A COMMUNITY leader is devastated as a much-loved farm shop, garden center and cafe close for good.

Gosling Farm Shop, Garden Center and Cafe in Trimley St Martin, East Suffolk, have announced this sudden closure just weeks before the spring rush.

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Lee Reeves, who represents Orwell and Villages on East Suffolk Council, said he was disappointed to see the business close its doors for good.

“It is so sad that such a long-running and beloved local business has found it necessary to close,” Lee explained.

He added: “Many will miss the shop, cafe and on-site facilities, which were well used in the summer months.”

The farm shop cafe was popular with locals in the village and also attracted tourists from all over the UK.

The district councilor also raised concerns about how the space will now be used and hopes the site will not be used for new housing development.

Hopefully the site can be used by the community

Lee Reeves

The east Suffolk village has already seen huge amounts of development, with more projects “in the pipeline”.

However, Lee added: “Hopefully the site can be used by the community, perhaps with a continued food production and a small retail element or for recreational use.”

Gosling’s owners announced the closure in a social media post, thanking staff and “loyal customers” for over the years.

One devastated resident expressed his disappointment on Facebook.

He posted a photo of the now closed farm with the caption: “A very sad slope, the gates of Gosling’s Farm Café are chained and the place is permanently closed.”

Other locals shared their sadness in the comments, with one user writing: “What a shame.”

“It will be greatly missed,” wrote another.

While this resident commented: “Everyone assumes it has been sold to developers (and I suspect they are right).”

It comes as shoppers were left saddened after a supermarket abruptly announced its closure after 50 “great” years.

And Wetherspoons has saved an ‘impressive’ pub from closure, but another campsite has closed its doors for good.

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The private hospital at the centre of a scandal around alleged attempts to access the Princess of Wales’s medical records did not report the suspected breach to the authorities for more than seven days after she was discharged, it is claimed.

Three members of staff at The London Clinic are under investigation over claims of a data breach at the clinic, with the trio believed to have been suspended and facing professional sanctions if proven to have accessed her private medical information.

The alleged breach took place at the clinic after the future Queen was admitted for planned abdominal surgery on January 16, with Kate being discharged 14 days later. She has rarely been seen in public since then, leading to cruel conspiracy theories on social media about her wellbeing and health.

It was claimed one member of staff attempted to view her medical records while she was a patient there.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is investigating the incident, with reports claiming that part of the probe will look into whether there was a delay in the clinic flagging it them amid claims it took more than a week for a ‘breach report’ to be filed.

Official rules state that any personal data breaches must be reported within 72 hours of their discovery, while data protection rules mean the private hospital could be fined up to £17million if found to have committed wrongdoing, one expert has claimed.

King Charles has also used the clinic in recent months, first for treatment for an enlarged prostate and then after he was diagnosed with cancer. However, his private medical information was not affected by the breach.

The ICO says it is investigating the incident as the clinic itself says it will take ‘all appropriate steps’ to investigate the alleged breach. 

It is believed the police could probe the allegations, with one government minister claiming the Metropolitan Police have been ‘asked to look at it’, although the force says it is not aware of any referral as of yet. 

The CEO of The London Clinic vowed on Wednesday that ‘all appropriate investigatory, regulatory and disciplinary steps will be taken’ as it investigates the data breach claims.

Al Russell, broke his silence yesterday, saying in a statement: ‘Everyone at the London Clinic is acutely aware of our individual, professional, ethical and legal duties with regards to patient confidentiality.

‘We take enormous pride in the outstanding care and discretion we aim to deliver for all our patients that put their trust in us every day.

‘We have systems in place to monitor management of patient information and, in the case of any breach, all appropriate investigatory, regulatory and disciplinary steps will be taken.

‘There is no place at our hospital for those who intentionally breach the trust of any of our patients or colleagues.’

Executives have remained tight-lipped over the nature and extent of the embarrassing breach of private records.

In addition to the alleged breach itself, the ICO is also said to be investigating whether the clinic delayed notifying the watchdog.

Official rules state that any personal data breaches must be reported within 72 hours from their discovery if a risk is posed to a person’s rights or freedoms.

However, reports suggest the ICO did not receive a ‘breach report’ for more than a week after Kate was discharged from the hospital on January 29. 

One source told The Guardian that ‘timeliness of reporting’ was part of its ‘ongoing’ probe into the hospital.

A spokesperson for the clinic told ITV News that they would not comment further other than to say ‘all our patients, no matter what their status, deserve total privacy and confidentiality regarding their personal medical information.

The Princess is said to be aware of the allegations, while a spokesperson for Kensington Palace said: ‘This is a matter for the London Clinic.’

The ICO said on Wednesday: ‘We can confirm that we have received a breach report and are assessing the information provided.’

ONe data protection expert claimed that the Waleses could even sue The London Clinic if the breach is proven to have taken place. 

Iain Wilson, from Brett Wilson LLP, told The Sun: ‘They’ve obviously got obligations to keep medical records secure through the Data Protection Act.

