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YOU won’t believe these holiday homes are in the UK.

With pools, white-washed walls and bright decor, these stays look like they are in the Mediterranean rather than the British countryside.

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In Devon is this nautical spot that comes with its own heated pool[/caption]

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The Mediterranean looking pool looks like it could be outside of the UK[/caption]

A Romantic Folly, Devon

This tiny home in Dittisham looks over the rolling hills in Devon – and it has a heated pool too.

The sweet Folly is bright and airy and filled with nautical hints throughout.

It even has its own boat loveseat outside that looks over a stream.

The bedroom has wooden slatted walls and ceilings.

Off the bedroom are white shutters that open up to a huge bathroom with a rounded bath – perfect for a good soak after a relaxing day.

As for activities, outside there’s a tennis court and of course a swimming pool.

The pool is heated and has a mural on the wall that looks like it depicts ancient Greece – and it’s open from 7am to 7pm.

One happy visitor wrote on Tripadvisor: “The swimming pool was crystal clear and warm, scented with jasmine flowers all around. Lovely walks through the lanes too.”

Another added: “We used the pool every day and it was wonderful to swim about under such lush foliage. The sauna was excellent too.”

The exterior looks like it could be somewhere else too with greens, pinks and blues – there’s no way you’ll miss it.

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The white walls with splashes of yellow and orange give it a Mediterranean feel[/caption]

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This pool looks like it could be in Greece, or even a spa[/caption]

Converted Granary, Wells

This beautiful self-contained holiday apartment is in Wells, Bristol and reminds us of a Grecian stay.

The interior is whitewashed, which is a typical Mediterranean look along with hues of yellow, orange and blue.

There are wooden beams stretching across the ceiling, and the living area has squishy sofas and a log burner for when the weather isn’t quite so hot.

There’s an indoor pool too which feels more like outside with its wooden slatted and glass ceilings.

While the pool isn’t completely private, the Airbnb owner will give visitors exclusive access upon request.

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The outdoor area of this Airbnb even has grapes growing up the wooden veranda[/caption]

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Visitors can make use of the pool which you get exclusively[/caption]

Cosy Cottage, Lymington

This tiny, and very pretty, cottage has a private heated swimming pool during summer months.

Described as a ‘secret hideaway’, the Bothy has room for four guests with an open plan living room.

The building doesn’t look over ‘Med’ like, but it’s the outside area that really feels like it could be abroad.

There’s a private garden and you even get exclusive use of the heated swimming pool which is open from May to September.

Outside, the pool even has a wooden veranda with climbing grape vines.

This home is in the top 10 per cent of eligible listings based on ratings, reviews and reliability and has a review average of 4.95.

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This Airbnb rental is on the beach and looks like it could be abroad[/caption]

The Blue House on the Beach, Camber

So The Blue House on the Beach in Camber technically doesn’t have a pool but as the house name describes, it’s literally on the sands.

The house is modern, in a triangle shape with glass windows and balconies and has incredible beach views.

And as a result, the inside is so bright and the colour of the orange wood panels on the ceiling give it a sunny, Mediterranean feel.

In the living room is huge sliding glass doors that lead out onto a private wooden deck looking over Camber Sands.

Inside there are also rattan touches throughout like lamp shades and scandi-style cushions.

The property is air-conditioned too so once it reaches Med temperature, visitors can still stay cool.

It can take up to eight guests across four spacious bedrooms.

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These properties look like they could be in the Mediterranean[/caption]

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REVELLERS have donned fancy dress for the Otley Run as the UK is set to bask in 30C temperatures.

Cowgirls, union jack dresses and even cardboard ketchup bottles were spotted as boozy revellers took to the streets for a pub crawl with pals.

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A group of cowgirls with matching fans to keep cool[/caption]

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Fans and hats are a common sight during this pub crawl[/caption]

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A lifeguard, Lorax, and a Statue of Liberty were among the costumes[/caption]

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The aim is to have a drink at 17 pubs for the famous crawl[/caption]

Some only donned a movie t-shirt for their costume, while multiple “devils” were also spotted as many had leftover horns from Halloween.

