Butcher found guilty of killing ex-girlfriend and cutting her in half

A turkey butcher who cut her girlfriend in half with a kitchen knife and buried her in a garden has been found guilty of murder.

Anna Podedworna, 40, killed Izabela Zablocka before trussing her up “like a chicken” with electrical tape.

She then buried her remains in bin bags in a “filthy, makeshift grave”.

Derby Crown Court heard that Ms Zablocka, a 30-year-old mother of one, lost contact with her family in August 2010 and was reported to the police as missing.

Prosecutor Gordon Aspden KC said that “mounting pressure” caused Podedworna to “crack” and email the police in 2025 when a Polish TV journalist flew to the UK to interview her.

In June, officers found Ms Zablocka’s remains under concrete hardstanding in the garden of a terraced house in Princes Street, Normanton, Derby, which she shared with Podedworna after they moved to the UK from Poland together.

The defendant will be sentenced at the same court on Wednesday.

Jurors unanimously convicted Podedworna, of Boyer Street, Derby, of murder, preventing a lawful burial and perverting the course of justice.

Mr Aspden previously told the jury that Podedworna tried to cover up the murder with a series of “deliberate, calculated, gruesome and time-consuming acts” over several days.

The jury was told that “considerable force” would have been needed to cut Ms Zablocka’s body in half, and that her legs had been bound together before she was buried.

The prosecutor said Podedworna was a skilled butcher at a poultry factory called Cranberry Foods in Scropton, Derbyshire, at the time she killed Ms Zablocka.

Mr Aspden had told the court: “Her work had involved skinning, deboning, and portioning out turkey carcasses using a large knife.”

Employment records at the Cranberry Foods factory show that Podedworna took two weeks off work after Ms Zablocka made her final contact with her mother.

Giving evidence with the help of a Polish interpreter, the defendant said Ms Zablocka was “angry” on the day of her death, before she grabbed Podedworna and began strangling her.

Podedworna told jurors she was acting in self-defence when she hit Ms Zablocka with a horse figurine, and had believed her partner was going to kill her.

Instead of calling for an ambulance when she could not find a pulse, the court heard that Podedworna decided to cut Ms Zablocka in half with a knife and bury her in the garden.

She had told jurors: “I was just terrified, I felt fear. I thought I will bury her. I took the decision I would bury her in the garden.

“I wanted to pick her up whole. I just did not have the strength to pick her up. I had an idea to cut her down. It seemed the only way… to cut her into two.”

Samantha Shallow from the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Izabela Zablocka came to Derby in search of a new life with her partner, but instead met her death.

“Anna Podedworna not only brutally murdered her partner, but she subjected Izabela’s loved ones to 15 years of uncertainty and anguish, not knowing if she was alive or dead.

“Podedworna hid the truth for years, but justice has caught up with her. Her callous actions took a mother and daughter away from her family and denied them the opportunity to grieve her passing and lay her to rest. I would like to offer them my sincere sympathies.”

Brooklyn, removing a tattoo won’t fix your problems

When Brooklyn Beckham, 26, was spotted out in LA with his wife Nicola Peltz, 31, last week, all eyes were on his upper right arm. It appeared that his tattoo tribute to his father, David Beckham, had been altered to remove any trace of “dad” as part of Brooklyn’s sustained and continuing quest to divorce his famous family.

It’s heartbreaking. The stylish black and white tattoo originally had a massive anchor with a rose and movingly included the word “DAD” in the centre, while underneath, it read: “Love you Bust”, a reference to his dad’s endearing nickname for his first-born. But in photos obtained by The Sun, the words appear to have been removed, and three abstract shapes have been added across the anchor.

As if this wasn’t enough of a blow to the Beckham family. A few days later, it was revealed that the eldest son of David and Victoria had also removed the names of his siblings Romeo, Cruz and Harper from his body. And last year, Brooklyn also layered over the “mama’s boy” tattoo dedicated to his mother, Victoria, which was on his chest. It was replaced with a floral design, thought to represent his wife Peltz’s bridal bouquet, and was featured in a photoshoot with Glamour Germany in June 2025.

