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Chilling moment man wearing V for Vendetta mask ‘glues shut’ woman’s door as she faced 2-year stalking ordeal

A STALKING victim fears for her life after her ex-boyfriend walked free from court despite orchestrating an aggressive campaign of terror for more than two years.

Jess Adams and her new partner Jodie Harris have been forced to move house and are dismayed after obsessive Stuart Spires avoided jail.

Photo of Jess Adams and Jodie.
Jess Adams
Jodie Harris (left) and Jess Adams say they fear for their lives[/caption]
Man holding vape, pointing at sign about street drinking.
Facebook
Stalker Stuart Spires has made their lives hell for years[/caption]
Nighttime security camera footage of a person wearing a Guy Fawkes mask outside a door.
Jess Adams
A man caught on the couple’s door cam in a V for Vendetta mask[/caption]

The ex-squaddie, 52, would park up outside their home in Dagenham, east London, for hours, as well as turn up at the care home where they both work after Jessica, 36, dumped him. 

He also smashed up her car, slashed the tyres and disabled the headlights before filling them with expanding foam which mechanics warned could’ve caused the car to explode.

Jessica and Jodie say they put themselves at risk by confronting Spires – including in the middle of the night – to get video evidence after police allegedly refused to take action.

Their doorbell camera also caught someone at their front door wearing a Guy Fawkes-style mask used in the film V for Vendetta – before the man put glue through the keyhole, they claim.

However, appearing at Barkingside Magistrates’ Court last Friday (February 7), Spires – who served in South America, Afghanistan and Iraq with the Royal Artillery – walked free after being handed an 18-month restraining order and community service.

Jess told The Sun: “It’s appalling. There’s no justice in it, he’s had no impact on his life. The court hasn’t even set up any kind of safeguarding for us.”

Spires had denied two counts of stalking, but was but was convicted of both counts. He also admitted a count of criminal damage and one of possession of cannabis.

Jess said: “Just because he’s got a conviction doesn’t mean we’ve been given justice.”

She said the ordeal started in late 2021 and was first reported to police that November, but quickly escalated and by the following spring Spires was seen outside the home she shares with Jodie, 32.

It’s appalling. There’s no justice in it, he’s had no impact on his life. The court hasn’t even set up any kind of safeguarding for us.

Jess Adamsstalking victim

Over the next couple of years, the issue worsened to the point they were scared to leave their home, with him often parked up on their cul-de-sac in the morning as they left to go to work. 

Jodie claims he shouted from the car “get ready for the storm” while she was coming out of a Co-op early in his campaign of abuse. 

But Jess said police kept saying “where’s the evidence?”.

She said: “It’s hard to get evidence. He wore masks, it was so premeditated.

“The fact that we put ourselves at risk just to get evidence, just so we could get it to court, and to get the conviction. 

“We guarantee something will happen again. We don’t know what to do, we’ve moved home but it’s only a matter of time before he figures out where we live.”

In one video, sent to The Sun, Jodie chased a hooded Spires before confronting him as he got into his car, parked down an alley away from the flat.

Jodie said: “I’m up like literally every hour of the night thinking what’s going to happen?

“Everything he’s done has got worse and worse. He’s going to be thinking I can do whatever I like. I’m just waiting for what happens next, then maybe it’ll be too late.”

She added: “We sent them so much – I had it in my head I needed to get his face on camera. We put ourselves at risk again and again. The system is completely broken.”

Soldier holding a rifle with a poppy in the background.
Facebook
Ex-squaddie Spires served in Afghanistan and Iraq[/caption]
Frozen diesel fuel in a car's fuel filler neck.
Jess Adams
The stalker drilled holes in the car’s headlights and filled it with expanding foam[/caption]
Silver car with smashed windows.
Jess Adams
He also smashed the car’s windows and mirrors[/caption]

Jodie said she consulted with multiple mechanics after they spotted Spires tampering with their car in November 2023, and found he’d put expanding foam in their headlights – and was told the outcome could’ve been deadly.

“They said if the car had been turned on it could have caused a fire because it was so hot,” said Jodie.

“I ran downstairs when I saw him, but if I hadn’t noticed him we would have got in the car the next morning and switched it on to go to work.

“It could have been a totally different outcome.” 

Jess added: “He’s so arrogant, he doesn’t care. He doesn’t care if he kills one of us.”

