Cat who lived at ambulance station for 15 years saved from eviction

Defib has lived at Walthamstow Ambulance Station for 15 years (Credits: SWNS)

A cat who has lived at Walthamstow Ambulance Station for at least 15 years has been saved from eviction after more than 60,000 people rushed to sign a petition.

New management at the London Ambulance Service had tried to kick out the pet, appropriately named Defib, from his home in Walthamstow after ‘several near misses in being run over by ambulances.’

They said it was time to find the animal a ‘worthy retirement home.’

But workers at the station could not part with Defib. They launched a petition to save their beloved companion who ‘is part of the team’ earlier this week .

After gaining more than 60,000 signatures, a decision was made that Defib won’t be going anywhere.

Daniel Elkeles, Chief Executive of the London Ambulance Service, posted on X: ‘I have heard all the feedback about Defib the cat. I do believe that my team were trying to make the best decision for both Defib and all our staff.

The much-loved cat is ‘part of the team’ at the station (Credits: SWNS)

‘I have listened to the views of the public and many of our staff and we have now agreed that Defib can remain at Walthamstow Ambulance Station.

‘Defib is much loved by staff at Walthamstow Ambulance Station and evidently, he has won the hearts of the public too.’

The black and white cat was rescued and taken into the station when he was just one.

Defib is fed and cared for by paramedics, with staff even creating a check-in and cuddle rota for him during lockdown.

This morning’s news came as a ‘huge relief’ to those at the station.

This is the second time staff at the ambulance station have saved Defib from eviction (Credits: SWNS)

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The petition’s organiser, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: ‘He is part of the team. That’s his home and it doesn’t matter that he’s a cat.

‘He hasn’t bothered anyone for the last 15 years and everyone adores him, it’s an honour to have him here.

‘Most of us at the hospital are cat lovers. To move a cat at his age just seemed to me and to a lot of other people like an awful thing to do to any animal.

‘It’s such a relief. It’s not down to me but the amount of support he has received has blown me away.

‘The support was quick and heart-felt – and it’s great that we’ve achieved our goal.’

This is the second time those at Walthamstow Ambulance Station have managed to save Defib from eviction.

London Ambulance Service attempted to move him elsewhere a few years ago but staff forged an agreement to keep him thanks in part to his therapeutic nature.

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Tom King’s downfall ‘confirmed’ as fans clock who will destroy him

Fans think they know who will bring Tom down (Picture: ITV)

Emmerdale viewers thought that Belle Dingle’s (Eden Taylor-Draper) ordeal was finally over when she dug an axe into abusive ex-husband Tom King’s (James Chase) – but they couldn’t have been more wrong.

Miraculously, Tom survived the axe, but fans think that he may soon face his comeuppance from someone else.

Since splitting from Belle, Tom has had his sights set on young Amelia Spencer (Daisy Campbell), who has been hanging off his every word – much to the concern of Belle and her family.

In recent scenes, Lydia Dingle (Karen Blick) once again tried to get through to Amelia about the danger Tom posed, but Amelia was adamant that he was the perfect gentleman.

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Lydia tried to get through to Amelia (Picture: ITV)

Earlier this week, we saw her ponder whether Tom was using her, but he soon won her round with a posh lunch.  She smiled and agreed, pleased to be back on track.

He told her that if they keep up public appearances, those against their relationship will soon get used to it.

However, fans of the ITV soap are hopeful that Amelia actually knows more than she’s letting on, and is actually playing the long game to take Tom down.

‘So is Amelia really trying to catch Tom out, is she on to him and leading him on’ posed one fan on X.

Another fan pointed out that it seemed as though something had clicked for Amelia as Lydia offered her warning, while another added: ‘Wishful thinking but I hope so, maybe now she will listen.’

When Metro asked actress Daisy Campbell what lies in store for Amelia and Tom, and if she would see his true colours, she revealed that there wasn’t much she was allowed to say.

