staines. 1 A heavy police presence has been reported in the area as formal identifications are taking place. The next of kin have been informed. Investigations are underway to confirm how the man entered the water. Police arrived at King George VI Reservoir just after 11am on Tuesday May 13 after a report was made about a potential body in the water. The man's body was recovered shortly after 11:15am after Surrey Fire and Rescue Service arrived at the scene.
Daily Mail
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EDEN CONFIDENTIAL: Mystery as Holly Willoughby's friend and trusted ally quits from her key role in her firms
Mischievous observers are asking whether she'll soon be heading to Rome – and nipping ahead of the tens of thousands waiting to pay their respects to Pope Francis. But Holly Willoughby – bitterly accused of jumping the 13-hour queue at Westminster Hall when Queen Elizabeth lay in state – is unlikely to be distracted. Indeed, there is plenty to keep her attention unwaveringly focused on matters at home – most notably developments at two of her companies, Wylde Moon, the fledgling lifestyle brand she set up in 2021, and Roxy Management, her talent agency. I can disclose that both must now soldier on without Vicky Staines, who had become one of Holly's closest and most trusted allies. Staines, 39, has ceased her role at Wylde Moon, of which she was described as finance director, and where her co-directors were Holly, 44, and Holly's older sister, Kelly Foster, 46. Staines has also departed from Roxy Management – 'resigned' as a director, according to documents filed at Companies House – of which she and Holly had been the sole board members since it was established in 2020. Staines doesn't respond to my request for comment. The consequent sense of mystery is fuelled by Holly's representatives who also feel unable to issue a statement about Staines, who has certainly been a cherished member of Holly's inner circle. A snap posted by Holly's sister Kelly – who playfully styles herself 'Lady Willoughby' on her social media account – shows Staines standing snugly between Holly and Kelly. 'When we come together we really can make dreams come true,' Kelly captioned the image, before adding a couple of emojis and the pay-off: 'Love you beyond.' Holly, of course, is fully aware of the capriciousness of fortune. Scouted by a modelling agency when just 14, she secured her first TV role by the time she was 19, with a stint as a lingerie model for Pretty Polly in between. She subsequently met Dan Baldwin, the man who would become her husband, while presenting children's programme Ministry of Mayhem, which Dan produced. Last week, a High Court ruling gave the couple until July 9 to pay £377,000 in taxes owed by another of their companies, Roxy Media, of which they are the only two directors. This follows my disclosure in January that HMRC had issued a winding up petition against Roxy Media, which, according to previous accounts, owed more than £300,000 in unpaid corporation tax. At the time a financial expert told me that the looming legal battle might well have been caused by differing interpretations of Holly's tax status. 'It's possible that her Good Morning salary was paid into the company as freelance income,' explained the expert, 'whereas the tax office may consider that she was employed by ITV and that the income should have been taxed on a PAYE basis.' Arguments of that sort may be less frequent for Holly in the future. Last month ITV announced that it was 'resting' Dancing On Ice, of which Holly first became a co-presenter way back in 2006. Proof that the axe sometimes falls on even the most graceful of necks...
India Today
21-04-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Graham Staines murder: A nation's blot deepens
(NOTE: This article was originally published in the India Today issue dated February 8, 1999)Even in death they were inseparable. Charred beyond recognition and reduced to fragile frames of ashes, the three bodies lay clinging to each other in what must have been a vain attempt to protect each other and escape the mob. But on the fateful night of January 22-23 in the wilderness of Manoharpur village in the sleepy rural outback of Orissa's Keonjhar district, nothing worked for the hapless father and his two sons. Having surrounded them from all sides, a murderous crowd set on fire the old four-wheel drive Willy's station wagon in which the three had retired for the beastly act done, Australian-born Christian missionary Graham Stewart Staines, 58, and his two sons, Phillip, 10, and Timothy, 7, were put to sleep forever. No sooner had its macabre mission been completed than the mob melted away in the darkness as the flames that had leapt skywards simmered. But the heat generated by the senseless killings and the outrage stoked are far from ebbing days after the the campaign against Christians, so far confined to Gujarat, making its ugliest appearance in Orissa, the nation went numb with horror. Even as Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee hung his head in shame, his Government was rattled by the wave of condemnation. President K.R. Narayanan spoke for everyone when he described the murder as "a monumental aberration of time-tested tolerance and The killings belong to the world's inventory of black deeds". Confronted with the charge that the Bajrang Dal—a