A building boss who earlier this year appealed for huge volumes of construction material before the May Bank Holiday has now been connected to an alleged traveller “land grab” in which a wildlife-rich site was bulldozed over the weekend.

Karl Kavanagh, 48, is the owner of KK Construction, a Hampshire-based firm that advertises a wide range of building services, including groundworks, driveways and house extensions.

Back in May, Kavanagh used a commercial Facebook group to seek more than 100 lorry loads of aggregate for delivery to projects in Horley, Surrey, and Horsham, West Sussex, in the run-up to the May Bank Holiday.

Asked at the time where the material would end up, he said he did not know, while adding that he could not rule out the possibility it might be used on traveller sites.

The MoS can now disclose that vehicles belonging to his construction company were spotted over the August Bank Holiday in Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, where diggers and work crews moved onto a field on Friday after council staff had left for the day.

Furious residents set up a protest camp as tarmac was laid and fences put up without planning permission.

An emergency High Court order was issued at 10.30pm on Saturday, temporarily preventing any further development of the site or occupation by caravans.

But construction work continued on Sunday and into Monday morning, as hundreds of residents staged peaceful protests beside the site.

The council then returned to court and secured a strengthened injunction, including powers of arrest for anyone who breached it, which was served on those occupying the land on Monday.

Footage shows residents cheering as Mr Kavanagh’s machinery was finally driven away from the site.

The businessman was previously found to be advertising for 100 loads of crushed aggregate for a development in the Horley area of Surrey over the Saturday and Sunday of the last May Bank Holiday.

He followed this up with another post the next day, saying tipper lorries were needed in Horsham from Saturday to Monday at £200 a load.

At the time, Mr Kavanagh claimed not to know what the material was for.

He said: ‘I’m a subcontractor. I don’t know what it’s for. I’m just trying to organise it for a main contractor we do a lot of building work for. I was just asked to put up the posts as a registered building company.’

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He said he could not rule out the loads being destined for traveller sites, as some firms would be willing to provide the materials ‘if money was involved’. He refused to provide contact details for the main contractor.

Horsham Council and Reigate and Banstead Council were alerted to the posts, with the latter launching an immediate investigation.

There was no apparent development in the Horley area over the weekend in question. But at nearby West Chiltington in West Sussex, heavy machinery moved onto a field on Friday.

Work continued throughout the weekend and, despite the presence of both council officers and police, a caravan site was developed near the world-renowned Nyetimber sparkling wine estate.

Mr Kavanagh could not be conclusively linked to the unauthorised development at West Chiltington. And when he was asked about the site in Sawbridgeworth, he initially claimed not to know his vans were there.

After being informed that he had been pictured at the site, he declined to make any further comment.

The developments follow a trend that has seen travellers swoop in to lay pitches on the Friday night before bank holiday weekends.

This gives unscrupulous developers near free rein to do what they like until Tuesday morning, by which time concrete has often been laid and caravans moved in.

Planning permission is then sought retrospectively, prompting a lengthy and costly legal process.

KK Construction has an active social media page which regularly shows photos of projects it has completed across the South East of England, alongside glowing testimonials from customers.

Mr Kavanagh is a director of 15 other active companies involved in construction or property development. Most give the registered office address as a detached bungalow that sold for £530,000 early last year.

East Herts Council said of the situation in Sawbridgeworth: ‘We will continue to work closely with Hertfordshire Police and our other partners to monitor the site and prevent any further unauthorised works.’

Shark attack survivor Leah Stewart has been seen spending Father’s Day in Sydney with her young family, marking another public step in her recovery.

The 35-year-old, who captured national attention after surviving a terrifying encounter with a great white shark at Coogee Beach, appeared relaxed and upbeat as she made the most of the spring sunshine on Sunday.

Stewart was joined by her husband, Fernando, and their one-year-old daughter, August, for a walk through a coastal park in Sydney’s east — an area close to where she had regularly swum before the June 13 attack.