The two-and-a-half-mile rite of passage happens multiple times a year.

The historic Otley Run starts at Woodies pub in Far Headingley and finishes at The Dry Dock at the edge of the city centre.

The aim of the game is to have a drink in each of the 17 pubs along the way.

Participants begin at Woodies before swilling snifters at 15 other watering holes during the challenge, which takes place several times a year.

Drinkers sup a final brew at the aptly named Dry Dock – a narrow boat-turned-pub.

It comes after Brits spent yesterday basking in temperatures as high as 33C as thousands flocked outside to enjoy the glorious sunshine.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all saw their hottest day of the year so far with sunseekers in England soaking up the scorching heat well into the evening.

wimmers and sunbathers spent the day in Bournemouth and Brighton as they enjoyed an ice cream and a dip in the cooling water.

Along the coast, many celebrated Bourne Free pride parade amid the soaring temperatures.

And many watching Wimbledon were grateful for Iga Swiatek’s flawless clean sweep victory in the women’s singles final.

Under the sweltering conditions, the Pole remained focused and brushed aside Amanda Anismova in straight sets – letting the SW19 revellers get off early.

Spectators were advised to slap on the sunscreen and stay hydrated as “classic summer conditions” were forecasted for the tennis final.

This is the third period of high heat the UK has experienced this year, leaving many Brits chuffed with the continued warm weather.

The previous two were officially noted down as heatwaves with this one yet to officially meet the threshold despite it coming close.

Large swathes of the UK have met the heatwave criteria, according to the Met Office.

Temperatures hit 30.8C in Aboyne and Aviemore in Scotland, while in Wales, a high of 32.4C was recorded at Usk in Monmouthshire.

The Met Office had announced much of Britain should look forward to a “fine and hot day”.

Temperatures are set to remain warm throughout Sunday.

Amber and yellow heat health alerts are still in place for the Midlands and southern and eastern England until 9am on Monday when the weather is expected to last until.

Today, for the Men’s Wimbledon final, where Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz will face Jannick Sinner, the mercury will dip slightly.

This may come as a relief to many revellers, and players alike, with slightly more cloud cover later in the day.

But it will still be a hot day for those down south, with some areas predicted to reach 29C in the afternoon.

The heat alerts, issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and Met Office, mean older and vulnerable people are at greater risk due to the temperature.

This is because in the heat people are more likely to suffer dehydration, heat exhaustion, and potentially deadly heatstroke.

Hot weather can also worsen asthma symptoms for some people, including increased breathing difficulties, wheezing, and coughing.

It warns of a possible rise in deaths among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions.

Younger age groups could also be affected.

There is also a higher risk for vulnerable individuals living alone or in care homes due to overheating indoors

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A woman wears a union jack dress for her costume this weekend[/caption]

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One inventive costume included a ketchup label[/caption]

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Some only donned a movie t-shirt for their costume, while multiple “devils” were also spotted as many had leftover horns from Halloween[/caption]

ANDY FARRELL revealed his star centre was far from Rosy after a bruising battle with the Brumbies.

Ireland international Garry Ringrose missed out on yesterday’s eight-try romp over an Australia-New Zealand XV and will not play in the Lions’ first Test against the Wallabies on Saturday.

Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Luke Cowan-Dickie was another player crocked after the English hooker was carted off following a bang on the head from lock Lukhan Salakaia-Loto yesterday.

That forced Faz to pull compatriot Jamie George, 34 — who has been on two previous Lions tours — from England’s line-up against Argentina last night and fly him out.

Leinster star Ringrose is expected to be fit for the second Test against Oz in Melbourne on July 26.

Farrell added: “Garry had headaches for a day and it carried on the next day. He went through concussion protocols and failed those.

“You don’t mess around with these things. So, he is 12 days out and that puts him out of the first Test — but back in for the midweek game before the second Test.”