She said: “Every day now we check the car, it’s become a routine. We check no one’s around when we go to work and when we come back. We check the front door to see if anything’s been put through.

“We’re constantly on edge.”

‘SOMETHING HAS TO CHANGE’

Jess and Jodie are campaigning for police to take reports of stalking and harassment more seriously. 

Jess said: “Something has got to change for the police to take it more seriously from the beginning. We’ve been going through this since 2022 and only just got a conviction.

“Fortunately, we haven’t been physically injured but we have been mentally terrorised. For anybody else, they might not be so lucky.”

Jodie said: “We’re still fearing for our lives because he’s still out and about.

“It’s horrible and the police could’ve done something to stop it straight away if things were in place.”

She said at the start of the ordeal, when she’d ring up to report Spires, “I would say all the time, we’ll be in a documentary, you’ll see us. You remember our names”. 

She added: “He could wake up one day and think ‘I’m gonna go and do whatever to these two’, and it’ll be too late, and they could’ve stopped it.”

Jess and Spires met in 2019 and got into a relationship before splitting in 2021.

She said while they were together there were plenty of red flags, which she eventually could no longer put up with.

She said he “turned obsessive” after the split because he “couldn’t handle the break-up”.

Portrait of a man in a white shirt in front of an arched hallway with stained glass windows.
Facebook
Spires was given a restraining order and community service[/caption]
Man in a hooded jacket attempting to break into a car at night.
Jess Adams
Jodie chased Spires from their home to get video of his face[/caption]
Man in a beanie seen through a car window at night.
Jess Adams
The couple caught Spires following them multiple times[/caption]

Jess said Spires’ behaviour ramped up after she began dating Jodie in around May 2022.

“He’d be sitting up outside our property, following us to work, appearing outside our flat,” she explained.

“We’d wake up in the morning to him parked outside the house. Our cars smashed, our property smashed. And we had all the CCTV and the police still didn’t take it seriously.

“They just said they’d investigate. All we kept getting was ‘we need more evidence’. 

“He’d get arrested, then he’d be let out on bail, but he’d continue doing what he was doing. He wasn’t taking any notice of what the police were saying to him.”

At one stage, someone wearing a mask was caught putting glue in the door lock while they were on holiday.

It wasn’t until they spotted Spires drilling holes into the car and putting expanding foam in the headlights – and got video evidence of his face, that police “started taking it seriously”, leading up to the court case, Jess said.

SENTENCING

During the sentencing earlier this month, Jenn Ambrose, prosecuting, said: “Since the relationship came to an end, he began stalking her and her new partner.

“They would see the defendant driving past them, showing up at their workplace. He caused damage to a car and stood outside their addresses.”

The court heard Spires caused £250-worth of damage when he drilled holes in the headlights and squirted in expanding foam.

Referring to a victim impact statement from Ms Adams, Ms Ambrose said: “She set up CCTV at her address. She talks about checking her CCTV on a daily basis.

“When she heard noises she believed perhaps that the defendant was there.

“The victim personal statements outline that there was a significant impact on their day-to-day lives.”

Alex Shanks, defending said: “Mr Spires served in the army for a period of nine years.

“Mr Spires maintains his innocence in relation to the stalking charges.”

But he added: “He has no intention of ever being in contact with them.”

The lawyer added: “He is looking to work in the future. He is living on savings, I understand.”

Sentencing Spires, District Judge Paul Donegan said: “The overall offending is serious enough for a community order.”

Spires, of Ware, Hertfordshire, was given an 18 month community order, and he will have to undergo 30 days of a rehabilitation activity requirement.

He will also have to complete 60 hours of unpaid work.

“That is designed to punish you for your behaviour,” said the judge.

He was issued with a restraining order, which means that he will be prevented from having any contact with either of the victims for 18 months.

“That means speaking to them, contacting them via social media, waving at them in the street, showing any signs in the street,” the judge added.

He will have to pay a £114 victim surcharge and £300 in prosecution costs.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson told The Sun: “Stuart Spires was arrested twice between January and April 2024 and released with bail conditions on both occasions.

“Between April 2024 and August 2024, when the case file was sent to CPS, officers carried out multiple enquiries including gathering statements, including six statement from victims and CCTV evidence.

“Any delays in the filed being reviewed by the CPS cannot be commented on by ourselves.”