Brooklyn has made it crystal clear that he doesn’t want reconciliation with his once closely knit family, when last month, he detailed all the previously top secret family dysfunction in an explosive, six-page bombshell statement on Instagram. He accused his parents of only caring about “Brand Beckham” and their performative social media posts while trying to ruin his relationship with Peltz since before the wedding. He wanted us to know that it was all causing him overwhelming anxiety. It was time he moved on.

We got the message then and we’re getting it now, but it will take more than an episode of Tattoo Fixers to make it all go away. This is an inside job.

I understand it perfectly. I’m estranged from my once super close family after we all fell out over my dad’s will when he died in July 2024 – and long before then, it had become toxic and unhealthy. I’m the youngest of five half-siblings and was the resented love child.

Like Brooklyn, I needed a complete break from them all for my own sanity. I got rid of anything that reminded me of my family home years ago and now live in a minimalist shell of neutrals with a storm grey kitchen table – having put all the family antiques in a lock-up storage unit to try and forge my own very new path. Yet still, my half-siblings pop into my head a few times a day. And I’m someone who has done a huge amount of therapy – and grieved my losses.

Conditioning is hard to break, and it takes more than changing your outsides. Brooklyn’s constant stream of photo dumps showing off his lavish lifestyle – with Peltz’s reported £1m monthly allowance, the cuddly shots of them with their new puppy Tami and erasing family memories from his body – isn’t proof you’ve arrived at destination new life.

I had to take a good, hard look at myself. I was riddled with dysfunction – and entrenched in years of messy family issues. Brooklyn might want to examine why he had such over-the-top tattoos on his body in the first place, declaring his love for his parents – and his own part in that.

It’s all very well to point fingers – as both sides do in a family war like this – but admitting one’s own faults, warts and all, is key.

I was riddled with “people pleasing”, seeking approval, competitiveness, perfectionism, self-pity and a deep-rooted fear that I wasn’t good enough, or lovable. I had to take responsibility for all of this – and stop blaming my family. Yes, I didn’t create the family dynamics, but I had played my role perfectly. Like Brooklyn, I also suffered from overwhelming anxiety and I hit rock bottom aged 24, and ended up in a rehab to face my demons. In some sense, I was lucky my life imploded, as I had to do something.

It was only at this point that I realised that everybody in my family was hurting – not just me. But there was nothing I could do about them – I could only work on myself. It took awareness and hard work.

Beckham has the funds to get help, and living in California, he will be in a community comfortable with therapy and wellness. Having a good old rant and getting angry, even if you win the argument, isn’t enough, because unless the deeper issues are dealt with. You have to dig a lot deeper. Both sides do.

Because it’s not enough for David to just post about loving his family, either. After Brooklyn removed his “dad” tattoo, David shared snaps of his old football boots with Brooklyn’s name on, alongside his other sons Romeo and Cruz, and still shows off his “Buster” neck tattoo in honour of Brooklyn.

Throwing “love” at the flames of hurt and anger as if nothing is wrong in a public display of family unity is only feeding the monster. It doesn’t make it all better because Romeo revealed yesterday he’d had the word “family” tattooed on the back of his neck. This war of words, whether it is on Instagram or inked on the body, isn’t helping anyone.

Therapy requires patience, and it can be a lifelong journey to get to a place of peace and detachment – even forgiveness.

I’m not there yet – and like Brooklyn, I’ve decided to cut all contact with my family for my own sanity. It has taken me years to untangle myself from my own family drama – and while I love them deep down, I don’t love the person I am in that environment.

But I also know letting go and moving on is not outward performative gestures. Dealing with family estrangement is a lifetime’s work – not just a trip to a laser practitioner in LA to rewrite family history. For real change, it takes looking beyond Instagram – at the inner workings of your heart, mind and soul. What you don’t deal with, deals with you.

Winter Olympics live: Team GB aim to secure curling bronze

Team GB have the opportunity to secure their first medal of the Winter Olympics 2026 after narrowly missing out on Monday.

Kirsty Muir and Mia Brookes both cam agonisingly close to finishing in the medal positions of the freeski slopestyle and big air competitions while curlers Bruce Mouat and Jennifer Dodds lost their mixed doubles semi-final and the chance to secure at least a silver medal.

However, Mouat and Dodds are back in action this afternoon when they take on the World and Olympic champions Italy in the bronze medal match. It seems like an intimidating contest but the British duo topped the table in the round robin stage and if they can hit their best levels they may just secure the first medal of the Games for Team GB.

