catching

A LOVE Island star has told of the moment she made a desperate 999 call to “catch a paedophile”.

Series ten star Mal Nicol, who entered as a bombshell in 2023, has claimed she got a predatory male arrested – after spotting him lurking by a children’s park.

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She told fans on TikTok: “We got a paedophile arrested. I literally cannot believe what we witnessed. It was honestly like a movie or something.”

Mal, who was with a friend at the time, was approached by a group of young boys close to a London park who complained about a “creepy man”.

Concerned for their welfare, Mal walked towards the park area in Little Venice, London, to see what was going on for herself.

“Moments later we clearly see that this guy is not okay,” she continued.

“He’s standing by the park swaying, like putting his hand into the park over the fence and trying to high five this little boy who’s about five years old.

“We kind of wanted to distract him and see what he was doing or saying.

“We then saw a mum with her daughter, like a little 3, 4 year old girl who is on a scooter. This guy tries to grab her from behind and the dad jumps in between them both.

“He then goes into the park where there’s a lot of young mums with their like 3 year old girls who are obviously feeling vulnerable and scared.

“So I call 999 and I’m literally so impressed with the police and how fast they came.

“When the officers arrives I was running up to them shouting ‘he’s going to get away, he’s going to get away’.

“I felt like I was in a movie. I’m like running.”

“The police arrested the suspect and Mal was interviewed alongside other witnesses.

“This is happening in London and I just think you have to do something. You can’t just watch. It was crazy.

“He better be put in for time. Like this is not okay.”

Proud Mal added: “Sorry for the long video, but we put a paedophile in jail.”

After 52 episodes and three movies, the world of “Downton Abbey” is coming to a heartwarming conclusion — for now, at least. The series and the previous two films, 2019’s “Downton Abbey” and 2022’s “Downton Abbey: A New Era,” have followed several characters over an 18-year period, both from the upstairs and downstairs of the grand house. While viewers already said goodbye to the imperious Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham (Maggie Smith), in the last film when she tragically died onscreen surrounded by her family, there are still many more farewells to come. Here is where we left some of the key characters as “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” arrives in theaters Sept. 12.

Mary Crawley (Michelle Dockery)

Michelle Dockery in “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.”

(Rory Mulvey / Focus Features)

Lady Mary wasn’t always in line to take over Downton Abbey, but her ill-fated marriage to Matthew Crawley and the birth of their son George ensured that she could be at the helm of the estate, at least until George came of age. Mary eventually remarried toward the end of the series, to race car driver Henry Talbot, but “The Grand Finale” sees the couple divorced and Mary on the outs from society. Still, she has clever ideas about how to keep Downton Abbey afloat and to push it into the modern age as she finally takes the reins from her father. “From the start, she always had a strong personality,” creator Julian Fellowes told The Times in 2022. “And I think what we’ve watched over the years is how she has come to harness her strength, master it and use it to achieve what she wants.”

Edith Pelham (Laura Carmichael)

Laura Carmichael, right, and Elizabeth McGovern in “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.”

(Rory Mulvey / Focus Features)

For many years Lady Edith was the passed-over second daughter, but by the end of the series she was firmly ensconced as the formidable Marchioness of Hexham. She and her husband Herbert “Bertie” Pelham are happily raising two children and she has become a voice of reason for Mary, offering counsel to the sister who once overshadowed her. “The Grand Finale” even gives Edith a satisfying moment of fortitude when she stands up for the family. “By the time we leave her, Edith is a strong woman and capable of big decisions,” Fellowes says.

Robert and Cora Crawley (Hugh Bonneville and Elizabeth McGovern)

Elizabeth McGovern and Hugh Bonneville in “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.”

(Rory Mulvey / Focus Features)

The Crawley clan’s patriarch and matriarch have gone through a lot since “Downton Abbey” premiered, including the loss of their daughter Sybil and multiple financial challenges. Cora dealt with a health scare in “A New Era” while both grieved the death of Violet, whose presence still looms in “The Grand Finale.” Although he technically left Mary in charge of Downton Abbey at the end of “A New Era,” Robert is struggling to settle into the next chapter of his life. It’s up to Cora, his always-steady companion, to help him move forward.

Tom Branson (Allen Leech)

Allen Leech in “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.”

(Rory Mulvey / Focus Features)

After heroically saving the day in the first “Downton Abbey” film, the widowed Tom married Lucy Smith (Tuppence Middleton) in “Downtown Abbey: A New Era,” giving his daughter Sybbie a mother once again. By the end of the second film, Tom and Lucy have a baby of their own and are living away from Downton. The character already got his much-deserved happily ever after and now shows up to dole out sage advice and support for the family. “I felt Tom Branson was the only one we hadn’t really settled in the series,” Leech told me in 2019. Now, he is.