The Sun has contacted the Crown Prosecution Service for comment.


Do you have a similar story? Email [email protected]


Silver Ford Focus with smashed rear window.
Jess Adams
They have now moved home out of fear[/caption]
Car interior with broken glass on the seats.
Jess Adams
Mechanics warned the damage done to the car could’ve caused it to catch fire[/caption]

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I’m the Queen of Clean and here’s the top five buys you need to nab from Home Bargains – an 89p buy will banish germs

YOU don’t have to spend a fortune on pricey cleaning products to get your home looking spick and span.

Queen of Clean Lynsey Crombie is here to help with her top five buys from Home Bargains.

Woman holding a pink lion-shaped duster in her living room.
Lynsey Crombie
Lynsey shared some of her top buys from Home Bargains right now[/caption]
Woman in a store holding a pink cleaning cloth.
tiktok/@lynsey_queenofclean
The microfibre cloths are a must-have for cleaning floors[/caption]
A hand holds a bottle of honey and ginger exfoliating body scrub in a store.
tiktok/@lynsey_queenofclean
The exfoliating body scrub is a bargain price[/caption]

She took to TikTok to share what you should keep in your cleaning cupboard if you want your place to sparkle and shine.

First up is the oversized microfibre cloths, they’re £2.99 for a pack of four.

“These are perfect for getting down on your hands and knees to scrub the floors,” she said.

You could also pick up a pack of 20 microfibre cloths for just £4.99, the cleaning whizz added.

Over in the beauty section of the shop, Lynsey recommended the honey and ginger exfoliating body scrub.

Not only does it come in a large one litre bottle that’ll last you ages, but it smells amazing and is priced at just £2.49.

There’s also the Astonish Protect and Care antibacterial handwash in the Peony Bloom scent, which is just 89p.

“Perfect for keeping those winter germs away,” Lynsey said.

And finally, if you want to spruce up your floors, don’t miss the Method All Floor Cleaner.

It’ll only cost you £2.79 and will leave your floors “super shiny” according to the cleaning expert.

Previously, Lynsey shared some of her best budgeting tips for keeping your home clean.

Own brands are just as good

Buying big name brands can feel like the safe option when it comes to cleaning products.

But Lynsey urges people to shop around and try cheaper supermarket own-brand products, which she insists are usually comparable.

She says: “You can buy an own-brand multi-purpose cleaner and the performance is still going to be just as good.

“So when you go down that aisle, make sure that you look for the bargains – usually on the bottom shelf. 

“You can buy disinfectant for around 20p, which is just as good as a leading disinfecting brand!”

Washing up liquid – not just for dishes

Another of Lynsey’s favourite products is good old-fashioned washing up liquid.

She says: “You can wash your bath with it, wash your shower screen with it, wash your car, floors, the list goes on.

“And, as we all know, you can get a cheap bottle of washing up liquid for 60p.

“It’s so versatile. It’s one product that will clean almost every surface in my house.”

Life gives you lemons

Cleaning the oven is probably one of the worst jobs around the house.

To blast the grease off, Lynsey uses her steam cleaner for her floors in handheld mode.

If you don’t have one of those to hand, she recommends using a lemon.

She says: “Mix a bit of lemon juice with washing up liquid or bicarbonate of soda and put it all over the area.

“Leave it to work for about 20 minutes and then just simply rinse away.”

She also recommends Astonish’s Oven and Grill Paste Cleaner for the inside.

Cleaning hacks and tips

Here are some tips to help you clean your home like a pro:

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Huge homeware chain with 137 branches in UK shuts doors to much-loved store after crashing into administration

A BELOVED homeware chain that has been serving customers for 20 years has been forced to shut up shop after falling into administration.

The brand collapsed last November and has since put many of its stores up for sale.

Homebase store sign.
Alamy
It was reported in November that the brand had fallen into administration[/caption]

Homebase in Selby, North Yorkshire, suddenly shut yesterday as shoppers were faced with bare shelves.

Pictures show how areas of the store were cordoned off with signs restricting entry.

Huge posters were spotted outside suggesting everything must go.

Some customers have already taken to posting on social media with one person simply captioning an exterior photo: “The end of homebase.”

Reviews of the store suggest many will be saddened by the news.

One wrote: “Fabulous store! I love it here. Great location, store is immaculately set out. A Fantastic range of products. All the staff are police and helpful.

