Video shows Japan Airlines jet in flames at Haneda Airport after collision
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"I was hospitalised for anorexia - watching the Lionesses helped me beat it"
By Izzy Hawksworth
A female footballer who was hospitalised with anorexia says watching her former teammates win the Euros with the Lionesses helped her beat the illness.
Maddie Blackburn, 23, was in hospital for her eating disorder when she watched Georgia Stanway and Ella Toone, who she previously played with, beat Germany.
She said it was 'surreal' watching them on TV while she was in hospital, which kickstarted her into recovery, forcing her to gain weight.
Now, Maddie is in recovery from the illness and is even back training with a local women's football team and hopes to study football coaching at university.
She said: "I played football since I was very little so it was quite surreal watching them play on TV in front of thousands of people while I was just sat in hospital.
"I just thought 'what am I actually doing with my life?'
"It was an eye-opener because I had been in hospital for around seven months at that point.
"I thought that I either need to help myself or I wouldn't even up recovering.
"I think with anorexia, you can have all the help and support in the world but it's you that needs to choose to eat.
"I think I needed something to motivate me but it was always going to be football because I played for years and years.
"Then I think the Euros changed everything really."
After she started losing a lot of weight, Maddie's mum took her to the doctors and she was eventually admitted to Cheadle Royal Hospital’s eating disorder unit in 2021.
(Pix via SWNS)
(Pix via SWNS)
The footballer was in there for six months in 2021, but sadly she relapsed and went back into hospital in 2022.
Now she's started training with a local women's football team - which is something she never thought she would do because of how hard it is to recover from anorexia.
Maddie said: "I've just started training with a local team.
"I want to start playing back to the level I was a few years ago but I think it's going to take quite a while because I've not got my strength back yet.
"I think I'm quite shocked I'm playing again because I didn't expect to be in this position.
"I thought I would be in and out of hospital constantly, even though I didn't want that but Anorexia is one of the hardest illnesses to recover from.
"I kind of just accepted that was going to be me for the rest of my life, but I can say now that it's not."
(Pix via SWNS)
(Pix via SWNS)
Maddie has reflected on her time at the eating disorder unit and described it as 'the weirdest experience'
She added it was 'awful' only being able to see her family through a window during Covid and that she felt 'it wasn't a very helpful environment' to be in.
Maddie, of Whalley, Lancs,. said: "It's the weirdest experience I'll ever go through - unless you've been there yourself, then you don't know how to describe it.
"You're surrounded by other poorly people so you are being triggered 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
"It's loud and full of alarms and there's people who are in completely different stages of their recovery - you could get someone who is due to be discharged soon.
"But then you can get someone who has just come in so they are really poorly.
"For me, it just wasn't a very helpful environment to be in.
"There wasn't really any visits during Covid, if they were any visits then it was just threw a window and it was awful."
England star Alessia Russo opened up earlier this year about battles with 'wanting to be skinny' and the impact it had on her performance playing football.
Maddie says she related to the 24-year-old's comments and thinks it's 'important' that she opened up publicly about her experience.
She said: "Alessia Russo opened up not that long ago about how she struggled with body image and food issues in lockdown.
"I think she said when she started playing football after lockdown, she got injured straight away and that made her realise she had to eat more.
"It's the same for me really.
"It's important that people like her open up - it inspired me to open up so it could inspire hundreds of people to talk about it."
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Selfless bystander helps "battered and bruised" Gazza
By Ben Barry
A bystander turned Good Samaritan to help his "hero" Gazza - after the star was found "battered and bruised" outside his hotel.
Terry Swinton, 54, was staying in the Travelodge Bournemouth Seafront hotel when he walked outside for a cigarette.
To his surprise, he looked up to see his "hero" Paul Gascoigne, known as Gazza, looking battered and bruised arguing with two people.
Terry said although he didn't witness a fight, he said it was clear from his injuries something had happened to him.
He then walked over to stop the argument and offered Gazza £10 for a taxi home, which he said the two people with him tried to take.
Terry then brought Gazza back into the hotel to sober him up, sat with him for 10 minutes and left him with hotel staff.