militant Hindu outfit attached to the VHP and with links to the RSS - was guilty of the horrific murder, the prime minister despatched a three-member cabinet team to Manoharpur and announced a judicial inquiry headed by a Supreme Court not even the harshest words could measure up to the indignation felt in Baripada, the headquarters of Orissa's predominantly tribal district of Mayurbhanj, which Staines had made his home. "It's as if we all have had a personal bereavement," said District Collector R. Balakrishnan. For the past 35 years, dressed in casuals, sporting his trademark hat and wheeling his rickety bicycle, Saibo—as he was popularly called—was a fixture in Baripada where he did "God's work", tending and nursing leprosy patients in a specially run home on the town's in Brisbane, as a young boy the Australian became a pen friend of one Santanu Satpathy of Baripada with whom he shared his birthday. The long-distance friendship bloomed and Staines visited Baripada to call on his friend. That was in 1965 and he never returned. Besides the idyllic landscape of the region, what touched him was the Leprosy Home run since the last century with help from the Leprosy Mission of barely finished school, Staines finally found his mission in life. He devoted himself to the Home—eventually becoming its superintendent—and also immersed himself in preaching the Bible by virtue of also being the convener and treasurer of the Evangelical Missionaries dedicated service won him many hearts. Fluent in Oriya and the local Santhali dialect, Staines and his wife Glades, whom he married in the '80s, were pillars of the local society. Three years ago, a devastating fire in Baripada left at least a 100 dead and scores horribly burnt. The local hospital failed to cope and the Staines couple - Glades is a trained nurse - spent nights nursing the injured. Elected president-designate of the local Rotary chapter for 2001, Staines was a leading light in last month's Pulse Polio immunisation drive. He distributed leaflets enthusiastically while Glades drove the jeep that led the procession for creating awareness in it was his role as a Christian preacher that contributed to his grisly end. Overwhelmed by epidemics, malnutrition and illiteracy, Orissa is low on general expectations but high on religious fervour. Roads may be nonexistent and starvation deaths not uncommon, but Orissa has become the battleground involving Christian and Hindu missionaries in a war for the hearts and minds of the tribals. Last year witnessed at least 30 Hindu-Christian clashes in 10 of the state's 30 districts. According to Defence Minister George Fernandes, who was part of the cabinet team to Manoharpur, there were at least 60 attacks on churches in Orissa between 1986 and 1998, "the highest number in any state".advertisementIn organising another four-day jungle camp in Manoharpur last month, Staines was courting trouble. For the past 14 years, he visited the village during the annual jungle camps instructing tribals on a range of subjects from public hygiene to the Bible. Says Reverend Pradeep Kumar Das of the Orissa Church of God Association: "Jungle camps are one big step towards development, including emotional upliftment ... Our commandment lays it down for us to preach the Bible and we preach it."A dusty inaccessible village of 150-odd Santhal families, Manoharpur too had been afflicted by the distrust sweeping the rest of the state. With 22 families having converted to Christianity over the years, the village stood clearly divided on religious lines when Staines arrived on January 20 with some fellow preachers and his two was never into conversions. All he did was to spread the message of the Lord," insists widow Glades. Others, however, believe that his preaching often led to conversions. "He was killed because he was proselytising. People might have killed him in a fit of rage," says state Hindu Jagran Samukhya convener Subhash Chauhan. "Tempers have been frayed for long," admits local sarpanch Thakurdas Murmu. Yet, contrary to what has been claimed, conversion was not the immediate last conversion in Manoharpur took place a year ago. Tension was brewing over traditional tribal customs between the converts and other Santhals in recent months. In June last year, during the Raja festival - the earth is said to be menstruating then - the converts violated local custom by continuing to till the land. This led to heated exchanges between the converts and traditional Santhals. Things hotted up again early January when conservative tribesmen objected to Santhali Christian carols being played at a Christian marriage in the for guarding their customs zealously, the Santhals were incensed by this cultural separation. Only some had land to grow paddy once a year. The rest foraged in nearby forests to retrieve sal leaves and stitch plates out of them for a living. But all had plenty of time to brood and get angry. Staines' arrival in the village gave them a chance to get even with those who dared to go against the traditional customs. Help came readily from Dara Singh, a Hindu fanatic from Etawah in Uttar Pradesh who was active along the Mayurbhanj-Keonjhar border since Staines and his sons slept in the car parked outside the village prayer hall—his companions were sleeping inside—the mob descended on them. About 100 m away, young Santhal boys and girls were celebrating