Farrell also saw scrum-half Tomos Williams and utility back Elliot Daly sent home with injuries early in the trip — so more casualties were the last thing he needed.

On Cowan-Dickie’s prognosis, Farrell said: “Luke got up straight away off the stretcher and was back to being his normal self.

“But it looked like a concussion and we will see how things pan out.”

LCD, 32, who had treatment on the pitch before being taken off with his neck in a brace on a motorised buggy, has not been ruled out of the tour.

But, with only two hookers left standing in Australia, George is required to cover Ireland duo Dan Sheehan and Rónan Kelleher.

News about Ringrose emerged just ahead of kick-off but did not reach Huw Jones before he came in to have a well-timed stormer.

The Scotland centre said: “No one told me, which was probably a good thing because then it didn’t mess with my head. I was actually just like, ‘It’s another game’.

“I’m really gutted for Garry but if that means that I get an opportunity next week, I’ll obviously be very happy with that and try to grab it with both hands.”

Ireland wing Mack Hansen, Sione Tuipulotu, No 8 Ben Earl and scrum-half Ben White all impressed in this game, while Scotland wing Duhan van der Merwe grabbed a hat-trick after a difficult tour.

The Lions led 17-0 at half- time before Owen Farrell — getting half-an-hour off the bench — then had a hand in three tries.

White, Tuipulotu, Scott Cummings and Kelleher all got on the scoresheet before Farrell’s grubber kick made the final score for Henry Pollock.

Pollock had been in a running battle with back-row Pete Samu, part of a Bordeaux side who mocked the 20-year-old after Northampton’s Champions Cup final defeat.

But he had the last laugh here and is bang in contention for the Test 23

WESTERN nations must change their attitude to Russia and crush the war machine fuelling Vladimir Putin’s aggression, an ex-army commander warns.

Rogue states such as Iran supply the tyrant with missiles and drones to unleash hell on Ukraine – propping up Russia’s “not so great” army, US General Ben Hodges told The Sun.

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Vladimir Putin is propped up by his allies[/caption]

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Russia continues to threaten the West[/caption]

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Putin shaking hands with North Korean tyrant Kim Jong-un[/caption]

Now retired, he told The Sun: “If you want to defeat somebody, you have to knock out whatever it is that keeps the other side in the fight.”

He warned that if the West fails to take the threat from bloodthirsty Vlad more seriously, Europe will be dealing with war “forever”.

Russia has continued to rain down misery on Ukraine for more than three years – raising questions over how Moscow hasn’t depleted its ammunition stocks.

It comes as Putin is hammering Ukraine with almost 1,000 kamikaze drones a missiles each day – overwhelming defence systems.

Dozens of innocents are being injured or killed as apartment buildings are mercilessly bombed and civilians terrorised.

Putin ordered his troops over the border in February 2022 and the US military estimated that, without help, Moscow would have run out of firepower by that December.

North Korea is widely believed to have supplied Russia with missiles and shells, while Iran has bolstered Putin’s stockpile with drones and rockets.

China – Moscow’s biggest and richest ally – is suspected of equipping Vlad with “dual-use” components, which are used to make weapons.

Hodges, who was in charge of American forces in Europe, has urged the West to go after ???????????

He also believes Putin focuses on civilian areas instead of military targets because “the great Russian army and the great Russian air force and the great Russian navy are not so great”.

“I mean they have demonstrated after 11 years they cannot defeat Ukraine,” Hodges added.

“The only thing they can do is murder innocent people. So that’s what they’re doing.

“Hundreds of drones and missiles and rockets every week, which they get from Iran, North Korea and China, because they can’t even produce all that they need anymore.

“So I think we know from history that going after the population almost never works.

“It didn’t work in the Second World War, it didn’t work for us against the Vietnamese, it didn’t work for us against the Taliban.”

Putin arrogantly assumed he could sweep in and seize Kyiv in a matter of days after ordering his troops over the border into Ukraine.