Following the near-fatal incident, Stewart spent 10 days in a coma and later had her left arm amputated. Her ordeal has prompted a significant wave of sympathy and support from the wider community.

The schoolteacher recently felt well enough to speak publicly about what happened, sharing a detailed account of the shark attack and her remarkable escape during an interview on 60 Minutes last Sunday.

She described the shark’s ‘black little beady eyes’ staring back at her and how the thought of her daughter gave her the resolve to fight back.

Also, she described being able to have enough time to think that she should punch the shark with her left arm because that was the one she was ‘more willing to lose’.

After the interview went to air, Melbourne radio hosts Kate Langbroek,  Brendan Fevola and Nick Cody, from 101.9 The Fox, seized on that part of the story and accused Ms Stewart of putting ‘a lot of mayo on’ – or embellishing – her story.

She said on Thursday she hadn’t listened to the radio show or read any hurtful comments.

‘I have been so busy with my rehabilitation and embracing being home with my family that I haven’t had a chance to listen to the segment. I have picked up the general sentiment from a few headlines, but I haven’t given it much thought,’ she told Nine.

‘What I do know is that everyone who was on that beach with me, my incredible medical team at St Vincent’s, and every first responder who helped save my life that day, they know what happened. And so do I.’

Instead, the mother has focused her attention on the positive wishes she has received from viewers. 

‘I am genuinely blown away by the support from Australians, and the wider community. It has meant so much to me and my family,’ she said.

‘The love and support from this country has far outweighed anything else. I am just so grateful.’

During the interview, she recalled how she saw the four-metre beast swim up to her in the moments before it sank its razor-sharp teeth into her thigh and arm.

She then described being dragged under the water and was convinced she would die, but then she thought of her daughter.

‘She’s not going to have a mum. She’s going to grow up without a mum’ she recalled thinking.

This became a turning point and she fought back even harder.

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‘I twisted myself around, and I just started punching it over and over and over again, just punch, punch, punch,’ Ms Stewart said.

‘It was like fighting a dinosaur, it was so big. It was like punching a brick wall.

‘I was like, ”You ugly f***er, you are not taking me away from my daughter.”’

A day after the interview aired, Fevola brought up the interview on the trio’s morning radio show and questioned how Ms Stewart had ‘so much time to think’.

‘I was on the couch with my wife going, ”She’s lying! Too much time to think!” You’re not thinking all that are you?’ Fevola said.

Co-host Langbroek tried to defend Ms Stewart.

‘Mercifully, we don’t know,’ she cautioned Fevola.

‘But it does seem unusual. The only other person I know who’s punched a shark is (professional surfer) Mick Fanning.

‘He said at the time he didn’t even have a chance to think about what he was doing, it was like a reflex.’

But Fevola was adamant Ms Stewart was embellishing the story, especially her claim she had time to think which arm she was ‘willing to lose’.

‘Come on, oh right or left? Like bro, you are amazing – you punched a shark in the face and survived – but you’re not thinking all that,’ he said.

‘That’s a lot of mayo.’

Ms Stewart had suffered extensive blood loss from the attack, with a trauma doctor who happened to be on the beach saying he had to drill into her shoulder to give blood transfusions directly into the bone marrow because he couldn’t find a vein.

But, thankfully, has suffered no cognitive damage, though she has damage to her left leg and right arm.

The biggest injury, however, was her left arm which had to be amputated.

Ms Stewart said she still struggles to come to terms with her new disability. 

‘There’s good days and bad days. For me, I’m still coming to terms that (my arm’s) not there,’ she said.

‘I get really frustrated. August will put up her hands and she’ll want me to pick her up. I’m just desperate too, I just can’t.’

She said she’s doing her best to focus on the ‘small wins’. 

‘It’s about the little things, like now I can brush my teeth,’ Ms Stewart said.

‘I’m really proud of that. It’s so nice to brush your own teeth, not someone else doing it for you.’

