A man has died following a six-vehicle horror crash on the North Circular. The emergency services raced to the scene at around 3.05pm on Friday (March 15) to reports of the collision by Staples Corner, Brent.
One of the drivers - a man in a car in his 20s - was rushed to hospital after being left trapped in the car. He later died.
Nine other people were treated at the scene, four of whom were taken to A&E. Their injuries were not life-threatening or life-changing.
Anyone with information should call 101 quoting CAD 4423/15Mar. A Met Police spokesperson said: "Police were called at 3.07pm on Friday, March 15, to a collision involving four cars, one van and a coach on the eastbound A406 at Staples Corner.
"Officers responded and a man in his 20s, who was driving one of the cars, was taken to hospital. Despite the best efforts of medical professionals he sadly died. His family have been informed.
"Paramedics treated another nine people at the scene and four of these were taken to hospital. Their injuries were not life-threatening or life-changing."
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: "We were called at 3.22pm to reports of a road traffic collision on Staples Corner Eastbound at Junction A406. One coach was in collision with three motor vehicles.
"One man was trapped in a vehicle and rescued by firefighters and was assessed on scene by London Ambulance Service crews and was taken to hospital. Several other people were also assessed on scene by London Ambulance Service crews. Firefighters from West Hampstead fire station attended the scene."
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A man has been charged with attempted murder after a stabbing in East London. A 19-year-old man was stabbed on Duckett Street on Friday, March 8 and is fighting for his life due to injuries.
Arosh Ali, 24, of White Tower Way, was charged with attempted murder earlier today (Friday, March 15) and will appear at Thames’ Magistrates Court later this afternoon. The victim remains in a critical condition in hospital.
He and his family are being supported by officers. The incident took place just before 2pm on March 8 and police and LAS rushed to the scene. A crime scene was in place around Duckett Street, which runs through a residential area and is near Shandy Park.
A 24-year-old has been charged with attempted murder (Image: PA Archive/PA Images)
A spokesperson for the Met said: "The attack occurred close to a mosque and we know this caused significant concern among the local community. Following extensive enquiries, officers do not believe the stabbing was a hate crime or that the victim was targeted due to his religion or race.
"Local officers have been carrying out extra patrols and speaking to those who live and work in the area to answer any questions and provide reassurance. Detectives believe there may be further witnesses who have not yet come forward and would urge anyone who saw or knows anything to get in touch as soon as possible by calling 101, reference 3741/08MAR24."
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Buses are set to replaces trains over Easter in South London as engineers work to get £89 million of upgrades over the line. Lines will be closed between Friday, March 29 and Monday, April 1.
Customers are also being urged to check before they travel across in Kent and Sussex as well as the south of the capital. In the South Croydon area, Whyteleafe level crossing will be upgraded with new electrical circuits that officials say will 'extend the crossing’s life and improve performance'.
Between Balham and Beckenham Junction, engineers will replace life-expired switches and crossings as well as carrying out wheel timber renewals - the sections of wood that provide extra support to the rails - and preparing the area for the installation of the new signalling system in the future. Between Brixton Junction and Denmark Hill, work to support the new signalling will be completed with the installation of a new signal gantry across the track.
Tamping machines will be in action over Easter weekend (Image: Thameslink)
A spokesperson for Thameslink said: "This work is part of a major package of upgrades to modernise 1980s track and signalling on the South London lines into London Victoria station. During the line closure, some switches and crossings will also be refurbished and vegetation along the line will be cleared."
In addition, at Hither Green, work to stabilise the embankment will see a 115 metre sheet pile wall installed, protecting the railway from soil and other debris falling from the embankment on to the railway and 'improving reliability for passengers'. The track in this area will also be refurbished, including replacing the ballast.
Full list of service changes
Below is a full list of planned changes, according to rail officials.
Southern
The line between Lewes and Pevensey and Westham will be closed. Buses replace trains on the closed sections. The following bus services are planned to operate:
Two buses per hour Lewes – Polegate – Eastbourne
Two buses per hour Lewes – Polegate – Hampden Park – Eastbourne (this service does not run on Easter Sunday)
One bus per hour Lewes – Glynde – Berwick – Polegate – Hampden Park – Eastbourne
Two buses per hour Eastbourne – Hampden Park – Polegate – Pevensey and Westham then direct to Bexhill
A limited train service will operate from Pevensey and Westham, eastwards to Hastings/Ore with connections from there towards Ashford International.