If it is found they didn’t have sufficient systems in place, for instance, they hadn’t trained staff properly, then they could be fined by the information commission officer.

‘A very large sum, I think up to £17.5million or 4 per cent of an organisation’s annual worldwide turnover and potentially sued by the individuals in question.’

He added that the hospital might have had ‘all the training and systems in place’ and the incident took place through a ‘rotten egg’ which is difficult to guard against.

According to the 2018 Data Protection Act, it is an offence to obtain or disclose personal data ‘without the consent of the controller’.

A spokesperson for the General Medical Council, which is the watchdog for doctors, told the Telegraph: ‘Patients must have confidence that their personal information is protected at all times.

‘Our guidance is clear: we expect doctors to make sure any personal information about patients is effectively protected at all times against improper access, disclosure or loss, and they must not access a patient’s personal information unless they have a legitimate reason to view it.’

Jon Baines, a data protection specialist from the law firm Mishcon de Reya, told ITV News: ‘Any investigation by the ICO is likely to consider whether a criminal offence might have been committed by an individual or individuals.’

‘Section 170 of the Data Protection Act 2018 says that a person commits an offence if they obtain or disclose personal data ‘without the consent of the controller’.

‘Here, the ‘controller’ will be the clinic itself.’

While the allegations are being probed by the ICO, it is also claimed that the police could investigated the situation alongside the watchdog.

A source told The Mirror: ‘The IOC will deal with anything as a criminal matter which could end up in a Magistrate’s Court, but if there were further claims of wrongdoing such as a conspiracy to distribute illegally accessed information, then that could be a matter for the police.’

The Metropolitan Police has said it is not aware of any referral to the force regarding the incident at this time.

However, Health Minister Maria Caulfield said she understood ‘police have been asked to look at it’.

Speaking to Sky News, she said the allegations were ‘pretty serious stuff’.

She said: ‘I say this as someone who’s still on the nursing register, that the rules are very, very clear for all patients. That unless you’re looking after that patient, or they’ve given you their consent, you should not be looking at patients’ notes.

‘So there are rules in place and the Information Commissioner can levy fines, that can be prosecutions, your regulator, so as a nurse my regulator would be the NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council), can take enforcement action… and can strike you off the register if the breach is serious enough.

‘So there are particularly hefty implications if you are looking at notes for medical records that you should not be looking at.’

When asked if the Met Police should also be looking into the matter, she said: ‘My understanding is that police have been asked to look at it – whether they take action is a matter for them.’

Royal experts say Kate has likely been left shocked by the news of the alleged data breach – but will be too busy focusing on her own recovery to let it get to her.

Ingrid Seward, royal biographer and editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine, told the Mirror the news will have come as ‘a shock to the palace, a shock to the Princess and a shock to her husband and (to her) father-in-law, the King’.

‘For the London Clinic, it is an embarrassment of the worst kind and they will do their best to appease everyone concerned,’ she continued.

But Ms Seward added: ‘As for Catherine it is another emotional upset; she is going to have to put behind her. She is far stronger than she looks. She will not allow her battered emotions to get the better of her.’

Quizzed by reporters on Wednesday, Rishi Sunak’s official spokesman has urged Brits to ‘get behind the Princess of Wales’.

Asked about the alleged breach at the London Clinic, the spokesman said: ‘Clearly there are strict rules on patient data that must be followed.’

And on whether people should give Kate a break, he added: ‘I think we all want to get behind the Princess of Wales, and indeed the Prince of Wales, and we obviously wish her the speediest of recoveries.’

The Princess of Wales has been the subject of a series of cruel conspiracy theories in recent weeks while continuing to recover from surgery she underwent in January.

Online trolls have suggested she is recovering from ‘Brazilian butt lift surgery’ or that she has even been replaced by a body double.

The toxic discourse has been fuelled further by the Mother’s Day photo shared from the Prince and Princess of Wales’ social media accounts earlier this month – after it emerged the picture had been digitally manipulated at source before release.

Global picture agencies including AP, Getty and PA issued a rare ‘kill order’ on the photograph after ruling that it had been manipulated beyond what they considered acceptable journalistic standards.

It had been hoped that footage of Kate walking happily with William outside a farm shop in Windsor at the weekend might have silenced those sharing theories online.

Instead, conspiracy cranks have pored over the footage trying to give weight to their completely unsupported suggestions that she has been replaced by a lookalike, or that the footage itself is old.

Even professional Kate lookalikes have made it clear that they believe it is the Princess herself in the footage – calling for the conspiracy wonks to leave her alone.

Palace sources have fumed at the ‘madness of social media’ as cruel trolls claim to have found ‘proof’ that the princess is more unwell than claimed, or has been replaced with a double.

Kensington Palace has stated since the start of the year that the Princess will not return to public duties until sometime after Easter.

It has not denied that the video of the Princess captured at the weekend is genuine.

The clash between two buskers over a prime location has gone viral on social media.

