A man was left out of work with his leg swollen ‘like a balloon’ after a ‘horrific’ bite from ‘Britain’s most dangerous spider’. 

Shane Parmenter, from Chelmsford, Essex, says a bite from a noble false widow left him unable to work and struggling with his mental health. 

The 36-year-old, who raps as MC Napz, says the spider struck after he tried to squash it in his recording studio. 

He said: ‘My mate was laughing his head off. He said “it’s gonna come back and do ya” and I was like “yeah, alright”. 

‘We ended up both falling asleep in the studio, and I felt something in the night bite me. It felt like a bee sting. 

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT 

Shane Parmenter, from Chelmsford, Essex, says a bite from a noble false widow left him unable to work and struggling with his mental health

The spider possesses a fast-acting neurotoxic venom with a very similar composition to true black widows

‘When I woke up in the morning, I felt another big sting, and then a false widow ran out of my trouser leg. 

‘Pretty much straight away it all went red, it was a bit uncomfortable. 

‘It got a whole lot worse. My leg swelled up like a balloon. I felt sick, I felt nauseous, I was dizzy, I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t eat.’ 

Following advice from the NHS 111 helpline, Shane drew around the bite with a pen so he would see if it was swelling – but his injury quickly outgrew the markings. 

He said: ‘It went from a little mark on my leg, to massive – it just kept getting bigger and bigger, more swollen and swollen. You could see that it was getting infected.’ 

At Sittingbourne Memorial Hospital, medics cleaned and dressed the wound, and gave him a course of antibiotics. 

But the musician would have to re-dress the wound time and time again as it continued to ooze through the bandages. 

He said: ‘I had about four or five of them put on, and literally within 24 hours of it going on, it was filling up – I’d take them off and it’d burst. 

The noble false widow (Steatoda nobilis) is an invasive species of spider known for causing painful symptoms when it bites unlucky humans

Following advice from the NHS 111 helpline, Shane drew around the bite with a pen so he would see if it was swelling – but his injury quickly outgrew the markings

Mr Parmenter (pictured) said: ‘I felt something in the night bite me. It felt like a bee sting’

‘The worse it got was: one night, I was sat on the toilet and I felt it just go ‘pop’ and I felt it seeping through the pad – it was dripping down my leg. 

‘I took the pad off and it was just literally horrific: blood and big lumps of pus oozing out of my leg. It was so painful.’ 

The bite has also unleashed a wave of mental health anguish for Shane, and impacted on his work with his record label, D&B Politics. 

‘It was really hard to cope with,’ he said. 

‘Not being able to go to work and not being able to do my side-job, or even sit at my laptop and do my promotions and release some music. 

‘I’ve got my own studio so I like to get really creative in the studio, but I couldn’t think straight. ‘It’s made me a bit shook of spiders.

‘I wasn’t scared of spiders before but I definitely damn well am now.’ 

Noble false widows are not native to the UK, but are thought to have arrived from the Canary Islands in banana boxes in the late 1800s.

The species gained a strong population in the majority of Britain’s southern counties, and they are now spreading northwards. 

It can be found all year round regardless of climate both indoors and outdoors – from roadside plants and ivy growing on walls to telegraph poles, fence posts and buildings.  

At Sittingbourne Memorial Hospital, medics cleaned and dressed the wound, and gave him a course of antibiotics. But the musician would have to re-dress the wound time and time again as it continued to ooze through the bandages

File photo of a noble false widow (Steatoda nobilis). The species is ‘widely regarded as the most dangerous spider breeding in Britain,’ according to a 2020 paper by Clive Hambler, an Oxford University zoologist

The noble false widow is ‘widely regarded as the most dangerous spider breeding in Britain,’ according to a 2020 paper by Clive Hambler, an Oxford University zoologist.

However they’re unlikely to attack unless provoked or trapped between clothes and skin. 

Now Mr Parmenter is speaking out to warn others to leave them be. 

He said: ‘They’re the sort of spider that if you just leave them alone, they will not even bother you. 

‘My advice to other people would be: if you find a false widow in your house, leave it.’ 

THE NOBLE FALSE WIDOW SPIDER 

Pictured: a noble false widow spider

Species name: Steatoda nobilis

Origin: the Canary Islands & Madeira

Range: Europe, Africa, Americas 

Colour: Brown body, red/orange legs 

Notable feature: Bulbous abdomen 

Size (female): 0.37–0.55″ (9.5–14 mm)

Size (male): 0.28–0.43″ (7–11 mm) 

Habitat: Indoors and outside 

Lifespan: Average of five years 

Venom: Latrodectus-like toxins

(Not to be confused with the black widow spider, on whose similarity the false widow was given its common name.)

Nikki Haley says Biden is worse than King George: 2024 hopeful compares Britain’s crackdown on the colonies to Joe trying to ‘control the lightbulbs we use’ and the ‘stoves we buy’

• Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley debuted her ‘Freedom Plan’ from Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire Friday 
• As part of it, she listed way to ‘reduce federal government control of our lives’
• In her speech she said the British ‘had nothing on Joe Biden’ railing him for trying to control light bulbs, cars and the stoves Americans can buy

By Nikki Schwab, Senior U.S. Political Reporter For Dailymail.Com In Hampton, New Hampshire

Published: 16:01 EDT, 22 September 2023 | Updated: 16:27 EDT, 22 September 2023

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley floated Friday that President Joe Biden was worse than Britain’s King George III, whose behavior sparked the American Revolution. 

Haley was debuting her ‘Freedom Plan’ – an economic agenda she hopes to enact if elected to the White House next year – in front of an audience of potential voters at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire. 

One of the three tenets she’s proposing is a laundry list of ways to ‘reduce federal government control of our lives.’ 

‘In the Declaration of Independence, the founders accused King George of sending “swarms of officers to harass our people and eat out their substance,” but the British had nothing on Joe Biden,’ she said, earning some laughs from the crowd. 

‘He’s trying to control the lightbulbs we use, the cars we drive, the stoves we buy and countless other parts of our daily lives,’ she added. 

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley debuted her ‘Freedom Plan’ Friday at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire

Haley floated that President Joe Biden (left) was worse than Britain’s King George III (right) for trying to ‘control the lightbulbs we use’ and the ‘stoves we buy’

She complained that, ‘Entire industries now live or die based on the whims of Washington.’ 

Last month the Biden administration banned incandescent light bulbs, a process that started when Republican President George W. Bush was president and Congress passed the Energy Independence and Security Act. 

The Trump Administration had appealed the rules, but the Biden Administration picked it back up when he came into office in January 2021. 

The president has also championed the conversion to electric vehicles – signing legislation that includes incentives to move this forward. 

