It may be staged on one of Scotland’s smallest islands, but last year’s World Stone-Skimming Championships sent ripples far beyond Easdale after allegations of sly tactics and altered stones drew global attention.

Twelve months on from the controversy, which saw several competitors disqualified over claims they had tampered with their throwing stones, the quirky sporting contest returned with organisers keeping a much closer eye on proceedings.

Under the championship rules, every entrant must use a stone found on Easdale itself, and it must be “naturally formed” rather than shaped, modified or prepared in advance.

That principle was tested last year when a handful of participants were found to have worked on their stones, reportedly smoothing them into more perfect circles. In some cases, competitors were even said to have added tiny grooves or notches in an apparent bid to improve performance.

As hundreds of spectators and competitors returned today to the Firth of Lorne in the Inner Hebrides, organisers introduced a series of tighter checks designed to stop any repeat of the stone-tampering scandal.

Most notably was the involvement of top geologist Luisa Hendry.

Ms Hendry, from Largs in Ayrshire, boasts an impressive 600,000 followers across her combined social media platforms under the title the Scottish Geologist.

Toss Master Kyle Matthews, co-organiser of the event, told The Mail on Sunday: ‘After last year, we thought we’d bring an expert on hand if there were any queries that we needed, we could double-check with her.

‘If there’s any doubts, we can go to an absolute expert, and she’s also running educational tours on the day.’

He added: ‘We will be doing extra checks this year that we’re keeping up our sleeves just to make sure it doesn’t happen again.’

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Quizzed on whether last year’s controversy had brought more attention to the quirky contest, he said: ‘Absolutely. The event was growing in publicity anyway and 100 per cent last year’s event absolutely brought it to a whole new thing, and that only brings positivity and more eyes on this incredible sport.’

The contest, which has been supported by Allica Bank for the last three years, began life in 1983 and has taken place each year since 1997, save for an interruption due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Today’s competition saw some 200 qualifiers from last year’s event and others around the world compete along with 200 challengers, selected by ballot because the contest is so oversubscribed.

There were also an estimated 2,000 spectators who were ferried across the short stretch of water to the island which normally has a population of about 60.

Those who turned up had to endure rain, wind and waves, which was said to have affected the performance of competitors. 

By the end, just one contestant had hit the ‘wall’ at a distance of 63m. In comparison, 16 managed the feat last year.

Liam Knight of the United States emerged as the male world champion this year while the women’s title went to the reigning New Zealand champion, Abby MacDonald.

Set in the former slate quarry at the heart of Easdale Island, the contest sees ‘rock stars’ put their technique, style and stone-selection skills to the test, with the aim of sending a perfectly flat stone bouncing as far as possible across the water. To make the scoreboard, competitors need to achieve at least three skips.

Their armoury has to be less than three inches (7.6cm) in diameter and to qualify, must pass through a circular measuring device, known as ‘The Ring of Truth’.

The growing global appeal of the event is also attracting attention from broadcasters. BBC Alba agreed to film this year’s championships, while a second film crew will attend as part of preparations for a potential future series or film exploring the sport.

Kimberly Wyatt has suggested the Pussycat Dolls’ latest reunion tour may be the group’s final outing, after a run of US dates was cancelled amid disappointing ticket sales.

The 44-year-old singer reunited earlier this year with fellow Noughties pop stars Nicole Scherzinger, 48, and Ashley Roberts, 44, as the trio announced a comeback featuring a new single and a global tour.

Their European tour began on September 9 at the Royal Arena in Denmark and is due to wrap up at London’s O2 Arena on October 13, with many of the dates understood to have sold out.

However, the comeback suffered a major setback earlier in the year when the band cancelled 33 shows scheduled between June and August across the US and Canada, after weak demand reportedly left some arenas around 80 per cent empty.

Even steep discounts, with some tickets reduced to just $30 (£22), failed to revive sales, forcing organisers to call off the North American leg only a month before the opening performance was due to take place in Palm Desert, California, on June 5.