A TikTok video from singer Widya Tjong, showing the confrontation between her and violinist Vasiliy Shapkin over a performance at Sydney’s Pitt Street Mall, has been viewed a whopping 2.4 million times, despite being posted just one day ago posted.

In the video, Mr Shapkin insists that Ms Tjong pack up and give him the best performance space because he had reserved it for 2pm, according to ‘rules’ of which she was not aware.

“I think you should start packing, I’ll start at 2 p.m.,” he says in the video.

‘My stuff was there. I just got in line at 2pm, wanna start packing?”

“I’m literally just getting started,” she argues.

As the argument continues, voices from onlookers can be heard protesting that Mr. Shapkin is bullying Mrs. Tjong and at one point a well-wisher even hands her $10.

Mr Shapkin said he made his claim on the spot as he had left his belongings on a nearby chair and left only briefly.

“Buskers, we negotiate with ourselves, we manage ourselves, because as you can imagine, you can’t just leave your stuff here, you can’t sit here for three hours,” he said.

Mrs Tjong said there was no one there when she started.

“Someone was already there,” Mr. Shapkin continues.

“The rules are first come, first served.”

“There are no such things as written rules,” Ms. Tjong fires back.

“Not all the rules are written down,” Mr. Shapkin replies.

‘This is so frustrating. New street musicians arrive, who think there is no one there. We don’t want to start before 2 o’clock.’

When asked why he waited for that start time, Mr Shapkin says it is the time when he can best protect himself from the sun.

Eventually, Ms. Tjong relents and Mr. Shapkin can be heard as he begins his performance.

“I broke down, I was filled with anger because I didn’t know how to stand up for myself anymore, so I gave in and left him alone,” Ms Tjong wrote.

Another audience member takes her side and tells her that she has been bullied but that she is “absolutely amazing.”

In the TikTok caption Ms Tjong said she normally wouldn’t post something like that, but today was ‘a turning point’.

‘This came from busker to busker, as a musician it’s hard enough to make it and see how a fellow musician not only doesn’t support you, but also tries to put you down. It’s the biggest disappointment and it’s the gaslighting and the threats,” she wrote.

She explained that she normally walked to the back of an H&M store, but when she arrived it was occupied.

“I decided to move to another place, but it turned out that Zara’s was empty, no one was there, no speaker or bags in sight, and I didn’t see the busker featured in this video,” she wrote.

“The time was around 1:30 p.m., I started my setup and managed to sing about six songs, and around 1:55 p.m. the video started.”

The comments were very much on her side.

“As an ex-musician who performed at that venue, you’re right!” wrote one person.

“He’s clearly trying to force you to leave, good for you and the people who intervened,” said another.

“Girl, give us your busking moments,” said another.

‘We will come by and support you.’

Meanwhile, a number of people wanted to express their displeasure to Mr Shapkin.

The backlash was so intense that he deleted his various social media accounts.

On Saturday morning, Ms. Tjong reported that she was overwhelmed by the amount of support.

“I just want to take a moment here now to thank you all for sending me love, kindness and support. I really don’t know what to say. You guys are so powerful and I really appreciate all the gestures you’ve made,” she wrote.

‘I’ll keep doing what I love to do. I don’t give up, something like this can’t make me give up on a dream. I’ve had it for 25 years, so don’t worry, I’ll still perform and perform, maybe not today, not yet.”

By Jessica Wang for Nca Newswire

Published: 06:56 EST, March 9, 2024 | Updated: 06:58 EST, March 9, 2024

The police officer who cops want to speak to following the grisly disappearance of his TV star ex and flight attendant partner was once a high-flying celebrity blogger who mixed with the likes of Taylor Swift, Kim Kardashian and Selena Gomez.

Constable Beau Lamarre was seen last week following Kourtney Kardashian behind the wheel of a grey Tesla near Rose Bay, in Sydney’s east – and even managed to grab a snap with her and Travis Barker.

Mr Lamarre is now at the centre of an unfolding tragedy after his ex-boyfriend and former Channel Ten presenter Jesse Baird, 26, disappeared, along with Mr Baird’s Qantas flight attendant partner Luke Davies, 29.

The couple’s bloodstained clothes were found dumped in a skip on Wednesday and Mr Baird’s blood-splattered home 30km away in the upmarket Sydney suburb of Paddington has been declared a crime scene.

Police are looking to speak to any of the couple’s former partners and have not been able to track down Mr Lamarre, whose phone was switched off on Thursday night. 

It’s understood that Mr Lamarre, who deleted his Instagram account in recent days and is on sick leave, may be able to assist police with their inquiries. 

Relatives of Mr Baird say he and Mr Lamarre had a ‘bitter’ break up and one of missing couple told family that they thought they were being stalked in recent weeks.

It’s all a far cry from the police officer’s old life interviewing Hollywood elites on the Golden Globes red carpet, meeting Lady Gaga and flying first class.

The first of Mr Lamarre’s many brushes with fame came when he met Lady Gaga at a 2014 concert, and came out as gay that night through a note he threw on stage to her.