In the gold medal match Sweden will face the United States after the latter edged out Italy 9-8 in their own semi-final clash on Monday.

Elsewhere, US skier Lindesy Vonn issued an update on her condition from hospital after suffering a broken leg in Sunday’s downhill crash just nine days after she ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Late on Monday, the 41-year-old wrote on Instagram that she has “no regrets” about competing even though her “Olympic dream did not finish the way I dreamt it would”.

Follow all the latest updates from Milano-Cortina 2026 in our live blog below:

Warning as 155 stomach bug cases linked to winter sun destination

Health authorities have issued a warning over travel to Cape Verde after cases of Shigella and Salmonella were linked to the winter sun destination.

Several Britons are known to have died after contracting stomach bugs while on holiday in the island country, which is popular with British holidaymakers.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said last week that its investigation had identified more than 150 people from the UK who had fallen ill with bugs that can cause severe diarrhoea, fever and stomach cramps.

Led by UKHSA, together with other public health agencies, investigators found that, of the 118 Shigella cases reported since 1 October and linked to international travel, some 112 (95 per cent) of those people had been to Cape Verde, the majority to the Santa Maria and Boa Vista areas.

The UKHSA also identified increases in cases of Salmonella in people who travelled to the holiday destination.

Since 1 October, 43 cases of Salmonella from three separate clusters – identified using whole genome sequencing techniques – have been linked to travel to Cape Verde, it said.

Irwin Mitchell solicitors are representing the families of the six people who have died, and more than 1,500 people who have fallen ill, after visits to Cape Verde.

It said four British people died within four months after being struck down with stomach bugs while on holiday there.

Dr Gauri Godbole, deputy director for gastrointestinal infections and food safety at the UKHSA, said: “February is a popular time for winter sun holidays and we want to help families make the most of their breaks by staying healthy.

“Taking a few simple precautions against traveller’s diarrhoea and food poisoning can make all the difference.

“The best way to avoid gastrointestinal infections, including shigella and salmonella, or passing them to others, is simply by washing your hands regularly and thoroughly with soap and water or alcohol gel – particularly after using the toilet, changing nappies, and before eating or preparing food.

“Most episodes of traveller’s diarrhoea are short-lived, lasting for a few days.

“During an episode of diarrhoea and vomiting, it is important to prevent dehydration, particularly for young children, pregnant women, elderly people, and those with pre-existing illnesses as they can develop complications.

“Continue to hydrate yourself with plenty of fluids and consider purchasing sachets of oral rehydration salt before travelling.

“If symptoms worsen or you have underlying medical conditions, please seek advice from your GP or pharmacy.”

A new UKHSA study found local swimming pools, local water and poor sanitary conditions, as well as possible infection from hotel buffets and excursions, can increase the risk of infections like salmonella, shigella, giardia and cryptosporidium.

Elena Walsh, 64, from Birmingham, Mark Ashley, 55, of Bedfordshire, 64-year-old Karen Pooley, from Gloucestershire, and a 56-year-old man, all died last year after contracting severe gastric illnesses while on the islands off the coast of west Africa. These cases are being handled by Irwin Mitchell.

Mr Ashley’s wife Emma, 55, said her family are in “complete shock” over his death.

“We went to Cape Verde expecting a relaxing break, but Mark became violently ill and never recovered,” she said.

Three days into their holiday in October, Mr Ashley, a self-employed forklift truck driver, fell ill with symptoms including stomach pain, diarrhoea, vomiting, fever and extreme lethargy, Irwin Mitchell said.

Mrs Ashley, an early years assistant manager, said they booked their more than £3,000 trip with Tui, and she reported her husband’s illness on its app on 9 October.

She said she and her husband, who had been married for 26 years, stayed at the five‑star Riu Palace Santa Maria resort in Sal.

Mrs Ashley has raised concerns over the hygiene standards at the hotel.

After collapsing at home in Houghton Regis, Mr Ashley, who had diabetes which was controlled through medication, was taken to hospital on 12 November but was pronounced dead minutes later.

Part-time nurse and mother-of-one Ms Walsh died in August 2025 after falling ill while staying at the Riu Cabo Verde resort on the same island.