But more than three years on, the red-faced despot has suffered huge losses on the battlefield.

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Xi Jinpping attended the Victory Day parade in Moscow[/caption]

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Putin shakes hands with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi[/caption]

Reuters

More than 10,000 tanks, 22,000 armoured vehicles, 26,000 artillery systems, and over 700 aircraft have been destroyed, officials estimate.

And the casualty numbers are far grimmer.

Western officials have revealed that  the Russians have sustained more than 900,000 casualties, with 250,000 dead, since Putin unleashed his illegal war.

Despite this, the megalomaniac has pushed forward – continuing to throw wave after wave of troops into the meatgrinder.

Putin has found his stocks of weapons backfilled by his allies – such as receiving drones from Iran.

And meanwhile, Kim has sent tens of thousands of troops to Russia to serve alongside Vlad’s men.

A small number of Chinese troops have also allegedly been found serving in Ukraine.

But Beijing has strongly denied accusations from Ukraine that they supplying Putin with weapons.

Russia now is planning to try and unleash 1,000 drones per day on Ukraine as the war marches on – much to the fury of the US.

Hodges warned Western nations must instead focus on eliminating the threat from Axis of Evil countries – ultimately diminishing Putin’s capabilities.

The former military chief said it could see Europe grappling with endless bloodshed if not.

He said: “Europe should be more serious and try to crush them, crush that regime, use all of our economic tools and also help Ukraine be successful to defeat Russia. 

“The only way Russia ever changes is after defeat. And if they’re not defeated, then after Putin will be another Putin.

“So we’re going to be dealing with this forever unless we get serious about defending everything that we say is important.

“And we should quit being so scared of what the Russians might do. The Russians should be worrying what the hell we’re going to do.”

Hodges predicts Putin, 72, will stay at the helm of the Kremlin for at least another decade – only taking into account his health.

But at some point, the oligarchs around him – who lost enormous fortunes through war sanctions – could snap and force him out, Hodges said.

He said: “From a health standpoint, Putin’s around for another ten years.

“Usually dictators don’t have a retirement plan because there are so many people that want to kill them. So that’s why they stay in power until the very end.

“So I think we should assume he’s going to be there, if it’s just health, for at least another ten years.

“But if enough people finally got mad about how he was ruining Russia’s economic standing, that would be different.”

MANILA, Philippines — Three of the country’s largest integrated resort-casino operators on Sunday affirmed their continued commitment to comply with all laws and regulations, and operate “with the highest standards of integrity, transparency” amid the growing public concern about online gaming in the country. In a joint statement, Solaire Resort, Newport World Resorts, and Okada

LOVE Island is embroiled in a new fix row after Yas let slip she knows what the public call her.

In Saturday night’s Unseen Bits, Yasmin insisted she’s not AI generated after the public started saying they thought she might be an AI bot.

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Last month, fans started speculating that Yas might be AI-generated after she displayed some telltale clues.

Viewers noted that she stood stiffly, blinked slowly and barely reacted to events unfolding around her.

Clips of Yasmin sitting bolt upright in her bikini during an episode in June left fans convinced they saw her “glitching” and that she was “robotic”.

One TikTok user posted a video of Yasmin with the caption: “She genuinely scares me,” while another joked, “Is Yasmin AI?” on X, formerly Twitter.

A third viewer wrote: “I saw someone say Yasmin is AI and bro she is literally not real.”

But now Yas has seemingly let slip that she KNOWS the public think she might be AI.

During Unseen Bits on Saturday night, Yas could be seen in the Beach Hut for a confessional moment.

“Oh my god, should I do the robot?” she asked.

She then let slip: “Everyone says I’m AI-generated anyway.”

Fans watching the show were quick to pick up on what Yas had said, with many suspicious and confused over how she knew viewers’ opinions.

“How does YasGPT know that we think she’s AI GENERATED?” asked one fan on X.

“WAIT YASMIN KNOWS ABOUT THE AI THING?” quizzed a second.