She read out the letter, revealing his sexuality, to her 15,000-strong audience and he was taken backstage by Lady Gaga after the show.

‘She came out for me,’ Mr Lamarre later said in a radio interview.

After enjoying his moment in the sun, the celeb chaser went onto take selfies with famous faces such as Taylor Swift, Harry Styles and Russell Crowe. 

But his ability to make headlines did not leave him when he joined the police, following in the footsteps of his mother was a senior officer. 

Just a year into the job, a video emerged of Mr Lamarre tasering a man during a dramatic arrest in Darlinghurst went viral. 

He was later cleared by an internal investigation of any wrongdoing.

Mr Baird and Mr Davies went missing from the TV producer’s $3million Federation terrace home in Paddington.

Mr Davies, 29, was with Mr Baird, 26, on Monday but the pair then vanished and Mr Davies’ family have been unable to contact him.

CCTV footage of the couple’s last known whereabout shows them entering Mr Baird’s home late on Monday night.

The men were captured wandering outside before heading towards the back of the terrace. A white van is then seen driving nearby. Neither of the pair have been seen since, however Mr Baird’s phone appeared to be active on WhatsApp on Tuesday evening.

A manhunt was launched after a pile of the couple’s bloodied clothes was found in a large skip bin in the centre of Cronulla in Sydney’s south at around 11am on Wednesday.

Police then raced to Mr Baird’s home in Paddington, where they found a ‘large amount of blood’ and bloodstained furniture.

‘Following inquiries, detectives are looking at a line of inquiry that a third person may be able to assist with the investigation,’ a police statement read on Thursday night.

‘Police are currently trying to locate him. Detectives will continue to look at all past relationships and associations.’

Neighbours near Mr Baird’s rented Paddington home heard an argument early on Monday morning but that wasn’t reported to police until they began canvassing the scene two days later.

Police say they’re not excluding any lines of inquiry, but they now hold grave fears for both men.

Mr Davies’ home in Waterloo in Sydney’s inner-south was also found to be empty.

Daily Mail Australia can reveal that the pair were partying in the Beresford club in Surry Hills on Sunday.

The club, which is just a ten-minute walk from Mr Baird’s flat and is known for its friendly LGBT scene, was hosting ‘two amazing shows by Sydney’s top drag divas, Minnie Cooper, Mynx Moscato and April Mae June’.

The event, which also involved international DJs, kickstarted Sydney’s ‘Mardi Gras party marathon’, the high point of Sydney’s LGBTQ calendar.

Just 48 hours later, both men would be the subject of a major police manhunt after their ‘suspicious disappearance’.

Detective Superintendent Jodi Radmore, Commander of Eastern Suburbs PAC, begged either of the men to make contact.

When asked if a third person could have been involved in the men’s disappearances, she said that the ‘primary line of inquiry’ was finding the missing men.

‘There has been some sort of incident which has more than likely happened at the Paddington address and that has given us grave concerns for one, possibly both,’ she said.

‘It’s very early stages in the investigation. We are still processing the Paddington address. All lines of enquiry are open.’

Credit cards, wallets, a mobile phone and a $8,000 watch were found among the bloodied clothes in the skip in Cronulla.

Three cars belonging to the men have also been seized. Their bank accounts haven’t been touched since the weekend.

But Mr Baird’s bloodstained home has sparked serious concern for their fate, she said, admitting there was sufficient blood to believe at least one had suffered a ‘significant injury’.

It was revealed on Thursday night that the AFL has been caught up in the men’s disappearance.

Mr Baird is also an AFL goal umpire who had been appointed to officiate a practice match between the Sydney Swans and Greater Western Sydney Giants game on Thursday.

The AFL confirmed that it contacted his family on Thursday after Mr Baird failed to show up to officiate the match.

Mr Davies last updated his social media five days ago with a series of photographs on Instagram of himself in the mountains around Vancouver in Canada.

Mr Davies grew up in Brisbane and recently moved to Sydney for work, according to friends.

Qantas flight attendant Maddison Bradley – Mr Davies’ best friend – said he was ‘dearly adored’.

‘I hope we find him. He is such a sweet soul!’ she told Daily Mail Australia.

On February 18, Mr Baird posted pictures of him and Mr Davies together at Pink’s concert in Sydney two weeks ago.

After three years with Studio 10, Mr Baird left his producer/presenter role with the show in January when it was axed by the network late last year.

He had previously worked as a producer/presenter with Ten’s Totally Wild! show for four years as well as a seven-month stint hosting Gamify! for the network in 2019.

On Thursday, Totally Wild’s Ranger Stacey Thompson said she was stunned.

‘I’m shocked actually,’ she told Daily Mail Australia. ‘I worked with Jesse for a few years and we sat across from one another in the TW office.

‘He was a lovely work friend, always professional and keen to learn. I prefer not to comment further at this time, until more details come to light.’

Mr Baird’s life of mixing with stars through his TV career was very familiar to Mr Lamarre’s previous life of interviewing celebrities and documenting his lavish lifestyle.