Now, in an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, Kimberly has hinted that this could be the last time the group reunites for a tour.

She said: ‘I think going on stage knowing it could be your last is something really special because you don’t miss any of those moments. 

‘I think we’re all in that same headspace about this and we are able to kind of tackle it as grown women.’

The hitmaker continued: ‘It doesn’t feel like it’s so much about proving ourselves. 

‘It’s really about just embracing the fact that we did something really awesome together and that nostalgia factor is still there.

‘It’s another opportunity to show up for each other and come together as the three and be really mindful of you just never know when your last performance might be.’

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When asked what it was like to reunite with her former bandmates after such a long period, Kimberly said: ‘Wow. I mean, a lot of life has passed. Like it’s just unbelievable to have lived so much life since.

‘I’ve created a new life for myself with my husband and my three kids in Surrey to have a dance academy, doing radio and DJing.

‘Like I’ve sort of lived this whole new life.

‘This tour is about being really open about who we are and who we’ve become after all of these years, but also just a real acceptance for giving us the space to kind of re rework what this means to us.’

The Pussycat Dolls’ comeback has been marred in controversy due to the exclusion of three of the group’s founding members, Carmit Bachar, Jessica Sutta and Melody Thornton.

Carmit and Jessica have since revealed they were both blindsided by the reunion and were never even asked to take part, with the latter going as far as to call it a ‘cash grab’.  

Asked by a fan if she was going to meet up with the rest of the Pussycat Dolls, Jessica replied: ‘No, I’m not. They have been planning it for a year and blatantly didn’t ask Carmit and I. 

‘We are finding it all out the same time you are. I was not contacted regarding the group’s decision to move forward, and I learned of these plans at the same time as the public.’

Carmit went on to call the trio’s move ‘disappointing on a personal level’, but added that she remains ‘proud of the role I played in helping shape what The Pussycat Dolls became’.

‘My intention in sharing this is not to create division, but to honor the truth and the fans who have supported us throughout the years,’ she continued. 

‘Transparency and respect are values I hold deeply. At this time, I am choosing to focus on my wellbeing and to move forward with positivity and purpose.’ 

A family-run farm in Indiana is facing criticism after announcing a new corn maze tribute to conservative activist and commentator Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot last year.

Goebel Farms in Evansville revealed the design on Wednesday, describing the attraction as “Honoring the Life and Legacy of Charlie Kirk.” The unveiling comes just days ahead of the anniversary of Kirk’s September 2025 assassination at Utah Valley University.

Images posted to the farm’s website show the sprawling maze cut into the likeness of Kirk’s face, alongside the Turning Point USA, or TPUSA, logo and the message “RIP CK” carved into the crop.

Before his death, Kirk and Turning Point USA, the conservative youth organization he co-founded, played a prominent role in energizing young Republican voters and building support for President Donald Trump’s successful second White House campaign.

Representatives for the farm said Kirk was selected as the subject of this year’s corn maze because of what they described as his steadfast defense of free speech and his conviction that political differences should be addressed through dialogue rather than violence.

‘That is central to the meaning behind our maze. Even when our disagreements are serious, we must continue talking and listening to one another,’ Goebel Farms wrote in a statement to Facebook.

‘When conversation stops, division deepens and it becomes easier to view people as enemies rather than neighbors,’ it added.

But outrage quickly erupted after the announcement, with thousands bombarding the family-run farm’s Google page with one-star reviews and flooding its social media accounts with furious comments. 

‘Prime example of FAFO! What the hell did they think was going to happen!?! He was a polarizing hateful podcaster,’ one read. 

Another said: ‘I just don’t get what Kirk has to do with fall… or Halloween? Did they want to commit business suicide?’

‘So stupid of them! I guess they thought everyone who goes there was part of their hive mind. I have a feeling their wallet will regret this decision,’ a third wrote. 