Blood pressure tablets are among the most commonly prescribed medicines in the UK — yet many patients are not taking them in the way their doctors recommend.

Prescribed to around nine million Britons each year, these drugs play a vital role in lowering the risk of life-threatening heart attacks and strokes.

But despite their proven benefits, research suggests that nearly half of people prescribed blood pressure medication do not take their daily tablets consistently. Even more concerning, about one in five do not take them at all. For some, the problem is simple but serious: remembering to take a pill every day can be difficult, especially for older adults.

For others, however, the issue is more troubling. Unpleasant side effects can make daily life uncomfortable — a problem that many Mail on Sunday readers will recognise.

Last week, after our resident GP columnist Dr Ellie Cannon addressed the side effects linked to blood pressure tablets, we received dozens of letters from readers describing their own experiences.

One 82-year-old man told how his tablets had left him with swollen ankles and diarrhoea. A 62-year-old woman described how the drugs had given her chronic coughing that felt like there was a ‘frog in her throat’ at all times. Another reader, a 74-year-old man, said how he had a constant need to go to the toilet since starting on the medication.

In some cases, readers admitted that they had stopped taking their tablets due to the severity of the side effects.

There are even some concerns that these drugs could raise the risk of other diseases. Last month, an Israeli study found that patients taking a class known as calcium-channel blockers were at a higher risk of developing kidney disease. Experts stress that, in the vast majority of cases, blood pressure pills are not only safe but life-saving. However, they admit that side effects can be challenging.

‘Many patients don’t like taking their blood pressure medicines because, in the short-term, they can trigger side effects and have no obvious benefit because high blood pressure is symptomless,’ says Professor Amitava Banerjee, a heart expert at University College London.

‘The problem is that, in the long-run, these drugs save lives.’

Tablets are not the only option for these patients – lifestyle changes could allow them to safely come off the medication for good.

‘Many patients assume they have to be on them for life, but that’s not always the case,’ says Professor Banerjee. ‘Yes, there are patients who will need to kee taking the pills indefinitely, but for some, lifestyle changes can get blood pressure down to a point where you no longer need to take the tablets.’

Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries.

This pressure is created by the heart – each time it beats, it squeezes blood into the arteries so it can circulate around the body, delivering oxygen and nutrients to organs and tissues. A certain level of pressure is needed to move blood and oxygen around the body, and this naturally rises and falls throughout the day.

When blood pressure is consistently too high it puts strain on the arteries. Over time they can become damaged and narrower, making it easier for fatty deposits to build up. This raises the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Blood pressure is measured with two numbers.

The first, called systolic pressure, shows the pressure in the arteries when the heart contracts and pumps blood out. The second, the diastolic pressure, measures pressure in the arteries when the heart relaxes between beats.

A normal reading is usually around 120 for systolic pressure and 80 for diastolic, written as 120/80. Readings that are consistently above 140/90 are classed as high blood pressure.

Worryingly, high blood pressure is on the rise in the UK. Around a third of adults are now believed to have the condition, also known as hypertension. And studies suggest that many of these patients are unaware they have the problem.

Experts say this is alarming because anyone with high blood pressure has a heightened risk of death. ‘Hypertension is one of the most common causes of death in the UK,’ says Professor Banerjee. ‘That’s why it is so important that it is treated.’

Blood pressure pills are designed to counteract this danger – usually by relaxing the walls of the blood vessels. Over the years there has been a growing number of hypertension tablets available, however, studies show that many of them have side effects.

Some of the most commonly used tablets are ACE (Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme) inhibitors – such as ramipril or lisinopril – but research has shown these can trigger dizziness, lightheadedness and a dry, tickly cough.

Another common type of blood pressure tablets are calcium-channel blockers, such as amlodipine. These are the drugs that were recently linked to a heightened risk of kidney disease. However, more commonly they can trigger headaches, facial flushing, constipation and – most often – swelling of the ankles and legs.

