Stag causes £1k of damage to man's Ford Transit after charging into it

A white van man says a stag caused £1k of damage to his Ford Transit after it charged into his bumper.

Chris Ivemey, 37, was passing through Woburn Abbey Deer Park on his way to a job in Milton Keynes when he and his colleague, Max, 23, spotted two stags on either side of the road.

Initially thinking the two stags were gearing up for a rut, they decided to record in anticipation.

With rutting season - a period where male deer are more likely to clash - in full swing, Chris was cautious about getting too close to the stags and decided to slow down.

Just as he thought they were in the clear, the stag on the passenger side suddenly turned and bowed his head.

It charged towards Chris' van and dented his front panel with its antlers.

The stag - which is the UK's largest land mammal - then went back for more but Chris managed to evade a second battering.

The "shocked" pair said they went for a coffee to mull over what happened and admitted they were a bit "shaken up" by it.

Chris, a property maintenance worker, from Watford, Hertfordshire, said: "We were shocked.

"The stag has charged head down straight at the van and the front left panel above the wheel was completely demolished.

"It then charged at us again and started running after us - we drove off in a state of shock.

"The van isn't fixed yet but it's going to cost around £1,000 to fix - it was definitely an experience.

"We weren't injured but Max was a bit shaken up - it's hit me in the pocket though.

"Wildlife can be very random."

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London's 'ugliest dog' makes it to last seven in UK competition - see the finalists

London's ugliest dog has made it to the final of the UK's ugliest dog competition this year, alongside six other mutts. Goose, an 11-month-old cockapoo bulldog cross was selected among hundreds of other applicants and is now in the shortlist for the final.

The seven dogs hail from across the country and include a Pug Chinese Crested cross from Bristol who looks so much like a pig, her owner warns people in advance of meeting her.

There are also members of dog royalty as finalists, like Colin, a Bulldog from Stafford, is the son of a Crufts champion, while Muppet, a Chinese Crested from Peterborough, is the brother of the World’s Ugliest Dog 2012.

The accolade is high respected in the dog world as last year's winner Peggy, shot to stardom, appearing on BBC Breakfast and This Morning before landing a leading role in the latest Deadpool and Wolverine movie. This year's winner will be awarded a Christmas-themed professional makeover and photo session from photography company ParrotPrint.com.

Matt Dahan, founder of ParrotPrint.com said: “We received hundreds of entries and these seven were the ones who made our eyes hurt when we looked at them. There really are some ugly mutts out there in the UK and we hope our contest will celebrate the best of them.

“We were clear from the outset that no pretty pets need apply and these seven certainly could not be described as good looking in any way, shape or form. Now our judges have the tough task of choosing exactly which of these mutts is the most offensive to look at.

“We will select one of these pets for the coveted title of Britain’s Ugliest Dog 2024 and they will win a special Christmas-themed makeover and photo session. Let’s see if we can transform the winning ugly dog into a beautiful pooch and brighten up its owner’s life at the same time."

Entries are now closed for the competition and the winner will be announced next month.

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Watching BBC Strictly 'tough' for Amy Dowden - she hoped to mark year since chemotherapy on show

Strictly Come Dancing professional Amy Dowden has said watching Saturday’s show from the sidelines will be “tough” as she wanted to celebrate one year since finishing chemotherapy on the dancefloor. The Welsh dancer, 34, returned to competing in the BBC show for its 20th anniversary series after missing out last year while undergoing cancer treatment.

However, she was forced to pull out of the competition earlier this week after suffering an insufficiency stress fracture to her foot. Appearing on ITV’s Lorraine on Thursday, she said: “Saturday is going to be tough because I really wanted to be dancing on that floor to show myself how far I’ve had come in one year.”

She explained that Saturday (November 9) is a year since she rang the bell to mark the end of her chemotherapy treatment. The dancer revealed she had planned to dance the samba with her celebrity partner, JLS star JB Gill, as she felt it would be a “joyful carnival happy dance”.