He was seen travelling either in first-class or on private jets donning luxury labels and carrying Louis Vuitton leather luggage.

In 2016 he made an unexpected appearance at the Golden Globes in Los Angeles.

He was pictured chatting to A-listers including Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling in pre-show interviews on the red carpet.

Mr Lamarre has also been photographed with many other stars from the worlds of film, television and music. 

Now the people most desperate to find him, and Mr Baird and Mr Davies, are his fellow officers in the New South Wales police force. 

A shoe chain with “great prices” has left a busy shopping center, shocking fans.

Aldo closed another of its popular British stores on Saturday February 10.

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The store, located in The Glades shopping center in Bromley, served its end customers last weekend.

Regular customers who visited the store to purchase the brand's shoes and accessories left with good reviews.

Customers describe the store's staff and prices as “great.”

It means Aldo now operates just four stores in Britain.

These are located in:

• Oxford Street, London
• Westfield Stratford City, London
• Westfield Shopping Centre, Shepherd's Bush, London
• Bluewater Shopping Centre, Kent

The Sun has reached out to Aldo for comment.

Aldo fell under the government on June 1, 2020.

Canadian parent company Aldo Group has appointed administrators at insolvency specialist RSM.

At the time, the footwear retailer said it was “necessary” to place the UK arm of its business into administration due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The move resulted in the permanent closure of five Aldo stores.

The shoe and accessories chain was taken over by Bushell Investment Group last year after it came into receivership.

Eight stores remained open, but their long-term future was also at risk.

The acquisition by the investment company saved 150 jobs in 2021 and created 50 new positions for the sector.

In 2021, Lee Bushell, CEO of Bushell Investment Group, said: “We acquired Aldo UK during the pandemic, which forced several store closures and caused problems in the UK footwear market.

“Our initial focus was to rebuild Aldo UK's brand reputation and build a stable e-commerce platform.

“It's incredible to be able to celebrate a one-year milestone by announcing the return of Aldo UK to Oxford Street.

“With many challenges in the retail market, it is a fantastic achievement for the team to continue to grow.”

As of February 2024, Aldo operates just four UK stores.

Aldo's first UK store opened in 2002.

The retailer is active in more than 100 countries and employs more than 16,000 people worldwide.

The company was founded in 1972 by Aldo Bensadoun in Montreal, Quebec.

The Group owns stores in Canada, the US, Great Britain and Ireland, and all other international stores are franchised.

More main street closures

Retailers have been feeling the pressure since the pandemic, as shoppers cut back on spending due to the rising cost of living.

High energy costs and the move to online shopping after the pandemic are also taking their toll, with many high street stores struggling to continue.

The high street has seen a slew of closures in the past year and more are in the pipeline.

Several major brands have also collapsed, such as Wilko and Paperchase.

Just this week, The Body Shop confirmed it has gone bankrupt, leaving 200 stores at risk of closure.

The Sun has compiled a full list of The Body Shop stores in Britain at risk of being lost forever.

But there is a glimmer of hope now that official figures show stores have bounced back from a record poor performance in December.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said retail sales, including online retailers, rose 3.4% in January, compared to a fall of 3.3% in December.

It was the fastest increase since April 2021, the month when non-essential retailers were allowed to reopen after the third national lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Several major chains are pulling down the shutters for the last time this month.

WHSmith in Oban, Scotland, will close permanently on February 17.

Boots has revealed it will close 300 stores over the next year as part of plans to develop its brand.

Princess Anne has continued her full day of royal engagements as she visited a health centre in Nottingham after an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle, just the day after the King’s shock cancer diagnosis.

The Princess Royal, seen as a stalwart member of the royal family, was among those close relatives told personally by King Charles of his diagnosis, which he has known about since early last week.

She is one of a number of senior members of the family who are expected to increase the number of engagements they take on as the monarch steps back to focus on his health, on the instruction of doctors.

Princess Anne visited Nottingham West Primary Care Network at Eastwood Primary Care Centre this afternoon within her role as patron of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists.

The network aims to address the high demand from patients in care homes as they work to create the most effective wrap-around support possible for their local population. 

Excited residents could be seen peeking from their windows and breaking out into grins as the royal chatted below – and she left clutching a huge bouquet of flowers.

But the Royal did not react to questions from the crowd as she got into her car asking about her brother’s condition.

Wearing a striking purple check coat and a matching skirt and scarf, the Princess could be seen chatting and shaking hands with NHS workers as she left the building.

Shortly before, she also visited G.H. Hurt & Son – a luxury fabric manufacturer known for their knitted shawls and lace scarves.

Running in the city since 1912, the established firm had her grinning to the cameras as she was given a tour around the historic site.

But Princess Anne’s day was not finished there – as she arrived at the Science Museum to present an award in her fourth engagement of the day.

Wearing a floral blue and white dress with bright green polka dots, she sheltered from the rain under umbrellas as she walked to the central-London building. 

The Princess Royal also faces a busy day tomorrow – where she will have three engagements across Berkshire, London and Oxfordshire.