As for stoves, in January, a Biden-appointed commissioner of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, Richard L. Trumka Jr., created a frenzy on the political right when he said that gas stoves were a ‘hidden hazard’ and ‘any option,’ including a ban, was on the table. 

Trumka had pointed to links between gas stoves and child asthma rates. 

Facing a firestrom of criticism from Republicans, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was forced to announce that the administration was not coming after Americans’ gas stoves. 

‘The president does not support banning gas stoves and the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which is independent, is not banning as stoves,’ she said. 

Haley’s comments follow former President Donald Trump, one of her 2024 Republican White House rivals, complaining about the government setting certain energy standards. 

‘You know I have this gorgeous head of hair – when I take a shower, I want water to pour down on me. When you go into these new homes with showers, the water drips down slowly, slowly,’ Trump said last month at a dinner with voters in South Carolina. 

Other parts of Haley’s ‘Freedom Plan’ included changes to the tax code that she claimed would benefit the middle class and forcing Congress to cut the budget. 

‘I will veto any spending bill that doesn’t take us back to pre COVID levels,’ she pledged. ‘We’re not talking about 1950 spending levels. We’re talking about just four years ago.’ 

One of her ideas included not paying members of Congress when they fail to pass a budget. 

She also pitched rolling back Biden’s green energy incentives. 

‘Joe Biden is pushing us to buy expensive electric cars and subsidizing car companies,’ Haley said. ‘Innovative electric car companies don’t need subsidies.’ 

Haley also pointed out that most electric car batteries are made in China, despite the White House’s current push to move battery manufacturing to the United States. 

• Long-term sickness has become a ‘serious fiscal threat,’ a new IPPR report warns
• There are now a record 2.6million British people out of work due to poor health 

By Shaun Wooler Health Editor

Published: 19:10 EDT, 12 September 2023 | Updated: 19:12 EDT, 12 September 2023

The levels of long-term sick leave from work pose a ‘serious’ threat to Britain’s public finances, a report warns.

Bosses at the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) also insist that standards of healthcare have declined – despite increasing amounts of funding being ploughed into services.

The 90-page report comes after the IPPR’s Commission on Health and Prosperity conducted an audit of health and care services, which concluded that poor health is costing livelihoods as well as lives.

Long-term sickness has become a ‘serious fiscal threat’, the report says, with the number of people out of work due to poor health at an all-time high of 2.6million.

It adds: ‘There is no road to prosperity for this nation without tackling the tide of sickness head-on. 

Long-term sickness has become a ‘serious fiscal threat’ with the number of people out of work due to poor health at an all-time high of 2.6 million

‘The number of deaths that could have been avoided with timely healthcare or public health interventions is much higher in the UK than in all other comparable European nations. 

‘If the UK had a [similar] avoidable mortality rate, around 240,000 fewer people would have died in the decade from 2010.’

Long waits for healthcare and a failure to tackle obesity, couch potato lifestyles and smoking have fuelled the deaths, says the think-tank.

The IPPR found the quality of care nationally has got worse despite increased spending, leading the country to ‘spend more to get less’. 

It is calling on the Government to take urgent action to deliver better value for money for taxpayers.

Reforming the NHS to change it from a ‘sickness service’ to a ‘prevention service’ would ‘avert killer costs’ and end ‘second-rate care’, the IPPR report says

Reforming the NHS to change it from a ‘sickness service’ to a ‘prevention service’ would ‘avert killer costs’ and end ‘second-rate care’, it adds. 

Lord James Bethell, a former Tory health minister, said: ‘Sick Britain is costing us our lives, our livelihoods and harming the UK economy.

‘If we want to change course, we must stop pretending that the answers are always more hospitals and more acute staff. Instead, we must start taking action to reduce demand and need for healthcare, through prevention.’

Matthew Taylor, of the NHS Confederation, which represents healthcare organisations, said: ‘Investment that keeps people out of hospital and preventing ill health will save money in the long-term, support the economy and help to secure a sustainable, flourishing future for the NHS.’

By Laura Sharman

Published: 11:57 EDT, 11 September 2023 | Updated: 12:07 EDT, 11 September 2023

Leicester is home to the worst cake bakers in Britain, according to a new study, which also reveals Brits’ most common baking fails. 

Researchers asked the nation about their baking skills, with 66 per cent of those from Leicester admitting their cakes are usually a ‘disaster’, compared to the national average of just 43 per cent.

In second place is Birmingham where 64 per cent of people admit their baking skills leave a lot to be desired, followed by London (third, 59 per cent). In joint fourth place, it’s Leeds and Liverpool, where 58 per cent of locals declare their bakes ‘disastrous’. 

Fifth in the ranking is Glasgow, where 57 per cent say they are cake-baking amateurs, followed by Nottingham (sixth, 56 per cent), Manchester (seventh, 52 per cent), Norwich (eighth, 51 per cent), and Sheffield (ninth, 49 per cent).

Elsewhere, the study, which comes ahead of the return of hit series The Great British Bake Off, found that Brits’ most common baking fail is dealing with unrisen cake batter. A third of respondents (33 per cent) have faced this issue. 

Leicester is home to the worst cake bakers in Britain, according to a new study, which also revealed Brits’ most common baking fails 

The second most common baking fail is burning the top of the cake (20 per cent). It’s followed by taking a cake out of the oven with a soggy bottom (third, 19 per cent), which can mean the oven’s temperature was not high enough or the cake was not baked for long enough. 

Other baking fiascos include making cakes with a rock-hard sponge, dealing with melted icing, facing sunken sponges, and making cakes that are bone dry (all 15 per cent, joint fourth). 

More patisserie fails include fruit sinking to the bottom of a bake and making a cake that’s too thin to cut in half (joint fifth, both 11 per cent), the study of 2,000 people has revealed. 

And 10 per cent of Brits have made cakes with lumpy, un-sifted flour (sixth). 

BRITAIN’S WORST CAKE BAKERS RANKED

1. Leicester (66 per cent)

2. Birmingham (64 per cent)

3. London (59 per cent)

4= Leeds (58 per cent)

4= Liverpool (58 per cent)

5. Glasgow (57 per cent)

6. Nottingham (56 per cent)

7. Manchester (52 per cent)

8. Norwich (51 per cent)

9. Sheffield (49 per cent)

Source: Samsung

Common baking fails include dealing with an unrisen batter and burning the top of the cake 

The art of baking appeals to a wide audience, with almost three-quarters (74 per cent) of those surveyed saying they find baking shows like the Great British Bake Off inspiring. 

But despite this keen interest, more than half (53 per cent) of Brits are forced to throw out their bakes because they’re inedible, the findings show.