Gill will now be paired with professional Lauren Oakley, who stepped in to replace Dowden on last weekend’s show. After a couple of weeks of rest, Dowden is hoping to return to the Strictly dancefloor in some capacity.

Dowden said the BBC show encouraged her to front Strictly Amy: Cancer And Me, in which she spoke about her fertility and health issues (Image: Guy Levy/BBC/PA Wire)

“I’m hoping to dance by the end of series and obviously next year, I got my tour with Carlos – Reborn. I’m determined”, she said. “I’ve had a lot of setbacks in my life, since 11 years old, I’m used to having to pick myself back up and saying ‘Don’t get bitter, get better’, I tell myself and ‘This too shall pass’. And right now, I’m heartbroken, but I know I’ll feel better.”

Last Saturday, Dowden watched in the studio as Gill and Oakley danced to a Bruno Mars medley and earned the joint highest score of this year’s series. Dowden was taken to hospital as a “precaution” after “feeling unwell” following the live show the previous weekend and missed the Sunday results programme, her representative said at the time.

Dowden found a lump in her breast the day before her honeymoon to the Maldives with fellow professional dancer Ben Jones, and was unable to compete on Strictly 2023. After treatment for stage three breast cancer including having a mastectomy and chemotherapy, she announced in February that tests showed she had “no evidence of disease”.

The Caerphilly-born dancer has documented both her cancer journey and living with Crohn’s disease on a number of BBC shows. She fronted the BBC programme Strictly Amy: Crohn’s And Me, which she said helped her “accept” her own condition for the “first time ever” after meeting other people with the bowel disease.

Dowden said the BBC show encouraged her to front Strictly Amy: Cancer And Me, in which she spoke about her fertility and health issues.

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Maluma announces 2025 Europe tour with 'special' London's The O2 date

Maluma has announced that he will be returning to Europe next year. The Latin phenomenon will play 12 dates across the continent as part of his new tour, the +PRETTY +DIRTY TOUR.

It'll include a show at London’s The O2 on Tuesday, March 18 - his only stop in the UK. Fans will be able to access the 'past bookers' presale from Thursday, November 7 at 10am.

General tickets will go on sale on Friday, November 8 at 10am - you'll be able to get them via Ticketmaster. After the artist broke the news on Instagram, fans were quick to react, with the post garnering over a million likes in just a few hours.

READ MORE: Coldplay, Teddy Swims, and Tom Grennan at Capital Jingle Bell Ball - how to get tickets

The tour will start in Barcelona and end in Lisbon (Image: Getty Images - Ivan Apfel)

A user wrote: "Finally, we can't wait for those two concerts in Spain," while another commented: "See you in Paris! I'm so glad you're back!"

The +PRETTY +DIRTY TOUR will take place between March and April 2025. Here are all the dates, cities and venues that have been confirmed:

• Saturday, March 15 - Barcelona, Palau Sant Jordi
• Tuesday, March 18 - London, The O2
• Thursday, March 20 - Rotterdam, Ahoy Arena
• Friday, March 21 - Brussels, ING Arena
• Sunday, March 23 - Paris, Accord Arena
• Tuesday, March 25 - Oberhausen, Ralf Weber Arena.
• Thursday, March 27 - Munich, Olympic Hall
• Saturday, March 29 - Zurich, Hallestadium
• Sunday, March 30 - Bologna, Unipol Arena
• Tuesday, April 1 - Luxembourg, Rockhall
• Friday, April 4 - Madrid, WiZink Center
• Sunday, April 6 - Lisbon, Meo Arena S

The O2 is located at Peninsula Square, London SE10 0DX. You can get tickets via Ticketmaster or Live Nation.

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Queen Camilla forced to withdraw from Remembrance events as doctors say she needs to rest

Queen Camilla has been forced to take a step back from royal duties for the time being amid a chest infection.

Doctors have said Her Majesty needs to get some rest, and as such, she's withdrawn from the Field of Remembrance events at Westminster Abbey on Thursday (November 7).