“Yas acknowledging thinks she’s ai and then doing the robot dance before confirming she’s acc a human god how did i used to dislike her,” said a third.

“Nah yas actually doing the robot because she knows everyone thinks she ai,” penned a fourth.

While a fifth wrote: “YasGPT denying she’s AI.

“Sounds exactly like something someone that’s secretly AI would say!

“You’re not fooling me.”

This comes after an explosive week in the villa that saw Casa Amor unfold, and a bombshell recoupling take place.

On Friday night, the Islanders gathered around a huge screen to watch some unseen moments from throughout the series for Movie Night.

The aftermath of Movie Night will play out in tonight’s episode, which has been teased as being explosive.

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CHILDREN chortle as they splash around in the cool, blue waters on the Pembrokeshire coastline – blissfully unaware of the horrors that took place on the cliff path above.

It is 36 years since John Cooper murdered holidaymakers Peter and Gwenda Dixon as they walked along a coastal footpath that runs through Little Haven.

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Little Haven in Pembrokeshire, West Wales, where evil John Cooper murdered husband and wife Peter and Gwenda Dixon[/caption]

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Peter and Gwenda, from Oxfordshire, were murdered while walking the coastal path near Little Haven in 1989[/caption]

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Notorious serial killer John Cooper was finally jailed in 2011[/caption]

The 1989 incident became known as the Pembrokeshire Murders or the Coastal Murders, and Cooper himself the Bullseye Killer because he’d appeared on the TV show weeks before.

Four years earlier, at a farmhouse just six miles away in Milford Haven, he had also murdered siblings Richard and Helen Thomas.

He infamously evaded justice for around two decades but was finally convicted of all four murders thanks to advancements in forensic techniques – and given a whole life order in 2011.

Cooper was arrested in 2009, just weeks after being released early from prison for other crimes.

He had previously been jailed for 16 years in 1998 for the rape of a 16-year-old girl and sexual assault of another girl, aged 14, in 1996, as well as a spate of robberies and burglaries, before being released in January 2009.

That April, however, cops would begin carrying out a cold case review of his murders, and the following month he was finally detained on his way to the shops.

‘How wrong can you be sometimes?’

At Little Haven pub, The Castle, a bar worker told The Sun how she came face to face with the evil killer the day after he murdered the Dixons in 1989.

The woman, who did not wish to be named, said: “I was walking through a village near here, Martletwy, a couple of days after the murders and he came cycling slowly towards me on his bike.

“I remember looking at him and thinking this was a man out enjoying a bike ride and he looks like he doesn’t have a care in the world. How wrong can you be sometimes?

“I knew him vaguely, and by name, because we lived in the same area and I sometimes saw him out and about, but never really talked to him.”

She also saw Cooper years later at his brother Edgy’s pub, The Avondale in nearby Hakin, after he had been released from jail in 2009.

She said: “I was with my husband and it was the first time I’d been inside this particular pub.

“We walked in and Cooper was sitting on a barstool at the bar with a pint in his hand. I saw him immediately and my blood just ran cold.

The sad thing is that his brother and the rest of his family still believe Cooper is completely innocent and did not carry out the killings. His family are in denial

Staff member at The Castle pub

“He had that effect on me. It was just something evil about him and all I wanted to do was leave. I think we stayed for one quick drink and then I couldn’t get out of the door fast enough. 

“The sad thing is that his brother and the rest of his family still believe Cooper is completely innocent and did not carry out the killings. His family are in denial.”

‘Winnings went to his head’

The killer, now 80, was born on September 3 1944 and – aside from the four murders, rape and sexual assault, he was also convicted of 30 burglaries, as well as a string of other crimes in his life.

Between the ages of 17 and 21, Cooper was charged with theft of a vehicle, assaulting a police officer, being drunk and disorderly, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

In 1978, aged 34 and while working as a farm labourer, he scooped £90,000 and a £4,000 car in a newspaper competition.