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Will Belle ever get justice? (Picture: ITV)

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‘You’ll have to keep watching!’ She told us. ‘I can’t give away too much, but it’s good. It’s good stuff. They always do good stuff!’

Meanwhile, during our chat with Belle and Tom actors Eden Taylor-Draper and James Chase at the Inside Soap Awards, James teased that Tom wouldn’t be easy to take down.

‘There’s more to come for sure, we know he’s not dead. He’s not going to go down without a fight…’

Is Amelia really biding her time to take Tom down and, more importantly, will she succeed?

This article was originally published on 10th October 2024.

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Arsenal legend believes Gabriel Jesus can still become better than Kai Havertz

Kai Havertz has usurped Gabriel Jesus in Arsenal’s pecking order (Picture: Getty)

Arsenal legend Gilberto Silva believes that Gabriel Jesus still has a higher ceiling than Kai Havertz despite the pair’s contrasting fortunes this season.

After an up-and-down first season at the club since joining from Chelsea, Havertz has hit his stride under Mikel Arteta and usurped Jesus in the pecking order.

The German scored in the Gunners’ 3-1 win over Southampton before the international break to mark the seventh consecutive home game in which he has scored.

And should the 25-year-old score again at the Emirates in next week’s Champions League clash with Shakhtar Donetsk, Havertz would tie Thierry Henry’s record of scoring in eight consecutive home games.

Jesus, meanwhile, has endured another injury-affected start to the season and has managed to start just three games so far this campaign.

The Brazillian is into his third full season at the club since his move from Manchester City but has failed to prove a reliable attacking outlet, with his last goal coming back in January of this year against Nottingham Forest.

Despite that, former Gunners midfielder Silva believes that his fellow Brazillian can still become a better striker than Havertz if he’s able find a solution to his poor injury record.

Jesus has failed to score so far this season (Picture: Getty)

‘Jesus has suffered a lot with injuries and that really gets in the way,’ he told bettingexpert.com. ‘You break your rhythm and you always have to start over. It’s a huge challenge for any player.

‘But injuries have had a big impact on Jesus’ loss of space, as he was out of action for a long time.

‘It also opened up space for Havertz, who played in positions where Jesus would have played. He ended up doing well there.

‘However, as a nine, Jesus has the potential to do more if he’s healthy. But Havertz came in so well that many people didn’t even think about his absences.’

Arsenal are back in action after the international break on Saturday as they travel to face Bournemouth.

The club have suffered an injury-affected fortnight with Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli all picking up knocks while away on international duty.

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Facebook and Instagram down for thousands of people across UK

Facebook and Instagram are down for thousands of people (Picture: Getty)

Meta’s Facebook and Instagram are down for thousands of people across the UK.

More than 4,000 users have reported issues with Facebook, while Instagram has at least another 2,000 complaints, making this a significant issue.

According to DownDetector, which monitors outages across the globe, problems with the website and the mobile app are also recorded in the US.

In the UK, it shows that most outages are centralised across London, Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow.

Reports began filtering in just after 6pm and in under 20 minutes, 1,750 Facebook users had taken to DownDetector. This was also the case for Instagram.

It is unclear what the problem is, but people have rushed to X to air their frustration.

‘Running to X to see if Facebook is down after turning my WIFI on and off multiple times,’ one person complained.

DownDetector’s numbers are based on user-submitted reports. The actual number of affected users may vary.

Early this year, hundreds of thousands of Facebook and Instagram users were impacted globally for more than two hours by an outage that was caused by a technical issue.

At the peak of the outage, there were more than 550,000 reports of disruptions for Facebook and about 92,000 for Instagram, according to the website.

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Scientists uncover car-sized insect which roamed Earth 340,000,000 years ago

The arthropod hid in forests near close to the equator millions of years ago (Picture: Getty)

Scientists have uncovered a car-sized mega-millipede that walked the earth around 340 million years ago.

After centuries of mystery, the face of the Arthropleura has been unveiled, thanks to two well-preserved fossils.

The arthropod is thought to have lived in forests close to the equator between 346 and million and 290 million years ago during the late Paleozoic era.