Ms Pooley, from Lydney, travelled with a friend to the Riu Funana resort in Sal on 7 October, 2025 for a fortnight’s holiday costing £3,000 and booked through Tui, the law firm said.

The retired mother-of-two became sick on 11 October with gastric symptoms including diarrhoea, and in the early hours of the next day she slipped on water leaking from a fridge while going to the bathroom.

She was transferred to a local clinic and over the next four days Ms Pooley continued to experience diarrhoea and vomiting, alongside severe pain from her fractured femur.

The 64-year-old was airlifted to Tenerife for urgent care on 16 October and died in the early hours of the next day, lawyers said.

Her husband Andy, 62, said: “We’re utterly heartbroken. Karen was the kindest, loveliest person.

“She was a devoted wife and mum who loved swimming, walking the dog in the Forest of Dean, and volunteered at a local charity shop. She was also a wonderful friend who lit up every room she entered.

“We’re devastated and struggling to understand how she went on holiday and never came home.”

Irwin Mitchell said Ms Pooley’s initial death certificate, issued by the Cape Verde authorities, said she died of multi-organ failure, sepsis, cardio‑respiratory arrest and a broken left leg.

The other two Britons who have died since 2023 are Jane Pressley, 62, of Gainsborough, who died in January 2023 after falling ill while holidaying at Riu Palace Hotel in Santa Maria, Sal, the previous November, and a man in his 60s from Watford.

He died in November 2024 after suffering gastric illness following a trip to Cape Verde, Irwin Mitchell said.

Families of all six people are making personal injury claims for damages against Tui, the provider of many package holidays to the island country.

Jatinder Paul, serious injury lawyer at the firm, said: “In my experience, I’m used to supporting holidaymakers who have fallen ill at resorts across the globe, but I’ve never seen repeated and continued illness outbreaks at the same resorts on such a scale over such a period of time.”

The UKHSA has updated its travel advice on the Travel Health Pro website for Cape Verde.

It urges people to choose food that is freshly prepared, fully cooked and served piping hot.

In areas without a reliable clean water supply, drink only bottled or boiled water, including when brushing your teeth, and avoid ice in drinks, it added.

People are advised to only eat fruit they peel themselves and avoid salads that may not have been washed in safe water.

Shigella is a gastrointestinal bug that can cause severe diarrhoea, fever and stomach cramps. It can be caught from contaminated food, water or surfaces.

Salmonella is often caused by eating or handling contaminated food.

Irish man held in ICE detention for five months despite having valid work permit

An Irishman currently detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has described the facilities as “like a modern-day concentration camp”.

Seamus Culleton, originally from Co Kilkenny, has resided in the US for nearly two decades and is married to an American citizen.

He was apprehended by ICE agents in September 2025 while driving home from work, recalling how he first noticed a man in blue sunglasses before other agents appeared.

Mr Culleton is now appealing for Irish premier Micheal Martin to raise his case directly with US president Donald Trump during their scheduled meeting at the White House in March.

He was asked if he had a green card and he said he did not, but said he was married to a US citizen, had a work permit and was due to receive his green card.

He was detained and initially put into a holding cell in Massachusetts before being taken to New York and then to the detention centre in El Paso in Texas. He claimed that ICE agents had tried to get him to sign deportation papers, which he said he “absolutely” did not.

He described the detention centre in El Paso as “horrible”, where there is little sanitation, limited food and where it was “tough to stay positive”. He said he was in fear of his life from the security firm in charge, who he said were “capable of anything”, and said that it is not easy to predict what will happen.

He said there were 72 people in a tent the size of a 16ft x 35ft room with no ceiling, with two rows of bunk beds on either side and a long table down the middle.

He described the conditions at the camp as “filthy”, the toilets and showers as “nasty”, and that illnesses are rife among those being detained. He said there was competition for food and said he had “definitely” lost weight.

“There is no real quality of life here. I’ve been locked in the same room now for four and a half months,” he told RTE’s Liveline programme. I’ve had barely any outside time, no fresh air, no sunshine. I could probably count on both hands the amount of times I’ve been outside.

“I’d be so grateful if we could just end this Asap. I’ve been detained now for five months, locked in the same room for four and a half of those months. It’s just torture. I don’t know how much more I can take.”