Then there are diuretics, such as indapamide, which reduce blood pressure by making patients urinate more. However, this can be unbearable to many people, who struggle with the constant need to go to the toilet.

Experts say that, in many cases, anyone struggling with side effects can lower their dose or swap to another drug. However, they also say that many patients do not consider another alternative: lifestyle changes.

‘If you get side effects that are tough to live with, then lifestyle changes are an option,’ says Professor Raj Thakkar, president of the Primary Care Cardiovascular Society.

‘And these changes aren’t just for those who want to come off the drugs. Everyone with high blood pressure could benefit.’

One of the most important steps to lowering blood pressure without drugs is losing weight. This is because carrying extra pounds puts additional strain on the heart, forcing it to work harder to pump blood around the body – which translates directly into higher blood pressure.

One 2013 US study found that patients who lose a tenth of their body weight can stop taking at least one hypertension drug.

‘If you are overweight or have a raised BMI, you are more likely to have high blood pressure,’ says June Davison, cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation. ‘Losing weight, even a modest amount, can make a real difference.’

However, weight loss can take time. In the US study it took patients about a year to lose a tenth of their body weight.

But one lifestyle change that can lead to a significant reduction in blood pressure within weeks is slashing salt consumption.

‘We know that if you eat too much salt it holds on to water and this pushes blood pressure up,’ says Ms Davison. ‘But the problem isn’t really the salt you add yourself at the table. The majority of it is processed foods, processed meats and ready meals.’

Studies show that, for the average Briton, 80 per cent of their daily salt intake comes from processed foods, with just 7 per cent from salt added at the table.

Crucially, research also shows that for those eating too much salt, cutting intake can cause blood pressure to drop to healthy levels in less than a month.

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‘Go for a really low-salt diet overall, and then it’s fine to grind a little extra on your own food if you want to,’ says Ms Davison. ‘The key is to cut out foods like pizza or ready-made lasagnes – that’s where the salt really adds up.’

Boosting fruit and vegetable consumption is also crucial to coming off blood pressure medication. ‘Eating plenty of fruit and vegetables helps circulation,’ says Ms Davison. ‘Aim for five a day.’

Studies show that switching to a diet rich in fruit and vegetables can lead to a significant reduction in blood pressure in just two months.

Another important change is cutting back on alcohol.

Research shows that for moderate-to-low drinkers – those who consume two or fewer drinks a day – lowering alcohol consumption has a marginal impact on blood pressure.

But for those consuming more than two drinks a day, eliminating alcohol has a marked impact. For those who consume six or more, the effect is even more profound. Moreover, this change can occur within a matter of weeks.

‘Ideally, have no alcohol, or keep to a minimum,’ says Ms Davison. ‘If you do drink, stay within 14 units a week [roughly six medium glasses of wine or six pints], spread out over the week rather than saved up for one or two sessions – and try to have two or three days off in between.’

One lifestyle change neglected by many hypertension patients – particularly those over-65 – is regular exercise. And this could be the difference between getting off blood pressure tablets or not.

Studies show that, in particular, regular aerobic exercise – such as running, swimming or cycling – has the most sizeable effect on blood pressure.

And, interestingly, research suggests that the physical activity does not need to be intensive to have an impact.

‘You want regular, moderate-intensity aerobic activity – about 150 minutes a week,’ says Ms Davison.

‘For older people, or those who are less active or have mobility issues, we know that anything is better than nothing. This might mean breaking down the 150 minutes into ten-minute chunks – little and often. Anything that gets your heart rate up counts. That could even be dancing.’

However, research shows that exercise does not have an instant impact but that it typically takes one to three months of consistent activity before the benefits show up in blood pressure readings.

Finally, experts say that one factor in getting blood pressure down that many patients do not think about is improving their mental health.

Studies show that tackling stress, anxiety and poor sleep can get it down to healthy levels without the need for tablets.