“Pricing is competitive but one thing that really stood out (other than how nice the staff are ) was how healthy the plans looked.

“Whoever looks after them does a terrific job!”

Another commented: “Great selection of a lot of things. Got what we needed quickly. Staff very helpful.”

Someone else put: “Update January…. This place is now closing down. What a shame it was a great place to shop for DIY. The Range will be taking over the site shortly….”

The company behind big-name brands, The Range and Wilko, has bought out many of the collapsed company’s branches including Selby.

According to the website the town’s store will open as The Range next month with current plans set for March 7.

Staff have reportedly been offered to transfer to the new site which will run as part of the Range brand.

It follows the Sudbury branch announcing it would close in just days.

The outlet stated that closing down have appeared in the window of the Sudbury Homebase stating that there are only a few days before the store closes down.

One local also said they visited the shop recently and there was
“literally nothing left”.

Another 33 outlets are thought to be set to close this month with many being taken on by CDS Superstores.

Homebase store in London.
Getty
The chain is set to close 33 branches in total this month with six remaining open in London[/caption]

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Rock n roll’s deadliest plane tragedies from crash that devastated band to Ozzy Osbourne’s legendary guitarist

TOURING the world by air is par for the course when you’re a famous music artist.

But every now and then a routine trip ends in tragedy and some all time greats have perished in plane crashes.

We take a look at air disasters that have left music fans around the world reeling:

Lynyrd Skynyrd

Lynyrd Skynyrd band members posing backstage at a concert.
Getty
Lynyrd Skynyrd lost three band members in a 70s plane disaster[/caption]
Black and white photo of the wreckage of a Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash.
AP
The band Aerosmith decided against using the aircraft shortly before the Skynyrd crash[/caption]

Flag bearers of the American south and famed for tracks Free Bird and Sweet Home Alabama, Skynyrd were on a hot streak in the 70s before three members were killed in a horrendous air accident.

Just three days after the release of the group’s fifth album, Street Survivors, the band’s future was cast into doubt when a chartered jet carrying the band ran out of fuel and crashed in Mississippi.

Frontman Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, and backup singer sister Cassie Gaines all died while

Guitarist Gary Rossington was knocked out in the crash landing, while keyboard player Billy Powell nearly lost his nose in the incident. Drummer Artimus Pyle, guitarist Allen Collins, bassist Leon Wilkeson, backing singer Leslie Hawkins also survived.

Randy Rhodes

Randy Rhoads performing on stage with a Gibson Les Paul.
Getty
Randy Rhodes died in a plane stunt gone wrong[/caption]

Regarded as one of the best axe-slingers ever to do it, classically trained rock guitarist Randy Rhodes’ life was cut short in its prime.

The shredder’s work with Ozzy Osbourne in the 80s is still revered to this day and has inspired countless musicians.

Rhodes hopped in a small single-engine Beechcraft F35 with private pilot Andrew Aycock, who was also the band’s tour bus driver.

Aycock attempted to fly close to the tour bus to wake up those on board but clipped the top of the vehicle which sent it into a deadly spiral.

Upon impact with a garage, the plane burst into flames and a 25-year-old Rhodes was killed instantly.

Otis Redding

Portrait of Otis Redding.
Michael Ochs Archives - Getty
Otis Redding died shortly after writing his biggest hit[/caption]
Crane lifting wreckage of Otis Redding's plane from Lake Monona.
Getty
The downed plane was recovered from Lake Monona[/caption]

Soul king Redding became the first artist to achieve a posthumous number one on America’s Billboard Hot 100 when Sitting on the Dock of a Bay topped the chart.

The iconic track was recorded shortly before Redding’s plane crashed into Lake Monona in December 1967. The exact cause of the crash remains unknown, though weather conditions on the day were poor, with heavy rain and fog affecting visibility.

The exact cause of the crash remains unknown though weather conditions on the day were not good, with heavy rain and fog affercting visibility.

Six others died in the crash, with the sole survivor – Bar-Kays member Ben Cauley – waking up from his sleep just moments before impact.

Buddy Holly

Black and white portrait of Buddy Holly.
Getty
Buddy Holly was just 22 when he died[/caption]

A musical pioneer by his late teens, Buddy Holly’s legacy was already secured by the time his life was tragically cut short at just 22 years old.