A pal previously described how the windfall saw Cooper develop a drink problem and gambling habit, as the “winnings went to his head”.

The unnamed friend told The Mirror in 2011, following his life sentence: “It was a life-changing amount of money and I saw a real change in him.

“He spent most of it in pubs and bookies… People were scared of him and he got into a lot of fights. As his money dried up he started the robberies.”

They added: “I dread to think how many people he attacked. I expect the court case was just the tip of the iceberg. The murders do not surprise me. He is evil.”

All four of his murder victims were blasted to death with a shotgun at point blank range.

On December 22 1985, Cooper targeted a three-storey farmhouse at Scoveston Park, near Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, intending to burgle it, but killed millionaire farmer Richard Thomas, 58, and his sister Helen Thomas, 56, and then burned down the home.

On June 29 1989, Peter, 51, and Gwenda Dixon, 52, were on holiday in the county and set off for a walk along the coastal path but never returned.

Their bodies were later found – the couple had been tied up. Cooper had held them at gunpoint and forced them to disclose their PIN numbers, after snatching their bank cards.

He robbed Peter of £300 and shot both him and his wife in the face.

In March 1996 Cooper attacked five youths, threatening them at gunpoint before sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and raping another, aged 16, in a wooded area behind the Mount Estate in his hometown of Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire.

Cooper was arrested in 1998 after a bungled armed raid and was jailed for 16 years.

Detectives suspected him of the four killings at the time but had no evidence.

But it was not until 2006, after significant advances in technology and forensics, that Dyfed-Powys Police were able to link microscopic DNA and fibres from the murders to other serious crimes. Those included the rape and robberies that Cooper was already serving time for.

DNA evidence revealed a drop of Peter Dixon’s blood on a pair of khaki shorts taken from Cooper’s home and the police managed to recover the shotgun used in both double murders.

In 2009, just a few months after Cooper was released from prison, he was re-arrested as he walked to the shops in his home town of Letterston, near Fishguard.

Alarm raised and six-day manhunt

In Little Haven this week, locals recalled the six-day manhunt for the Dixons after the alarm was raised by their son when they did not return to their Oxfordshire home after their holiday in Wales.

Among those searching for the pair, who Cooper had robbed before dumping them in bushes alongside the coast path, was Howard Jones, then a young reporter on his local weekly newspaper, the Western Telegraph,

Howard, who joined hundreds of locals, police officers and RNLI lifeboat teams scouring the Pembrokeshire coastline, told of the personal struggle he faced, balancing his professional obligations with his responsibilities to the community where he lived.

“It was a very delicate balance because on the one hand the disappearance of two people was a big story for us, but at the same time it was uppermost in my thoughts that I had to be sensitive to the feelings of local people, who were my friends and neighbours,” he told The Sun.

“We searched for days, with little sleep, until we found the bodies. My role had been to support the lifeboat crews.

“When we found the bodies, it was a horrible moment. Everyone here was absolutely devastated.

“None of us could understand how such a beautiful, peaceful part of the world could be a place where a double murder could take place. A second double murder, in fact.

“Little Haven was absolutely swarming with police.”

Howard, who later abandoned journalism for a career in corporate communications, both in Hong Kong and Dubai before returning to Little Haven several years ago to live and work as a taxi driver, is one of the few residents from that time still living in the coastal village.

He said: “I try not to think about those murders now, but sometimes the memories come flooding back and it is still distressing after all these years.

“On a sunny day like this, seeing everybody on the beach and in the sea enjoying themselves, it seems unthinkable that anything so awful could ever have happened here.

“I think most of these holidaymakers here today are oblivious to what happened here, and nearby in Milford Haven, and to be honest I’d be very happy for them to remain oblivious. Let them enjoy their time here.”