He said the detention centre was a psychological and physical “torture” and was also difficult for his mother. “I just want to get back to my wife. We’re so desperate to start a family. My own family at home in Ireland is also suffering, my mother especially, she’s heartbroken that I’m in here.

“I talk to her most days. She’s just heartbroken over the whole situation, I don’t want her health to get any worse. She’s constantly worrying and stressing about me.”

On the same programme, Mr Culleton’s wife, Tiffany, described the “shock” of his detention and the “awful” experience of trying to maintain contact with him in the intervening period.

She said she did not hear from him for almost a week after an initial phone call following his arrest, and said she “did not know if he was deported” and “had no idea if he was safe”.

Asked if she had been allowed to visit her husband, she said ICE officially allows visits, but it is “almost impossible to set one up”. She had booked flights from Massachusetts to Texas to attend one of Mr Culleton’s court dates, but the hearing was moved on the day before her journey.

“He’s a good man. I don’t think anyone deserves this but Seamus definitely doesn’t deserve this,” she said.

She said she had attempted to reach senators and Mr Trump about the case but had received no response.

Earlier, Mr Culleton’s sister, Caroline, said his family still does not know why he was detained. “There are no words. I mean the way they’re being kept and they’re locked up, and he’s only been allowed out a couple of times. They don’t see the sunlight. They don’t get out. Their health deteriorates.”

She said he has lost an “awful lot of weight”, adding that he has sores, infections and hair loss.

She told the News at One programme that his ongoing detention was “heartbreaking for our mother” and his extended family.

In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said: “Minister McEntee is aware of this case and of the consular assistance being provided to the citizen involved, and his family, by our Consulate General in Austin, Texas, and our consular unit in Dublin.

“Our embassy in Washington DC is also engaging directly with the Department of Homeland Security at a senior level in relation to this case.”

Why Gran Hotel Taoro is Tenerife’s must-book luxury stay for 2026

Tenerife’s iconic Gran Hotel Taoro holds a special place in Spanish history. As the first luxury hotel in Spain, opening its doors in 1890, it was a glamorous haven for high society, welcoming everyone from King Alfonso XIII and the Duke of Kent to author Agatha Christie.

Now, after a complete renovation, the landmark hotel has been reborn as an elegant 21st-century destination that’s ready to welcome you for the ultimate five-star break.

The hotel’s carefully preserved neo-classical architecture exudes old-world elegance, while colonial-inspired interiors in earthy tones and modern five-star comforts promise a stay that feels both timeless and contemporary.

Set on a lush hilltop in northern Tenerife and overlooking the historic town of Puerto de la Cruz, the hotel’s 199 rooms and suites make the most of its enviable location, featuring breathtaking panoramic views of Mount Teide – the highest point in Spain – the Atlantic Ocean, and the palm-dotted greenery of its terraces and surrounding botanical parks.

Prepare to embark on an unforgettable culinary journey throughout your stay, with exceptional restaurants celebrating local and international flavours.

At fusion restaurant OKA, helmed by Michelin-starred chef Ricardo Sanz, Japanese fine dining is given a mouthwatering Mediterranean twist.

Two-Michelin-starred chef Erlantz Gorostiza is the mastermind behind two more restaurants: Spanish gourmet bistro Amalur, with a menu inspired by the four elements; and fine dining restaurant Lava, whose exclusive setting includes a Chef’s Counter for six guests.

Breakfast at Atlantico Buffet is the perfect way to start the day as you savour delicious dishes alongside terrace views. For leisurely poolside lunches, La Carola is the place to be, serving Mediterranean flavours and crisp Canarian wines with a generous side of Tenerife sunshine.

Secure your holiday to Gran Hotel Taoro with British Airways Holidays and enjoy a great-value holiday with quality and peace of mind. You’ll benefit from ATOL protection from the moment you book, a 24-hour helpline and a generous checked baggage allowance. Book your holiday with a low deposit and spread the cost with flexible payments* – so all that’s left to focus on is enjoying your holiday in style.

If you upgrade to Club Europe, you’ll enjoy a host of additional benefits including lounge access,** increased checked baggage allowance, and priority check-in and boarding. Members of The British Airways Club benefit from collecting Avios, earning tier points and using Avios towards the cost of holiday packages.

Spend your days at the Gran Hotel Taoro relaxing by three heated pools, set amidst beautifully landscaped gardens and providing a postcard-perfect setting for some downtime.

