Kirstie Mccrum

Millions of people in England and Wales received an emergency mobile alert warning them not to light barbecues, campfires or fireworks because of heightened wildfire risk, and urging them to call 999 if they saw a fire. The alert followed severe fires across the UK, military assistance in South Wales, and proposals to ban disposable barbecues, provide emergency funding to fire services and acquire firefighting aircraft. The Prime Minister said Britain was a “tinderbox” and linked the crisis to climate change, while Baroness Blake of Leeds was appointed fire minister. Heat-health warnings remained in place amid temperatures reaching 38.1°C, and drought conditions affected most of England and all of Wales, increasing pressure on water supplies and raising concerns about future flooding.

A two-year-old child suffered serious injuries after being struck by a scrambler-style electric bike on Pathfields Road in Clacton at around 9pm on August 13. The rider, reportedly wearing a grey hooded top and balaclava, fled the scene. Essex Police are seeking witnesses, CCTV, dashcam and other footage under incident reference 1436 of 13 August, while police said they would continue operations targeting dangerous and anti-social use of e-bikes, e-scooters and motorcycles.

A teenage cyclist is in hospital with life-threatening injuries after a black BMW X1 collided with three bicycles on the A4010 near Little Kimble Railway Station in Princes Risborough. One other cyclist suffered minor injuries and another was unharmed. Thames Valley Police say the BMW driver failed to stop, and a 36-year-old man from Reading has been arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and failing to stop. Police are appealing for witnesses and dash-cam, CCTV or doorbell footage.