Terry, a newspaper proprietor, from Clerkenwell, London, said: "I went downstairs for a fag during the football and immediately recognised who he was.
"He is a hero of mine, when I saw him I was heartbroken to be honest.
"Men of a certain age, we all know who he is, we have grown up with him."
Terry was staying in the Travelodge Bournemouth Seafront hotel while he was watching Arsenal vs West Ham on December 28.
At half-time, he popped out for a cigarette where he spotted football legend Gazza surrounded by two people.
Terry added: "The two people around him were trying to take money off him.
"I didn't have any money on me but I went back upstairs to get him some money to get a taxi home.
"When I went to hand him the money, the man and woman tried to take it and I told them to do one and told Gazza to get inside."
Terry sat with Gazza for around 10 minutes and said he was "physically battered".
"He couldn't string a sentence together he was physically and mentally battered," Terry said.
"I made sure the two people didn't take anything off him and went back upstairs to watch the football.
"When I went up to watch the football I wasn't interested, I kept thinking of Gazza.
"I am old school, if you see someone in trouble I would make sure they got home alright.
"It just so happened to be Paul Gascoigne."
Terry believes that Gazza then spent the night in the hotel and was still in the hotel reception when he came down for a morning smoke.
He said: "I said good morning to him and asked him how he was feeling.
"He could still barely string a sentence together.
"As someone who has grown up with him, I was heartbroken to see him this way."
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Watch: Moments earthquakes struck Japan on New Year's Day
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Schoolgirl gets 'best Christmas present ever' - the all-clear a decade after brain tumour diagnosis
By Lauren Beavis
A schoolgirl who captured the nation's hearts with her bid for a Christmas number one has received the "best present ever" - after being given the all clear from rare cancer.
Lyra Cole, 10, is celebrating Christmas early after she was given the all-clear a decade after she was diagnosed with a rare brain tumour when she was a baby.
Lyra, a young singing sensation from Highbridge, Somerset, was just five-months-old when she was rushed for emergency surgery to remove a low-grade choroid plexus papilloma.
But the Year 6 Burrowbridge C of E Primary School pupil had her final scan earlier this month (December) - which showed no evidence of the disease.
Despite dealing with such adversity, the young singing sensation has achieved great success - including storming the charts in 2019 with her version of ‘When A Child is Born’, performed originally by Johnny Mathis and later by Cliff Richards - when she was just six years old.
The single shot to the top of the download charts beating Stormzy and come close to securing an official Christmas number one as well as raising thousands for the charity Brain Tumour Research.
The success shot Lyra and her family into the spotlight and a second bid for a Christmas number one with a cover of Shakin’ Stevens’ Merry Christmas Everyone also charted in 2020.
Her mum Ellie, 32, said: “It felt like only yesterday we were told that Lyra had a small orange sized tumour on her brain and our nightmare begun.
“The day of her scan was full of mixed emotion and decade worth of experiences and feelings, culminating in a huge sense of pride of how Lyra handled everything.
"It’s the best Christmas present we could have wished for.”
Despite a second operation to save her eyesight after a cyst developed on her optic nerve in June 2014, Lyra has continued to live with almost no side effects.
Lyra has continued to reach other impressive milestones such as starting school and becoming a big sister to Charlie who is seven.
In January 2020, Lyra was also presented with a prestigious Points of Light Award, recognising outstanding individual volunteers making a difference in the community.
Lyra's proud dad Dan, 42, said: “Although Lyra remains on yearly check-ups to ensure her physical development is on track, to look at her you would never know the hardship she endured as a baby.”
“Lyra’s tumour grew in the part of the brain responsible for growth, however we don’t know what that means for her in the future.
"In spite of this, she suffers no symptoms and we’re relieved she is able to lead a normal and happy life.
He is urging people to "do more" to protect people suffering from this illness.
Dan added: "It’s horrendous to think that brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer yet have historically received just 1% of the national spend on cancer research.
"We must do more to save future generations who are diagnosed with this horrendous disease.”