The That’ll Be The Day singer was onboard an ill-fated Beechcraft Bonanza plane that crashed in 1959.

The plane plunged into a cornfield at high speed shortly after take-off, killing all four passengers instantly.

An investigation found pilot Roger Peterson wasn’t adequately qualified to fly an aircraft in conditions where visibility wasn’t clear and instruments were needed to aid the flight.

Songwriter Don McLean later dubbed the incident ‘The Day Music Died’ in his classic song American Pie.

Patsy Cline

Black and white photo of Patsy Cline.
Getty
Patsy Cline refused the chance to travel by car before her plane crashed[/caption]

Country queen Patsy Cline died aged 30 when the Piper PA-24 Comanche she was travelling in crashed in bad weather.

Prior to the flight, the music star joked to her friend Dottie West that she was happy to take her chances up in the air rather than ride in a car.

She said: “Don’t worry about me, Hoss. When it’s my time to go, it’s my time.”

The aircraft went down 90 miles from its destination in Nashville.

A search party headed out to find survivors following reports of a stricken aircraft, but everybody on board was killed instantly.

Aaliyah

Portrait of Aaliyah.
Getty
Aaliyah swapped planes on the day of her death[/caption]
Plane crash wreckage in a wooded area with investigators.
AP
Aaliyah was on board this plane in the Bahamas when it crashed[/caption]

Promising R&B sensation Aaliyah lost her life in a plane crash in 2001.

The singer had finished shooting her Rock the Boat music video in the Bahamas and was keen to return home.

In a tragic turn of events, the eight-strong group swapped aircraft despite concerns the party was two heavy for the alternative plane.

The plane crashed just metres after taking off, with Aaliyah suffering burns and a blow to the head, according to the coroner’s report.

John Denver

John Denver performing at a concert.
Getty
John Denver was a keen amateur pilot who built his own aircraft[/caption]

Though a highly-experienced private pilot, Denver was not allowed to fly at the time of his death in 1997.

The songwriter had been found guilty of drink-driving numerous times in the past and a year before the crash hadn’t maintained his sobriety resulting a in a medical certificate being revoked.

However, alcohol played no part in Denver’s death after his home-built light aircraft plunged to the ground.

His fate was sealed when he failed to switch fuel tanks correctly, causing the plane to nosedive.

Travis Barker

Travis Barker at the 2020 American Music Awards.
Getty
Travis Barker has PTSD from his 2008 crash[/caption]
Wreckage of a burned private jet.
Getty
Four people died in the devastating accident[/caption]

The Blink 182 sticksman was lucky to survive when the private Learjet he was travelling on crashed in Columbia, South Carolina in 2008.

Four people died in the accident, with Barker and collaborator Adam ‘DJ AM’ Goldstein the only survivors.

The traumatic incident has left Barker with PTSD which he still struggles with to this day as a touring musician.

He didn’t fly for 13 years after the crash and a recent spate of air disasters have proven to be triggering.

He told Fox News this week: “It’s hard for me to get on flights. I do it sober. I don’t need to take anything. I don’t need to do anything. But it just gets harder and harder. Especially when your biggest fears, like, you start to see them come to life in reality.

“When you kind of tell yourself these things never happen. These things never happen. And then, just lately, I feel like we’ve been — like we’re seeing it almost every day.”

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‘Do not breathe out’ say fans as Apollonia Llewellyn risks wardrobe malfunction in busty red dress for Valentine’s Day

APOLLONIA Llewellyn stunned fans in a busty red dress on Valentine’s Day.

However, she risked a wardrobe malfunction on the night out that left fans warning her, ‘Do not breathe out’.

Woman in red dress on city street at night.
Apollonia Llewellyn put on an eye-popping display on Valentine’s Dat
https://www.instagram.com/apolloniallewellyn/
Woman in red dress holding phone in front of face.
Former Misfits Boxing ring girl Apollonia could barely contain her assets in a red dress
https://www.instagram.com/apolloniallewellyn/

The former Misfits Boxing ring girl regularly shares her glam looks on social media to her followers.

And usually nothing is left to the imagination – with the buxom blonde often struggling to keep her prized assets under wraps.

On Valentine’s Day, Apollonia donned a tight pleather outfit that hugged her every curve.

It could barely contain her bosom as she posed for a snap shared on Instagram of a trip to New York.

