Author: James Whitmore

Two people have died following a fire at a semi-detached property in Barnet, North London, in the early hours of January 16.Firefighters were called to Albemarle Road shortly before 1.45am, where a blaze had broken out on the ground floor of the two-storey home. Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters from Barnet, Southgate, and Finchley fire stations attended the scene.A man and woman were removed from the property by firefighters but were pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics from the London Ambulance Service.The London Fire Brigade confirmed the incident in a statement, saying: “The fire was located on…

Two London Underground lines faced significant disruption on the morning of January 16, affecting commuters across the capital ahead of the rush hour period.District line services were suspended between Earl’s Court and Wimbledon following the late completion of engineering work at Parsons Green. The remainder of the line continued to operate normally.Meanwhile, emergency engineering work resulted in a northbound suspension on sections of the Northern line. Passengers were unable to travel from Kennington to Battersea Power Station, or from Kennington via Charing Cross to Camden Town. Services on other parts of the line were unaffected.Transport for London confirmed that tickets…

A woman who killed a father-of-three by ramming his e-bike with her Range Rover during a high-speed chase through residential streets has been sentenced to life imprisonment. Zoe Treadwell, 36, from Bournemouth, pursued Joey Johnstone at speeds of up to 75mph in the early hours of 9 April 2025, believing him to be someone else. The 28-year-old was thrown from his bike and suffered a traumatic head injury. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Winchester Crown Court heard that Treadwell had mistaken Johnstone for her ex-partner, Joshua Lovell, who also rode an e-bike. The collision occurred on Moore Avenue…

A gunman who disguised himself as a Deliveroo rider to carry out a series of shootings across west London has been jailed for 38 years. Jazz Reid, 33, left a father paralysed and an eight-year-old girl with a bullet permanently lodged in her body during a calculated campaign of violence spanning six weeks. Judge Sarah Whitehouse KC imposed the lengthy sentence at the Old Bailey, telling the court that no punishment could remediate the suffering inflicted on the family. The Attacks Reid launched his first attack on 9 October 2024, firing two shots at a home in Notting Hill. The…

An Australian national has died following a collision with a marked Metropolitan Police vehicle as it responded to an emergency call in south London.David Clark, aged 35, was pronounced dead at the scene on Borough High Street in Southwark shortly after 12:30am on January 7. The father of an infant daughter had been living in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, though some reports describe him as residing in nearby Winteringham, North Lincolnshire.The collision occurred at the junction of Great Suffolk Street and Trinity Street as two marked police vehicles travelled south with sirens and emergency lights activated. According to the Independent Office for…

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has expelled Robert Jenrick from the Shadow Cabinet and suspended his party membership after receiving what she described as “clear, irrefutable evidence” of a secret plot to defect to Reform UK.The former Shadow Justice Secretary was removed with immediate effect this morning, with Ms Badenoch also withdrawing the party whip in a swift and decisive action. She stated that Mr Jenrick had been planning to defect “in a way designed to be as damaging as possible to his Shadow Cabinet colleagues and the wider Conservative Party”.The dismissal marks one of the most significant disciplinary actions…

The British government has temporarily shut its embassy in Tehran amid escalating tensions, it was announced on Tuesday. A government spokesperson confirmed to Politico that the mission would now operate remotely. “We have temporarily closed the British Embassy in Tehran, this will now operate remotely,” the spokesperson said. The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice to reflect the consular change, according to the spokesperson. Protests Outside Embassy The closure comes as pro-regime activists staged demonstrations outside the British embassy in Tehran. Protesters were seen burning Israeli and US flags during the gatherings. Tensions continue to simmer in the Iranian…

A convicted paedophile who abducted a six-year-old girl from her bath before subjecting her to a horrific sexual assault is set to face his sixth parole review next month. Peter Voisey, now 54, was handed three life sentences in 2006 for the brazen attack at the child’s home in Willington Quay, Wallsend, North Tyneside. He has spent approximately two decades behind bars since his conviction at Newcastle Crown Court. The Parole Board has scheduled an oral hearing for February to consider whether the former driver from Blyth, Northumberland, can be released into the community. The Attack The shocking incident occurred…

Transport for London has announced plans to deliver 4G and 5G mobile coverage across the entire Tube network, including all stations and tunnels, by the end of 2026.The ambitious rollout will see the vast majority of the Northern and Metropolitan lines equipped with tunnel coverage by the end of summer 2026, according to TfL. Recent extensions on the Northern line include tunnels from Balham to South Wimbledon, Kennington to Oval, and Euston to Bank on the Bank branch.As of January 2026, 62 out of 121 underground Tube stations now offer coverage in platforms, corridors, and ticket halls. Euston Square, Cannon…

The Metropolitan Police have launched an urgent appeal to find a 15-year-old boy who went missing in central London earlier this week.Euan, from Croydon, was last seen near London Waterloo station shortly before 8.10pm on Monday, January 13. Officers believe the teenager may be using trains departing from the busy transport hub as part of his movements.A Metropolitan Police spokesperson confirmed that officers are “concerned for the welfare of Euan, 15, who is missing from Croydon.”The force has urged members of the public to contact emergency services immediately if they spot the teenager or have any information regarding his whereabouts.…