Dr Karen Noble, Director of Policy, Research and Innovation at Brain Tumour Research, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to Lyra and her family for sharing their story with us and for their continued dedication to raise funds and awareness into research for brain tumours.
“The choroid plexus papilloma tumour that Lyra was diagnosed with is incredibly rare, contributing to only 2-5% of all paediatric brain tumour diagnoses.
“We wish Lyra all the best going forward and we hope that the research our Centres of Excellence are undertaking will ensure that more children will celebrate 10-years free of their tumour.”
Brain Tumour Research funds sustainable research at dedicated centres in the UK.
It also campaigns for the Government and larger cancer charities to invest more in research into brain tumours in order to speed up new treatments for patients and, ultimately, to find a cure.
To find out how you can support Brain Tumour Research, please visit: https://braintumourresearch.org/
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"I stopped buying Christmas presents for my kids when they were eight and 10 - they'd had enough"
A mum who stopped buying her kids Christmas presents when they were eight and ten after realising the family already had enough, says she doesn't regret it.
Maya Manseau, 61, and her family decided to stop buying each other gifts and instead donate $1k to charity every Christmas.
She says her children - Lindsay and Megan - fully supported the decision and were never resentful
Since they started the tradition - in 2001- they have donated $1k a year to a range of different charities.
Instead of opening a pile of presents on the big day, they eat and celebrate with family.
Maya, a business owner, from, Maine, US, said: "The first year we did it was just after the 9/11 terror attacks.
"I sat my two daughters down and did the normal thing of asking what they wanted to do for Christmas.
"The girls were like 'mum, we have so much’ and we started talking about how we could help others.
“We decided to donate $1,000 to the 9/11 fund instead of giving each other presents.
“The following year we found a charity where you 'adopt a family' and buy them a list of presents that they have asked for. The girls were totally on board with that.
“When we got the list we saw that the dad had written that all he wanted was socks and mittens and the girls were mind blown.
“It was a really great learning lesson for the girls - to teach them about the basic necessities and giving.
"We loved going around and picking out the presents for the children and the parents.”
Maya's family experienced a difficult Christmas in 2000, due to ill health, and she says it gave them a new perspective on the holiday.
She was struck down with a flesh-eating virus at the beginning of December after cutting her foot while cleaning out an old pool in Florida.
She spent two weeks in hospital and was put on antibiotics.
She said: “They managed to fly me back up to Maine from Florida.
"But I hadn’t done much Christmas shopping and I was worried that the girls would be upset.
"When I told them my eldest who was 10 at the tine said ‘mum, you’re here and you're OK and that’s all I wanted for Christmas'."
Maya and her ex partner, still did stockings for the girls and padded them out - calling them elaborate stockings – so the children didn't wake up with nothing on the day.
Maya said: “They would be filled with a few items of clothes, books, puzzles and stationary equipment and maybe one more expensive gift."
Maya lost her eldest daughter, Lindsay, 11 years ago in 2012 after she was diagnosed with leukaemia at the age of 23.
She says it has made the Christmas holidays much harder, but continuing to give to others has helped to cope.
“It fuelled my desire to continue helping all year round, I had lots of people step up to help me in a big way, and I’m always looking to return that support," Maya said.
"We always try and help as many people as we can at Christmas and if we find out someone will be spending Christmas alone, we will want them to join us."
Maya’s favourite part of Christmas is cooking together as a family.
She said: “My mother-in-law, taught home economics in middle school and she used to love to bake and cook.
"As soon as my kids were old enough to stand on a chair with a little apron on, they cooked with her."
Christmas hasn’t been the same for the family since Lindsay’s tragic death and this year Maya is publishing a book called 'Living intentionally after loss' to help teach others how to deal with grief.
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Paralysed Dad builds dream bedroom for daughters, defying disability
By Emma Dunn
A dad who was paraylsed after falling 35ft from a roof has refused to let his disability hold him back and built bunk beds for his daughters.
Dan Kotter, 46, was building the roof of a house when he fell and cracked his vertebrae and broke his pelvis into several pieces – leaving him paralysed from the waist down.