One major study, published by the American Heart Association in 2020, found that a six-week mindfulness programme – where patients are taught coping mechanisms to handle stress and anxiety – led to a sustained reduction in blood pressure, even after the course had been completed.

‘If you’re continually stressed or anxious, that can raise your blood pressure,’ says Ms Davison. ‘Stress creates an adrenaline response in the body, and your heart rate goes up as a result.

‘However, poor mental health can also affect other lifestyle habits. It might mean people put off going for a walk or eating well, which pushes blood pressure up. So it ends up working against you in more than one way.’

Experts stress that, while effective, lifestyle changes won’t allow everyone to quit blood pressure tablets.

For older patients, they point out, making significant adaptations to habits such as exercise and diet are more difficult.

They also add that there are some who have stubbornly high blood pressure even after making significant lifestyle changes and taking medication.

But many experts argue that more patients could come off blood pressure pills if they made these changes.

‘It can take some time and commitment but lifestyle changes really can get blood pressure down,’ says Professor Thakkar. ‘Hypertension is so prevalent in Britain and patients can’t rely on treatment from the NHS alone to get their levels down. It’s up to the individual. And with the right advice it can be done.’

‘Changing my diet got my levels healthy’

While high blood pressure ran in her family, Bettina Wallace never expected to develop the dangerous condition.

The 73-year-old charity worker from Nottingham says that she always believed she had a healthy diet and lived an active lifestyle.

So Bettina was shocked when, in 2010, her GP said her blood pressure was dangerously high.

‘I was really surprised,’ she says. ‘I always thought I was healthy.’

Bettina was placed on blood pressure medication, but she also made lifestyle changes, such as taking up exercise classes and walking to work. However, Bettina – who is Caribbean – says the biggest shift was cutting down on her salt intake. ‘A lot of Caribbean food is very salty,’ she says. ‘It took some time to get used to not adding too much, but I knew it was important.’

Today her blood pressure is now within a healthy range.

She says she is keen to stop taking her blood pressure medication as it gives her swollen ankles as a side effect.

‘I would like to come off them eventually,’ she says. ‘I know people who have maintained their healthy blood pressure through good diet alone. It’s something I’d like to try.’

What to do when your blood pressure just won’t go down 

There are some patients whose blood pressure remains stubbornly high even after lifestyle changes and medication.

This is often referred to as ‘resistant hypertension’. And, according to experts, these patients typically have a separate underlying health condition.

‘The first thing we check with these patients is whether they are taking their drugs as instructed,’ says Professor Raj Thakkar. ‘We do this by testing their urine to see if their drugs are present.

‘But if they are taking their medication, then we look for secondary causes – essentially another medical problem that is keeping the blood pressure up.

‘This might be a heart defect, a hormone condition or kidney disease. Once you identify the secondary cause, you can treat it. This should get blood pressure down.’

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Vaginal health is often overlooked until discomfort, irritation or an unexpected change makes it impossible to ignore.

Most of us would never skip brushing our teeth and simply hope for the best, yet intimate wellbeing is still rarely given the same consistent, everyday care.

Now, a new Australian brand is aiming to shift that mindset, encouraging women to approach vaginal health as part of a regular routine rather than something addressed only when issues arise.

Kuci Biome has landed on Chemist Warehouse shelves across Australia, with its range of life-stage and symptom-specific supplements already attracting attention — particularly one standout product that has been creating buzz among women.

Vaginal Biome Probiotic is a daily capsule designed to support vaginal health from the inside out. While most of us know that our gut needs good bacteria to stay balanced and healthy, fewer realise the same applies elsewhere in our bodies, including the vagina.

The Vaginal Biome Probiotic is formulated using a targeted blend of probiotic strains to support healthy vaginal flora and general wellbeing.

Each capsule delivers 8.8 billion CFU from selected Lactobacillus strains. Lactobacillus is the ‘good’ bacteria naturally found in a healthy vaginal microbiome, and the probiotic capsule is designed to help maintain an optimum population of beneficial bacteria to support your body’s balance.