‘Been taking my family there for 20 years. No more,’ another comment read, echoing hundreds of other former visitors who vowed never to set foot on Goebel Farms again.

The farm appeared to have pulled its Google listing after its rating plunged to just 1.6 stars, with its reviews and business hours now wiped from the search.

All that remains is the farm’s name, followed by the description: ‘Religious destination in Vanderburgh County, Indiana’ – a description that appears to have been added by a user amid the backlash. 

Meanwhile, the farm shut down comments on its social media pages, drawing accusations of hypocrisy after boasting about its commitment to free speech just hours earlier.

‘They said it’s in the spirit of having open discussions with people you disagree with… then turned off the comments,’ one comment read.

Another said: ‘They so easily could have done a Dolly maze and made out like bandits. Nope. They chose hatred and division.’

‘They are getting absolutely slandered on Google reviews lmao. They boast about free speech then turn off commenting on their posts… quite the irony,’ a third wrote.

Goebel Farms quickly defended the tribute in a statement on Facebook, acknowledging Kirk was a polarizing figure but insisting the maze was never about forcing others to agree with his views.

‘Charlie was killed while publicly expressing and debating his convictions. In a country founded on the principles of free speech, no person should lose his or her life for participating in political discussion,’ the statement read.

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‘People are free to challenge ideas, criticize them and reject them – but violence must never become the response to speech,’ it added.

The farm owners also insisted that links to Turning Point USA’s website in their original post were meant to inform visitors about the organization, not endorse every belief held by Kirk or the group.

‘Goebel Farms is a family business, not a political organization. We welcome people with a wide range of political, religious and personal beliefs,’ the statement said. 

‘We understand that some may disagree with our choice, and we respect their right to do so. We also recognize that using Charlie’s image carries meaning beyond the message we intended, and we are listening to the community’s response,’ it added.

‘Our hope remains simple: that Americans can speak openly, disagree honestly and challenge one another’s ideas without hatred or violence – and that our community can continue treating its members with dignity and respect.’

Tyler Robinson, 23, is accused of firing a single shot into Kirk’s neck, killing the 31-year-old father-of-two during a Turning Point USA event at the UVU campus nearly a year ago.

He pleaded not guilty on Tuesday after a judge decided Utah County prosecutors had presented enough evidence to support an aggravated murder charge and send him to trial. 

The key question in charging Robinson with aggravated murder was whether he endangered others when he allegedly opened fire on Kirk in a crowded area.

Prosecutors argued Robinson knowingly put more than 3,000 people in danger by allegedly firing into the crowd, creating the ‘great risk of death’ they say is required to keep execution in play.

His lawyers countered that the state had failed to meet the legal threshold, arguing he had a specific target and a plan to hit him – not put the crowd in the crosshairs. 

But the judge ruled that the state established probable cause for the victim-targeting allegation, enabling prosecutors to seek the death penalty against Robinson. 

‘Today’s decision, which comes nearly a year since Charlie was taken from us, marks an important step in our family’s pursuit of justice for him,’ the Kirk family said in a statement. 

Robinson turned himself in just one day after the killing and now faces a single charge of aggravated murder – an offense punishable by death by firing squad. He also faces six additional serious charges, including witness tampering.

The proceeding finally brought months of fiery courtroom battles – and an unusually long preliminary hearing – to an end. 

Even with the case now moving forward, Utah-based attorney Skye Lazaro warned that the legal sparring could continue for months before Robinson ever faces a jury, she told Fox News. 

‘I do think we’re going to see a lot more litigation come down the road in terms of 1102 and expert-witness designations, forensic testimony on the ballistics and things like that,’ she told the outlet.

Cruz Beckham appeared to aim another subtle dig at his estranged brother Brooklyn as he posted a warm family photo from backstage at his Leeds Festival performance last weekend.