Almost a quarter of Britons (23 per cent) have ended up buying a cake and passing it off as their own, the study reveals. 

While 39 per cent claim their cake creations are so bad, they could not even consider posting them on social media.

Thirty-nine per cent claim their cake creations are so bad, they could not even consider posting them on social media 

More than a third (34 per cent) of respondents said trying to decorate cakes was ‘stressful’, while 55 per cent blamed their oven not being at the right temperature for their baking disasters. 

The research was commissioned by Samsung’s Series 7 AI Oven, which has an internal camera and burn detection function.

Gino Grossi, from Samsung UK, said: ‘Our research says that over 55 per cent of the nation has blamed their oven for their baking disasters, while 70 per cent feel having smarter tech in the kitchen would help improve their baking skills.’

BRITS’ TOP BAKING FAILS RANKED

1. Cake won’t rise – 33 percent (of Brits say this happens regularly)

2. Burnt top – 20 percent

3. Soggy bottom – 19 percent

4 = Melted icing – 15 percent

4 = Sunken sponge – 15 percent

4 = Dry cake – 15 percent 

4 = Rock hard sponge – 15 percent

5 = Cake too thin to cut in half – 11 percent

5 = Fruit sunk to the bottom – 11 percent

6. Lumpy un-sifted flour in cake – 10 percent

Source: Samsung

Police now believe Britain’s most wanted man is in Chiswick wearing a black baseball cap, t-shirt and dark bottoms as their search moves to west London.

The new information follows witness sightings of Daniel Khalife confirmed overnight, including calls from members of the public.

Officers remain in Chiswick and are now planning to carry out further intensive search activity today.

A police helicopter was deployed last night over Chiswick House and Grove Park amid the search. 

The Metropolitan Police said in a statement today: ‘We urge members of the public in that area to remain vigilant and call 999 immediately should they see Khalife, or if they have any information that could assist the search. 

‘Whilst we advise members of the public not to approach Khalife if they see him, we still assess that he does not pose a threat to the wider public.’

Daniel Abed Khalife, 21, a former soldier suspected of terror offences who escaped from prison on Wednesday morning

Daniel Khalife (pictured), a former soldier in the 22 Signal Regiment, was on remand at HMP Wandsworth ahead of his six-week terror trial

A police helicopter patrols areas near Richmond Park in London on 8 September 2023 after Khalife (who was on remand for terror offences) escaped from Wandsworth Prison

Pictured: the police helicopter route over west London on Friday night

CCTV shows the Bidfood lorry which Khalife used for his escape driving down a residential street just 200 yards from the jail 

Former soldier Khalife, 21, who is alleged to have spied for Iran, escaped from Wandsworth Prison in a delivery van on Wednesday morning. 

The search for him remains a significant operation led by the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command. 

More than 150 of the Met’s counter terrorism officers and staff are working at pace around the clock to try and find Khalife. 

The Met is offering a reward of up to £20,000 for information that leads to the arrest of Daniel Abed Khalife, as detectives confirmed a sighting of him near Wandsworth Roundabout. 

CCTV shows the van after it left the prison but detectives believe Khalife had already made off by the time the footage was captured. 

Elsewhere, officers received a tip-off from a member of the public who said they saw a man fitting Khalife’s description walking away from a BidFood van that stopped near the south entrance to the Wandsworth Roundabout, at the top of Trinity Road, shortly after his escape. 

The man was then seen walking towards Wandsworth town centre.

Khalife escaped the Victorian jail by strapping himself to the bottom of a delivery lorry after leaving the prison kitchen in a cook’s uniform.

The Met Police admitted that Khalife’s ‘previous military experience’ may make him harder to catch, as he is likely ‘more aware of efforts to apprehend him.’

Khalife was wearing a chef’s uniform of Wandsworth prison similar to the one pictured at the time of his escape

Clothes similar to the ones Daniel Khalife was wearing as he made his escape

Khalife escaped in this grocery lorry by strapping himself to its underside (caught on CCTV after his escape)

It has been determined that the van took the following route upon leaving Wandsworth Prison. After reaching Wandsworth Roundabout, the van turned onto Swandon Way and the van remained on the road until turning onto Fairfield Street

A police helicopter patrols surrounding areas near Richmond Park today as the search for Khalife continues

Police have urged the public not to approach Khalife but to call 999 if they see him (pictured: A police helicopter above Richmond Park today)

Khalife was wearing the above type of prison-issued shoes at the time of his escape

Elsewhere, a shop assistant also reported seeing ‘a tall, lanky dude with dark hair’, who he later claimed to recognise as Khalife from media images, enter a black coloured vehicle outside Wandsworth County Court – but police have not confirmed whether this sighting is of interest.

The witness, who was working at The Market – Putney Newsagents on Wednesday morning, heard a commotion outside the store, before seeing the man sprint across the street and get into a car on the other side of the road by traffic lights.

His manager told the Telegraph: ‘There was lots of beeping by cars and people were annoyed.

‘My friend, one of the workers at the shop, was in the shop on that morning, at around 7.30, and he went outside where he saw a man running into a black car. The man was some tall lanky dude with dark hair and there was a Bidfood van.

‘My friend didn’t see him getting out of the van but he saw him sprint across the street to the traffic lights.’

The Met Police has opened its UK Image Appeal website which allows people to submit any relevant imagery and video directly to the investigation team.

This could be CCTV, doorbell footage, mobile phone footage, or dash-cam footage.

Commander Dominic Murphy, who leads the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said: ‘This remains a fast-paced and dynamic investigation, but I want the public to know that a large number of officers are working extremely hard to locate Khalife.

‘We have now received more than 100 calls from the public, and we thank everyone who has contacted us with information.

‘The sighting near Wandsworth Roundabout could be very significant, and this is one of many useful lines of enquiry that officers are perusing.

‘We continue to urge the public to contact us straight away if they think they have seen Khalife or have information on his whereabouts.

‘We will continue to work closely with all our colleagues in police services across the country and other partners to trace Khalife and bring him back into custody.’

A national manhunt was launched for Daniel Abded Khalife, a former soldier suspected of terror offences

Khalife escaped on September 6 from HM Prison Wandsworth. A member of the public is said to have seen Khalife crawl out from a lorry at Wandsworth roundabout and run down the street – it is the only sighting police have yet received

Officers continue to focus investigative efforts in London. This included search activity at Richmond Park overnight into the early hours of Friday, 8 September.

A nationwide alert put out on Wednesday has led to tightened security at ports and borders. 

The force has assessed that Khalife ‘does not pose a threat to the wider public’ but advises the public not to approach him and call 999 immediately. 