Sunday, March 31 only
No Southern trains between Balham and Sydenham via Streatham Hill and Crystal Palace
There will be no replacement bus service but tickets will accepted on London Buses. This will mean no Southern trains will run via the Sydenham corridor (East Croydon to London Bridge via Sydenham). A special London Overground service will operate on Sunday 31 March instead
No trains will run between Purley and Caterham. Customers can use London Bus routes 407 and 434 between Purley and Caterham
No trains will run between Purley and Tattenham Corner. Rail replacement buses will run between Purley and Tattenham Corner
Trains between London Victoria and Reigate will run between Redhill and Reigate only
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There will be a replacement bus running from Herne Hill to Bromley South calling additionally at Beckenham Junction, but not at Nunhead or Ravensbourne
Southeastern
Friday, March 29
A Saturday service will run. There will be no trains via Denmark Hill. Accessible buses replace trains between Lewisham and Sidcup
Saturday, March 30
No trains via Denmark Hill. Accessible buses replace trains between Lewisham and Sidcup
Sunday, March 31
A Sunday service will run. There will be no trains via Denmark Hill, Faversham, Sidcup, or Borough Green and Wrotham.
Accessible buses replace trains between:
Lewisham and Dartford via Sidcup
Sittingbourne and Herne Bay
Sittingbourne and Canterbury East
Canterbury East and Dover
Sevenoaks and Maidstone East
Monday, April 1
A Saturday service will run. There will be no trains via Denmark Hill. Accessible buses replace trains between Lewisham and Sidcup
With spring right around the corner, temperatures are finally starting to warm up and flowers and trees are beginning to bloom. And to mark the new season, long but flowy dresses are the perfect addition to your everyday edit.
Marks and Spencer has a great range of them, including the £27.50 Jersey Printed Midi Tea Dress. Available in sizes 6 to 24, it comes in petite, regular and long.
Crafted from a soft jersey fabric with added stretch, it's cut in a regular fit with three-quarter length sleeves. The midi-length garment also features a round neck and a self-tie belt at the waist for a flattering outline.
"Have worn and washed it, and it is a lovely dress that doesn’t need ironing after wash. Loved it so much have bought the black version" (Image: Marks and Spencer)
The piece can easily be dressed up or down, but for a more casual look, you can add a pair of white trainers, such as the £25 Lace Up Trainers from Marks and Spencer. The dress has a 4.7 rating based off 15 reviews.
A very pleased shopper wrote: "I spotted this yesterday, thought I'd try it on just in case and it looked lovely. I'm a petite older lady and this fitted beautifully, the regular length being longer but what I like - it looked so nice I had to buy it."
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There has been very little criticism of the product, with the lowest rating being three stars, but some customers were not keen on the fit: "I received this today I love the print it’s beautiful, the only thing I’m not keen on is the tiered aspect as the tier sits on your hips. I wish it was straight like the other jersey dresses I’ve had over the last few years."
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Alternatively, there's the Rachel Midi Dress from Nobody's Child. It comes in six different colours and patterns, and the price ranges from £15 to £49 depending on the model selected.
The dress is made from 100 per cent viscose, and is machine washable. There are no reviews yet, but it's currently one of the brand's bestsellers.
You can get the £27.50 Marks and Spencer Jersey Printed Midi Tea Dress here and the £25 Marks and Spencer Lace Up Trainers here. Shop the £15 - £49 Rachel Midi Dress at Nobody's Child.
A new Ukrainian bar serving traditional cherry liqueur is opening in London. Piana Vyshnia - whose name translates to 'drunk cherry' - will open in Soho on Friday, March 15.
With 60 bars across nine countries, Piana Vyshnia is known for its rich cherry drink. Their flagship drink, the cherry liqueur, originated in Lviv in the 17th century.
It is a 17.5 per cent ABV, moderately sweet, easy drink infused with brandy and cherries. The drink is traditionally served cold, but Piana Vyshnia will also serve it as a hot tincture.
The bar will be selling traditional Ukrainian liqueur (Image: Piana Vyshnia)
With venues in 39 cities, people across the world have been enjoying the traditional drink. The company currently have shops in Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, Moldova, and the Baltic countries.
Piana Vyshnia is one of many Ukrainian businesses trying to expand to contribute to supporting the economy and promoting Ukrainian products on the international market as the war continues. The bar will open its doors on 10 Moor Street later this week.
A spokesperson for the venue told MyLondon: "Our team are mostly Ukrainians, who will happily share some stories and secrets about the traditional drink. We look forward to welcoming you so you can enjoy the lively atmosphere of London life with a glass of authentic Ukrainian cherry liqueur."
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As winter finally comes to an end later this month, with March 20 marking the official start of spring, garden lovers are eagerly awaiting the warmer weather.
After a long and cold winter, seeing the first green shoots of growth in the garden is a joy that many look forward to. However, it also means the hard work is about to begin - and a battle against weeds will soon need to be fought.
This can be a problem for gardeners who care about the environment as much as they love their plants, because the easiest option can often be the worst choice for our planet, reports the Express.
Chemical weedkillers are definitely effective. But they're also harsh - and can be harmful to humans and animals.
In fact, many chemical weedkillers contain the cancer-causing substance glyphosate. If the risk of cancer doesn't deter you, perhaps the high price will - some weedkillers can be very expensive.
But don't worry, there are some chemical-free, organic alternatives that won't break the bank. Even better, you might already have some of them lying around your house.
Mulch
Mulch - a thick layer of material placed over the soil and around plants - is a well-known method of stopping weed growth. While you're reading this online, newspapers make a great and cheap mulch.
