Pupils safe after County Armagh school bus crash



The head teacher of a County Armagh school has confirmed that children involved in a bus crash in Belleeks are safe and have been collected by their parents.

Emergency services have have been attending the a "significant incident" which happened on the Tullyah Road in the area, which is in between Newtownhamilton and Camlough just after 15:30 GMT.

Dáithí Murray, principal of St Paul's High School in Bessbrook wrote to parents and said the incident would have caused "significant shock" to pupils who were on board.

SDLP MLA for Newry and Armagh Justin McNulty said that "thankfully around 40 of them (school children) all walked away from the scene and are home".


It is understood the private hire bus was travelling from St Paul's High School towards Whitecross

It is understood the private hire bus was travelling from St Paul's High School towards Whitecross.

Currently five ambulances, two advanced paramedics, one officer and an ambulance doctor are at the scene treating patients. People are being asked to avoid the area and seek alternative routes.

"It could have been much more serious but thankfully when an incident involves a school bus crash you hope the worst doesn't happen but thankfully the children have walked away unscathed," said McNulty.

Murray said the school has sought advice from the Education Authority's Critical Incident Response Team who will be available to support pupils affected by the incident. "I would encourage pupils, if they feel well enough, to attend school tomorrow where staff will signpost them to the support services available," he said in his letter. "The thoughts and prayers of the St Paul's community are extended to everyone affected by this serious incident today."

The Education Authority said it was providing "critical incident management support to the school".

"Our critical incident team will be in the school tomorrow to provide emotional support for pupils as required," a spokesperson said. "Our thoughts go out to all of those impacted by the incident."

Speaking at the scene on Tuesday evening, Sinn Féin councillor Declan Murphy said the incident is a "shock to this community".

"I have to commend the emergency services for their swift action," Murphy said. "Our heartfelt sympathy for anybody and everybody that was involved in the accident. Hopefully, particularly the kids, will be able to get over this. There's no doubt about it, it's obviously a shocking experience."

Amazon van rescued from Essex tidal mudflats

This was the moment a stricken Amazon delivery van was rescued from a muddy predicament in Essex.

Coastguards were called to The Broomway at Great Wakering after a driver followed a GPS route to Foulness Island and became stuck.

The new video shows a telehandler lifting the grey vehicle and then driving it onto solid ground. Amazon has confirmed it is investigating the incident which unfolded on Saturday.

The Broomway is a route across flat sands from the shore near Southend-on-Sea to Foulness Island, which is home to a Ministry of Defence firing range.



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The route, said to be 600 years old and covering six miles (10km), is managed by Essex Highways. Qinetiq - a global defence and security company which manages the firing range - describes the path as a "unique right of way which requires both caution and specialist knowledge to negotiate safely".  The full route is not suitable for vehicles, and people are advised to only walk there accompanied by a guide who knows the mudflats.

According to parish council records, 100 people have died on The Broomway, with the last known death in 1919.

In the longer term I suspect that a heritage line will install working conductor rail, in order to run electric units as intended.

What a fantastic piece of work ... I am loving roaming around Scotland with you this evening.

In the longer term I suspect that a heritage line will install working conductor rail, in order to run electric units as intended.

With what stock, I wonder?

Surely the re-nationalisation of the railways is going to 'put an end to delays' and thus avoid the need for the government to pay any compensation? 

Branch Line Weekend Services to make special stops at Eardington


The tiny station building at Eardington, will take centre stage at the SVR's Branch Line Weekend // Credit: Jason Hood

Eardington station is the smallest station on the Severn Valley Railway, with trains usually running straight through, except during galas.

The railway’s upcoming Branch Line Weekend on the 28th February and 1st March will see the station shine with 23 trains scheduled to stop during the event.


Eardington station reopened in 2023. // Credit: SVR

The event celebrated 35 years since the railways’ first DMU arrived, with a range of locomotives set to appear, including Class 108 DMUs, GWR 1450, and GWR 7714.

Visitors will be able to enjoy a historic weekend, visiting the restored station for a standard price. Further information and tickets can be found on their website.

... I am loving roaming around Scotland with you this evening.

Cold health alert issued as temperatures fall across the UK


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During Monday night temperatures dipped as low as -7.2C (19F) in the Highlands and Tuesday night could bring similar figures across parts of eastern Scotland.

Although earlier warnings for snow and ice expired on Tuesday morning, the Met Office warned commuters to remain vigilant due to the risk of black ice and slippery conditions.
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Exc: Ministers are considering plans to scale back “delay repay” refunds for late running trains.

Insiders say the move will be presented as a way to standardise differing compensation schemes, as the government’s nationalisation drive ramps up.