Arthopleura could grow to a whopping 8.5 feet long and weigh over 45kg, and their existence has baffled palaeontologists for decades.

The Arthopleura could grow to a staggering 8ft tall (Picture: Getty)

It is likely that the creature lived on vegetation in forests (Picture: Claude Bernard Lyon)

The creature had similar characteristics to a millipede, but as experts had never seen its head before they couldn’t work out its relationship to modern arthropods.

But now the head has been unearthed, with its round structure adorned with two short, bell-shaped antennae.

According to new research it also has two protruding eyes like crabs and a small mouth for scavenging leaves and bark.

Like other arthropods, it is likely lived on vegetation and would shed its exoskeleton through an opening on its head.

The fossilized exoskeletons left clues about the size of the creature’s head, but no indication of its facial structure.

But now that more juvenile fossils have been found, experts have finally been able to study the head and find out more about the creature.

With more juvenile fossils having been found, experts have been able to study its head and find out more about the creature (Picture: Getty)

A co-author of the study Mickael Lheritier explained: ‘We discovered that it had the body of a millipede, but the head of a centipede.’

Researchers used advanced CT scanning techniques to model the head while also examining the fossils.

The fossils were taken back in the 1980s in a French coal field and were still embedded in rock.

Scans enabled the team to examine hidden details without causing any damage to the ancient fossils.

Palebiologist James Lamsdell, who did not take part in the study, said: ‘We’ve been wanting to see what the head of this animal looked like for a really long time.’

‘When you chip away at rock, you don’t know what part of a delicate fossil may have been lost or damaged.’

Even though the fossils are only two inches long, the researchers believe they can tell us what the Arthropleura was like.

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Russian woman sold Putin’s tank secrets to Ukraine for £970

Viktoria Mukhametova, 24, who worked at a major Russian tank-making military plant (Picture: e2w news)

A Russian woman has been found guilty of treason after selling ‘blueprints’ from a tank factory she worked in to Ukraine.

Viktoria Mukhametova displayed no emotion as a court in Yekaterinburg, in the Russian Urals, sentenced her to 12 and a half years in a penal colony.

The 24-year-old passed on ‘military and technical data’ to Ukrainian officials in return for 100,000 roubles, or about £980.

Sheworked as a machine operator at UralVagon Factory, the largest battle tank company in the world, which is based in the city of Nizhny Tagil in the Sverdlovsk region.

Mukhametova pleaded guilty to selling the blueprints, which are understood to include technical drawings.

It was more than a year that she and her husband were arrested in March 2023 by the FSB security service.

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Her husband, Danil Mukhametov, is also being tried separately on similar charges.

A video of their arrest was published showing her being asked what they planned to do with the money, to which she replied: ‘Just to live.’

When they were detained he was seen being forcefully pinned to the ground by FSB agents.

Earlier this year, Russia convicted Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich of espionage after accusing him of gathering secret information about the same defence company.

The US journalist, his newspaper and the US government denied the spy charge. Gershkovich was released on August 1 in a major East-West prisoner swap.

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90s sitcom star unrecognisable 25 years after hit series ended

A 90s sitcom star looks unrecognisable 25 years after his hit show ended (Picture: TheImageDirect.com)

A star of a hit 90s sitcom who then went on to host a game show for several years has been spotted looking unrecognisable recently.

From 1991 until 1999, Richard Karen starred alongside Tim Allen in the comedy series Home Improvement.

The show followed the Taylor family, which consisted of Tim (Allen), his wife Jill (Patricia Richardson) and their three sons: Brad (Zachery Ty Bryan), Randy (Jonathan Taylor Thomas), and Mark (Taran Noah Smith).

Richard played Al, a master plumber and licensed contractor, who was also Tim’s best friend and co-host on the show-within-a-show Tool Time.

The show eventually ended after eight seasons after Allen declined a $50 million offer to continue.

Richard’s role on the show very nearly didn’t happen as another actor had been offered the part of Al but had to pull out due to a scheduling conflict.