Daisy Mason (Sophie McShera) and Andrew Parker (Michael Fox)

Sophie McShera, second from left, in “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.”

(Rory Mulvey / Focus Features )

Daisy began her journey at Downton Abbey as a belabored kitchen maid, but eventually the estate’s revered cook Mrs. Patmore took her under her wing. She married the dying William Mason during the series and later settled down with Andrew Parker, a footman in the house who has now taken over for Mr. Carson. In the spirit of the younger generation stepping forward, Daisy takes over the kitchen in “The Grand Finale,” an important moment of growth for the character.

Isobel Crawley (Penelope Wilton)

From left, Penelope Wilton, Allen Leech, Michelle Dockery and Paul Giamatti in “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.”

(Rory Mulvey / Focus Features)

It took some time for Isobel to establish herself at Downton Abbey, but her friendship with the Dowager Countess and her relationship to the family became invaluable throughout the series. She married Richard Grey after her son Matthew’s death and continued her good work with the community’s hospital throughout the episodes. Following Violet’s passing, Isobel has taken up the mantle to organize the county fair — a job that comes with some challenges.

Anna Bates (Joanne Froggatt) and John Bates (Brendan Coyle)

Joanne Froggatt in “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.”

(Rory Mulvey / Focus Features)

Anna Bates has always been one of Downton Abbey’s most loyal servants and a thoughtful friend to Lady Mary. She married valet John Bates at the beginning of Season 3 and the couple went through numerous ups and downs in the years that followed, including several miscarriages. They got a much-deserved happy end in the series finale when Anna gave birth to their first child. The films haven’t shaken their contentment and “The Grand Finale” brings another uplifting arrival for the pair.

Joseph Molesley (Kevin Doyle)

Kevin Doyle, left, and Michael Fox in “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.”

(Rory Mulvey / Focus Features)

Mr. Molesley endeared audiences with his hapless but well-meaning misadventures in the series, eventually transitioning from footman to local schoolteacher. He got his due in “A New Era” when he proved himself to be a skilled screenwriter and charmed Phyllis Baxter. In “The Grand Finale,” the couple are married and Mr. Molesley is endeavoring to boost his film career, although he hasn’t left his time at Downtown Abbey in the past.

Laura Angulo was visiting the Philippines as part of a four-month trip around South East Asia when she became ill

A teacher was left “unable to sit up” after falling ill with suspected dengue fever during a nightmare holiday. Laura Angulo was touring the Philippines on a four-month South East Asia adventure when she became unwell on Palawan Island.

The 29-year-old keen globetrotter initially suffered from “general malaise and fatigue”. However, Laura’s health rapidly worsened.

“I remember we were on a beach and I was lying down eating ice cream because I didn’t have the strength to sit up,” Laura, who lives on Australia’s Gold Coast, shared with What’s The Jam. “The moment I started vomiting, we decided to go to the doctor, since we knew that in the Philippines, as in many other tropical countries, you can get dengue fever.”

Laura, originally from Spain, underwent a blood test which revealed “a very low percentage of platelets”.

She recalled: “They told us that this is one of the symptoms of dengue fever and that I probably had it. At that moment, I admit I was terrified.

“I called my parents and they asked me to return to Spain. But, luckily, my sister and cousin were there for me when I needed them.

“Doctors then performed another test on me, which came back negative, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t infected. I was able to go back to my hostel, but I had to return over the next three days for further tests to see if my diagnosis had improved, since one of the possible symptoms of dengue is internal bleeding

“During those three days, the vomiting and diarrhoea worsened, but I didn’t have any other symptoms. I was drinking saline and eating small amounts of rice and chicken when my body allowed it.

“On the third day, we had to travel to another island where I felt ill for two or three weeks and I lost about 1.6 stone (10kg). It was never confirmed whether I was actually infected, but my platelet count suggests I was.”

Laura, who has more than 50,000 followers on Instagram and TikTok, shared with her online audience that dengue is spread by mosquito bites.

She continued: “There are four different strains of the dengue virus and if you’ve had one of them and become infected again, your risk of severe symptoms increases. If you get bitten by two strains of dengue at the same time, internal bleeding and possibly death become more likely.

“But don’t be alarmed; the Philippines is a beautiful country that I highly recommend visiting. To prevent something similar from happening, my first recommendation is to go to a vaccination centre and always carry mosquito repellent and basic medicines as well as travel insurance. Remember to get informed beforehand, and travel responsibly.”