Just put five sheets of newspaper around your plants, water it and cover with topsoil. The paper will break down over time, letting water and tiny soil creatures get to the soil.
You can also use grass cuttings, leaves, hay, straw, kitchen scraps, shredded bark, sawdust, shells, woodchips, cardboard, wool and animal poo as mulch. These natural mulches have nutrients, so they also slowly feed plants. Plus, they attract beetles, worms and other soil bugs - which are food for birds.
Boiling water - with or without salt
Believe it or not, boiling water can kill weeds. This is really useful on paths and paving, where you don't need to worry about other plants.
And here's a great tip to save energy - you can use water that you've just used for boiling veggies, instead of boiling the kettle. But if you do boil the kettle, you could always save enough for a cup of tea once you've finished weeding.
You can make boiling water even better at killing weeds by adding salt and letting it dissolve. Sodium chloride dries out plants, so it can be very harmful to weeds if you use enough.
However, it will also harm your beloved begonias and other prized plants - and it will ultimately affect the pH of the soil. Given this, caution is advised - and you shouldn't use salt if you also want to use the same boiled water for a cup of tea!
If life gives you lemons, make weedkiller (Image: (Image: Getty))
Lemon juice
Lemon is a much better option for your tea than salt is - but, to plants, it's just as unpalatable as sodium chloride. The citric acid lemon juice contains can quickly cause weeds to wither. Create your own weed killer by squeezing the juice from around five lemons.
Baking soda and vinegar
Some councils have trialled the use of vinegar (acetic acid) as a weedkiller. However, the BBC's Gardeners World team reckon vinegar can be ineffective on its own - and it suggests using a cocktail of vinegar, baking soda, salt and lemon juice.
Elbow grease
Unfortunately, you won't find this on the shelf next to WD-40. Good old-fashioned elbow grease - or strenuous physical effort - is probably the most effective weed killer of them all. You might need to get down and dirty - and get down on your hands and knees - but it's a great way of tackling weeds once and for all. Getting hands-on allows you to literally get to the root of the problem - and thus prevent the weed from ever returning.
Four young men were jailed for a 'vicious knife attack' on an 18-year-old who was stabbed over 60 times in Southwark on New Year's Day 2023. Their victim was left fighting for his life but was not killed.
Tashan Bailey-Brown, 23, Denzel Ealmeida, 22, Darren Soyemi, 25, and Kevaniel Perkins-Robinson, 21, were jailed for a combined total of more than 100 years for the pre-planned attack.
Witnesses of the attack called the police to Seeley Drive, SE21 at around 11.40pm on January 1, reporting that an 18-year-old boy had been stabbed. Paramedics attended the scene and rushed him to hospital; it was later found he had sustained over 60 stab wounds in the attack.
Tashan Bailey-Brown, 23, of Meadowview Road, SE6 was jailed for 24 years; he was also given a five-year extended licence of release. (Image: Met Police)
A car was seen fleeing the scene by witnesses who gave a description which was spread to patrolling officers around the city. It was spotted by one who quickly managed to stop the car in Lordship Lane, East Dulwich.
Three occupants, Tashan Bailey-Brown, Denzel Ealmeida and Darren Soyemi, attempted to run from police but were detained and arrested. Ealmeida was seen to throw a bag filled with bloodied clothing as he attempted to flee from police.
This was recovered and forensic testing confirmed the victim’s blood was on the items. A machete was also found in the bag, again with traces of the victim’s blood on it – Ealmeida’s DNA was also found on the sheath of this weapon.
Denzel Ealmeida, 22, of Elam Close, SE5 was jailed for 31 years. His DNA was found on the sheath of a bloody machete and he threw a bag of bloody clothes away while being chased by police (Image: Met Police)
The victim’s blood was also found on the gearstick and dashboard of the car in a forensic sweep, having been transferred there by the occupants. All three were charged with attempted murder.
The fourth man who was jailed, Kevaniel Perkins-Robinson, was not in the car but was linked to the attack after police found a bloodied lock knife in the centre console. DNA testing revealed a match for Perkins-Robinson; the blade also had the victim’s blood on it. The forensic sweep of the car also found DNA from Perkins-Robinson on the steering wheel. He was arrested in June 2023 and later charged with attempted murder.
(Image: Met Police)
On Monday, February 5, following the conclusion of a four-week trial at the Old Bailey, all four were found guilty of attempted murder. They were remanded in custody and sentenced at the same court on Friday, March 8, to a total of more than 100 years' imprisonment.
Detective Sergeant Yikira Turner of the Central South Command Unit, which covers Southwark, said: “This was a vicious, pre-planned attack which nearly resulted in the death of a young man.
“The verdict and sentencing is a reflection of the hard work put in by the investigation team and Crown Prosecution Service, but would not have been possible without assistance from brave individuals in the local community who came forward to support this investigation.
“Hopefully this result will enable the victim and his family to now focus on his recovery and give the community some comfort now that four dangerous individuals have been taken off the street.”
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