During his time in outpatient therapy he met his now-wife, Andrea, 42, and struck up a friendship before it blossomed into something more a year later.
The couple went on to get married and have two children together – Maisie, four, and Marlee, two.
Dan still loves to build and has spent the last year constructing a bedroom for his children and daughter from a previous relationship, 12.
He wants to show others that they can do anything they put their mind to.
Andrea, a content creator, from Salt Lake City, Utah, US, said: Andrea said: “I found strength in seeing him mastering his trauma so well.
“It’s just incredible.
“He makes it look so seamless and easy."
Dan added: “It’s rewarding building something for the kids.
“It’s destroyed a lot of common perceptions of disability."
Dan was building a house for a friend when the accident happened in August 2013.
He said: “I was on the top of the trusses of the roof.
“I felt the roof start to sway and it dominoed.
“I was 35ft up from a cement garage floor.
“I remember being like ‘oh s**t’ and that’s the last thing I remember before waking up.”
Dan was taken to his local hospital before being transferred to the University of Utah Hospital.
He had a collapsed left lung, torn spleen, cracked his L1 vertebrae and torn his pelvis into several pieces.
He said: “When I hit the ground I went down in seated position.
“Initially, I still had use of my toes and feet but as it went on it diminished.”
Dan was taken for surgery to have a metal plate and bone grafted in his spine but was told he would be left paralysed.
It was until he neared the end of his three month stint in hospital that the news sunk in.
Dan said: “The started talking to me about where I was going to live and it finally sunk in.
“I was going to be a single dad in a wheelchair.
“I knew I was going to hit the ground running.”
He has two daughters from a previous marriage.
Dan said: “I met Andrea during my outpatient therapy.
“Her ex-husband was there.”
Andrea said: “When I saw him he was totally defeated but I felt a strength coming from him.
“Something drew me to him as a person.
“I thought he was a stud.
“He was rocking life.”
After a year of friendship the pair started dating in October 2014 and got married in December of the same year.
Andrea who has two sons from her previous marriage but wanted another baby and eventually convinced Dan to have children together.
They welcomed Maisie in May 2014 and Marlee in March 2021 after going through IVF.
Dan said: “I was nervous about having kids again. The idea of having a baby with me being in a wheelchair was scary to say the least.
“I didn’t know to what degree I was going to be a dad.
“But I realised how much I was able to still do.”
Andrea said: “He’s a rock star.
“He’s been the one that gets up. He does it all.
“They’ve been a blessing more than a struggle.
“They’ve given us such a purpose.”
Dan is still able to do laundry, hold and feed the babies and do tasks any able bodied parent can do.
He has continued his love for construction – and decided to remodel his daughters’ room to make more space in the house.
Dan said: “We sat down and designed something.
“I love building.
“The girls got super excited and went crazy.
“They had such gratitude.”
The room consists of three beds – constructed in a bunk bed way but so they each can have their own space in the room for their things.
Dan has some use of his quad muscles which he uses to pull himself up when building.
Dan said: “People say I’m sure his wife just cares for him – it destroys that perception.”
Andrea added: “He does more than 99 per cent of able bodied husbands.”
Dan said: “It would be easier to give up.
“You’ve to light a fire under you and punch today in the face.”
Follow on the family on Instagram and Tiktok @thewheelchairdad
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Meet the joyful residents of Britain’s 'real-life Quality Street'
By Douglas Whitbread
Kind-hearted locals in Britain's 'real-life Quality Street' have adorned their homes with huge sweet decorations to raise funds for a foodbank this Christmas.
At least 15 families living in Boyce and Bransby Street in Sheffield, South Yorks., have decked out their terraced properties for the third year in a row.
Kayleigh Thomas, 37, was the first to create a Quality Street-themed display at her three-bed home, before getting her neighbours involved in the annual project.
But she says there's more “quantity and quality” of the huge sweet decorations on show this year than ever before - with more than 300 adorning the properties.
Quality Street sent Kayleigh a one-tonne pile of their chocolate, which she’s been giving out to locals who bring foodbank donations to her doorstep.