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Cooper was seen at The St Brides Inn pub[/caption]

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Howard Jones, a former journalist who covered the murders and still lives in the village[/caption]

Enterprise

Farmer Richard Thomas and his sister Helen Thomas who were bound, gagged and shot dead at their country manor house in 1985[/caption]

During the lengthy police investigation into the Pembrokeshire murders, Howard’s loyalty to his community, desperate to have the killer caught, was tested when he overheard police officers reveal they believed the culprit had been using a credit card stolen from the dead couple at cashpoint machines in the area.

Cops, who by now had artist impressions of the murderer, were lying in wait at numerous cashpoint locations and wanted to keep this information secret.

He said: “They asked me to keep it under my hat so I didn’t scupper a potentially significant line of enquiry and I reluctantly agreed to keep quiet about it, not least because I felt I owed it to my local community.

“I didn’t want to write anything that might prevent the police from finding the killer.”

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Cooper was given a whole life order in 2011 for the two double killings[/caption]

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A sawn off shotgun used by the killer[/caption]

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Local landlord Andy Grey[/caption]

Reflecting on the impact Cooper had on the community in Pembrokeshire, Howard, now 63, said: “I think the fact that his poor, long-suffering wife, Patricia, died of a heart attack in the bath the night Cooper was released from jail in 2008 for a string of other hideous crimes says everything about what kind of man he is.

“The stress of him returning to live with her literally killed her.”

Detective Chief Superintendant Steve Wilkins – played by Hollywood actor Luke Evans in miniseries The Pembrokeshire Murders in 2021 – previously spoke to WalesOnline about what happened to Patricia.

He said: “She’d had 10 years away from this man who was an absolute beast and suddenly he was back in the house. She had massive heart conditions but I think the poor lady just gave up.”

He said there was “nothing” linking her death to her husband, but recalled getting a call at 3am from the control room telling him Cooper had just phoned up to say his wife was dead.

Det Ch Supt Wilkins added: “You can imagine what went through my mind. But she had three different heart conditions that would’ve killed her. There was nothing suspicious in it.”

She’d had 10 years away from this man who was an absolute beast and suddenly he was back in the house. She had massive heart conditions but I think the poor lady just gave up.

Detective Chief Superintendant Steve Wilkinsspeaking about Patricia's death

Most of the holidaymakers we spoke to in Little Haven were aware of the Pembrokeshire murders, but many did not know that two of the killings took place in the village.

One, Jan, now 82, and a retired personal assistant to a former boss of Welsh rugby at the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), said: “I’m here for two weeks holiday and I went online to read all about the Pembrokeshire murders last night because I met someone earlier in the day who told me that these awful killings happened here.

“I was aware of the Pembrokeshire murders back in the day because I’ve always kept up with the news, but it hasn’t registered two of them happened in Little Haven and the others very nearby.

“It must have been devastating for the village at the time. It seems so completely incongruous that something so awful happened in a place like this, with all its natural beauty and peace and charm.”

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An elderly couple walk on the coastal path very close to where the Dixons were murdered[/caption]

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Jan was visiting the village during our trip[/caption]

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A police photofit sketch of John Cooper released by police after the Dixon murders[/caption]

Cooper was only arrested after Senior Investigating Officer Steve Wilkins was put in charge of a cold case review of the Pembrokeshire murders in 2005.

Advances in DNA and forensic evidence meant that when police finally questioned Cooper, they were able to link a gun used in a robbery he had been convicted of to the murder weapon used to kill the Dixons.

Just weeks earlier, Cooper had mentioned his love of the Pembrokeshire coast during his appearance on Bullseye.

After an eight-week murder trial at Swansea Crown Court, Mr Justice John Griffith Williams said Cooper was “a very dangerous man, highly predatory who, but for advances in forensic science, may well have continued to evade capture.”

The whole life order means he will never be released from prison. 

In September 2011, he launched an appeal against his convictions. His appeal was rejected in November 2012.

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Cooper appearing on the TV game show Bullseye, hosted by Jim Bowen, just a month before he murdered the Dixons[/caption]

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The murders in Little Haven left all of Britain shaken[/caption]

THE thrills and spills of the summer transfer window are well underway with some huge deals in the pipeline over the next few weeks!