Former soldier Khalife, 21, was declared missing at 7.50am on  Wednesday. The Met was notified at 8.15am and took immediate action to track down a delivery van that had left the prison.

At 8.37, police officers stopped the van in Upper Richmond Road, near the junction with Carlton Drive. Officers spoke to the driver and carried out a thorough search. Police discovered strapping on the underside of the van.

Detectives believe Khalife was hiding underneath the van and used this strapping as part of his escape.

The force previously gave details of the route the van which they believe Khalife escaped on took after it left Wandsworth Prison, based on GPS data detectives had obtained from the vehicle.

As a result of further CCTV enquiries, it has been determined that the van took the following route upon leaving Wandsworth Prison. After reaching Wandsworth Roundabout, the van turned onto Swandon Way and the van remained on the road until turning onto Fairfield Street.

Khalife, who served in 16 Signal Regiment, whose motto is Find A Way Or Make One, is thought to have clung to the underside of the truck by fashioning straps out of the plastic covering on his cell mattress. 

Sir Mark told LBC of the escape this morning: ‘It is clearly pre-planned, the fact that he could strap himself onto the bottom of the wagon.’ 

Police have blocked off the carriageway as the search continues for escaped prisoner Daniel Khalife

A police car is seen inside Richmond Park this morning as the hunt for Khalife continues

He added a prison escape is ‘unlikely to be something you do on the spur of the moment’.

Asked if police are looking into whether it was an ‘inside job’, the commissioner said: ‘It is a question. Did anyone inside the prison help him? Other prisoners, guard staff? Was he helped by people outside the walls or was it simply all of his own creation?’

He called it ‘extremely concerning’ that Khalife is ‘on the loose’.

Asked whether he was surprised to learn that the terror suspect was in a Category B prison, Sir Mark said it did ‘seem odd’ on first inspection.

The commissioner said the hunt for Khalife is a ‘massive operation’ involving ‘well into three figures of officers’ as well as help from forces around the country and from the border force.

‘At the moment we are still really keen to get any reports from members of the public,’ he added.

It came as police chiefs involved in the Richmond Park search apologised to locals for the disruption.

The National Police Air Service tweeted: ‘To dispel some rumours that have been circulating. We were deployed to Richmond Park last night searching for escaped prisoner Daniel Khalife. 

‘Due to the size and complexity of the park this took a protracted period of time. Apologies for the noise.’

Meanwhile, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said there were questions about the ‘link between government austerity and this man escaping.’

He said: ‘There’s a question in relation to the medium and long term about the link between government austerity and this man escaping.

‘I know from my own experience, as the member of parliament previously for Tooting where Wandsworth prison is, (there are) big problems in relation to it being overcrowded and being a Victorian prison, lack of investment, lack of enough staff and those questions will need answering from the Government.’

Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor said staff shortages at Wandsworth are ‘the source of many problems’ and that ‘in an ideal world’ the jail would be shut.

The prison’s performance has been rated a ‘serious concern’ and watchdogs issued a string of warnings about the jail in the year before the incident.

It comes as pharmacies have been urged to keep a lookout following suggestions that the ex-British Army soldier may have suffered burns to his face during his escape.

Police patrol Richmond Park south-west London this morning following the escape of Daniel Khalife

The park was eerily quiet this morning as it reopened following a huge police search overnight

There were very few vehicles driving through Richmond Park after it reopened to the public this morning

A heavy police presence surrounding Richmond Park following the escape of Daniel Khalife

CCTV footage has shown the van which Daniel Khalife clung to in his audacious escape just 200 yards from prison, with no sign of the fugitive terror suspect underneath

Former Scotland Yard detective Peter Bleksley told Sky News: ‘Clinging to the bottom of a vehicle, if it’s got a petrol or diesel combustion engine, it is a pretty risky thing to do, not only because of course you can lose your grip and fall on a roadway, but exhaust systems, which generally speaking run the entire length of a vehicle like that, get incredibly hot.

‘The slightest touch of that exhaust system will leave you with a vey unpleasant burn.

‘So I would suggest to anybody who works in a chemist or pharmacy or shops where medical supplies are sold – just keep your eyes out today if somebody comes in asking for advice on how to treat burns, and sourcing bandages… and the like.’

Elsewhere, CCTV footage today showed the van Khalife escaped under just 200 yards from the prison, with no sign of the suspect.

Questions continue to grow over how the suspected terrorist, who is alleged to have spied for Iran, was able to flee the Category B prison, where there have long been concerns over security.

An inmate who worked with Khalife in the jail kitchen revealed how they used to joke about jumping in a delivery lorry and driving off.

And another former prisoner revealed how staff were so overstretched they even asked him to help lead the roll call of inmates on his wing.

Meanwhile, a barrister and former independent reviewer of terrorism legislation said today it was ‘mind-boggling’ that Khalife was able to work in a kitchen with access to knives.

Jonathan Hall KC told Radio 4’s World at One programme Mr Khalife has been ‘charged with collecting information which might be useful to an enemy’ and that he should have been held in a higher security prison.

‘I would have thought someone charged with espionage should be held more securely…just based on what the authorities knew’

‘They knew he was charged with an offence under the Official Secrets Act, that’s a very serious offence… one would have thought that you would look at the advanced capabilities that might come with working for or having relations with a hostile state’ he said.

Mr Hall also warned against legislation to make all of those accused of terrorism to be placed in a category A prison.

‘I’d be worried if there was a reaction which said now every person suspected of terrorism should be categorised as a high escape risk’.

Fresh CCTV footage today shows the Bidfood lorry which Khalife used for his escape driving down a residential street just 200 yards from the jail.

There is no sight of the fugitive in the images, suggesting that he may have leapt off the vehicle immediately after it left the prison gates.

Scotland Yard revealed last night there was 65 minutes between it leaving the prison and being stopped and searched by police, meaning a huge number of possible places where Khalife might have slipped away. 

As investigators worked to unravel how he managed to pull off a Colditz-style breakout in broad daylight, more details emerged of the audacious escape.

Khalife, who police suspect used his military training to carefully plan his escape, began Wednesday morning by helping to prepare breakfast at the Victorian jail.

He turned up for duty dressed in his chef’s uniform of a white T-shirt, distinctive red and white chequered trousers and brown steel-toe boots. 

How many other prisoners have escaped HMP Wandsworth and what is the jail like?

In 1965, Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs escaped with three others by scaling HMP Wandsworth’s 30-ft perimeter wall after they were allowed out to exercise.

Prison guards, obstructed by other inmates who were still exercising, watched on helplessly during the daring prison break.

Biggs went on to be a fugitive for 36 years, living in Australia and Brazil before flying back to the UK in 2001 and being put behind bars again.