But ideas under consideration include “levelling down” to LNER levels - meaning no money back for delays of up to 29 minutes.

Taken together with plans for automating compensation means it is hoped the cost would be revenue neutral.

17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06

17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06 will be starting late from Gloucester.
This is due to trespassers on the railway.

Five injured as Swiss train derails in heavy snow


The derailment happened near the village of Goppenstein - which is under an avalanche warning

Five people have been injured after a train derailed in southern Switzerland, in an incident that could have been caused by an avalanche, police say.

The derailment happened near the village of Goppenstein - which is under an avalanche warning - around 07:00 local time (06:00 GMT), officials said. All 29 passengers have been rescued, while one of the injured was sent to hospital, police said.

Switzerland has experienced heavy rain and snow in recent days, and the country's Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research says the avalanche risk is very high across the alps.

"According to initial findings, an avalanche may have crossed the tracks shortly before the train passed," police stated, adding that the public prosecutor's office has opened an investigation. "Five people were injured. One of them was taken to hospital," police added.

The regional commuter train was on its way from Spiez to Brig when it derailed.

Goppenstein, a key hub for road and rail transport, sits at the exit of the Lotschberg rail tunnel. The train derailed as it was exiting the tunnel, police said.

The region is under its second highest avalanche warning - level four of five. Heavy snow also resulted in 50 people being evacuated from the village of Orsieres, near the French border.

Skiers have been warned by authorities to stay on the marked slopes, and those walking in the mountains should also check avalanche bulletins before setting off.

Last month, a German man was killed in an avalanche, and four other people were injured, as they were cross-country skiing in the Swiss alps.

Dual nationals face scramble for UK passports as new rules come into force

When Jelena returns home from a "holiday of a lifetime" travelling around South America later this year, she faces being told she can no longer enter the UK.

The British-Latvian dual national is among those who say they have been caught out by upcoming changes to passport rules for dual nationals, which are due to kick in on 25 February.

Entry requirements for dual nationals are being overhauled as part of sweeping changes to the immigration system the government says will streamline and modernise the UK border.

But for Jelena, who has lived in the UK for 16 years, the changes are a "betrayal", and others in the same situation have told BBC News the prospect of being denied entry is causing anger and concern.

Here are how the new rules will work - and why Jelena and others like her are furious about it.

Under the existing rules, a British dual national - whose other nationality is from a country not subject to a UK visa requirement - could travel to the UK using their foreign passport. But from 25 February that will no longer be the case.

Instead, they will need to show either a British passport, or a new digital version of the certificate of entitlement to attach to their second nationality passport - and without one of them, they could face being denied the right to travel back to the UK.

Neither British passports or certificates of entitlement are automatically issued to people who obtain citizenship, which means some dual nationals have never applied for them, even if they have lived in the UK for decades.

Both documents take several weeks to obtain and there are costs too. A British passport costs around £100 for an adult, while the certificate of entitlement costs £589.

These new rules for dual nationals are linked to the roll out of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system this month, a major immigration reform which will require visitors to the UK who do not have a visa to apply for a £16 entry document before arriving.

Dual nationals cannot apply for an ETA and must meet the new documentation requirements instead, with checks now carried out by airlines when departing en route back to the UK.

The new rules do not apply to Irish passport holders but other EU citizens will be affected.

According to the latest census in 2021, 1.2% of UK-born residents were UK-other dual citizens (587,600) and 6.5% of non-UK-born residents were UK-other dual citizens (648,700).

The government has said the reforms bring the UK's immigration system into line with countries like the US and Australia. But critics say the looming deadline and a lack of communication around the changes have left people scrambling to apply for new documents, with dual nationals who are out of the country on holiday or visiting family facing the prospect of being stranded until they can acquire a passport or the certificate.

(BBC article continues)

Snow and heavy rain forecast as Met Office warning issued

A weather warning for heavy rain has been issued for England's south coast - with the prospect of snow also possible.

The Met Office said the rain could lead to some flooding and disruption to travel from 06:00 GMT on Wednesday to 08:00 on Thursday.  Forecasters said areas affected by the warning included Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire.

During the weather warning, the Met Office said "some snow" could fall over higher ground, mainly on Wednesday night. "Strong east to north-easterly winds will accompany the rain and or snow which could exacerbate impacts in places," forecasters added.

The Met Office said 10-20mm (0.4-0.8 inches) of rain was "expected quite widely", with a few places forecast to get up to 30mm (1.2 inches) along with as much as 50mm (two inches) possible over Dartmoor.

A separate weather warning for snow has been issued from 16:00 on Wednesday until 06:00 on Thursday for parts of Wales and central England by the Met Office.