She will start the day by visiting the Commonwealth War Graves Commission – of which she is president – in Maidenhead, before visiting the Community Rehabilitative Services in East London.

Princess Anne will end the day visiting a Munitions and Search Training Regiment at St George’s Barracks in Bicester.

Earlier today, the Princess Royal led an investiture ceremony 140 miles across the country at Windsor Castle.

She handed out honours to the likes of conductor Ivor Bolton, tenor Nicky Spence, rugby union referee Sara Cox and wheelchair rugby league player James Simpson. She is then scheduled to travel up to the Midlands for a royal visit later today.

In a statement last night Buckingham Palace said that during surgery for a benign enlarged prostate, doctors spotted a separate issue ‘of concern’ for the King, and that this has since been confirmed to be cancerous.

It comes as the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, continues to recover from planned abdominal surgery while Sarah Ferguson also battles cancer for the second time, having recently been diagnosed with malignant melanoma.

Before the news was confirmed on Monday, Princess Anne put on a brave face as she attended the dedication of a new St John Ambulance Community unit in Devizes, Wiltshire.

The support unit was purchased following a successful fundraising campaign that raised £65,000 in donations.

It is not unusual for the Princess Royal to take on significant royal duties such as investitures – she previously carried out such ceremonies on January 17, 24 and 31. 

Prior to that, the King conducted two in December, with Prince William taking on the mantle on November 27. 

Speaking on Sky News, the Mail’s Robert Hardman described the Princess Royal as ‘essential’ at the royal family’s time of need, adding that she is ‘the backbone of the whole institution’.

Meanwhile the King spent last night at home in London after beginning out-patient cancer treatment – as family and friends revealed that the monarch remains ‘hugely positive’ following his bombshell diagnosis. 

Earlier on Tuesday Princess Beatrice was seen leaving Clarence House, where Charles is currently believed to be staying, with her husband following the news. 

It was reported this morning the monarch could be away from public-facing duties until at least March as he undergoes regular treatment. 

Buckingham Palace said in a statement last night: ‘During The King’s recent hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, a separate issue of concern was noted. Subsequent diagnostic tests have identified a form of cancer.

‘His Majesty has today commenced a schedule of regular treatments, during which time he has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties. Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual.

‘The King is grateful to his medical team for their swift intervention, which was made possible thanks to his recent hospital procedure. He remains wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible.

‘His Majesty has chosen to share his diagnosis to prevent speculation and in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer.’

Charles had been admitted to hospital for surgery on January 26 for treatment on a benign enlarged prostate. He remained at The London Clinic for three nights before being discharged and returning home.

The Prince of Wales, the Queen and other working royals are all to step up their royal duties while the King undergoes treatment as an outpatient.

Buckingham Palace has confirmed a number of the King’s forthcoming public engagements will have to be rearranged or postponed, but it is not anticipated that Counsellors of State will need to be appointed.

In the event a monarch cannot undertake their duties as sovereign on a temporary basis due to illness, two or more Counsellors of State can be appointed by Letters Patent to act in their place.

It is hoped the King will continue with some of his duties, but how much he can do will depend on the progress of his treatment and the orders of his doctors.

Other members of the royal family are expected to continue with a full programme of public engagements and may undertake some additional duties on behalf the King if they are required to do so.

Usually the duty would fall to William in the first instance, who has recently returned to royal duties after the Princess of Wales underwent major abdominal surgery last month.

William had taken time off to support his family as Kate recovered first in hospital, then returned home to Windsor to convalesce.

He will host an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on Wednesday and that evening will attend the London Air Ambulance annual fundraising gala in central London, Kensington Palace said.

Camilla will also continue with a full programme of public duties while her husband is treated, the Palace said.

Provisions for Counsellors of State are made under the Regency Acts 1937 to 1953 and those who can currently stand in for Charles include Queen Camilla and the four most senior adults in the line of succession over the age of 21 – the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Sussex, the Duke of York and Princess Beatrice.

In 2022, the King asked Parliament to add his youngest brother the Duke of Edinburgh and sister the Princess Royal as extra Counsellors of State so they can deputise for him if need be, and the addition was fast-tracked into law.

The legislation did add Anne and Edward to the list, but stopped short of removing Andrew and Harry. However, the House of Lords heard only ‘working members’ of the royal family would be called upon to act as Counsellors of State.

The Duke of Sussex is flying to London to be with his father after the King’s shock cancer diagnosis after clearing his diary. He could arrive in the UK as early as lunchtime today.

Charles is positive about his treatment and hopes to returning to full public duty as soon as possible, the Palace said.

William is likely to be undertaking some duties on his father’s behalf, it is understood, but Counsellors of State, who are appointed when a monarch cannot fulfil their duties as head of state, are not expected to be needed.

The King will still be dealing with his red boxes of state business and official papers, and holding Privy Council meetings, which can be held via video, and weekly audiences with the Prime Minister, which can take place over the phone.