In 2003, Eamon Donaghue ditched his prison clothes for a prison officer’s uniform he found while cleaning the officers’ mess hall. 

Fraudster Neil Moore was on remand in the Category B prison when he managed to get out in 2015 by posting a letter to wardens pretending it was from the court service. 

He told clueless wardens that he had been granted bail, and was free to walk out. 

He later had a ‘change of heart’ and surrendered himself after ‘three or four days.’

And most recently, in 2019, a prisoner was wrongly released by Wandsworth staff just six days into a six-week sentence. 

Wandsworth has seen at least six inmates break out over the years – including Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs

HMP Wandsworth, a Category B prison in southwest London, is one of the UK’s largest. 

It was built in 1851 as the ‘Surrey House of Correction.’

In 2022, its wardens were heavily criticised in a damning report that claimed the prison was plagued by overcrowding and violence. 

The report noted that prisoners were left in ‘very poor conditions’ surrounded by ‘piles of litter’ in ‘dirty, graffiti covered cells.’

Until as recently as 1996, inmates were forced to clean up their own excrement every morning in a process call ‘slopping out.’

Notable current and former inmates include:

• German tennis star Boris Becker 
• Boxer and artist Charles Bronson 
• David Chaytor, the first MP to be convicted for his role in the parliamentary expenses scandal 
• Drill artist Digga D
• Paedophiles Gary Glitter and Rolf Harris
• Wikileaks founder Julian Assange
• Gangster Ronnie Kray 
• Great Train Robbery culprit Ronnie Biggs 

After serving breakfast to inmates and guards, he slipped out of the kitchen carrying makeshift strapping of some kind, which police have declined to describe in more detail. 

In the yard outside the kitchen building, a lorry from the wholesaler Bidfood was making a routine delivery of groceries.

When no one was looking, Khalife ducked under the sidebars of the lorry and positioned himself precariously beneath the truck’s underbelly, using the strapping to support his weight.

At around 7.30am, with the driver blissfully unaware of the stowaway, the Bidfood lorry was driven 250 yards along the road running along the inside of the 30ft perimeter wall famously scaled by Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs in 1965. Two internal security gates had to be opened to let it pass.

At 7.32am, the lorry carrying the former Royal Signals soldier rolled through the prison’s imposing Victorian gate into the open. 

It was waved past guards and CCTV cameras with another cursory inspection, with no one thinking to check underneath at any of the three security checks.

As Khalife clung on, just inches from the wheels and the spinning drive shaft, the lorry turned right on to residential Heathfield Road, then left, then left again on to the busy triple-laned A214.

Police have stressed there is no suspicion about Bidfood or its driver, and said they had been co-operating fully.

Officers either do not know or have not said at what point Khalife decided to leave his escape vehicle, or what he did next. 

But the truck embarked on a near four-mile route through Wandsworth Town and on to the South Circular A205 road heading west towards Putney.

Khalife had an 18-minute head-start before anyone even noticed his absence. He was declared missing at 7.50am, and prison officers launched an urgent search, but it was a further 25 minutes before the police were called at 8.15am – by now a full 43 minutes after he had sprung himself.

Metropolitan Police cars descended on the area, while the lorry driver was called by his company and ordered to turn around and return to the prison.

On a busy high street close to East Putney station, officers swooped on the Bidfood truck at 8.37am outside a coffee shop.

A business owner who witnessed the operation told the Mail: ‘The police were searching inside the van, underneath it, on the roof, in the cab, everywhere. 

‘At first there was one unmarked, black police car, then a van and about five police cars. They were using two dogs to search it, one inside and one underneath.’ 

He said the search lasted for two hours.

Scotland Yard Commander Dominic Murphy said last night: ‘We searched it, but we found no trace of him. But we did find strapping that meant he had been underneath.’ 

Officers were keeping an open mind as to whether Khalife was helped by accomplices, but Mr Murphy cited the fugitive’s ‘ingenuity’ and said: ‘We have some of the best military in world and he was a trained soldier.’ 

He said police officers believed Khalife – a ‘very resourceful individual’ – would have needed to plan his escape, rather than it being opportunistic.

Police refused to confirm or deny if they had recovered potentially useful CCTV during their trawl, but said there had been no sightings by members of the public, despite it being ‘a busy area of London’. 

It prompted speculation as to whether the fugitive could have arranged to be picked up by an accomplice in another vehicle.

• Jason Missey was moving wood in his garden when he felt something like a sting
• Doctors identified Jason’s injury as a spider bite – likely from a noble false widow 

By Michael Havis For Mailonline

Updated: 06:38 EDT, 22 August 2023

A man was left in off-the-scale agony with his finger rotting away after a bite from ‘Britain’s most dangerous spider’.

Jason Missey was moving wood in his garden in Broadstairs, Kent, when he felt something like a sting but ‘nothing you’d worry about’.

He said: ‘We get horse flies down here and things like that, so it felt like that sort of thing. Nothing you’d worry about.

‘It looked literally like a horse-fly bite to start with, with a bit of swelling around it.

‘And then as it went on, it got a bit worse, and a bit worse, and worse – and then swelling, pus, skin coming off. I ended up going to hospital, and over six weeks I had to pull my finger apart basically.’

A man was left in off-the-scale agony with his finger rotting away after a bite from ‘Britain’s most dangerous spider’

Jason Missey was moving wood in his garden in Broadstairs, Kent, when he felt something like a sting but ‘nothing you’d worry about’

How to spot a noble false widow spider 

Noble false widows are the largest of the three false widow species likely to be found near homes. 

The front section of their body is dark brown, as are the legs. 

The abdomen (the large, oval-shaped rear part of the body) can be variable, with patterns of cream and dark brown marks (sometimes described as skull-shaped) though often with very few markings at all. 

Source: Wildlife Trusts 

Doctors identified Jason’s injury as a spider bite, and the the 50-year-old recalls flicking away a spider at the time of the ‘sting’.

He believes it was a noble false widow, and has photographed a specimen in his garden.

The species is ‘widely regarded as the most dangerous spider breeding in Britain,’ according to a 2020 paper by Clive Hambler, an Oxford University zoologist.

Gruesome images and videos taken by Jason show how the spider’s venom started to kill his flesh.

At first, the damage appeared to be limited to an angry red spot on his finger.

But before long, his top layer of skin was gone, leaving an open wound oozing pus in its place.

Asked to rate the pain out of 10, Jason said 11.

‘You have to just let it rot away to start with to be honest,’ he said.

‘Every two days you could take the dressing off, and then you had to pull dead parts off by yourself.

‘It was painful. When it was down to virtually the tendons and the muscle, when you’ve got tweezers on bits, pulling things that aren’t supposed to be pulled, it was very painful.