She captioned the sexy photo: “Valentines in the City.”

Unsurprisingly, it drove her fans wild – who couldn’t help but leave their thoughts in the comment section.

One wrote: “Do not breath out.”

A second posted: “Red looks good on you.”

A third shared: “OMG gorgeous.”

While a fourth added: “Breathtaking.”

Apollonia has amassed a following of over seven million people across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.

She spends more than six months a year flying all over the world including the US, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia for magazine shoots and brand collaborations with big name brands including PLT, BoohooShein, Fashion Nova and Ann Summers.

Inside Apollonia’s glamorous life as influencer, ring girl and model ...

a woman in a bikini holds a glass of orange juice
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Apollonia burst out of this tiny silver bikini as she drank her ‘morning juice’[/caption]
a woman in a black lace top sits next to a pool
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Conor McGregor was among 8,000 fans who enjoyed this see-through lacy outfit[/caption]
a woman in a yellow lace dress looks out a window at broadway 's gest city
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Thousands of Apollonia’s fans enjoyed the view on the ring girl’s holiday to New York[/caption]
Woman in pink shirt and earmuffs in snowy landscape.
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Apollonia braved the snow in the Lake District[/caption]
a woman in a blue bikini is eating noodles with her tongue out
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Apollonia really enjoyed this bowl of pasta on her summer holiday to Santorini[/caption]
a woman in a white kappa bikini stands in front of a table
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Apollonia invited fans to ‘sit and stare’ at this picture, and thousands took her up on the invitation[/caption]
a woman in a bikini sits at a table with food
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Fans were worried Apollonia’s top had shrunk in the wash as she enjoyed this hearty breakfast[/caption]
a woman in a yellow bra and panties poses for a picture
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Apollonia’s followers were in awe of the stunner’s new hairdo as she wowed in a tiny yellow bikini[/caption]
a woman in a white bikini is standing in a pool
INSTAGRAM
Apollonia sent a cheeky message to her fans as she posed in this glamorous see-through number[/caption]
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Apollonia told fans ‘no caption needed’ as she squeezed into this skin-tight see-through playsuit[/caption]

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Major supermarket chain with 2,500 branches to shut store in weeks

A MAJOR supermarket chain with 2,500 branches across the UK is set to shut one of its stores in weeks.

The branch will welcome in customers for the final time next month as locals and shoppers share their disappointment.

A Co-op employee stocking shelves in a supermarket.
Alamy
Co-op is closing its branch in Honiton, East Devon, in March[/caption]

The Co-op branch in Honiton, East Devon, will close for good on March 15, The Midweek Herald reports.

Shoppers and locals have been left dismayed at the closure, with almost 200 writing thank you cards to staff at the branch.

Others have posted on Facebook sharing their disappointment the store will permanently shut.

One said: “We have to use the shops in Honiton. Use them or lose them.”

Another dejectedly said: “Another empty shop.”

Richard Foord, MP for Honiton and Sidmouth, has also weighed in, saying a number of locals had written to him concerned about the closure of the Co-op branch.

The closure comes with a further Co-op store in Oswestry, Shropshire, set to shut in July.

A site in Nottingham also closed permanently in November last year after 50 years.

It’s worth bearing in mind though, retailers often open and close stores based on customer demand and trends.

Central Co-op, which operates separately to the Co-operative Group, for example has pulled down the shutters on 16 shops since November.

Sites have closed in Leicester, Dudley, Broughton, Cromer and Peterborough.

However, it has opened five new stores and is in the process of refurbishing 35 other branches and 15 funeral homes.

The Sun asked Co-op to comment.

HIGH STREET STRUGGLES

The high street has struggled in recent years as the trend towards online shopping intensifies.

The most recent data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows online retail sales increased from 5% of all retail sales in 2008 to 27% in 2022.

Shoppers have also been feeling the pinch following surging inflation which has dented their budgets.

Why are retailers closing shops?

EMPTY shops have become an eyesore on many British high streets and are often symbolic of a town centre’s decline.

The Sun’s business editor Ashley Armstrong explains why so many retailers are shutting their doors.

In many cases, retailers are shutting stores because they are no longer the money-makers they once were because of the rise of online shopping.

Falling store sales and rising staff costs have made it even more expensive for shops to stay open.

The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury’s hike to employer NICs from April 2025, will cost the retail sector £2.3billion.