The formula heroes two specific strains: GR-1 and RC-14. These are clinically-studied Lactobacillus strains included to support vaginal microflora balance and vaginal health specifically.

Maintaining a healthy and balanced microflora can contribute to everyday comfort and confidence. Gut health reaps the benefits too, as the formulation is designed to support beneficial intestinal flora and general health and wellbeing as well.

Just like taking a gut probiotic or daily multivitamin, the Vaginal Biome Probiotic is a proactive daily routine offering everyday, ongoing support of vaginal flora, vaginal health and general wellbeing.

‘Vaginal health has spent far too long in the ‘we don’t talk about that’ basket,’ says Kuci Co Founder Niamh Loughman. ‘Vaginal Biome Probiotic was created to change the conversation, supporting women with a proactive approach to intimate wellbeing rather than waiting until something feels out of balance.

‘Combining carefully selected Lactobacillus strains, it helps maintain healthy vaginal flora and supports everyday vaginal health.’

Priced at $42.22 at Chemist Warehouse for 60 capsules, the Kuci Biome range of supplements is well priced in the market of targeted women’s health products, and are already attracting five-star reviews on the pharmacy giant’s website.

Kuci Biome has created a life-stage and needs-based probiotic system that supports women through the changes that occur through life’s transitions. 

Other daily probiotics in the range are specifically formulated to support women over 50 and women experiencing perimenopause, while targeted support addresses symptoms including acne, bloating and metabolism.

So many hormonal and life-stage complaints such as changes in mood, skin and digestion are dismissed as ‘normal’ for women. 

Kuci Biome’s modus operandi is that ‘common’ does not need to mean ‘unsupported’. ‘It does not mean women should be left to guess, search, compare, tolerate and carry on,’ says the brand.

‘Kuci exists for the space between ‘nothing is wrong’ and ‘I still want to feel better.’

The Perimenopause Daily Support Probiotic is designed to support mood balance, calm nerves and a healthy stress response, while also supporting digestive health and general wellbeing.

Each capsule delivers 11.5 billion CFU from selected probiotic strains, while saffron is included as a supportive botanical to help with mood balance and calm during perimenopause.

For postmenopausal women, there’s the 50+ Women’s Daily Probiotic, a high-strength supplement built specifically for women navigating changing health priorities.

Each capsule is formulated with a 30 billion CFU probiotic blend to support digestive system health and beneficial flora, while Vitamin C and Vitamin D are included to support immunity, skin and bone health, and everyday wellbeing.

Kuci Debloat is a daily probiotic and herbal blend formulated to support digestive system health, restore beneficial gut flora, and traditionally used to ease bloating, flatulence and digestive discomfort.

The formula uses three probiotic strains, including Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, delivering 17 billion CFU to support intestinal flora, digestive system health and general health and wellbeing. It’s also formulated to support immune system health.

Fennel is traditionally used in Western herbal medicine to decrease or relieve flatulence, and to decrease or relieve abdominal bloating and distention. It’s also traditionally used in Western herbal medicine to relieve digestive discomfort.

Acne Care Probiotic is formulated to support digestive system health and beneficial intestinal flora, working on the gut-skin connection to help reduce the occurrence of acne symptoms, blackheads and pimples. 

The four billion CFU blend is designed to relieve symptoms of acne while supporting general health and wellbeing and immune system health, while Zinc and Vitamin E contribute to supporting skin health, skin repair and wound healing, along with collagen formation, collagen health and connective tissue health. Vitamin E also acts as an antioxidant, helping reduce free radicals formed in the body.

The formulation also includes Lactoferrin, which offers support for skin integrity, structure and elasticity alongside the probiotic and vitamin blend.

The full range of daily probiotic supplements is available to shop on the Kuci Biome website or at Chemist Warehouse stores nationwide.