Sophie Robinson

A coroner ruled that charity fundraiser Claire Lomas’s death was accidental after she crashed a specially adapted microlight in Jordan while filming for an Apple Vision Pro series. Lomas, who had been paralysed from the chest down since a 2007 horse-riding accident, sustained multiple traumatic injuries when the aircraft veered off a roadway and struck rocks on 15 July 2024; she died in an Amman hospital more than five weeks later. The inquest found no evidence that safety-procedure violations, the aircraft-mounted camera or deficiencies in the risk assessment caused the crash, although there was insufficient evidence to determine whether any hospital-care opportunities were missed. Her family said they remain devastated by the loss.

Families evacuated from Cliff House Holiday Park in Dunwich described thick smoke, intense flames and scenes resembling an apocalypse as a wildfire swept through coastal heathland. Holidaymaker Connor Dowsett said a police officer rescued his dog from his lodge, while Martin and Sheila Harris said they had time to take only their medication before fleeing their long-term caravan. Evacuees received help from residents of nearby Westleton, but some were forced to sleep in cars; the Harrises planned to return for belongings and hoped to revisit their caravan once it was safe.

A serving Bedfordshire Police officer, Daniel Cartwright, has been charged with causing the death of 16‑year‑old Ryley Hutson by dangerous driving following a collision involving an electric bike and two cars in Bramcote, Nottinghamshire. Hutson died at the scene after the September incident. Cartwright is due to appear at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court in August. Nottinghamshire Police stated that the victim’s family has been informed of the development.

A coroner concluded that 87‑year‑old Beryl Barrett died after fracturing her hip when the wheel of her walking frame became stuck in a minor road defect that did not meet the threshold for repair. The inquest found the fall contributed to her death from bronchopneumonia and highlighted shortcomings in how road defects are assessed and prioritised. A prevention of future deaths report will be issued to Nottinghamshire County Council, Via East Midlands and the UK Roads Liaison Group due to concerns about inadequate systems for triaging and urgently addressing hazardous road conditions, particularly for vulnerable pedestrians.

The inquest into the death of footballer Maddy Cusack has been adjourned for a second time in 2026 as the coroner seeks additional information from Sheffield United, including internal records and health documentation. Further testimony will be required from former club medical staff, and several witnesses have yet to be heard, including the club’s head of HR and the Football Association’s head of integrity. Evidence presented so far includes allegations about comments and conduct by coach Jonathan Morgan, which Cusack’s family say contributed to her distress before she was found unresponsive in 2023.

Testimony at an inquest stated that Maddy Cusack’s mental health declined after women’s team coach Jonathan Morgan joined Sheffield United, with her mother asserting that Cusack would still be alive had he not been hired. Evidence described alleged comments Morgan made about Cusack’s weight, her fears due to past experiences with him at Leicester City, and a sense of isolation within the team. Additional testimony addressed lost medical records and internal club communications. The inquest continues.