The Instagram update, shared on Saturday morning, arrived only hours after Brooklyn publicly celebrated his wife Nicola Peltz following her Venice Film Festival debut on Friday night.

Nicola, 31, is due to be honoured with the Rising Star award at the prestigious festival, with Brooklyn, 27, firmly by her side as the couple attended the Golden Globes x Aman Beverly Hills cocktail party in the Italian city.

Cruz, however, underlined the Beckhams’ close family bond once again by sharing a group shot featuring his parents David and Victoria, his brother Romeo, 24, and sister Harper, 15, backstage at Leeds.

Also pictured were Cruz’s girlfriend Jackie Apostel, 30, and Romeo’s girlfriend Kim Turnbull, 24, with the musician keeping the caption simple by adding a single red heart emoji.

Cruz and his band The Breakers rocked Leeds Festival last Sunday amid a busy weekend for his budding music career which saw his family support him at Reading the day prior. 

After the two festival shows Cruz took to his Instagram to reflect on the biggest shows of his career so far as he paid tribute to his girlfriend Jackie Apostel, 30 – who is also his music manager. 

He mentioned various members of his team in the post including Victoria’s niece Libby Adams who helps with photography for the band.

Alongside snaps from the weekend, including one where he kisses Jackie, he penned: ‘I am so grateful for everyone around me, not only are they my best friends but they are family, this journey has been so incredible and i have learned so much because of these people.

‘Last but definitely not least Jackie, you honestly have no idea how lucky we are to have you, not only do you take care of me but this whole operation, from creative to strategy to mgmt. We are a team and would not be doing this without you. i really love you so much.’

Meanwhile David and Victoria couldn’t get enough of their offspring’s ‘amazing’ performance as they waxed lyrical while greeting him backstage after the show.

The former pro footballer, 51, wrapped Cruz in a warm embrace as they reunited outside his trailer in the grounds of the famous festival.

David could be heard telling Cruz that his band’s performance was ‘amazing’ as he told him ‘well done’, while Victoria said: ‘I’m so proud of you!’

His younger sister Harper also heaped praise on him and told him that the gig was ‘insane’, after she had joined him on stage to throw T-shirts to the audience. 

Fashion designer Victoria, 52, also said she was impressed with her son’s stage look, which included an orange crop top and jeans, telling him: ‘I love what you’re wearing.’

David could then be heard commenting on the atmosphere in the tent, on the Canopy stage, asking Cruz: ‘Crowd was great no? Yeah wicked.’

Meanwhile Brooklyn proved he was his wife’s biggest supporter over in Venice as the couple put on a loved-up display as they posed for photos together. 

Nicola had changed out of her satin camisole and into an elegant navy dress with chiffon scarf while Brooklyn opted for a black shirt and trousers. 

Despite Nicola’s 20-year acting career, Nicola is being awarded the prize at The Kineo Awards which aren’t officially part of the Venice International Film Festival.

The awards note on the citation for ‘rising star’ that Nicola actually started acting as a child 20 years ago.

Nicola, the daughter of billionaire Nelson Peltz, recently wrote, directed and starred in self-funded movie Lola whilst her resumé also includes roles in The Last Airbender, Transformers: Age of Extinction, Bates Motel, Holidate, Welcome to Chippendales and The Beauty.

The Kineo Awards, celebrating their 25th anniversary, note that ‘in recent years, the American actress, screenwriter and producer has attracted growing international attention through increasingly multifaceted roles, both in front of and behind the camera’.  

Nicola is being honoured alongside icon Faye Dunaway, who co-stars in her new self-funded film Prima. The legendary actress and Oscar winner will receive a lifetime achievement award.

The ceremony, set to take place at Venice’s Casa Cinema Giovani was conceived by Kinéo Cultural Association president Rosetta Sannelli and launched in 2002. 

It takes place during the Venice Film Festival, which welcomes A-listers annually, but has no direct ties to the international gathering.