Richard Karn was spotted during a recent grocery run in Los Angeles (Picture: TheImageDirect.com)

Richard was a guest star in the pilot episode but became a regular cast member when the show was picked up by the network.

After Home Improvement ended, the actor took over hosting the game show Family Feud, a role which he held for four years before leaving in 2006.

He then also went on to host the Game Show Network’s Bingo America for a year from 2008.

This month the actor, now 68, was pictured with his wife Trudi Roche while going grocery shopping in Los Angeles.

Richard was dressed casually in a golf shirt, which he paired with blue shorts and grey trainers.

He starred alongside Tim Allen in Home Improvement from 1991 until 1999 (Picture: Moviestore/ Rex/ Shutterstock)

Looking significantly different from his time on Home Improvement, the actor flew under the radar during the outing.

The couple, who have been married since 1985, share 32-year-old son Cooper.

Since Home Improvement ended, Richard has appeared on shows including That 70s Show, The Bold and Pen15, in which he played the father of writer and star Maya Erskine’s father.

In 2013 he also reunited with Allen for the sitcom Last Man Standing.

The actor recently starred in shows including Pen15 (Picture: Michael Tullberg/ Getty Images)

Then, in 2021, they hosted the pandemic-era Home Improvement–inspired series Assembly Required, a home repair competition.

In 2019 Richard spoke about the chances of the series ever being rebooted, or fans at least seeing the cast reunite on screen.

‘Great strides are being made. Tim wanted to reboot Last Man Standing, so he’s taking a year or two or whatever to accomplish that,’ he told Vulture.

‘After that, maybe we’ll look at Home Improvement. We’ll see what the producers have in store. It’ll be interesting to see where people end up 20 years later and if we can sustain something that’s interesting for people to watch.

Home Improvement is streaming on Disney Plus.

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Jon Bon Jovi’s former bandmate Jack Ponti dies aged 66

Jon Bon Jovi’s former bandmate, Jack Ponti, has died (Pictures: Thompson Funeral Home / AP)

Record producer Jack Ponti has died at the age of 66.

The songwriter, who previously worked with legendary musician Jon Bon Jovi, died on October 7.

An online obituary confirmed the sad news, but his cause of death has not yet ben publicly shared.

‘While widely recognized for his musical genius, it was his boundless love for his family, generosity of spirit, and fierce loyalty that truly defined him,’ the message read.

‘Jack had a rare ability to make people feel seen and valued, whether in the music studio or at home.

‘His generosity extended beyond his family, as he was always ready to offer advice, lend a hand, or simply bring laughter to those around him.

Jack died at the age of 66 (Picture: Thompson Funeral Home)

‘His warmth and wisdom will continue to resonate through the countless lives he touched, long after the music fades.’

A visitation for Ponti, born Giacomo Pontoriero, was held yesterday, before his burial today in New Jersey.

The Newark-native nurtured his passion for music for a young age and he stepped into the spotlight in the 1970s while performing with Bon Jovi in the band, The Rest.

However, they weren’t given a recording contract and ended up splitting, with the lead singer going on to form Bon Jovi, while Ponti worked as a songwriter and producer.

Jack and Jon performed together in the 70s in The Rest (Picture: AP)

Jon went on to form Bon Jovi (Picture: Getty)

Speaking of their close bond in a chat with Legendary Rock Interviews in 2012, he commended his former bandmate as a true rockstar.

‘I’ve known Jon since he was in high school. My first impression is the same today as it was then,’ he said. ‘You either have it, or you don’t, and he has it times fifty. He also had incredible drive, ambition, focus, and resiliency.

‘Jon and me really laid the nucleus for both of our careers playing in that band together. It was a very important time. We had big dreams, good times, a learned a lot together. 

‘Jon grew up worshiping people like Bruce Springsteen, Southside Johnny, Tom Petty, the real artists’ artists. It’s astonishing what happened. It changed all of our lives and I am eternally grateful.’