Newcastle could launch a club-record £86million swoop for Hugo Ekitike after reigniting their interest in the French forward.

In other news, Chelsea are looking to sign PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who is set to take on the Blues in the Club World Cup final.

Elsewhere, Juventus and Man Utd remain in talks over a transfer for flop winger Jadon Sancho.

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THUGS are taking over the streets of London’s most popular tourist hotspots snatching £50million worth of phones last year.

Data obtained by The Sun reveals the worst hit areas across Greater London, with one popular tourist hotspot hit by as many as 37 mobile thefts daily on average.

PA

Almost 80,000 smartphones were stolen across Greater London last year[/caption]

The Metropolitan Police has warned that gangs are pocketing millions, with phone thefts “on an industrial scale”.

Almost 80,000 handsets were stolen last year – that’s up by about 16,000 on 2023.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, tourist hotspots tend to rank highest, which is especially worrying for anyone planning on venturing into the capital over the summer.

However, hundreds of incidents were reported in typically residential areas up and down Greater London, too.

We are seeing phone thefts on an industrial scale, fuelled by criminals making millions by being able to easily sell on stolen devices either here or abroad

Met Police

The data from the Met Police is broken down in wards and includes both robbery offences and theft offences.

It doesn’t include areas represented by the City of London Police.

Among these, the West End comes out as the worst place for phone thefts, with a staggering 13,578 cases logged – the equivalent to 37 handsets every day on average.

St James’s – which covers areas around Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament and all the way along the famous Stand – ranked second with some 6,693 recorded incidents.

Bloomsbury, Holborn & Covent Garden, Borough & Bankside, as well as Waterloo & South Bank also clocked up more than 1,000 reports in total.

Other popular areas to be targeted include Hyde Park with 550, Stratford Olympic Park with 865 and Camden Town with 906.

The Met Police told The Sun that criminals behind the problem are making millions by being able to easily sell on stolen devices either here or abroad.

“We are seeing phone thefts on an industrial scale,” a Met Police spokesperson told The Sun.

“In response, we have increased patrols in hotspot areas while officers are using phone-tracking data and intelligence to pursue those responsible.

“By intensifying our efforts, we’re catching more perpetrators and protecting people from having their phones stolen in the capital.

“The Met is also working with other agencies and government to tackle the organised criminality driving this trade and calling on tech companies to make stolen phones unusable.

“We are reminding victims to report their phone as stolen as soon as possible to maximise the chance of catching the perpetrator, too often thefts are reported hours or days later.”

PA

Criminal gangs are believed to make £50million a year from stolen phones[/caption]

TAKE ON THE PHONE THEFT GANGS

There are many obvious ways to avoid falling victim to phone snatching gangs, such as being aware of your surroundings and putting your phone away when you’ve finished using it.

But there are settings on your mobile you need to switch on.

Primarily, you should have location tracking activated to help police pinpoint where your mobile is.

On iPhone, it’s known as Find My and on Android it’s Find My Device.

You can find these within the settings.

There’s also another important trick to try available on Android.

It may not result in you getting your phone back, but can prevent thieves causing more devastation by raiding through your banking apps to steal money.

Theft Detection Lock cleverly uses motion sensors to pick up on the sort of movements associated with a phone being snatched and whisked away.

When it’s detected, your phone automatically locks so criminals can’t dig around your device.

While iPhone doesn’t have the same feature, there is Stolen Device Protection.

This kicks in when you’re away from familiar locations like your home and work.

It means that if someone steals your device while you’re out and about after seeing your passcode, they can’t make “critical” changes.

So accessing your stored passwords and credit cards will require Face ID or Touch ID. There’s no option to use a passcode instead.

And there’s also a Security Delay feature.

So if you want to change your Apple Account passcode, you’ll have to wait an hour and then perform a second Face ID or Touch ID scan.

To turn it on, go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode, enter your passcode, and turn Stolen Device Protection on.