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Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Boy, 4, crushed by falling memorial stone in front of his great-grandmother
Eli David Testa, 4, died when a memorial stone fell on him at Rawtenstall Cemetery while he was visiting with his great-grandmother, an inquest has since been launched A four-year-old boy was crushed to death by a falling memorial stone in front of his great-grandmother in a horrific incident as investigators are now examining how he died. Eli David Testa died in a tragic accident at Rawtenstall Cemetery while he was with his great-grandmother on Saturday July 5. A stone memorial fell on the boy, from Rossendale, Lancashire, and killed him. Little Eli was rushed to the Royal Blackburn Hospital where advanced life support was attempted but he sadly died as a result of his injuries. A CT scan revealed he died from a traumatic head injury. An inquest into his death was opened and adjourned today at Preston Coroners' Court. Area Coroner Kate Bisset confirmed the police investigation had concluded but that the HSE had been "notified." The coroner said: "Eli was in a cemetery with his great-grandmother when a stone cross on top of a grave came loose and fell on top of him causing injuries which sadly resulted in his death. An ambulance was called and full advanced life support was started at the scene and he was transported to the hospital. "Given the nature of the injuries and that there was a known cause of his death at that time he was subject to a post-mortem CT scan [as opposed to a full post-mortem examination]. The cause of death is likely to be recorded as a traumatic head injury. That will be a matter for the coroner at the final hearing. "Police have confirmed there is no longer any active police investigation. There was no reason to suspect there was any suspicious circumstances or third-party involvement at the time. The HSE have been notified." The case is due to be mentioned in coroners' court on October 9 in order to assess whether there will be any ongoing proceedings, reported The Manchester Evening News. Tributes have been paid to the youngster, who was praised as being a "bright soul who brought joy in the purest, most magical way," while more than £17,000 has been raised for his family via a GoFundMe campaign. Rossendale and Darwen MP Andy MacNae said during yesterday's Prime Minister's Questions that would pass his condolences to Eli's parents Jessica and Tommy. The MP said: "Last week four-year-old Eli Testa was killed in Rawtenstall Cemetery when a memorial stone fell on him. "All of Rossendale was shocked by this tragedy so I hope the Prime Minister will join me in offering our deepest condolences to Eli's parents and family." Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: "Can I extend my deepest condolences to Eli's friends and family."
Irish Daily Mirror
13-07-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
'Nobody threatens my family, I don't care... so I've done what I've done'
A member of one of Manchester's most well-known Traveller families has said he doesn't 'regret anything' after being released from prison following a vicious assault on a pensioner in a pub in the Northern Quarter area of the city two years ago. Dougie Joyce was jailed in November 2023 after admitting repeatedly punching the 78-year-old victim in the back room of a Thomas Street pub in the city. After he was sent down for 19 months for GBH, police described him as an 'aggressive and violent man who intended to intimidate and inflict pain on a vulnerable 78-year-old,' reports The Manchester Evening News. CCTV showed the then 35-year-old, who was wearing a large gold ring, launch the sickening attack before encouraging his dad to join in. But in an interview with the Criminal Connection podcast released this week, the businessman and former bare-knuckle boxer said he had no regrets. "I never regret anything I do in life," he told host Terry Stone. "I regret being in that situation. But I don't regret anything I do because everything I do is for a reason." Describing the vicious assault as 'just one of them moments inside of a pub', he said the victim had insulted his father John Joyce, who was given a community order for his part in the attack, and 'threatened his family'. Joyce added: "The bottom line of the story is my father knocked him spark out 35 years ago. That was it. "But what it was, he was holding a grudge against my father. He's obviously not got over it. There was a little bit of commotion. And then he got very abusive coming out with his name calling and then he just took it one step too far. "He threatened my family. Nobody threatens my family. I don't care who you are. Obviously I've got drink in my system and I'm an alpha male and the thing is I'll always protect my family. "So, I've done what I've done and at the end of the day, I've paid the price, been to jail. It's the past. I put it behind me. It is what it is." Joyce also told how he was arrested at Dublin Airport following the attack. And he boasted of being