As thousands prepare to jet off to sunnier climes, there’s a ‘little-known’ rule on one Greek island that could catch some travellers out

With the peak travel season just around the corner, thousands will be getting ready to fly away to sunnier climes. For numerous holidaymakers, Greece stands out as the preferred getaway. This European country has consistently been a popular retreat, attracting hundreds of thousands of Brits to islands such as Santorini, Mykonos, Corfu, Crete, Rhodes, and Zakynthos every summer.

However, there exists a ‘little-known’ curfew regulation on one of these Greek islands that flyers may not know about. If they are caught off guard, they might end up stuck for an extended period. Zakynthos International Airport (ZTH) imposes a nighttime flight curfew to safeguard the endangered loggerhead sea turtles that reside on the island.

Flights are prohibited from approximately 10pm until 5am, and in some cases, even until 7am. This is to protect these turtles, which are most active at night, especially during their nesting and hatching periods.

Consequently, this curfew can occasionally lead to flight delays or cancellations. If this occurs in the evening, passengers could be left stranded until the following morning, reports Glasgow Live.

On social media, several passengers have shared their experiences of not knowing about the curfew. On TikTok, one woman called Nkdzante uploaded a video to say how her flight was cancelled just five minutes before 10pm as the airport began shutting down in adherence to the curfew. The video sparked comments from anxious flyers. One wrote: “Me watching this with a flight home from Zante tonight at 10pm”. Another said: “Don’t say this my flight back is at 10pm”.

Zakynthos Airport, often used for trips to Santorini and Kefalonia, implemented its night flight restrictions in the early 1990s. These turtles, native to the Mediterranean, lay their eggs on the nearby shores. The beaches of Zakynthos are among the most important nesting sites in the region, with about 80% of the Mediterranean loggerhead turtle population choosing to nest here.

It’s crucial to protect their nesting habitats, as these turtles are considered endangered due to threats such as habitat destruction and human interference. Loggerhead sea turtles are particularly active at night. They are vulnerable to disturbances caused by the noise and lights from aircraft, especially during their nesting season.

The noise and light from planes can disrupt the turtles’ nesting behaviours, posing risks to both them and their eggs. To minimise this disruption, Zakynthos Airport has implemented a night curfew, banning flights during the times when the turtles are most active.

Rules also apply across the beaches of Zakynthos, particularly those located in the National Marine Park, to protect the local ecosystem and the endangered loggerhead sea turtles. These regulations include restrictions on access, activities, and the use of certain equipment.

The beaches within the National Marine Park are typically open to visitors during daylight hours, from 7am until sunset. To avoid any disturbance, it is essential to keep a distance of at least 15 meters from nesting turtles.

While swimming is permitted, activities such as strolling, using parasols, and laying towels beyond a narrow strip of beach near the water (approximately five metres from the sea) are not allowed. Boats can sail in specified zones, but their speed mustn’t surpass six nautical miles.

On nesting beaches, the use of parasols, anchoring, and fishing is strictly forbidden. To protect the turtles and the environment, it’s vital to keep the beaches clean by properly disposing of all rubbish and cigarette ends.

The presence of cars, motorbikes, bicycles, horses, and dogs is prohibited on nesting beaches due to the threat they pose to the turtles. Visitors are encouraged to familiarise themselves with these regulations and respect the protected areas to help preserve the island’s breathtaking natural beauty.

A “MANDATORY” update is going out to some mobiles after reports of fires breaking out when charging.

While the update is important for safety, affected users will notice a knock to their battery’s capacity as a result.

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Google has confirmed to The Sun that a “subset” of Pixel 6a devices will receive it “to reduce the risk of potential battery overheating”.

It comes as a number of unverified reports online that the phone caught fire when on charge.

One user shared pictures of his destroyed Pixel 6a which they say began to “shoot out hot gas” in the middle of the night as it was on charge.

“Luckily, I was able to smother the fire, then throw the still-smoking phone into the toilet before the fire spread,” Reddit user zaliver claimed.

“My wife and I are pretty shook up about it.”

A small number of other users have reported similar issues.

“The update will enable battery management features that will reduce capacity and charging performance after the battery reaches 400 charge cycles,” Google said.

“We’ll contact impacted customers next month, with all the information they need to address the issue.”

It comes only a few months after another update impacted the batteries on the Pixel 4A, though this incident affected all models and wasn’t a result of safety concerns.

Owners were offered a free replacement battery to solve the problem.

Must-know Android tips to boost your phone

Get the most out of your Android smartphone with these little-known hacks: