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Britt Road in Mount Dora Set to Reopen After Nearly Two Years of Closures

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Britt Road in Mount Dora Set to Reopen After Nearly Two Years of Closures

New truck restrictions, drainage upgrades aim to protect rebuilt Lake County roadway

MOUNT DORA, Fla. – Britt Road in Mount Dora is set to reopen Friday, ending nearly two years of detours for local drivers.

The route will return as a two-lane roadway after Hurricane Milton destroyed a significant section in October 2024. The damage forced a prolonged closure and created daily traffic challenges for residents and other motorists who depend on Britt Road.

Construction finally got underway in August 2026. In addition to reconstructing the roadway, crews added drainage improvements and other safety features intended to reduce the risk of similar damage in the future.

Aerial damage of Britt Road in Lake County following Hurricane Milton. (Lake County)

The Lake County Commission has also approved a resolution prohibiting trucks weighing more than 10 tons from using Britt Road between Wolf Branch Road and State Road 44.

County officials said the roadway was not designed for heavy truck traffic. Limiting large vehicles is expected to help protect the newly rebuilt road, although delivery trucks, garbage collection vehicles and agricultural vehicles are exempt from the restriction.

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Florida Publix Slashing Suspect Was Released Months Earlier Despite Victim’s Warnings, Records Show

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Florida Publix Slashing Suspect Was Released Months Earlier Despite Victim’s Warnings, Records Show

Florida man accused of slashing Publix shopper

Ramsey Thomas Lyons, 47, has been charged with felony aggravated battery on a person age 65 or older after an alleged attack at the Publix Super Market on Tamiami Trail in Punta Gorda, Florida, on Oct. 10, 2026, according to Punta Gorda police.

A Florida man allegedly used a box cutter to slash a 70-year-old Publix customer, a little more than three months after a mental health court ended his probation in a separate case involving an unprovoked assault on a teenager.

The Punta Gorda Police Department said Lyons is accused of aggravated battery against a person 65 or older in connection with the Oct. 10 incident at the Publix supermarket on Tamiami Trail.

A sworn probable-cause affidavit said Lyons approached the shopper from behind shortly before 4 p.m. as the man was shopping inside the store.

The victim told investigators he felt someone strike him forcefully and turned around to see Lyons staring at him while holding a box-cutter blade. After touching his head and seeing blood on his hands, the man ran toward the front of the store, according to the affidavit.

Ramsey Thomas Lyons

Ramsey Thomas Lyons, 47, faces a felony charge of aggravated battery on a person 65 years or older following an attack at the Publix Super Market on Tamiami Trail in Punta Gorda, Florida, on Oct. 10, 2026. (Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office)

Punta Gorda officers arrived and took Lyons into custody at the front of the store. Police said he was standing there with his hands on his head. Officers also found a box cutter in the aisle where the attack allegedly occurred.

Emergency responders transported the victim to Fawcett Memorial Hospital for treatment of a serious four- to six-inch wound stretching from his left cheek to his neck, as well as a minor cut on his upper chest, police said.

After waiving his Miranda rights, Lyons told investigators he had a deep “dislike for the 1960’s era” and said he had gone to the store intending to kill someone. Police said he selected the victim because the shopper “looked like he was from the 1960’s” and Lyons felt like “acing him out.”

An exterior view of a Publix.

Publix is an employee-owned American supermarket chain based out of Lakeland, Florida, with over 1,400 locations. (iStock)

“I just pulled it out of my pocket and stuck it in his neck,” Lyons said, according to the affidavit.

Lyons also told police he had mental health issues and allegedly acknowledged spending two days planning the attack. He said he intentionally left the weapon in the aisle so responding officers would not use a Taser or shoot him, according to investigators.

The latest alleged attack prompted renewed criticism from the mother of a teenager Lyons was accused of assaulting previously.

On March 13, 2025, Lyons allegedly punched a 16-year-old in the side of the face at a Wawa gas station in Port Charlotte while the teenager was holding open a door. After his arrest, the 20th Judicial Circuit court system placed Lyons in a specialized Mental Health Court diversion program.

Shawna Gentry, the teenager’s mother, told News Media that she opposed the diversion program and urged the state prosecutor to pursue jail time, alcohol treatment classes and probation. She said she warned court officials that Lyons remained an active and volatile threat.

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Shawna Gentry and her son

Shawna Gentry is pictured with her son in an undated photograph. Gentry’s son was attacked on March 13, 2025, at a Wawa gas station in Port Charlotte, Florida, when he was 16. (Courtesy of Shawna Gentry)

Charlotte County court minutes show that Lyons’ probation ended July 6 without opposition from the State Attorney’s Office. The minutes included the handwritten message “Graduation! Congratulations!” next to a hand-drawn smiley face.

“The way the court handled it, the way the state attorney handled it was very odd to me,” Gentry said. “They told us they were sending him to a mental health facility, but he never went to a secured place. From what we saw, they just put him right back onto outpatient probation in our neighborhood and cut us completely out of the process.”

Gentry also disputed the suggestion that Lyons experienced a psychiatric break during the alleged attacks. In her view, he used references to mental health as a deliberate legal defense.

“When the sheriff came, it was almost like he knew exactly what to say,” Gentry said. “He immediately said, ‘Well, I’ve got mental health issues.’ He was so quick to use that word.”

She also said that Lyons appeared visibly intoxicated during the 2025 assault.

The court provided no tracking updates, safety alerts, or transitional monitoring to his prior victims, Gentry said.

Months later, Lyons walked into the Punta Gorda Publix.

Mental health courts

The National Treatment Court Resource Center counted 679 adult mental health courts nationwide at the end of 2024. A 2021 analysis of 30 evaluations linked mental health court participation to 74% lower odds of repeat offending.

Research on offenders with mental disorders suggests that recidivism depends more on criminal history than on diagnosis. A 2005 published in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence found that the number of previous offenses was the strongest predictor of reoffending.

“My son saw it on TikTok , came running to me, and I could see the emotion in his face,” Gentry said. “Big old tears welled up in his eyes and he said, ‘Mom, the guy that hit me just stabbed an old man at Publix. You were right.'”

“The first thing out of my son’s mouth to the sheriff back in 2025 was that if that man had a gun or a knife, he wouldn’t be here today. Now an innocent senior citizen is in the hospital because the system refused to hold him accountable.”

The State Attorney’s Office for the 20th Judicial Circuit did not respond to comment for request by publication date.

Lyons remains held without bond at the Charlotte County Jail. His arraignment is scheduled for Nov. 16 at the Charlotte County Justice Center.

Court records indicated that Lyons declined a public defender. It’s unclear whether he has hired a private attorney.

Judge Grants Couple ‘Squatters’ Rights’ Over Tiny 48cm Boundary Encroachment

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Judge Grants Couple ‘Squatters’ Rights’ Over Tiny 48cm Boundary Encroachment

A business couple have lost a four-year legal dispute over a 48cm strip of land after seeking to have their neighbours’ kitchen extension demolished for allegedly crossing the property boundary.

Susannah James, a Cambridge-educated tax company director, bought the £600,000 semi-detached home in Surbiton, south-west London, in 2021.

A year later, she launched a legal challenge against the owners of the adjoining property, claiming their kitchen extension extended 48cm beyond the boundary separating the two homes.

In recent months, ownership of Mrs James’s property was transferred into joint names with her husband and business partner, Chris James.

The dispute eventually reached the First-tier Tribunal this year, where the Jameses faced neighbours Mina Sharma and Neil Deeley, who have owned the adjoining house since 2012.

The couple, who run an insurance tax business, asked Judge Ewan Paton to rule that part of Ms Sharma and Mr Deeley’s kitchen had trespassed onto their land.

They also sought an order requiring the extension to be demolished and removed.

Instead, the judge ruled in favour of the kitchen’s owners, granting their claim to adverse possession—sometimes referred to as squatters’ rights—over the disputed 48cm strip.

A business power couple have lost a four-year boundary battle with their neighbours in Surbiton, South West London

The four-year boundary dispute between the business couple and their neighbours centred on two homes in Surbiton, south-west London

The row centred around the boundary between the two properties - with Susannah and Chris James insisting their neighbour's kitchen extension encroached 48cm into their land

Susannah and Chris James claimed their neighbours’ kitchen extension crossed 48cm into their property

Cambridge-educated tax company boss Susannah James

Chris James, husband and business partner of Susannah James

Susannah James bought the £600,000 semi-detached property in Surbiton in 2021 and later transferred it into joint ownership with her husband, Chris

The tribunal heard that the kitchen extension had been built in the early 1980s, long before the current owners moved in. Neither Ms Sharma and Mr Deeley nor the previous owners realised that it extended beyond the legal boundary when they purchased the property.

The neighbours had occupied the strip in practice and reasonably believed it belonged to them because their kitchen stood on it. The same assumption had been made by the property’s former owners.

Judge Paton noted that boundary lines shown on Ordnance Survey and Land Registry plans would not necessarily appear as perfectly straight lines on the ground.

“Almost every property will have some kinks, curves, ‘steps’ or similar features along its boundaries,” he said.

He added that buyers could not reasonably be expected to suspect a legal boundary problem simply because a physical boundary appeared stepped or slightly uneven.

“Even if they come across such a step or a kink, I consider that they are nevertheless entitled initially to assume that ‘what they see is what they get’—that they are buying a house whose boundaries are ‘as seen’ on the ground,” the judge said.

The case, he said, highlighted the importance of long-established physical boundaries in property disputes. The extension had probably remained in its current position for more than 22 years before anyone challenged it.

“It was entirely reasonable for successive owners of that property to assume and believe that they owned everything within its walls,” Judge Paton concluded.

The tribunal was told that the disputed boundary separates two semi-detached Surbiton homes that were once part of a single Victorian property.

Inside the kitchen of No. 26, which had 'stepped' across the boundary by 48cm into next door's land

Inside the kitchen of No. 26, which had ‘stepped’ across the boundary by 48cm into next door’s land

Both have single-storey kitchen extensions, but while the boundary between the two kitchens is in line with the garden fences of the properties, a comparison with the dividing line of the two roofs of the houses shows that the kitchen of Ms Sharma and Mr Deeley’s property is ‘stepped’ across the boundary by 48cm into next door’s land.

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The judge was told that nobody had noticed this was the case for 40 years – including Mrs James when she first bought her property – due to thick vegetation at the back of the houses masking the border.

When Mrs James began sending lawyers’ letters in 2022, rather than dispute the boundary line itself, Ms Sharma and Mr Deeley – whose daughter now lives in the house – instead chose to assert that the land was theirs now via adverse possession.

In his ruling handing them victory, the judge said: ‘These proceedings concern what might be called, without diminishing its importance to the parties, a ‘sliver’ of land some 480mm wide which currently forms part of number 26’s kitchen.

‘Mrs James believes and has asserted that this portion of land, notwithstanding its enclosure within number 26, forms part of her registered title to number 25.

‘Ms Sharma and Mr Deeley’s case is that they thought that all of the land constituting their kitchen and bathroom ‘belonged’ to them, and that this is what they had bought in 2012.

‘They claim that the extension comprising their kitchen and bathroom has been in situ in its present configuration and location since they purchased number 26 in 2012.

‘They also obtained, and relied on, evidence from one of the previous joint owners to the effect that it was also in this location at the date of his purchase in 2000, and at all times thereafter. They therefore relied on this as evidence of sufficient adverse possession.’

The judge said the evidence was ‘overwhelming’ that the kitchen extension had been in the same location since just before 2000.

He said: ‘The construction and enjoyment of part of a house on neighbouring land is possibly the plainest example of factual possession with intention to possess.

‘To the extent, therefore, that any parts of number 26’s kitchen encroach across the boundary line assumed for the purposes of this application, there can be no doubt that the successive owners of that property have been in adverse possession of such additional land since at least 30th October 2000.

‘I likewise have little hesitation in finding that such a belief was entirely reasonable.

‘A reasonable purchaser and owner, even if they had studied the title plans in detail, could assume that the approximately straight line depicted corresponded to the fence line, and so took in the full physical extent of the extension.

‘At the very least, it would not be clear precisely where the exact boundary ‘shifted’ so as to run along the house centre lines, assuming that it did so. A reasonable purchaser, seeing what they had seen inside, could still assume that all of the kitchen was theirs, and that the boundary did not run right through it.

‘I consider that it is, and was in 2000, an utterly conventional and commonplace case of a property with an undetermined general boundary, with nothing to put even a solicitor – and certainly not a lay purchaser – on alert as to there being a potential boundary issue in the kitchen area. 

‘I consider it was reasonable to assume here, as in millions of similar purchases, that what you see is what you get.

‘I therefore find that the applicants did in fact believe, as had [the previous owners], that they owned the full physical extent of the house and garden.’

In her evidence, Mrs James had told the judge she did not notice that the kitchen extension was over the line when she bought the house and did not think she was acquiring a slice of her neighbour’s kitchen.

‘She was then perfectly content with what she did think she had bought,’ the judge continued.

‘She too referred to the fact that view from the rear was ‘obscured by vegetation’, so that any difference between the extensions’ boundary and the roof line was not obvious.

‘These proceedings have followed since then. I consider it unfortunate that Mrs James, supported by Mr James, took the stance which she did.

‘This case might serve as an example of the importance of long established physical boundaries in resolving boundary disputes…. [the] extension had likely been in its current location for well over 22 years before any issue was raised over it.

The judge approved Ms Sharma and Mr Deeley’s application for adverse possession of the strip of land.

Katie Price’s Ex Tells Trial He Found Cocaine at Mucky Mansion

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Katie Price’s Ex Tells Trial He Found Cocaine at Mucky Mansion

Katie Price’s former husband, Kieran Hayler, has told a court he discovered the aftermath of a drink and drugs binge at her Sussex property, known as the “Mucky Mansion”, after their relationship ended.

Jurors at Lewes Crown Court heard that Hayler found cocaine and empty alcohol bottles scattered throughout the house before leaving in 2018.

Hayler, 39, is standing trial accused of three rapes and one sexual assault involving a 13-year-old schoolgirl in 2016. He denies all the allegations.

Giving evidence, he described the family home as chaotic and said he continued living there for two months after the couple separated.

Hayler told the court: “I was coming down in the morning to carnage. There were drugs on the side. Cocaine on the worktops.

“There were drugs everywhere and alcohol. The house was in an absolute state.”

Defence barrister Arlette Piercy asked Hayler whether he believed Price had developed a vendetta against him after their split.

He replied: “It wasn’t amicable.”

Katie Price is pictured arriving at Lewes Crown Court, East Sussex, on October 14

Katie Price arrives at Lewes Crown Court in East Sussex on October 14

Kieran Hayler, seen outside court on October 14, denies charges of rape and sexual assault

Kieran Hayler, pictured outside court on October 14, denies the rape and sexual assault charges

He added: “I’d never had any contact with police.”

Hayler denies three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault allegedly committed against a teenager in West Sussex in 2016.

Price, 48, was cross-examined earlier this week. She told the court she had not followed media coverage of the trial because she had been “handcuffed to Suella Braverman all week” while appearing on a Channel 4 programme.

Earlier in the proceedings, jurors heard that Hayler believes his former wife is behind an attempt to frame him.

The alleged victim contacted the NSPCC in 2021. The charity then referred her to police, leading to an investigation.

Police first interviewed Hayler in January 2022. He denied the allegations and said no sexual activity had taken place.

When she gave evidence last Tuesday, the complainant told jurors that Hayler sent her a message after the third alleged rape reading, “I love you goodnight.” She said she replied: “I love you too.”

At the opening of the trial last Monday, jurors heard that Hayler’s case would be that Price invented the allegations as part of a campaign against him.

Hayler and Katie Price are pictured together at a London film premiere in November 2015

Hayler and Katie Price attend a London film premiere together in November 2015

Hayler maintains that the allegations were “created” and that he was being “set up” following the collapse of their marriage.

The alleged victim’s mother last week told jurors her daughter liked the way Mr Hayler talked to her, saying: ‘She said he told her he didn’t have any friends and she could be his best friend. She liked the way he spoke to her.’

Asked why she did not tell anybody else about the rape allegations until after Ms Price contacted social services in 2018, the mother said: ‘I had to keep her secret and her trust.

‘I couldn’t tell my husband because I knew what the consequences would be. I didn’t want any of this for her.’

The mother has denied she was influenced by Katie Price to come to court and said her daughter was not interested in becoming a celebrity.

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In a text message exchange between Ms Price and the girl, the jury heard Ms Price offered to make her a ‘little star’.

Asked on Tuesday in cross-examination by Ms Piercy about use of the phrase ‘little star,’ Ms Price said: ‘That’s a figure of speech.’

Ms Piercy then asked: ‘When you use that figure of speech, what did you mean?’

Ms Price replied: ‘I don’t know, when she was 13 there’s no agenda or nothing behind it. It’s just a figure of speech.’

The messages had been read out to the alleged victim’s mother during her second day in the witness box last week, when Ms Piercy asked the mother if she was aware of the messages.

The witness replied: ‘My daughter wasn’t interested in becoming a star.’

Ms Piercy challenged the mother on what she knew about the allegations and when, asking: ‘You didn’t believe anything had happened, did you, and you didn’t do anything about it did you?’

The mother replied: ‘Yes, I did. I believed my daughter.’

Messages sent in May 2017 between the alleged victim and Ms Price were last week read to the jury, in which Price asked her about rumours regarding Hayler.

The complainant said she did not remember the exchange, but the court was told Price asked her whether Mr Hayler fancied her and if he tried to kiss her.

In one message, Price wrote: ‘I won’t say anything and I promise I’ll protect you. I’m only asking as this is a serious allegation to say.’

The girl, then aged 14, replied: ‘It was just a flirt thing and he knew it was wrong. Nothing happened.’

Price replied: ‘I won’t bring up any more, just want truth. I will make you a little star.’

Former reality TV star Hayler met Ms Price in 2012 and proposed on Christmas Day.

They married at a luxury Caribbean resort the following year but separated in 2018 and divorced three years later.

In a previous statement, Sussex Police said: ‘We can confirm Kieran Hayler, of Northchapel, West Sussex, has been charged with three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault against a 13-year-old girl.

‘The offences are alleged to have occurred at an address in West Sussex between June 1 and October 13, 2016.

‘The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has received support from specially trained officers as our enquiries continue.’

A spokesman for Hayler has previously said: ‘Kieran Hayler strongly denies the allegations made against him in their entirety.

‘Mr Hayler is fully engaged and has been co-operating with the police throughout the investigation and will continue to do so.

‘He looks forward to his name being cleared, believing in the judicial system to do so.’

The alleged victim is not part of Hayler or Ms Price’s extended families.

Hayler denies rape and sexual assault. The trial at Lewes Crown Court continues.

Designer Reveals Freebie Mix-Up That Left Meghan Markle Embarrassed

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Designer Reveals Freebie Mix-Up That Left Meghan Markle Embarrassed

The Duchess of Sussex vowed never to wear French designer Roland Mouret’s clothes again after his fashion house “humiliated” her by mistakenly requesting the return of complimentary outfits through the Princess of Wales’s office.

In his new memoir, Mouret says Meghan became furious after a member of his staff contacted Kensington Palace, rather than her own team, to arrange the clothes’ return.

According to the designer, Meghan told him the mistake had embarrassed her and declared that she could never wear his designs again.

He recalls her saying: “Meghan was furious and called me. ‘You don’t realise what you’ve done! You’ve embarrassed me.’”

Mouret does not specify exactly when the dispute took place. He says only that it happened after Meghan and Prince Harry’s relationship became public, but before the couple stepped down as senior working royals in 2020.

He says Meghan rejected his apology and told him: “You know now I can never wear your clothes again.”

Meghan later appeared in what Mouret described as a “cheap high street copy” of one of his designs. The designer says he texted her afterwards, accusing her of being “ridiculous”.

In I Am Roland Mouret: The Butcher’s Boy Who Dressed the World, which is due to be published next week, he writes: “Meghan’s decision not to wear my clothes was hers, not the palace’s, not anybody else’s. I don’t think anyone else cared.”

Reflecting on her decision to avoid his creations, he adds: “I didn’t see the logic of that but I didn’t question it.”

Mouret has designed dresses for the Princess of Wales since 2011. Writing about Kate, he says: “Many want to be famous but if Kate could do everything she does, and be married to the man she is married to, without the fame, you suspect she would choose it.”

Designer Roland Mouret and then actress Meghan Markle together in Canada in 2016, the period when she fell in love with Harry and confided him him

Designer Roland Mouret and actress Meghan Markle in Canada in 2016, around the time she fell in love with Harry and confided in Mouret

Meghan wearing a £1,450 dress by the designer the day before her wedding in May 2018

Meghan wearing a £1,450 dress by Roland Mouret the day before her wedding in May 2018

The Princess of Wales in a Mouret dress at this year's women's singles final. Roland, who has designed dresses for her for more than 15 years, says of Kate in his book that if she could avoid fame, she probably would

The Princess of Wales wearing a Mouret dress at this year’s women’s singles final. Roland, who has designed dresses for her for more than 15 years, writes that Kate would probably choose a life without fame if she could

A spokesman for the Duchess of Sussex declined to comment.

Meghan has continued to wear Mouret’s designs on occasion, including one of his dresses featured in an As Ever jam Instagram advertisement earlier this year.

The duchess and Mouret had been close friends since meeting on holiday in Turkey in 2015. He was also among the first people she told after she fell in love with Harry.

The pair first met in a hotel lift, where Meghan was wearing only a dressing gown as she made her way to the Soho House spa.

Mouret writes: “I said: ‘You don’t know me but you do know me in a way. I am Roland Mouret.’”

“She screamed and laughed and we chatted for a few moments. I told her that Suits was being very good to me,” he recalls, referring to the television show’s use of his designs.

They arranged to meet again at a party later that evening and soon became close friends.

When back in Canada filming Suits, she later texted him to say she had split from a boyfriend.

‘I’m coming to London soon. I’m going to travel in Europe this summer because I’m single and I want to have a change,’ she wrote.

Mouret claims that within months she had met Harry and told him about the relationship before the world knew she was dating a prince.

In his book, serialised in The Times, he recalled: ‘I got a call from her. “Roland, I met someone.” 

“Your nice European guy?’

“Nice British guy.” She giggled.

“Even better”, I said. “What does he do?” She hesitated. “He’s a prince”.’

Mouret wrote: ‘I knew she was in love. It was the amount of breath mixed in with her words, finely balanced but revealing, just like a perfume.

‘There was only one British prince. We knew who we were talking about.’

The celebrated designer then offered to provide Meghan with clothes for her new life.

He told her: ‘You’ll go to a lot of functions, you’ll need clothes. Do you want me to send you some now so that you’ll be ready?’

She replied: ‘Yes, please.’

He wrote: ‘I asked a member of my team to send a selection I had put aside to the palace. “Leave them there as long as she wants them. Don’t follow up on it and do not talk about it to anyone at all, here or outside”.

‘Three months later, Meghan and I met up for a coffee. She said, “It’s going to come out very soon. We think the press know and it’s any day now”.’

Mouret and Meghan in a post-lunch selfie in a series of social media posts about him when they were close

Mouret and Meghan in a post-lunch selfie in a series of social media posts about him when they were close

Meghan wore another dress by Mouret when she met President Michael D Higgins during her tour of Dublin in July 2018

Meghan wore another dress by Mouret when she met President Michael D Higgins during her tour of Dublin in July 2018

But Mouret claims their friendship later soured when a member of his team asked for the clothes back.

The mistake, he says, was that the request was made through Kate’s team rather than directly to Meghan and her aides.

Mouret had designed for Kate for many years and suggests the member of staff went via the now Princess of Wales’s team at Kensington Palace for efficiency reasons. 

He wrote: ‘Meghan and Harry’s relationship became public. Then the same team member who had sent the clothes for Meghan decided, in an honest attempt to be efficient, to call Kate’s stylist at the palace and ask for Meghan’s dresses to be returned.

‘Meghan was furious and called me.’

Mouret said his apology was not accepted.

He told her: ‘Meghan, it was just a mistake by someone who didn’t know. My apologies. I know it’s not good for you and you want to do things privately.’

But she allegedly replied: ‘You know now I can never wear your clothes again.’

Mouret claims Meghan subsequently began wearing at least one ‘cheap high street copy’ of his designs.

He wrote: ‘The following year, I saw a photo of her out in a cheap high street copy of one of my designs. I messaged her: “I can understand if you don’t wear my stuff, but if it’s to wear a cheap copy then that’s ridiculous. Come back”.’

She texted back: ‘I think I should come and see you.’ 

Meghan Markle dusted off a favourite Mouret dress for an Instagram post, teasing the launch of a new As Ever jam earlier this year

Meghan Markle dusted off a favourite Mouret dress for an Instagram post, teasing the launch of a new As Ever jam earlier this year

This year Meghan donned a plunging Roland Mouret number as part of an As Ever product launch.

Meghan has herself spoken of the close bond she shared with the French designer.

She wore his dresses for red carpet appearances and gave him a string of social media shout-outs.

The Duchess also confirmed that they first met in a hotel lift in Istanbul.

‘This man in a bathrobe said, ‘I’d love to dress you’, I thought ‘whaaat?’ Then he told me who he was and we’ve been friends ever since,’ she said.

She later wrote on social media: ‘Love your dresses to the moon and back, but love you even more #favouritedesigner.’

The pair also posed for a series of cosy selfies together.

Mouret was among the designers tipped to make Meghan’s royal wedding dress, although she eventually chose Givenchy.

In his book, he does not appear to say whether he and Meghan remain on good terms.

But he writes warmly of the Princess of Wales, who wore a Roland Mouret dress to the Wimbledon ladies’ singles final in July.

He recalled: ‘Kate Middleton came to my studio to try on some clothes. Later, I went to the palace with clothes for her. Many want to be famous but if Kate could do everything she does, and be married to the man she is married to, without the fame, you suspect she would choose it.’

The Sussexes looked very happy to be in Nottingham, with Harry putting a protective arm around his wife on their first UK appearance for four years on Thursday

The Sussexes looked very happy to be in Nottingham, with Harry putting a protective arm around his wife on their first UK appearance for four years on Thursday

The fashionista’s claims came hours after Meghan and Harry made their first public appearance together since their extraordinary return to the UK.

The Duke of Sussex repeatedly put a protective arm around his wife as they were cheered by crowds and stopped for selfies during a series of royal-style engagements in Nottingham on Thursday.

When a supporter welcomed her back to the UK, Meghan smiled and replied: ‘It’s wonderful to be back.’

Their royal-style charity engagements in the East Midlands, just six weeks after returning to live in Britain, came after the King described the Sussexes as ‘private citizens’.

Critics have called the visits, organised by Team Sussex, a ‘cynical’ attempt to return to royal duties ‘by stealth’. Harry was in playful mood and was pictured tickling a man’s ginger beard.

Elizabeth Holmes’ Prison Life: Routine, Family Visits and Future Plans

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Elizabeth Holmes’ Prison Life: Routine, Family Visits and Future Plans

Elizabeth Holmes, once hailed as the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire, is now serving time in federal prison.

Even so, her days behind bars are anything but empty.

At Federal Prison Camp Bryan, a minimum-security facility in Bryan, Texas, the former Theranos chief is pursuing a law apprenticeship, writing to mothers facing difficult circumstances, spending time with her children and pushing for changes to the prison system.

Holmes, whose story is explored in Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim’s You Can See Everything, is also thinking about the future of healthcare—years after her conviction for conspiring to defraud investors in her collapsed blood-testing startup.

Here’s a closer look at Elizabeth Holmes’ life in prison and how she spends her time while serving her sentence:

What Was Elizabeth Holmes Arrested For?

Holmes became famous—and enormously wealthy—as the public face of Theranos, a company that claimed it could transform medical testing. Its central promise was a device capable of running a wide range of tests using only a small finger prick, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California.

Prosecutors said the technology did not perform as advertised and produced unreliable patient results, including readings connected to pregnancy and cancer screenings.

Authorities eventually uncovered what they described as an “elaborate fraud.” Holmes and her former romantic and business partner, Ramesh Balwani, were later arrested.

When Did Elizabeth Holmes Go to Prison? 

Following a trial that lasted nearly four months, Holmes was found guilty in January 2022 of conspiring to defraud investors and three additional counts of wire fraud involving more than $140 million in transfers, prosecutors said. In November of that year, she received a sentence of 11 years and three months, though her time was later reduced for good behavior.

“For almost a decade, Elizabeth Holmes fabricated and spread elaborate falsehoods to draw in a legion of capital investors, both big and small, and her deceit caused the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars,” U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds said at the time. “Her sentence reflects the audacity of her massive fraud and the staggering damage she caused.”

Holmes postponed her surrender while pregnant with her second child and ultimately entered prison in May 2023.

What is Elizabeth Holmes Life Like in Prison?

In a People interview published two years later, Holmes called incarceration “hell and torture” and continued to maintain that she was not guilty.

“Theranos failed,” she said. “But failure is not fraud.”

At the same time, Holmes has sought practical improvements within the facility, including speaking with the warden about establishing several lactation rooms.

Her daily schedule begins shortly after 5 a.m. in the prison’s dormitory-style housing. After breakfast, she typically completes a 40-minute workout.

She then reports to the education building, where she works as a reentry clerk. According to People, Holmes earns 31 cents per hour while assisting fellow inmates with resumes and helping them prepare to return to the community.

MORE STORY: Prosecutors: Husband Strangled Wife, Then Set Her Body Ablaze

Holmes also supports incarcerated women who survived sexual assault, takes cognitive behavioral therapy to address her own PTSD and reads during her downtime. Her reading list has reportedly included the ancient Chinese divination text I Ching as well as the Harry Potter books.

Her prison experience has also included academic progress. On Sept. 18, Holmes posted on X to mark her graduation from a law apprenticeship program completed during her incarceration.

“The symbolism of doing so for Constitutional law studies while held in a prison, fighting to prove my innocence, is radiating through me today,” she wrote. “There is no greater way I know to protect liberty than to defend our Constitution when it is trampled upon.”

Beyond her work and studies, Holmes has maintained important connections with people outside the prison.

“Every day I write letters with moms fighting for their children, fighting for love, fighting to build and protect that bond in the face of deployments or divorces or crushing work demands to be able to provide from them,” she added in a Sept. 29 post to her account on X, which her partner Billy Evans helps her run from behind bars. “What I know is that love transcends the physical. Bodies can be in two different places, and yet your hears can be in each other’s.” 

Elizabeth Holmes Enjoys Weekly Visits With Partner Billy Evans, Her Children

She receives visits twice a week from Evans and their two children, son William and daughter Invicta. During those visits, she can hold her children and watch them play, but the farewells remain painful. Holmes told People that having to say goodbye “shatters my world every single time.”

“It kills me to put my family through pain the way I do,” she added. “But when I look back on my life, and these angels that have come into it, I can get through anything. It makes me want to fight for all of it.”

Holmes also addressed public scrutiny about why she chose to have two children, despite facing criminal charges. 

“Yes I thought I would win at trial, and then on appeal,” she wrote on X Sept. 30. “I still believe I will prove my innocence, and the fact I haven’t yet torments me every single night. But I would give my life for a moment holding and loving them.” 

She continued, “And I know they will grow up knowing what it means to stand in the face of impossible odds for what you know is right and true, and in so doing, be truly free.”

When Will Elizabeth Holmes Be Released? 

Though Holmes’ official release date with the Bureau of Prisons is listed as Feb. 22, 2030, ABC News reported last month that she is expected to transition to a community correction center, or halfway house, in Del Valle, Texas on Aug. 23, 2027 to finish out her sentence.

Elizabeth Holmes Plans to Re-Enter Healthcare Arena After Release

After her release, Holmes told People she plans to continue to fight for reforms to the criminal justice system.

While behind bars, she drafted a American Freedom Act bill, which she called her “life’s work,” to strengthen the presumption of innocence for those facing criminal charges.

She’s also still envisioning ways she can re-enter the healthcare space.

“There is not a day I have not continued to work on my research and inventions,” she said, according to People. “I remain completely committed to my dream of making affordable healthcare solutions available to everyone.”

Meanwhile, Evans has launched a new blood testing company of his own he calls Haemanthus.

Trump Slams Ukraine’s Zelensky After He Says ‘We’re Done’ With Energy Cease-Fire: ‘That’s a Disgrace’

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Trump Slams Ukraine’s Zelensky After He Says ‘We’re Done’ With Energy Cease-Fire: ‘That’s a Disgrace’

President Trump sharply criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a televised interview Thursday after Zelensky declared that Kyiv was “done” complying with Trump’s request to pause attacks on Russian energy facilities.

“If you tell me that Zelensky is again shooting at refineries, all he’s doing is making the world oil price higher,” Trump told Newsmax host Rob Finnerty. “I think that’s a disgrace. There’s plenty of other targets.”

As the White House seeks to revive efforts to end Russian President Vladimir Putin’s four-and-a-half-year invasion of Ukraine, Trump said Zelensky was “not a good guy for us to deal with.”

“I think they actually both would like to see it end,” Trump said. “But I think I find Zelensky to be more difficult to deal with than Putin.”

Trump said Sunday that Moscow and Kyiv had agreed to stop targeting one another’s energy infrastructure as winter approached. Zelensky, however, said Ukraine had honored the understanding on its own while Russia carried out more than 100 strikes against Ukrainian energy facilities over the previous week.

“The block is out,” Zelensky told the Financial Times on Thursday during a visit to London. “We’re done.”

Shortly afterward, Ryazan province Governor Pavel Malkov said Ukrainian drones struck a building belonging to a state-owned oil company, igniting a fire.

The dispute marked another rupture after a brief thaw in relations between Trump and Zelensky. On Friday, Zelensky traveled to Brussels for a summit of European leaders, where he thanked what he called the continent’s “real leaders” for their backing.

“We want to end this war as [quickly] as possible,” Zelensky told reporters in the Belgian capital. “We don’t see now signals from Russian side that they are ready for this, to end this war. That’s why we have to prepare for the winter.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitriy Peskov echoed Trump’s criticism Friday, saying, “Zelensky doesn’t want to take responsibility and move toward a peaceful resolution.”

Russian attacks were reported across nine Ukrainian regions Friday, leaving at least 15 people wounded and hundreds of thousands of homes without electricity. Russia’s Defense Ministry separately claimed that its air defenses had intercepted 644 Ukrainian drones overnight across several regions, Crimea and the Black Sea.

NEXT UP: UK Father Walks Free After Son’s Fatal Fall From Cyprus Hotel

The latest Trump-Zelensky clash follows a dispute that began last week, when Trump announced an agreement to purchase more than 2.25 million barrels of diesel from Russia in an effort to curb fuel prices that have surged amid the war with Iran.

Zelensky expressed outrage in an interview with Axios, describing the deal as something that “looks like a happy birthday present” for Putin. He also alleged that US military officials had threatened to suspend intelligence sharing on Russian airstrikes unless Kyiv accepted Trump’s proposed moratorium.

White House sources, however, told The Post that Putin understood the cease-fire to cover oil refineries only, not the power plants that Russian forces have continued to strike.

The sources accused Zelensky of deliberately broadening the narrow agreement’s terms in order to argue that Russia had violated it first, an approach they said weakened both the arrangement and Trump’s diplomatic effort.

Trump has denied that the United States ever halted intelligence cooperation with Ukraine. Tensions rose again Tuesday when Kyiv abruptly lost access to the Starshield military satellite network.

Starshield, SpaceX’s secure military version of the Starlink satellite system, enables Ukrainian forces to monitor and intercept fast-moving threats while supporting long-range strikes against targets inside Russia.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk blamed the Pentagon and White House for the disruption Wednesday. A senior US official told The Post on Thursday that Trump had not restricted Ukraine’s Starshield access. The Pentagon has not commented on the allegation.

Ukrainian officials said Starshield service had been restored by Thursday morning.

Despite Zelensky’s objections, the Trump administration maintains that its current strategy — including the diesel agreement with Russia — offers the strongest path toward securing peace in Ukraine.

Officials claimed the deal would effectively serve as a carrot to get Putin back to the negotiating table and lay the groundwork for a lasting peace.

With Post wires

RHOC Recap: Tamra Judge Breaks Down Over Vicki Gunvalson’s Estranged Daughter Comments as Shannon Confronts Her Over Alexis

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RHOC Recap: Tamra Judge Breaks Down Over Vicki Gunvalson’s Estranged Daughter Comments as Shannon Confronts Her Over Alexis

RHOC Recap: Shannon Wonders if Vicki has her Back; Tamra Calls Vicki Out for the Cruel Things She Said on a Podcast Two Years Ago and Denies Wanting Fame Over a Relationship With her Daughter

This week on The Real Housewives of Orange County, the already complicated friendship between Tamra and Vicki reaches a breaking point over comments made on a podcast two years earlier. Tamra clearly has not let go of Vicki’s criticism of her parenting, even as Vicki argues that Tamra has caused plenty of hurt herself. Not even capybaras, tea, or sushi can ease the tension between them.

Emily surprises the women at the muscle girl bar with exactly the kind of stunt viewers might expect from her. Vicki, however, is in no mood to play along. Later, the group splits up, with some women visiting a capybara café while the others take the subway to lunch. Their public-transit adventure is every bit as chaotic and entertaining as expected.

Emily, Jenn, and Tamra settle onto a couch at the capybara café, where the animals join them for coffee, tea, and plenty of gossip. As the women feed the capybaras, the conversation quickly turns back to the group’s ongoing drama.

Emily observes that Vicki rarely stays for an entire event, while Tamra admits she no longer knows how to reach her. Emily also questions Vicki’s commitment to her friendship with Shannon, describing it as inconsistent. Tamra says her relationship with Vicki remains difficult because of the things Vicki said about her on podcasts. She is especially angry that Vicki crossed a line by discussing Tamra’s estranged daughter—and, according to Tamra, never offered a proper apology.

Meanwhile, Gina, Heather, Shannon, and Vicki sit down for a meal. Shannon bristles when the others accuse her of constantly making excuses for Vicki. Gina points out the double standard: Shannon was upset when Jenn hugged Alexis, yet Vicki continues to maintain a friendly relationship with Alexis. Shannon considers herself a loyal friend, but she is beginning to wonder whether Vicki offers her that same loyalty in return.

Back in Rancho Santa Fe, California, Carmella says she is struggling to control her blood sugar and that nothing seems to help. The pressure surrounding the Tokyo trip has left her feeling overwhelmed. She lists several reasons she could not make it to Japan, including difficulty obtaining her ADHD medication, and acknowledges that she has real limitations.

A rainy night in Tokyo leads the women to a traditional tea ceremony. Dressed in kimonos, they listen to a history lesson before learning how to appreciate the tea they helped prepare. Heather is particularly thrilled to take part in the cultural experience.

Emily doubts that Shannon is being honest about her feelings toward Jenn. Shannon insists she was joking when she said she would have to discuss Jenn’s hug with Alexis later. But Emily cannot help pointing out Shannon’s very different reaction after Alexis appeared on Vicki’s podcast.

Shannon says she challenged Vicki over inviting Alexis onto the podcast, while Vicki claimed she had no idea the appearance would upset her. Shannon counters that Vicki never warned her Alexis would be there, making it feel as though the information had been deliberately withheld. Emily is equally puzzled about why Vicki did not give Shannon advance notice.

Vicki argues that Tamra showed Shannon little compassion during her own difficult period. Tamra, in turn, questions why Vicki repeatedly uses her podcast to reopen old wounds, including criticizing her as a mother. The confrontation turns emotional when Tamra brings up Vicki’s comments about her estranged daughter from two years ago.

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Vicki remembers the situation differently and insists she has already apologized. Tamra, however, feels she was attacked in the most painful way possible—as a mother. She says she would sacrifice her own happiness to protect her child before breaking down in Heather’s arms. Later, Tamra tells Shannon that much of her anger stems from the estrangement from her daughter and calls Shannon her safe place.

The following morning, the women prepare for go-karting and a visit to a marketplace. Carmella gets the latest details about the trip from Jenn during a FaceTime call. She describes Vicki’s conduct as “beyond damaging,” while Vicki cannot understand why Tamra has suddenly decided to revisit the old conflict. Peace, apparently, is not on Tamra’s itinerary.

Heather, Tamra, and Emily head to the go-kart track in costume, while Vicki joins Jenn, Gina, and Shannon at the marketplace. Tamra remains fixated on the fact that Vicki did not come to comfort her after the emotional confrontation the previous night. Vicki, unsurprisingly, sees the situation very differently.

Vicki claims she was responding to hurtful things Tamra had said over the years and questions whether Tamra is trying to damage her relationship with Shannon. Shannon is frustrated by what she sees as Vicki’s contradictory messages about their friendship. To Shannon, Vicki’s refusal to take responsibility is becoming impossible to ignore.

Then Emily gives Tamra another reason to be upset: She says she heard Vicki suggest that Tamra’s daughter may have stopped speaking to her because of Tamra’s behavior in public. Rather than backing away, Vicki reportedly stands by the remark, making the situation even uglier. Whatever apology existed now appears to be in doubt.

In a heartbreaking update, Shannon tells Tamra that Archie’s condition has worsened and that he can no longer stand. Tamra recognizes how much Archie means to Shannon and how devastating his eventual passing will be.

Heather arranges a sushi-making lesson with a chef, but Tamra is barely able to look at Vicki. Once the lesson ends, she finally addresses the uncomfortable silence between them. Vicki says she is tired of Tamra dragging up the past and reminds her that Tamra should also feel remorse for the accusations she made—particularly the claim that Vicki knew about Brooks’ cancer scam.

Vicki accuses Tamra of deliberately creating more conflict and insists she was not responsible for the breakdown in Tamra’s relationship with her daughter. The other women decide to leave the room so the two can confront each other privately. Vicki ultimately walks away, telling Tamra that she has selective memory and seems to have forgotten all the ways she has hurt the group.

Nearly everyone in the group can name a time Tamra hurt them, but Tamra remains focused on whether Vicki’s apology is sincere. After briefly attempting to mediate, Shannon leaves the two women alone for another round of confrontation. Tamra is wounded by Vicki’s claim that she would rather be famous than have a relationship with her daughter, while Vicki fires back that Tamra is not a kind person. As the argument ends, Vicki says Tamra’s rumors drove her away before—and reminds her exactly why they stopped speaking for years.

After much ado, Vicki tearfully lets Tamra know that if she could take back that moment, she would. She excuses herself, but not before calling Tamra sugar tits and smacking her booty. Okay? I think it’s best to just let those two fight it out alone, because frankly, we can’t keep up.

TELL US – THOUGHTS ON THIS EPISODE OF RHOC?

Great Wolf Lodge Family Massacre: Weapons Could Point to Premeditated Attack, Investigator Says

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Great Wolf Lodge Family Massacre: Weapons Could Point to Premeditated Attack, Investigator Says

New information in the Pennsylvania family murder investigation is raising questions about whether the killings at Great Wolf Lodge were planned in advance, according to a private investigator.

Metallica Rose Harrison, 27, has been charged with two counts of criminal homicide. Prosecutors allege that she fatally stabbed her husband, Charles “Chaz” Harrison, and the couple’s 3-year-old son, Tristan, at the Poconos-area resort.

A criminal complaint states that the knives found by investigators at the scene did not belong to Great Wolf Lodge.

The complaint says both weapons had teal-green handles, and resort employees told investigators that knives with that design were not supplied or kept by the lodge.

image shows split of family at waterpark

A mother is accused of fatally stabbing her husband and the couple’s 3-year-old son at Great Wolf Lodge in Pennsylvania. (Facebook/Meta: Chaz Harrison)

The family has confirmed that autopsies were being performed on both victims. Police discovered the father and his young son dead inside a resort hotel room on Monday.

image shows exterior of Great Wolf Lodge

A father and his young son were found stabbed to death inside a room at Great Wolf Lodge in Pennsylvania. (Great Wolf Lodge)

Harrison’s stepmother told News Media that the suspect may have withdrawn money from the family’s 401(k) before the group began a three-week stay at the resort.

The three family members lived in a modest house in Towanda, Pennsylvania, roughly 100 miles northwest of Great Wolf Lodge.

image shows family home

Court records identify Towanda, Pennsylvania, as the Harrison family’s home. Metallica Harrison is accused of killing her husband, Charles, and their 3-year-old son. (Google Maps)

“There are so many lodges in the mountains between where they lived and where they traveled,” private investigator Rod Devine said. “I’d be curious to know why they chose that particular lodge.”

Devine’s investigative firm is located in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, south of the Poconos.

“There are a lot of moving parts here that investigators will have to examine,” he said.

Devine said his professional experience includes meeting face-to-face with convicted killers and people suspected of homicide.

image shows split of lodge and family

Metallica Harrison, 27, is accused of fatally stabbing her husband and their 3-year-old son at Great Wolf Lodge in the Poconos. (Great Wolf Lodge; Facebook/Meta Chaz Harrison)

He said reports about a potentially depleted retirement account, the manner of the deaths and the possibility that the weapons were brought from home during the extended vacation could point to premeditation in the case.

“From the preliminary file available to the public, it appears that certain elements are already present,” Devine said.

image shows dad and son on left, son on right

Police say Chaz Harrison and his son were both found stabbed inside their hotel room at Great Wolf Lodge. (Facebook/Meta: Chaz Harrison)

Harrison’s stepmother previously told News Media that the deaths appeared to have been “preplanned.”

Several news organizations have also reported that Harrison allegedly did not want to become pregnant and may have harbored resentment toward her son.

Why? Reports say she wanted more alone time with her husband.

Family also allegedly told investigators that the mother accused of the killings “was dominant, controlling and isolated the three of them from her husband’s family for the last three years,” WNEP reported.

image shows couple hugging

Metallica Rose and Chaz Harrison appeared to be married for three years before she allegedly stabbed her husband and their child to death. (Facebook/Meta: Chaz Harrison)

While the investigation into the killings continues, Chaz’s family members grapple with their new normal.

“His love for his wife and child was out of this world and, sadly, is the reason why he lost his life and his son’s life,” Chaz’s sister shared in an update on a GoFundMe page.

“I’m not here to say anything bad about his wife. I know my brother would not want me to do that,” she went on to say.

She is sitting in a Monroe County jail cell and due in court on Oct. 21.

Tiger Seen for First Time Since Fatal Mauling as Zoo Reopens

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Tiger Seen for First Time Since Fatal Mauling as Zoo Reopens

Altai the tiger has been seen publicly for the first time since a man was fatally mauled after entering his enclosure at a Yorkshire zoo.

William Chapman, 24, died on Saturday after climbing into the big-cat enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park near Doncaster. He was attacked by Altai, one of the attraction’s two rare Amur tigers, a male weighing around 200kg.

The former child star had been classed as vulnerable and had a history of “significant” mental health difficulties. He was pronounced dead at the scene, while his family has raised concerns about the care he received before his death.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park was closed in the aftermath of the incident before reopening to visitors on Friday morning.

The Land of the Tigers exhibit has also welcomed guests again, with park officials asking visitors to be “understanding and respectful” towards staff.

Once the gates opened, a steady flow of visitors made their way past the tiger habitat. More than a dozen people were gathered on the viewing platform at times.

Keepers stood nearby to greet visitors and respond to questions about the big cats while monitoring activity from the raised viewing area.

Altai was seen lying in the shade before staff gave him a large piece of meat. One keeper said the tiger was “doing fine” following the fatal incident.

Altai, the 200kg Amur tiger which attacked Mr Chapman, is seen in his enclosure on Friday as the park reopened

Altai, the 200kg Amur tiger involved in the attack on Mr Chapman, was seen in his enclosure as Yorkshire Wildlife Park reopened on Friday

Altai is seen at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Friday morning after the attraction reopened to visitors

Altai was pictured at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Friday morning after the attraction reopened to the public

Zookeepers confirmed today that Altai is 'doing fine' - the park previously pledged he would not euthanised

Keepers said Altai was “doing fine”; the park had previously confirmed that the tiger would not be euthanised

The park had remained closed since the incident but reopened to visitors on Friday morning

The park reopened on Friday morning after remaining closed since the fatal incident

A steady stream of visitors walked past the tiger enclosure after it reopened on Friday

Visitors streamed past the tiger enclosure after the park reopened on Friday

Some visitors arrived early and queued outside, while others said on social media that they wanted to show their support for staff after the attack.

A sign at the entrance, featuring a cheetah, promoted a one-day offer allowing visitors to upgrade their tickets to an annual membership for £60.

Many social media users also voiced their support for Altai, describing the tiger as “beautiful” and insisting that he had “done nothing wrong”.

One person wrote: “Such a stunning boy… it was a terrible tragedy, but we must remember that he is still a wild animal and his instincts take over when someone enters his territory.

“It is so heartbreaking for the family, but I am glad the park made the right decision about the fate of that beautiful tiger.”

Shortly before the fatal encounter, Mr Chapman had reportedly been dancing on a raised walkway above the tiger enclosure while listening to music through his AirPods. He also asked a visitor to photograph him with Altai in the background.

Visitors said Mr Chapman appeared not to be “attached to reality” before he climbed over two fences and entered the enclosure. He later posted a final Instagram video showing himself moving towards the tiger.

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After it attacked, zookeepers are said to have done everything they could to stop Altai, including firing five loud acoustic gun blasts in an attempt to scare him.

Emergency services rushed to the scene at 1.35pm, but Mr Chapman was confirmed to have died at the scene. 

Yorkshire Wildlife Park later confirmed Altai was uninjured and would not be euthanised as a result of the incident. 

A statement from Yorkshire Wildlife Park Resort yesterday announced it would be reopening today, and said: ‘Our thoughts and heartfelt sympathies remain with the family, friends and loved ones of William Chapman who sadly lost his life.

William Chapman, 24, who had a history of mental illness, was mauled to death after entering the tiger pen at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Saturday

William Chapman, 24, who had a history of mental illness, was mauled to death after entering the tiger pen at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Saturday 

Visitors returned to the park on Friday after its closure since October 10

Visitors returned to the park on Friday after its closure since October 10

Signs at the tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park warn visitors not to lean over the barrier

Signs at the tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park warn visitors not to lean over the barrier

A small number of guests queued up outside the park before opening today, as bosses advertised a 'today only' annual membership offer

A small number of guests queued up outside the park before opening today, as bosses advertised a ‘today only’ annual membership offer

Zookeepers were said to have done 'everything they could' to drive the tiger away from Mr Chapman, firing five loud gun blasts in an attempt to scare him

Zookeepers were said to have done ‘everything they could’ to drive the tiger away from Mr Chapman, firing five loud gun blasts in an attempt to scare him

An air ambulance and police van arriving at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Saturday afternoon

An air ambulance and police van arriving at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Saturday afternoon

‘The safety and wellbeing of our visitors, staff team and animals remain our highest priority.’

It added: ‘As we welcome visitors back, we would ask everyone to be understanding and respectful towards our staff team, who have shown tremendous professionalism and dedication during an exceptionally difficult time.

‘We are providing specialist trauma support and ongoing care for those affected.’

At an inquest opening on Thursday, it was heard that following a post-mortem, Mr Chapman’s provisional cause of death was listed as ‘multiple traumatic injuries’ after his encounter with the tiger. 

It heard that he had a history of mental illness, a diagnosis of schizophrenia and had suffered previous bouts of psychosis. 

‘His family have expressed a number of concerns in relation to his contact with mental health services leading up to his death,’ coroner’s officer Caitlin Brookes said.

At the time of his death, Mr Chapman was a self-employed online trader who was under the care of Doncaster Mental Health Services but was ‘highly functioning and independent with no care requirements’, the inquest heard.

Ms Brookes said the Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust had launched an investigation following Mr Chapman’s death.

The City of Doncaster Council, the licensing authority for the zoo, has launched a health and safety probe, while South Yorkshire Police also investigate the matter.
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