Ponti went on to write songs for Bon Jovi, as well as a host of other bands and performers – including Alice Cooper, Nelson and Keel.

He also briefly returned to the stage when he formed his own group, Surgin’, in 1985, and dropped the album, When Midnight Comes.

After briefly leaving the music industry, he returned as a talent manager and worked alongside iconic singer India.Arie over the years – before he was appointed CEO of Merovingian Music in 2006.

Ponti is remembered by his wife, Tatyana, daughter Neva, granddaughter Jordyn, and his sister, Nikki.

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Man Utd suffer a fourth injury scare during worrying international break

Ten Hag Danehouse/Getty Images)

Manchester United could have yet another injury concern with Lisandro Martinez reportedly carrying a knock.

Martinez was dropped from the United starting XI in the final game before the international break against Aston Villa.

While Erik ten Hag claimed that decision was down to rotation, the 26-year-old was also overlooked when the manager was forced into second-half changes at the back with Harry Maguire and Noussair Mazraoui forced off.

Martinez has travelled back to South America for World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela and Bolivia. But TYC Sports report there is likely to be no room for the United star in the starting XI with Nicolas Otamendi and River Plate’s German Pezzella set to be selected at centre-half.

Tottenham’s Cristian Romero will serve a suspension for tonight’s game along with goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

Argentine journalist Esteban Edul reports there is a ‘physical concern’ with the United defender that ‘is not leaving him in good shape’.

Martinez endured an injury-hit 2023-24 season, his second in Manchester after arriving from Ajax the previous year.

Martinez was dropped before the international break (Picture: Getty)

The centre-half was sidelined in September last year after suffering a recurrence of a foot injury, requiring surgery for a second time in the space of six months.

He returned to action in January but just four games later, he was sidelined once again after suffering a knee injury in the victory over West Ham United in early February. He returned at the end of the season, helping United win the FA Cup.

United are already monitoring a number of injury concerns that have emerged during the international break. Martinez’s countryman Alejandro Garnacho pulled out of the Argentina squad on Monday due to a knee problem with Kobbie Mainoo also withdrawing from the England squad.

Amad Diallo is another to have returned to Manchester early, leaving the Ivory Coast camp on Wednesday.

Noussair Mazraoui meanwhile has undergone surgery after experiencing heart palpitations and is expected to be unavailable for the next few weeks.

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Hunt for hit-and-run driver who flipped over ambulance on way to emergency

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Footage shows the moment a driver forced an ambulance with blue lights on to crash into a ditch, causing a ‘life-threatening’ delay.

The crash caused significant damage to the ambulance when it tried to avoid a head-on collision with a driver.

Dash cam footage from the ambulance shows how the South Central Ambulance Service approaches a T-junction on the A339 in Alton, Hampshire, on Friday, September 20.

Suddenly, a white Ford Fiesta-type car pulls out of the junction with Spain Lane right in front of the ambulance at about 11.15pm.

The white car, thought to be a Ford Fiesta, pulled out in front of the oncoming ambulance on the A339 (Picture: Hampshire Constabulary)

Only the ambulance driver’s split-second decision avoids a crash with the car (Picture: Hampshire Constabulary)

The two vehicles appear to brush sides before the ambulance takes a tumble as its driver tries to avoid a full-on crash, landing on its side in the ditch.

The driver of the white car didn’t stop at the scene, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary confirmed.

The force said: ‘Luckily, nobody was injured as a result.

‘The ambulance was not conveying any patients at the time, but was on a blue light run and this caused a considerable and potentially life-threatening delay in getting to that patient, who was attended to by another ambulance instead.’

The crash caused around £26,000 worth of damage to the ambulance and it will be out of action for a month.

A number of ‘lines of enquiry’ are on going to ‘identify this vehicle and its driver,’ the force said.

‘If you are this driver, or know who they are, please contact us,’ it added.

Officers would also like to speak with anyone with dash cam or CCTV footage.

Anyone with information is asked to call 101 quoting reference 44240405658 or to report online here.

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