Charles personally called both Harry and William, as well as his siblings the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Duke of Edinburgh, to give them the news before it was publicly announced.

The Palace has called for the King’s privacy to be respected, especially during his treatment, but said he wanted to make his diagnosis public because of his long-running support for cancer charities.

This is the latest major royal health scare to hit the monarchy at the start of 2024, coming after the King’s hospital stay, Kate’s major surgery, keeping her away from official duties until after Easter, and Sarah, Duchess of York’s skin cancer diagnosis.

Four 'persons of interest' in the carjacking death of a 70-year-old retired religious teacher have been photographed by police in a desperate bid to track down those responsible for her murder.

Vyleen White, 70, was stabbed to death in the underground car park of the Town Square Redbank Plains Shopping Centre, in Brisbane's south-west, about 6.10pm on Saturday.

Her six-year-old granddaughter witnessed the horror attack and screamed for help as the knifeman fled in her grandmother's blue 2009 Hyundai Getz.

Ms White's stolen car was later found in Springfield Lakes and seized for forensic examination.

Detectives from Ipswich and the Homicide Investigation Unit released CCTV images of four people they believed could assist their investigation on Sunday.

The group is described as possibly a mix of adult and young men who appear to be African.

“Investigators believe the four people depicted in the vision, captured last night in Bruny Street, Springfield Lakes, may be able to assist them with their investigation,” Queensland Police said.

“The vision also shows an interesting vehicle previously mentioned in an earlier press release, a blue 2009 Hyundai Getz with Queensland registration 432 TYO.”

Investigators urged anyone who saw the group in the Redbank Plains and Springfield Lakes areas between 6pm and 7pm on Saturday to contact police.

People with relevant camera footage and dashcam footage were also asked to come forward.

Mrs. White's daughter, Danice White, revealed that the grandmother was grocery shopping downtown ahead of plans for a Bible study later Saturday evening.

“We're all quite numb and shocked, we have high blood pressure at the moment,” Danice said Courier mail of her family.

“I'm having trouble controlling my thoughts right now.”

Danice recalled her father telling Mrs. White to go to another shopping center before she was attacked.

'Dad said, “Why don't you go to Redbank Plaza?” “If she had just listened that day, it wouldn't have been her,” she said.

The 70-year-old retiree is remembered as a kind-hearted man with a dedication to helping others, especially the homeless.

She was about to celebrate her 50th wedding anniversary with her husband, who relied on her help to navigate the world after he went blind.

Local doctor Ademola Afolabi was the first person to arrive at the confrontational scene of the stabbing.

He had heard Mrs White's granddaughter shouting: 'My grandma is dead' and followed her from outside Aldi into the car park.

“I saw a lady in a pool of blood, she was unresponsive, so I called triple-0,” he said.

“Her pants were soaked in blood, probably bleeding from the chest area.”

Mr Afolabi said it was “too late” to help Ms White by the time paramedics arrived, adding that her attacker “didn't give her a chance”.

Detective Acting Chief Inspector Heath McQueen asked for the public's help on Sunday afternoon in identifying the four people who “dumped the victim's vehicle on the street at Springfield Lakes, got out of that vehicle and walked away.”

“I can say that there is believed to be one person involved in the attack on this elderly lady, operating alone,” he said.

“However, it is possible that we may identify additional perpetrators peripherally connected to this perpetrator who committed the murder.”

Supt McQueen described the scene on Saturday as 'very harrowing' and acknowledged that although Ms White's six-year-old granddaughter was unharmed in the attack, it will 'leave a scar on her'.

“Let's be clear: this is a disgusting, cowardly, violent attack on a 70-year-old grandmother in front of her six-year-old granddaughter,” he said.

“This is a very confronting scene that we had to deal with tonight.”

By Freddy Pawle for Daily Mail Australia

Published: 00:04 EST, February 4, 2024 | Updated: 00:17 EST, February 4, 2024

A person of interest in a notorious unsolved poisoning case that has gripped China for decades is living in a quiet Australian beachside town – with Anthony Albanese facing calls to deport her to face the justice system in her home country. 

Three days before Christmas last year, Zhu Ling died aged 50 after living almost all of her adult life wheelchair-bound with the mental age of a six-year-old. 

The once-gifted musician had been repeatedly poisoned with the highly toxic chemical thallium while a student at Beijing’s Tsinghua University over several months in 1994 and 1995.

No one has ever been charged in her case. But her chemistry classmate and roommate, Sun Wei, was initially investigated by Chinese police before then being released. 

Internet-fueled suspicion has followed Ms Sun throughout her life – even though she has always maintained her innocence. 

Speculation about Ms Sun has only ratcheted up on Chinese social media – largely, Weibo – in the days since Ms Zhu’s death. 

Now, this publication has tracked Ms Sun, 50, down to a quiet beachside suburb three hours north of Sydney where she is living under a new name: Sun ‘Jasmine’ Shiyan. 

Ms Sun and her husband Feiyu Xie are known to locals in the tranquil coastal suburb of Salamander Bay, near Port Stephens, as ‘Jasmine and Ringo’.