At first, the damage appeared to be limited to an angry red spot on his finger. But before long, his top layer of skin was gone, leaving an open wound oozing pus in its place

Jason believes the bite was from a noble false widow, and has photographed a specimen in his garden

‘I’ve got a big pain threshold but it was bad; very bad.’

Jason, who runs a construction firm with his dad, had to spend several weeks on light duties as he waited for his finger to heal.

And though he doesn’t want people to be scared of spiders on the whole, he says people should familiarise themselves with the noble false widow’s appearance,

‘I don’t want people attacking nature because of one type of spider,’ he said.

‘Just go online and look at what they look like.

‘We have loads down here and I’m always wary now. I now know what I’m looking for.’

ARACHNOPHOBIA IS IN OUR DNA

Recent research has claimed that a fear of spiders is a survival trait written into our DNA.

Dating back hundreds of thousands of years, the instinct to avoid arachnids developed as an evolutionary response to a dangerous threat, the academics suggest.

It could mean that arachnophobia, one of the most crippling of phobias, represents a finely tuned survival instinct.

And it could date back to early human evolution in Africa, where spiders with very strong venom have existed millions of years ago.

Study leader Joshua New, of Columbia University in New York, said: ‘A number of spider species with potent, vertebrate specific venoms populated Africa long before hominoids and have co-existed there for tens of millions of years.

‘Humans were at perennial, unpredictable and significant risk of encountering highly venomous spiders in their ancestral environments.’

Terrified locals living in a remote corner of Cambridgeshire are begging the council to remove a notorious railway arch dubbed ‘Britain’s most bashed bridge’ after a slew of traffic accidents. 

The Stonea railway crossing close to Ely was struck 33 times in one year as motorists were seemingly unaware of the bridges low 6ft6 dimensions before it was too late.

Residents are campaigning to improve the underpass, close to where Brian Dewey, 73, from Little Thetford was killed in a crash involving a Volvo and his orange motorbike in June. 

Simon Milburn, the area coroner for Cambridgeshire nd Peterborough has said ‘the cause of [Mr Dewey’s] death currently remains unascertained [and is] pending further investigations.’ 

James Fuller, who lives close to the Stonea railway crossing is among locals actively campaigning for action at the underpass, and claims that despite records showing the bridge has been struck 33 times, the real figure is much higher.

The Stonea railway crossing close to Ely was struck 33 times in one year as motorists were seemingly unaware of the bridges low 6ft6 dimensions before it was too late

Every year countless cars find themselves stuck inside the shallow confines of the bridge

Due to the bridges deceptively low height of 6ft 6 it has caught a lot of drivers by surprise 

Over the years many local people have watched in dismay as car after car crashes under the bridge

Numerous drivers have found their vehicles have got wedged after ignoring the height restriction signs and attempting to drive through the underpass

Mr Fuller, who has lived in the village for a year, said: ‘It’s a 6ft6 underpass here and those of us who live locally know that the bridge is struck more times than is officially recorded.

‘It’s a very dangerous location that’s not been addressed. We’ve witnessed plenty of awful smashes along with a death on the road network some weeks ago.’

Numerous drivers have found their vehicles have got wedged after ignoring the height restriction signs and attempting to drive through the underpass. The crashes not only cause damage but also long delays for other vehicles.

His neighbours, Pam Boss and Glen Lea, who have lived in the village for more than 20 years, said they believe the bridge gets hit around twice a week.

Mr Lea said: ‘We’ve been trying to get something done about that bridge for 20 years and I don’t think anything is ever going to be done.

‘We’ve been told it has not been bashed enough but they don’t take into consideration the drivers who have hit it and just driven off.

‘One reason they hit the bridge is because they come round the corner too fast and they are following their Sat Nav.’

The crashes not only cause damage but also long delays for other vehicles 

Residents say Cambridgeshire County Council is reluctant to close the underpass because vehicles will have to use the manual level crossing and will be constantly held up as trains frequently pass.

Mr Fuller added: ‘We genuinely feel that if this road was in any other part of Cambridgeshire it would have been fixed. We feel we are the poor relations in Fenland.

‘People have been promised that changes will be made for more than 20 years and nothing is ever done about it.’

He has written to Network Rail, Cambridgeshire County Council and local MP Stephen Barclay calling for the underpass to be closed, or safety measures to be put in place, but nothing has been done.

He said: ‘It seems that Network Rail and Cambridgeshire County Council have no interest in closing it, despite how much the locals push for it. They say there’s not enough money.

‘It seems the ease of getting workers to London is a greater priority than keeping those of us who live at Stonea safe.

‘I think there needs to be a much more imaginative response to the problem and at least some measures need to be put in place, even reducing the speed of the road to 20mph would help.’

He said the layout of the road around the bridge was also ‘dangerous’ and contributed to the problems. He added: ‘The signage is insufficient and all the road markings aren’t there.’

Residents say Cambridgeshire County Council is reluctant to close the underpass because vehicles will have to use the manual level crossing

Fire crews are regularly called out to help cut stricken cars from beneath the crossing

Tragically some incidents at the bridge require the precense of ambulances 

Brian Dewey, 73, from Little Thetford was killed in a crash involving a Volvo and his orange motorbike close to the Stonea railway bridge in June

A community relations executive for Network Rail wrote to Mr Fuller earlier this year stating that only the county council has the powers to close the underpass.

A Cambridgeshire County Council spokesperson said: ‘Officers visited the site following the fatal collision and assessed the condition of signs and road markings in the area. 

‘The road markings are to be refreshed to add clarity to the road layout ahead and the advance warning signage is to be improved to better advise drivers of larger vehicles that they will need to use the overpass.

‘The bridge is the responsibility of Network Rail, who have plans to automate the crossing on the bridge, although these are currently unfunded. Until this automation takes place, it will not be possible to implement any major changes to the current layout.’

A spokesman for Network Rail said: ‘Bridge strikes are a scourge on our railway which pose serious safety issues for road and rail users and can delay tens of thousands of passengers while we inspect the bridge and repair any damage – creating cost from public funds which should be used upgrading and improving our network. We are well aware of the issues at this particular bridge and share the concern of local residents around the number of incidents here.

‘We’ve made substantial investments to improve safety for road and rail users at this site with the installation of a collision protection beam and improved chevrons have been installed by Network Rail to reduce the likelihood of future collisions. We have also met with highways representatives to recommend further traffic calming measures on the approach to the bridge.

‘Bridge strikes can be avoided. We urge operators and drivers to always know the height and size of their vehicles, carefully plan their routes and look out for road signs showing the height of bridges. 

‘Network Rail always looks to recover the repair and delay costs from the driver and the operator and reports all bridge strikes to the Traffic Commissioners for consideration of enforcement and licence revocation.’