And she's been blown away by the variety of different chocolate-themed houses - while also adding to her impressive display.
Kayleigh said: “The people who have been involved this year have definitely done more. There are as many as 200 or 300 decorations. And we’ve got bunting as well.
“Everybody’s been quite original with their displays. All of them look quite different.
"We felt like having the full splash of colour all over the street just brings it to life. It just looks really cheerful and really festive.
“And I’ve got more decorations than ever. There are more massive sweets than there has ever been, and there’s a really brightly coloured garland as well.
“I’ve definitely gone to town on it this year.”
Kayleigh, who works at an international school, began decorating her terraced home in 2020, using cellophane from her florist to make the oversized chocolate boxes.
The following year, her idea “snowballed” as residents across two adjoining streets teamed up to raise thousands of pounds and pull in sacks of donations for S6 Foodbank, in Sheffield.
This year, she was particularly impressed by a newly arrived family's sparkly offering - after they made a slogan on their window reading ‘Have a Quality Christmas’.
And she said another long-time resident had even made their own chocolate box-themed hat, which she felt looked "incredible".
Kayleigh said: “Number 25, who moved in recently, have decorated their fence with tinsel and lights, and then inside they’ve drawn on the windows.
“It says ‘Have a Quality Christmas’, and then their Christmas tree is on show as well. So they’ve really gone for it and it looks amazing.”
“And this year, someone made a wonderful hat - Beryl was wearing it. It’s just incredible.
“All the chocolates are exactly the right shape, with exactly the right wrapping, but bigger. It’s like an easter bonnet, but it’s Christmas chocolate.”
Kayleigh said locals had been planning their displays for months, with the event helping to bring neighbours together.
She added: “On our WhatsApp group there’s always a message saying, ‘Who has the cellophane? Can I have it?’ Everybody has made their own, so that’s been great.”
And Kayleigh said her favourite chocolate had changed since starting the fundraiser three years ago - while joking that she might hold some back for herself.
She said: “I used to like the fudge, which is ‘the pink one’.
“But I’ve got into the toffee fingers, so that’s probably my favourite one now. There are a few around – both on my display and the street.
“I might sneak a few of them, but mostly I’ll be dishing them out to people. I’ve eaten so many of them over the last few years.”
Last year the street brought seven car-fulls of goods to the S6 Foodbank - with people welcome to bring donations to Kayleigh’s door when they visit.
They also previously raised nearly £2000 for the charity through cash donations
Visit https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/QualityStreetHouse? to donate this year.
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Adorable Scottish toddler shouting "Hullo doon there" from top of the Ferris wheel
By Elizabeth Hunter
This adorable video shows a toddler at the top of a Ferris wheel excitedly addressing onlookers below by shouting "hullo doon there."
Three-year-old Grace has gone viral over the comments she made on the Christmas market attraction in a strong Scottish drawl.
Her flawless delivery drew comparisons to classic Scottish TV characters Isa Drennan and Christine O’Neal.
Justene Farrell and her husband took daughter Grace to the Glasgow Christmas markets in George Square earlier this week to get into the festive spirit.
The Ayrshire-based family decided to take a ride on the market’s Ferris wheel – and when Grace began to sing a Christmas song, Justene whipped out her phone to capture the moment.
But as Grace began to sing, she noticed the crowds of people below – and began to shout “hello doon there,” in her strong and distinctive Scottish accent.
Mum Justene decided to share the video on TikTok that night – and woke up to nearly 40,000 likes and comments on the cute clip.
“I was looking through pictures I’d taken from the Christmas market and saw the video again – I thought it was quite funny!” she said.
“I posted it at night, and then the next morning, I woke up with so many notifications – I couldn’t believe how many people had seen it!”
“But that’s just what Grace is like every day – that’s her usual self!”
Comments on the viral video drew many comparisons to classic Scottish TV characters, including the outspoken Isa Drennan from Still Game, and no-nonsense neighbour Christine from Two Doors Down.
One commenter called Grace “a pure Scots wee girl,” while another claimed that she “cannae get more Scottish than that.”