At the same time, the minimum wage will rise to £12.21 an hour from April, and the minimum wage for people aged 18-20 will rise to £10 an hour, an increase of £1.40.

In some cases, retailers are shutting a store and reopening a new shop at the other end of a high street to reflect how a town has changed.

The problem is that when a big shop closes, footfall falls across the local high street, which puts more shops at risk of closing.

Retail parks are increasingly popular with shoppers, who want to be able to get easy, free parking at a time when local councils have hiked parking charges in towns.

Many retailers including Next and Marks & Spencer have been shutting stores on the high street and taking bigger stores in better-performing retail parks instead.

In some cases, stores have been shut when a retailer goes bust, as in the case of Carpetright, Debenhams, Dorothy Perkins, Paperchase, Ted Baker, The Body Shop, Topshop and Wilko to name a few.

What’s increasingly common is when a chain goes bust a rival retailer or private equity firm snaps up the intellectual property rights so they can own the brand and sell it online.

They may go on to open a handful of stores if there is customer demand, but there are rarely ever as many stores or in the same places.

The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year.

The Centre for Retail Research said in 2024 alone more than 13,000 shops closed across the UK.

The vast majority of these stores were independent though, with only around 2,000 shops owned by larger chains shutting.

Some major supermarket chains are increasing the number of stores they operate across the UK too.

Aldi and Lidl both want to open hundreds of stores between them while Home Bargains has plans to open hundreds of shops.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].

Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories

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I’m trolled for dating my ’12-year-old child’ – haters stare and shout abuse at us in the street but we don’t care

WHEN Jonathan first met Lyndsey, he thought she was only 12 or 13 years old.

He’s not the only one who gets her age wrong though, because of her youthful features people often assume the 23-year-old is a decade younger.

A young couple sits on a couch holding their baby.
Youtube/Truly
The couple are no strangers to receiving comments online from cruel trolls[/caption]
A new mother and father in a hospital bed with their newborn baby.
Lynsey Balsdon
They met after Lyndsey’s mum set them up when she was 16[/caption]
Family portrait of a man and woman holding their newborn baby.
Lynsey Balsdon
Now the pair have a son together and have hit back at the trolls[/caption]

In reality, Lyndsey’s small size is down to a rare form of cancer, which she was diagnosed with at five-years-old.

The cancer resulted in her only growing to 4ft 10in, which means she gets a lot of stares when she’s out in public with her partner Jonathan, who towers above her at 5ft 10in.

The couple recently opened up about some of the negative comments they get from trolls online, and how they deal with them.

Speaking to Truly, Lyndsey said most of the hate started when she revealed she was pregnant.

“She will not be a good mum because she just looks like a child,” one comment read.

“People assume in our relationship that John sees me as a child and we can’t be as happy as we are,” Lyndsey explained.

“It can be hard but because we love one another we just push it to one side,” Johnathan added.

The couple claimed they even had people shouting at them during a day trip to Exmouth when Lyndsey was heavily pregnant.

He said: “Sometimes it’s like, ‘do I really want to go out?'”

The pair tied the knot after starting their relationship together when Lyndsey was 16 and Jonathan was 21, after being set up by Lyndsey’s mum.

Lyndsey spoke to Fabulous during her pregnancy and said: “I’ve encountered criticism all my life with people claiming I’m lying about my age. 

“I’m accused of being a ‘nine-year-old playing dress up’ while my man is trolled for being a weirdo.

“I’m asked if I’m in primary school and can’t even buy alcohol without being asked for ID.”

So, the weird looks and mean comments are nothing new to her.

After sharing their story with Truly people were quick to support the pair.

One commented on the video: “Lovely couple & baby! Precious family! I wish them a long & happy life together.”

A second agreed: “What a beautiful family. How wonderful that you found each other. Your little boy is lucky to have you.”

“Congratulations on being great parents! Sorry you have to go through the negativity of others!

“You look very happy together and have a great future together as a family,” another wrote.

And a third chimed in: “Congratulations on your beautiful baby boy. He’s adorable. Don’t listen to the haters. It’s their problem, not yours.

“To be honest you come across as an adult. I wouldn’t have thought you were a child, just very petite. You all are a lovely family.”