Births in England and Wales fell to their lowest level in two decades in 2022, official figures show.

Around 600,000 live births were logged between the two nations last year — 3.1 per cent fewer than 2021.

The figure has been in freefall for a decade, apart from a blip during 2021 put down to a mini baby ‘bounce’ by couples who put their family plans on hold at the start of the Covid pandemic.

Experts believe the trend is partly down to women focusing on their education and careers and couples waiting to have children until later in life.

The UK’s fragile economy and cost-of-living crisis is also putting people off having children, some believe, evidenced by abortion rates simultaneously spiking. 

Around 600,000 live births were longed between the two nations last year — 3.1 per cent fewer than 2021. The figure has been trending downwards since 2012, when around 730,000 births were logged

The graph shows the number of live births per age group in 2022 (red) compared to a decade earlier (blue). The number of new mothers in their teens and earlier twenties has halved, while those in their late twenties has fallen by a fifth. But those waiting until their late thirties and forties has increased

Experts claim people’s financial situations are increasingly playing into decisions around whether to start a family.

Others cite the environment, with people fearing that they will worsen their carbon footprint by having a child or that their child will have a bleak future due to climate change.  

Other reasons floated for plummeting birth rates include better access to contraception and lower child mortality.

There is no evidence that Covid vaccines are to blame, with scientists insisting there is no proof they harm fertility.

The ONS data shows that there were 605,479 live births between the two nations in 2022 — 577,046 in England and 28,296 in Wales.

This marked the lowest number since 2002 and was 20,000 fewer than 2021.

The drop is in line with pre-pandemic trends, which experts also fear will continue. 

Almost half of adults in the UK say they are not planning to have children, separate data revealed last year. Many cited financial reasons.

Experts fear the declining birth rate will leave Britain with an ageing population, pile extra pressure on the NHS and social care and hamper economic growth.

James Tucker, the ONS’ head of health analysis, said: ‘The annual number of births in England and Wales continues its recent decline, with 2022 recording the lowest number of live births seen for two decades.’ 

Fewer than half of new mothers (48.6 per cent) were married or in a civil partnership when they gave birth in 2022 — the lowest number on record.

Single mothers overtook those in couples for the first time ever last year. 

The rate peaked at 96 per cent in the early 1900s, before falling to 80 per cent in 1985, 70 per cent in 1991 and 60 per cent in 2001. 

It comes amid a trend of couples focusing on their careers and getting married and having children later in life.

Figures show that more older women than ever are becoming mothers. Some 31,228 over-40s gave birth in 2022 — up from 30,542 in 2021 and 17,336 in 2002.

But despite the number of older mothers soaring in recent decades, doctors tend to warn women not to leave it too late to have children. 

Fertility drops with age and the risk of complications, including stillbirths, increases.

Women in their late forties are estimated to have as little as a one in 20 chance of becoming pregnant naturally because they have fewer eggs, which are less capable of being fertilised.

Demand for donor eggs, one of the most common methods for older women to have a baby, have soared in recent years.

Other options include IVF — when a woman’s eggs are collected and mixed with sperm in a lab before being returned to the womb — and intrauterine insemination, when sperm is directly inserted into a woman’s womb.  

While births fell across the board among women in their twenties and thirties, teen births increased for the first time in nearly two decades.

Some 14,755 became mothers in 2022, up 7.4 per cent in a year.  

However, the figure is in line with pre-pandemic levels. A record low of 13,738 births among teens was logged in 2021, which experts think was down to Covid curbs stifling the young from hooking up. 

There were 2,433 stillbirths in 2022 — when a baby is born after 24 weeks but did not breathe or show signs of life. The figure is down by 164 (6.3 per cent) from 2021

Meanwhile, there were 2,433 stillbirths in 2022 — when a baby is born after 24 weeks but did not breathe or show signs of life. 

The figure is down by 164 (6.3 per cent) from 2021. It means there was four stillbirths per 1,000 births — down from 4.1 in 2021 but higher than the 3.9 logged in 2019.

Rates were highest in the North East and West Midlands (4.3 per 1,000) and lowest in the South West (2.9 per 1,000). 

Advances in neonatal care, a decline in smoking rates among pregnant women — one of the leading causes of a stillbirth — and a greater focus on identifying at-risk babies has been credited for reducing the rate from 41.4 per 1,000 in the 1930s.

The Government in England has plans to halve the 2010 stillbirth rate by 2025, meaning the figure would need to drop to 2.6 per 1,000 births three years from now.

It comes as separate ONS figures published today show that three in 10 newborns in England and Wales in 2022 had non-UK-born mothers — nearly twice as many as two decades ago.

Among these 183,309 babies, mothers were most likely to be from India, while fathers were most commonly from Pakistan.

From Snorkies to Puggles and Cockachons to Springbatts, designer dogs are among Britain’s most popular pets of choice.

The question is, how many of the 150 most common mixes could you name?

Thanks to a new study by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), which looked at where the likes of Irish Doodles, Chugs, Shichons and Goldadors rank in the popularity stakes, a full list is included below. 

Claiming top spot and way out in front are friendly Cockapoos – a cross between a Cocker Spaniel and a Poodle.

Next come Labradoodles, which are a mix of a Labrador and Poodle, while Lurchers, Cavapoos and Sprockers round out the top five.

From Snorkies to Puggles and Cockachons to Springbatts, designer dogs are among Britain’s most popular pets of choice. The question is, how many of the 150 most common mixes could you name?

Top dog: Claiming top spot and way out in front are friendly Cockapoos – a cross between a Cocker Spaniel and a Poodle

Jugs – which are a cross between a Pug and Jack Russell Terrier – claim 6th place, Chorkies 7th, Cavachons 8th, Goldendoodles 9th and Puggles 10th.

Among the other breeds which make the top 20 are Miniature Labradoodles, Schnoodles, Maltipoos, Jack-Chis, Shichons, Australian Labradoodles, Jackapoo, Poochons, Springadors and Yorkipoos.

Dogs are one of Britain’s best-loved pets, with the country’s canine population hitting a staggering 11 million this year, according to the PDSA.

Despite this, there has been surprisingly little research on the popularity of breeds of different ages in the UK.

Pomskies, which are a cross between a Pomeranian and a Siberian Husky, are a popular choice

Cute: A Springbatt (pictured) is a cross between a Basset Hound and a Springer Spaniel

A Cockachon (pictured) is a cross between an American Cocker Spaniel and a Bichon Frise

In their new study, the team from the RVC analysed 2,237,105 dogs across 800 distinct breeds in the UK.

Data collected on each dog included their age, breed, body shape, body weight and sex.