‘They are a lovely couple with a young daughter, (they) keep themselves to themselves, really,’ one neighbour said. 

No local could imagine Jasmine might be mixed up in a 30-year-old unsolved poisoning case that has captivated millions of Chinese people.

The couple, who have built up a million-dollar property empire in the area, were allegedly on holiday in Japan when this publication visited on Wednesday.

One of their investment properties was due to go to auction on Friday afternoon, with a reserve price of $1.1 million.

But campaigners fear Jasmine with her husband may have left the country after her quiet life in Australia was exposed online. 

Ms Sun has been inundated with calls to return to China to address fevered speculation on Chinese social media.

Almost 40,000 people have signed a petition to the Australian government calling for Ms Sun to be investigated and deported. 

It is not suggested Ms Sun, 50, is guilty of murdering Ms Zhu or suspected of the murder – simply that she is a subject of Chinese social media speculation.

‘In 1994/1995, Tsinghua University student Zhu Ling was repeatedly poisoned with thallium while she was studying at the university,’ the petition states. 

‘This act resulted in catastrophic consequences for Zhu Ling, leaving her paralysed with brain damage. Zhu has died on 22 Dec 2023,’ it says – before going on to call for her to return to China.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Immigration Minister Andrew Giles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong are all named on the petition. 

Ms Sun and her husband are both naturalised Australian citizens and appear on the electoral roll.

The Australian newspaper recently spoke to Ms Sun’s husband, Mr Xie, who described the situation as ‘unfortunate’.

‘It’s an unfortunate thing for us, but we are not prepared to comment on anything,’ he told the paper. 

‘I want to protect her, I don’t think it’s a good thing, as you can imagine.’

Zhu Ling case: How university student’s mystery death captivated China

The victim Ms Zhu was a bright 20-year-old chemistry student at Beijing’s Tsinghua University – often described as China’s MIT – in December 1994 when she started to suffer crippling stomach pains, blurry vision and rapid hair loss.

The bizarre symptoms completely baffled doctors until desperate friends eventually begged international experts for help over an early version of the internet.

In the first case of its kind, leading scientists from across the world analysed her medical records and within days had reached a grim consensus: she had been poisoned with the highly-toxic chemical thallium.

Urgent tests revealed Ms Zhu had 1,000 times the normal amount of thallium in her bloodstream and doctors immediately began treating her with the antidote, Prussian Blue.

But it was too late.

The thallium, which is known as the ‘poisoner’s poison’ due to the fact it is colourless, odourless and tasteless, left her paralysed, almost blind and with the mental age of a six-year-old.

After receiving round-the-clock care for the rest of her life, Ms Zhu eventually succumbed to her injuries three days before Christmas last year, aged 50, with the tragedy turning into a potential homicide investigation. 

Her parents, who are now in their early 80s, have never stopped campaigning for justice.

The case remains unsolved. Ms Sun was investigated by police in 1997 but never charged.

Ms Sun has repeatedly denied her involvement in the case.

In 2005, Ms Sun reportedly posted on Tianya, a Chinese internet forum, to say cops had cleared her in 1998 due to insufficient evidence. 

A year later, Ms Sun’s family reportedly submitted an application to the police requesting the authorities re-open the case to ‘find the truth’ and clear her name.

In 2013, when the Shanghai case exploded back into the public’s imagination, Ms Sun reportedly wrote on Tianya: ‘I, more than anyone else, would like to bring the real perpetrator to justice.’

A long-time campaigner for justice had two strands of Ms Zhu’s hair from the time of the poisoning analysed in 2018.

The results revealed she had been repeatedly exposed to thallium over a period of four months with increased frequency and doses towards the end.

‘The overall thallium distribution profiles in the analysed hairs suggested both chronic and acute thallium exposures that correlated well with the sequential presentation of a plethora of symptoms experienced by the victim,’ the report states. 

An army of Chinese internet true crime obsessives have repeatedly demanded Ms Sun return to China and explain herself.

Discussion of Ms Zhu or the alleged suspect has been repeatedly quashed through the years by the government on Chinese social media sites, often only serving to fuel interest in the case. 

Despite her repeated denials, the case has continued to dog Ms Sun for the past 30 years, first in the US where in 2013 over 150,000 people signed a petition to then President Barack Obama calling for her deportation.

The White House declined to comment on the request for deportation but acknowledged Ms Zhu’s poisoning ‘was a tragedy’.  

‘No young person deserves to suffer as she has, and we can understand the heartbreak of those close to her,’ the response said. 

In 2013, the Beijing Public Security Bureau defended its investigation, claiming that the passage of time and the lack of evidence limited its ability to reopen the case.

‘The dedicated investigation team worked according to law, and the investigation was never compromised or interfered with in any way,’ a statement from the police said.

The netizens have also exposed Ms Sun’s social media profiles, personal information and business dealings in Australia online, with a source close to the family saying she fears for her life. 

Attempts to contact Ms Sun were unsuccessful.