their attainment of adolescence by dancing the traditional Dhangri to the beat of drums. They witnessed everything but chose to do nothing. Says a senior police official, "The gruesome act seemingly had the collective consent of the Santhals." Adds Utkal University sociologist Rita Ray, "The tribal community is in a state of turmoil. That turbulence makes it easy to fish in troubled waters."On the face of it, there was little cause for tension. Contrary to general perceptions, conversions number around 5,000 a year and the Christian population has grown marginally from 1.98 per cent in 1981 to 2.9 per cent in 1991. By that yardstick, the religious map of Orissa has not changed. The trouble starts when a handful of converts defy age-old traditions and customs. As missionaries target the farthest and the most inaccessible areas, the violation of tribal customs have ranged the non-converts against the converts. In recent months, Hindus and Christians have clashed violently in Serang, Gajapati Bolangir, Christians stopped visiting the local hospitals suspecting a selective sterilisation programme. In Bargarh, Hindus stopped drawing water from the village well on the suspicion that it was poisoned. And in Kathiguda, Nowrangpur district, 38 Adivasis complained to the police that they were duped into converting on the false promises of jobs. In such a vitiated atmosphere, the work is cut out for the likes of Dara substantial support from Santhals, Kulhos and Bathurias, Singh has been steadily fomenting trouble in the Keonjhar-Mayurbhanj belt since 1996, when the first police case was lodged against him. On June 28 last year, he and his storm-troopers attacked a truck carrying cattle - meant for slaughter houses in Calcutta - and set the vehicle on fire after beating up the driver and helper. He repeated his feat on August 16, this time beating up seven Muslims who were in the vehicle. One later succumbed to his injuries. According to a petition presented by 11 citizens of Thakurmunda to the cabinet team last Wednesday, one of the raiding teams flaunted the banner of the Bajrang at least nine cases registered against him, Singh was no stranger to the police. Whenever communal violence took place in the region - including the attack on a church in nearby Kesidiha last January - Singh's name invariably showed up in police records. "Dara Singh could be just a zealot working on his own. He was never our primary member," claims Pratap Sarangi, convener of the state Bajrang Dal. But the police tell a different story. Intelligence reports over the past year identified Singh as the kingpin and described him as a member of the Bajrang Dal. "He must be one," insists a senior police official. "The earlier crimes were petty and we didn't have any motives then to fix responsibility on any particular group."Though the RSS has 1,500 shakhas (units) throughout Orissa, Manoharpur is too inconsequential to have one. The nearest town with an RSS unit is Thakurmunda, a backbreaking ride of over one and a half hours. But here again, the Bajrang Dal is absent. It is, however, present in Anandpur, another bustling town almost 60 km from Manoharpur. Sangh leaders claim they simply lacked any striking power in a place like Manoharpur. With the Sangh Parivar strenuously denying any links with Singh, one possibility is that he was a freelance fanatic who conducted what he thought was a dharmyudh (holy war) on behalf of the J.B. Patnaik Government turned a blind eye to Singh's activities despite appeals to the chief minister, home secretary and local MLAs by anxious residents. Worse, the district was rudderless when the Staines' killing occurred. There was no SP for the past three months - intra-Congress rivalries prevented an appointment - the additional SP was on leave and the whole area was managed by a DSP. The team of cabinet ministers was also told by some Manoharpur residents about Singh's proximity to state minister and local Congress MLA Jaideva Jena. Naturally, Jena denies the charge. "It's shameful to settle political scores over macabre deaths."That is undeniable but already the monumental tragedy of the Staines' killing has become an occasion for political one-upmanship. If Chief Minister Patnaik has used the national outrage against the Sangh Parivar to divert attention from the Anjana Mishra gang rape case and secure a fresh lease of life, Union Home Minister L.K. Advani didn't wait for a full inquiry before issuing a clean chit to the Bajrang to Congress General Secretary Madhavrao Scindia's outburst that it was time for Vajpayee and Advani to pack their bags, Fernandes hinted at an evil conspiracy. "After Pokhran there are many forces that don't want this Government to remain," he said, adding "Someone had decided at some point of time that Staines had to be killed. As of now we have not been able to figure out any motive." But the Government has begged the more complex question as to whether the BJP is now a victim of the forces it had helped the country waits for the harsh truth to emerge, it can only rue the fact that political and sectarian differences can be resolved by roasting a man and his two children to death. The Staines' murder will remain a collective blot on the conscience of India for a long time to come. It has made a great country look small. And ugly.—with Farzand Ahmed Subscribe to India Today MagazineMust Watch