The results revealed that, across all age groups, non-designer crossbreeds were the most popular, making up 24 per cent of the population.

This was followed by the Labrador Retriever (6.9 per cent), Jack Russell Terrier (4.5 per cent), English Cocker Spaniel (4.3 per cent), Staffordshire Bull Terrier (4.2 per cent) and Chihuahua (3.6 per cent).

However, the results were startlingly different when focusing on dogs aged under one year.

Among UK puppies, after general crossbreeds (20 per cent), the most common breeds were the French Bulldog (7.0 per cent), Cockapoo (6.2 per cent), Labrador Retriever (5.8 per cent), English Cocker Spaniel (4.7 per cent) and Chihuahua (4.2 per cent).

Dr Dan O’Neill, Associate Professor in Companion Animal Epidemiology at the RVC, and lead author of the paper, said: ‘With 800 dog breeds available in the UK, this VetCompass study shows there are still plenty of healthy breeds to choose from that do not suffer from extreme body shapes such as flat faces, skin folds or absent tails. 

This cute little dog is a Chiweenie – a cross between a chihuahua and a dachshund

Havapoos – a mixture of a Havanese and Toy or Miniature Poodle – are another popular dog

‘Despite this, many UK owners are still persuaded by social influences and trends into acquiring dogs with extreme body shapes that are likely to result in serious health issues during much of their dogs’ lives.

‘The advice is to stop and think before buying a dog with an extreme body shape.’

Flat-faced dogs’ short-faced ‘brachycephalic’ characteristics did not evolve naturally, and are instead the result of selective breeding.

This facial structure puts them at high risk for a range of health conditions, including skin fold dermatitis, breathing and eye issues.

A study published last year by researchers from the RVC compared the risks of 40 common conditions in pugs with other dog breeds.

This designer dog is a Jug, a cross between a Pug and a Jack Russell Terrier

The team analysed the records of 16,218 pugs and 889,326 non-pug breeds, taken from the VetCompass database.

Their analysis revealed that pugs were at increased risk for 23 out of 40 common disorders.

Pugs were 54 times more likely to have brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome – a condition affecting the upper airway – and 51 times more likely to have narrow nostrils.

The breed was also 13 times more likely to suffer from corneal ulceration, 2.5 times more likely to suffer from obesity, and twice as likely to have overgrown nails.

Meanwhile, the researchers say the rise in designer crosses such as Cockapoos, Cavapoos, and Labradoodles is also concerning.

Owners often opt to spend huge amounts on these breeds amid the belief that they make better pets, trigger fewer allergic reactions or are easier to look after.

However, the researchers say there is limited evidence to support any of these beliefs.

The team hopes the findings will help prospective owners to make more informed decisions when buying a puppy.

‘We hope this paper encourages prospective dog owners to be thorough in their research and to prioritise the welfare of their new pet – above all else,’ Dr McMillan added.

‘Helping to ensure a long and happy life for their new family member.’

Britain’s poshest beach huts, installed by luxury retailer Fortnum & Mason, have been ruined by a storm just days after opening.

The trio of high-end huts were unveiled last week at Watergate Bay, Cornwall, with guests offered an ‘al fresco feast to remember’ by chef Emily Scott.

But the now lie in ruins after an ‘unexpected storm’ at high tide battered the wooden structures, causing ‘significant but cosmetic damage’, said Fortnum & Mason. 

The swish shacks, painted in the retailer’s shade of ‘Eau de Nil’ blue-green, cater for up to four guests and cost between £195 to £395 for a two-and-half-hour slot.

Repairs are now underway to the damaged platform surrounding the huts, with the firm hoping to reopen them as soon as possible. 

The huts have been battered by recent unseasonal weather hitting the Cornish coast

This image shows damage done by recent storms that have forced the upmarket shacks to close 

The posh beach huts in Watergate Bay have been battered by the elements just days after opening

The huts cater for up to four guests and cost between £195 to £395 for a two-and-half-hour slot

‘Due to an unexpected storm during high tide yesterday evening at Watergate Bay, the platform surrounding our Fortnum’s Beach Huts has sustained significant but cosmetic damage,’ the luxury retailer said. 

‘Before launch, all health and safety measures were approved by an accredited body that has since ensured that the base platform remains structurally intact.

‘And because we’re determined that nothing should get in the way of our customers enjoying a wonderful summer Beach Hut experience, we are now completing additional checks on the structure and working to correct the cosmetic damage before re-opening to the public as soon as we can – hopefully when there is a bit more sunshine.’

In promotional material, the retailer says the huts are ‘inspired by the nostalgia of summers spent on the British coast’. 

The exclusive seaside shacks were designed by the store and are kitted out with handpicked homeware that includes ‘beautiful rugs and blankets to keep guests warm on chillier summer days’. 

To book a slot in the exclusive seaside shacks, beachgoers must buy a Fortnum hamper containing a picnic that ‘combines the very best fresh dishes from independent Cornish suppliers with the store’s famous picnic products’. 

High-end grocer Fortnum & Mason opened the trio of beach huts (shown in the rendering above) last week 

The huts are kitted out with handpicked homeware that includes ‘beautiful rugs and blankets to keep guests warm on chillier summer days’

A statement last month from Fortnum & Mason, which was founded in 1707 and holds two royal warrants, says: ‘Every beach hut will enjoy the very best hospitality’ 

The pop-up beach huts opened on July 25 at Watergate Bay (above) near Newquay, Cornwall, but were damaged by a storm just days later 

A statement last month from Fortnum & Mason, which was founded in 1707 and holds two royal warrants, said: ‘Every beach hut will enjoy the very best hospitality, including a pre-set picnic table, complete with stylish tableware and table service.’ 

Its two picnic menus were designed in collaboration with nearby restaurant ‘Emily Scott Food’.

The first is ‘Seaside Picnic’, a hamper priced from £195 for two beachgoers. Inside there’s smoked Cornish trout with ale-infused bread for starters, followed by a Coronation crab sandwich.

As for dessert, there’s fig leaf soft serve ice cream and Cornish cheddar truckle cheese served with Fortnum’s crackers.

A bottle of Fortnum & Mason sparkling tea will also be included in the hamper, along with the store’s pistachio and clotted cream biscuits, savoury ‘181 Sauce’ and a box of cheese sables (cookies).

The second hamper, meanwhile, is the ‘indulgent’ Seaside Feast hamper, which comes in at £295 for two people.

It comes with Cornish trout served with Exmoor caviar and the crab sandwiches are paired with half a local lobster and black truffle mayo. A lemon verbena posset features in the dessert offering. 

The huts opened on July 25 with limited bookings meant to continue until September 10.