She was also due to, with her husband King Charles, host Olympic and Paralympic athletes at Buckingham Palace that same evening, but now the Duchess of Gloucester has stepped in to take her place.

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: “Her Majesty The Queen is currently unwell with a chest infection, for which her doctors have advised a short period of rest.

“With great regret, Her Majesty has therefore had to withdraw from her engagements for this week but she very much hopes to be recovered in time to attend this weekend’s Remembrance events as normal.

“She apologises to all those who may be inconvenienced or disappointed as a result.”

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Sara Sharif filmed dancing at home 'days before her killing', court told

Jurors have been shown footage of Sara Sharif dancing at home in a video which was allegedly taken by her stepmother two days before the 10-year-old died.

The Old Bailey has heard the girl suffered dozens of injuries, including burns and human bite marks, in what the prosecution allege was a weeks-long campaign of abuse against her culminating in her death on August 8 last year.

Father Urfan Sharif, 42, stepmother Beinash Batool, 30, and uncle Faisal Malik, 29, are accused of murdering Sara.

A video said to have been taken by Batool was played in court on Monday showing Sara dancing at home, which “on the available evidence” appears to have been taken on August 6 last year, the court heard.

This date is being checked by the prosecution.

Court artist sketch of Beinash Batool (Image: PA Archive/PA Images)

Batool cried in the dock when the video was played.

Forensic pathologist Dr Nathaniel Cary agreed while he was being cross-examined by Caroline Carberry KC, for Batool, that Sara appears “co-ordinated, alert and smiling at the camera”.

He also agreed her behaviour in the video is “inconsistent with her having sustained a brain injury with associated neurological symptoms at that time”.

Ms Carberry said there was “no dispute” on the part of her client that Sara was “subjected to extensive physical abuse over a period of time”.

Sara’s body was found in a bunkbed at her home in Woking, Surrey, after Sharif alerted police having fled with the family to Pakistan, the Old Bailey has heard.

All three defendants, formerly of Hammond Road, Woking, have denied murder and causing or allowing the death of a child between December 16 2022 and August 9 2023.

The trial continues.

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Royal Family 'very happy' for Queen Elizabeth II to feature in new Paddington In Peru film

The producer of Paddington In Peru says the Royal Family were 'actually very happy' for the late Queen Elizabeth II to feature in the new film about to air in cinemas around the country. The movie, which will be released in the UK on November 8, will follow the bear as he journeys to Peru, returning to visit Aunt Lucy, who now lives at the Home for Retired Bears.

Rosie Alison, the producer of the third film to feature Michael Bond’s beloved bear, told US outlet Variety that the Royal Family were “very happy” for a photograph of the late Queen taking tea with Paddington, which was part of a sketch for her platinum jubilee celebrations, to be used in the film.

Alison told Variety: “[The Royal Family] were actually very happy for it to happen. But we don’t like to make a big deal of it, because Paddington’s obviously a very modest fellow.”

In the jubilee sketch the late Queen pulled a marmalade sandwich out of her handbag and tells Paddington “I keep mine in here – for later”, after the bear had initially offered her one of his. Last year it won the memorable moment TV Bafta award, and mourners left Paddington teddy bears and marmalade sandwiches among the floral tributes outside royal residences after the late Queen’s death in September 2022.

Paddington Bear will return to the big screen in Paddington In Peru (Image: Ian West/PA)

The Peruvian bear has also been issued with a real British passport by the Home Office for the film, after film-makers asked for a prop one. Hugh Bonneville, who plays Henry Brown, told The Graham Norton Show: “The producers wrote to the Home Office to ask if it was OK for them to use a facsimile of a passport in the film and they very sweetly issued a real one. In the passport under any distinguishing features it says ‘Bear’.”

Paddington In Peru stars Olivia Colman, who played Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown, as The Reverend Mother. She told Variety: “Paddington is just the best person in the whole wide world. Imagine if everyone was like Paddington, wouldn’t that be lovely?”

Studiocanal and Buckingham Palace have been contacted for comment.

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