Pregnant woman in red dress standing by a gate.
Lynsey Balsdon
Lyndsey stopped growing after being diagnosed with a rare cancer[/caption]
A couple posing for a selfie.
Lynsey Balsdon
The couple have even had people shout things at them in person[/caption]

What is rhabdomyosarcoma?

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a type of soft tissue sarcoma that grows in active muscles of the body.

They are extremely rare – about 3,300 new cases are diagnosed each year in the UK.

These are muscles we control (for example, to move arms or legs).

The most common places for rhabdomyosarcoma are the head, neck, bladder, vagina, arms, legs and trunk of the body.

Very rarely, rhabdomyosarcoma can also be found in other places, such as in the prostate gland, middle ear and bile duct system.

There are three types of rhabdomyosarcoma which affect different age groups:

  • Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma which is most common in young children and often appears in the head and neck region and especially in tissues around the eye
  • Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma which tends to occur in older children and adolescents and occurs more often in the arms, legs, chest or abdomen
  • Pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma which typically occurs in middle-aged people

What are the symptoms:

  • a lump that you can see or feel
  • blockage or discharge from the nose
  • changes in swallowing
  • changes in hearing
  • swollen eye
  • pain in the stomach
  • difficulty passing stools
  • blood in your pee
  • vaginal discharge

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Napoli fans unveil hilarious Scott McTominay banner after Man Utd outcast dubbed the ‘new Maradona’ by supporters

NAPOLI fans have produced a hilarious banner paying tribute to Scott McTominay.

The Scot has become a firm fan favourite since his summer move from Manchester United.

Scott McTominay of Napoli celebrating.
Getty
Scott McTominay has made a big impact at Napoli[/caption]
Banner reading "Napoli. McTominay. Pizza. In that order." with a blue and white design.
instagram @sancirosedin
A fan paid tribute to the midfielder with a hilarious banner[/caption]

He has chipped in with big goals and helped Napoli to the Serie A summit, earning him adoration from fans.

One supporter showed the love for McTominay with a hilarious banner.

It features a Scotland flag with the Napoli badge emblazoned across the front.

It also bears the words: “Napoli. McTominay. Pizza. In that order.”

It has been hung up in a pizza restaurant in Naples.

McTominay, 28, has become an important player in Italy and is understood to be loved by his team-mates and manager Antonio Conte too.

The Italian press have described the midfielder as “the new leader of Napoli”.

Napoli fans have fallen for McTominay and have nicknamed him “McTotally”.

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He has scored seven goals this season and produced four assists, featuring in all but one Serie A game.

McTominay has proved to be a bargain at £25million with football agent Christian Bosco describing him as “potentially one of the best midfielders in Napoli’s history“.

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Man Utd dealt massive blow with Kobbie Mainoo set to miss SIX WEEKS as Ruben Amorim lifts lid on injury crisis

MANCHESTER UNITED have been left reeling after Ruben Amorim revealed Kobbie Mainoo is out for the next six weeks.

The England midfielder suffered a knock in training this week and was immediately ruled out of today’s match against Tottenham.

Kobbie Mainoo, Manchester United midfielder.
Alamy
Man Utd star Kobbie Mainoo has been ruled out for the next six weeks[/caption]

Mainoo was expected to return after two weeks on the sideline.

But the Mail claims Mainoo will play no further role in United’s campaign for at least six weeks.

The blow comes after winger Amad Diallo was ruled out possibly for the remainder of the season alongside crocked Argentina defender Lisandro Martinez.

Manuel Ugarte, Toby Collyer and Leny Yoro have also joined the injury list this week.

And Amorim opened up over his injury crisis before United’s game against Spurs.

He said: “Amad’s [injury] was alone, Ugarte’s was a kick. Toby [Collyer] and Kobbie [Mainoo] felt something.

“It is what it is, but we have the kids, and they have the opportunity to be on the bench.

“It is a really hard season and we have to deal with that.”

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United’s injury crisis means that EIGHT kids have been named on today’s bench.

Ayden Heaven, Harry Amass, Sekou Kone, Elyh Samuel Harrison, Tyler Fredricson, Chido Obi-Martin, Jack Fletcher and Jack Lee Moorhouse are all hoping to play some role today.

Victor Lindelof is the only senior substitute available.

United have been forced to start both Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirzkee in attack, with Bruno Fernandes lining up in a deeper role alongside veteran Casemiro.

Manchester United vs Tottenham Premier League lineup illustration.

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