being asked for selfies and autographs while serving his sentence in Strangeways and Forest Bank. "It was plain sailing," he said of his time in prison. "Just kept my head down, got on with it, done my gym, met a few nice fellas in there. I know a lot of people anyways from inside out and there was no issues whatsoever." The infamous hardman, who appeared in the The Joyce Family Documentary on Amazon and reportedly turned down a role in Channel 4's My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding to become 'the next Tyson Fury', has several convictions for violence. In May last year, he was jailed for 13 months after a feud between the Joyces and members of the Doherty family exploded in violence at a wake at The Vine pub in Collyhurst in inner city Manchester. Last month, he was in the headlines again after posing with Liz Truss to promote his new line of whiskey. In a clip shared on his Instagram page, Joyce hands the former PM a bottle of the spirit saying, 'Just remember - Dougie Joyce loves ya', with Truss then adding 'Liz Truss loves you'. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week
Irish Daily Mirror
12-07-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Dream holiday turns into nightmare in seconds as couple left stranded in Spain
A young couple's dream Spanish holiday turned into a nightmare after thieves targeted their car in a ruthless robbery that cost them in the region of €69,000. Anna Higginbottom, 27, and her partner Peter Lesisz, 26, were left stranded in Spain when their vehicle was ransacked in Bilbao just as they were preparing to return to Scotland via ferry from Bilbao to Portsmouth. The couple had spent the night at a hostel in Bilbao on Monday (July 7), and say they were told the car park was secure and monitored by CCTV, reports The Manchester Evening News. But, to their horror, they discovered the next morning that their car had been broken into and emptied by thieves. "We've been left with only our phones and each other," Anna, a holistic wellness coach, said. "It's a disaster. We have nothing left. We're just completely devastated." Peter, who runs Alpine Performance, lost approximately £55,000 (approximately €63,500) worth of specialist car tuning equipment, crucial for his business, including pen drives containing years of custom engine software files. "Peter's worked years to build this business," Anna shared. "That equipment isn't just expensive - it's his entire livelihood. He's one of the best in the UK at what he does. "He has not stopped crying. I've never seen him like this. It's heartbreaking." Anna also suffered significant losses, with around £5,000 (approximately €6,000) worth of jewellery, clothing, and irreplaceable items from her late mother taken in the heist. She said: "That's what hurts most. The sentimental things - they're just gone. They can't be replaced." The theft also included Peter's passport, resulting in the couple missing their scheduled ferry. Now, Peter faces a 10-hour return journey to Madrid to secure a temporary passport after being lent cash by relatives. In the meantime, the duo have had to turn to Spanish social services for emergency accommodation and supplies. Anna added: "The police haven't helped us. There's such a language barrier. We've had to do our own investigation. One of my cards was used locally, and we even found the shop. They told us that it was a Moroccan man. "We're terrified that the longer this goes on, the less chance we have of seeing our stuff again." The couple say they have even ventured into known dangerous neighbourhoods to track down the thieves themselves. "Locals warned us we could be stabbed or attacked if we went looking in these areas, so we're scared and out of options," Anna continued. "We have done everything we can, but we don't want to put our lives at risk doing our own investigation." Taking to social media in a plea for help, the couple started a GoFundMe page, hoping to recoup some of their losses. Anna penned on the fundraising site: "We never thought we'd be in this position. Even £5 would mean the world." For those who wish to help Peter and Anna, their GoFundMe page can be accessed here. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week
Irish Daily Mirror
10-07-2025
- General
- Irish Daily Mirror
Foodies 'ditching' toastie makers for cheap gadget to make them in the microwave