Justene is thrilled that Grace’s video has been able to spread some festive cheer – and the family have enjoyed a laugh at the comments online.
“The comments comparing her to Isa from Still Game or Christine from Two Doors Down are our favourites,” said Justene.
“We watch them in our house a lot, so we found those ones funny!
“It’s nice that everyone’s been enjoying the video and we’ve been able to spread a little bit of joy.”
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"I'm a female bare-knuckle fighter - I train by punching concrete slabs"
By Ellie McDonald
Meet the female bare-knuckle fighter who trains by punching concrete paving slabs - and laughs at misogynist men who say she has "puny arms".
Danni Ashfield, 32, recently signed a pro contract - and thinks she could be the first female fighter with autism in Britain.
The personal trainer, from Flintshire, took up bare-knuckle fighting after her autism prevented her from being able to wear boxing gloves.
Not being able to see her hands gave her anxiety - so the gloves were off.
Danni, a 5ft 5ins bantamweight who fights under the name 'Danni Lee', now competes in sanctioned events.
She wants more women to take up bare-knuckle fighting - which originated in 17th-century England - and hopes to inspire her son Alfie, 13, who also has autism.
Danni said: “I just hope that I can build more awareness for this sport and the charity.
"I became an ambassador with the National Autistic Society mainly for my son. I do get a bit worried what might happen when he grows up and what the world will be like then.
“So when they approached me to get involved, I was 100 per cent on board.”
Danni started participating in fighting sports aged eight.
She achieved a black belt in karate and earned 24 trophies over the years.
However, when she first tried boxing, Danni said due to her autism and not being able to see her hands while wearing boxing gloves, she couldn't enjoy it.
But she said: “As soon as I took the gloves off – it was a completely different story. That’s when I first heard about bare knuckle boxing.”
Danni started bare-knuckle fighting six months ago and quickly became a rising star.
She was signed on as a professional fighter with the first Bare Knuckle Boxing Company recently.
Danni trains for between four and six hours per day, either running, doing metabolic exercise or strength and conditioning of her hands, with two sessions in the morning and two in the evening.
She said: “For conditioning my hands, I punch sandbags or the concrete slab in my garden.
"I don’t aim to break them, but it is just purely to build enough strength up in my hands. Eventually you get a bit immune to the pain but it can be a painful process.
“You just start out slow with it. I can feel the pain more in winter.”
She also works closely co- owner of Bare Knuckle Boxing, Jim Freeman, and trains at Unit One MMA in Shotton and Tokon Karate Academy in Chester.
Jim said: "I think Danni has a great future ahead of her.
"She is always going to be seen as a pioneer of the sport, she gets to out her name out there and create a lasting legacy.
“She is going to get a lot of adulation and respect for what she is doing, and rightly so because the people are the toughest of the tough.”
Danni said bare-knuckle fighting is a male-dominated sport and that she has faced criticism for taking part.
She said: “I would say the sport is quite male-dominated at the moment - and I am trying to make some noise about it.
“It’s like how football started out - there weren’t many women playing.
“I think the main issue is that the sport has not had enough time to evolve.
"The company I am signed on with is the only one in the whole world. They try to go into different countries and organise fights there.
“But I think it’s the bare knuckle element that puts some women off, it might seem a bit brutal.
“A couple of people have told me that women shouldn’t be fighting. Some people think it’s really cool, other people think it’s scary. People have mixed reactions to it.
“I have had a guy on Facebook that I ‘shouldn’t be punching with my puny arms’ and was offering to fight me.
“But the community itself so friendly and welcoming.”
Jim added: “We have about a dozen women signed up as fighters now. They can fight to a great standard and quality and are extremely talented.”
Danni also said the sport was accommodating like no other sport she has been involved in.
She said: “I often don’t tell people that I am autistic in case they treated me differently.
“Some people don’t have a full understanding of what autism can involve.
“But my coach took me to where I would be fighting and showed me everywhere I would walk through, what would happen, the music, the speakers, the people who were going to be there.
“I could prep and process before my match and that was really, really good of him to do.
“I’ve never been involved in a sport as accommodating as this one."
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