When it comes to culinary contraptions, there's a good chance most of us have a toastie maker gathering dust somewhere in our kitchens. While a cheese toastie serves as the perfect snack at midnight or midday, the hassle of bringing it out of storage, waiting for it to reach the desired temperature and then the subsequent clean-up can often feel like more trouble than it's worth. This is where a nifty little device from Morphy Richards comes into play, standing out as one of the most cost-effective tools for quick snacks, reports The Manchester Evening News. The Mico Microwave Toastie Sandwich Maker usually retails at just over €30, but bargain hunters can currently bag it with a hefty discount of nearly 25 per cent as part of Amazon Prime Day deals, bringing the price down to just under €23. The operation is incredibly straightforward: simply assemble your preferred toastie, place it in the toastie maker, close it and pop it into the microwave for a few minutes to enjoy crispy, delicious toasties, paninis, bagels and more. Customers who have already bought the device say it cooks toasties 'perfectly' in less than three minutes, with minimal clean-up required afterwards. It's also an ideal solution for those office days when only a microwave is available, or for any fresher embarking on their university journey this September. Rather than splashing out on a new toastie machine or lugging an old one from home, this compact version is the perfect alternative. In terms of other options, nearly €10 has been slashed off the George Foreman Small Electric Fit Grill, which is easy to clean and is now available for €20.85 on Amazon. The Breville Cafe-Style Sandwich Press in Brushed Stainless Steel, meanwhile, has an average 4.7/5 rating from nearly 900 reviews and can be ordered from Currys for €39.99. The Mico Microwave Toastie Sandwich Maker itself has an impressive average score of 4.5/5 from nearly 3,000 customer reviews. One satisfied customer said: "Excellent product, perfectly-toasted sandwich, crispy on the outside and hot and tasty on the inside, perfect size for one person, well worth the price." Another raved: "I bought this following an advert via TikTok, where I work we aren't allowed toasters only microwaves but sometimes I just want a toastie so I bought this. It's very easy to use. You only need a smidge of butter as the non-stick coating is excellent. Two-and-a-half minutes in microwave and it's done. Just a wipe clean with a cloth and its ready to use again. Small and doesn't take up much room." One more impressed user said: "Not used my old traditional toastie machine in ages. No waiting for it heating up so it saves time if you then want to make another. The toastie is as crisp as the traditional machine and it's just as melted and cooked inside. Best thing I've bought in a long time." Another described it as a 'game changer', saying: "Having been in hospital for a few months we were limited on food we could eat. This was a game-changer and allowed us to make lovely toasties and paninis in the microwave. Cooks really quickly and can be used the same as a traditional sandwich maker." Reviews for the toastie sandwich maker weren't universally positive, with one customer calling it 'expensive' and saying: "I was drawn to buy this by the reviews and video but personally found it substandard and not worth the nearly £35 (approximately €40) I paid. Disappointed. Just not for me." On the other hand, an elderly Amazon user promised 'you won't regret' purchasing it, saying: "I am an 80-year-old single male and I have just bought one of these simple-to-use pieces of kit. "I've made cheese and tomato, cheese and onion and cheese and ham toasties. They take four minutes in the microwave and come out perfect. Washing the unit afterwards couldn't be easier. Buy one, you won't regret it." The Morphy Richards Mico Microwave Toastie Sandwich Maker is available on Amazon for €22.96. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week
Irish Daily Mirror
01-07-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Naked man attacks driver outside Aldi supermarket as horrified children watch on
Terrifying mobile phone footage has shown the moment a completely naked man appears to attack a driver and attempt to get inside a car with a family inside. The incident, which occurred in Middleton near Manchester on Sunday (June 29), saw a crazed man 'running over the roundabout' and 'going for any car or person near him', witnesses claimed. Police were called to reports of a man, in the nude, who had been approaching vehicles at random on Manchester Old Road, close to the Middleton Archer pub, during the afternoon rampage, reports The Manchester Evening News. During the incident, witnesses claimed the nude man was 'attacking a guy' from a car with children inside. "It was awful. I was two cars behind when he was attacking the guy in car," one post read on social media. "My girls were also in car, think they're traumatised bless them." New footage posted online and shared with the Manchester Evening News shows the moment the suspect appeared to become involved in an altercation with a driver outside an Aldi supermarket. Shouts of 'get the kids out the car' could be heard as brave onlookers rushed in to help. The naked man attempts to climb inside the driver's side of the vehicle before he is dragged out and forced to the ground. The clip was shared on Instagram and has since been viewed more than 30,000 times. Greater Manchester Police confirmed a man was arrested. A spokesperson for the force said: "Officers arrested a man in Middleton town centre on suspicion of assault and criminal damage. He remains in police custody." Greater Manchester Police has been contacted for an update. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week