If you want to up the relaxation factor further, head to the serene sanctuary of the Sandara Wellness Center, which offers a range of exclusive treatments in partnership with luxury French brand Anne Semonin.

Guests who want to explore the history, culture and natural wonders of the local area – including Puerto de la Cruz, the oldest tourist destination in the Canaries – can take advantage of the hotel’s new X-Plora programme, offering a range of tailor-made experiences both within and beyond the hotel grounds through the dedicated concierge team.

More than a luxury retreat, Gran Hotel Taoro is a grand hotel reborn: a destination where heritage, culture and five-star service come together in one of Tenerife’s most treasured and authentic settings. Book with British Airways Holidays to experience this Spanish icon’s remarkable return in 2026.

British Airways Holidays packages include a generous checked baggage allowance for each customer and come with full ATOL protection for complete peace of mind. Secure your Tenerife holiday to Gran Hotel Taoro with a low deposit and enjoy flexible payments until you fly*.

*Based on two sharing. Full balance due four weeks before departure. Subject to availability. T&Cs apply. **Subject to availability

• Secure your holiday with a low deposit and spread the cost with flexible payments.*

• All holiday packages include a generous checked baggage allowance.

• ATOL protection from the moment you book your holiday package giving you financial reassurance.

• Quality car hire with no hidden fees, 24-hour support and roadside assistance.

• Upgrade to Club Europe (Business Class) for a host of additional benefits including lounge access,** increased checked baggage allowance, delicious food and drink options and dedicated check-in and priority boarding.

• Members of The British Airways Club benefit from collecting Avios, earning tier points and using Avios towards the cost of holiday packages.

Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood asks for music to be removed from Melania documentary

Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood and director Paul Thomas Anderson have asked for a segment of music from their 2017 film Phantom Thread to be removed from Melania Trump’s controversial Amazon documentary.

The musician, who composed the score for the film starring Daniel Day-Lewis, alleged in a statement that the usage of the music was a breach of his composer agreement.

“It has come to our attention that a piece of music from Phantom Thread has been used in the Melania documentary,” Greenwood and Anderson’s representatives said in a joint statement obtained by Variety.

His attorneys claimed that while Greenwood does not own the copyright in the score, the film’s distributor, Universal, “failed to consult Jonny on this third-party use, which is a breach of his composer agreement. As a result, Jonny and Paul Thomas Anderson have asked for it to be removed from the documentary.”

The Independent has contacted Amazon MGM Studios and Universal for comment.

The film includes a long excerpt of “Barbara Rose”, a song the Radiohead guitarist composed for Anderson’s film.

The Brett Ratner-directed documentary, which followed the first lady in the 20 days leading up to her husband’s second inauguration, has earned $13.35m domestically after two weekends of release, exceeding box office projections thanks, in part, to organised groups of Republican women who have made up a large portion of the audience.

In the film, Melania meets with stylists, interior designers and political allies before she is seen hand-in-hand with her husband at his swearing-in ceremony.

Although the film has performed better than expected, it is still unlikely to recoup the $40m Amazon MGM paid for it. Amazon reportedly spent an additional $35m to market the film. It is believed to have cost more than just about any documentary in history.

The film’s price tag has prompted industry speculation that Amazon made the purchase to get close to US president Donald Trump.

The project marked the return of Rush Hour director Ratner, who moved to Israel following multiple sexual misconduct allegations in 2017. He has denied any wrongdoing and has not been charged with any crimes.

The film has been critically panned across the board, receiving a one-star review fromThe Independent’s Nick Hilton, who wrote: “Perhaps Melania is merely a piece of post-modern post-entertainment. After all, it is transparently not a documentary.”

Hilton continues: “Melania spends most scenes playing a staged version of herself, and shots of the first lady are composed with all the deliberateness Ratner brought to his work on X-Men: The Last Stand. This is somewhere between reality TV and pure fiction.”

In recent years, Greenwood has been a more active film composer than rock musician, writing or contributing to the scores for 12 films, including One Battle After Another, There Will Be Blood and Liquorice Pizza.

Phantom Thread received six Oscar nominations, including best original score.

How long will Britain’s rain deluge last?

Britain’s record-breaking run of soggy weather is set to continue, with many areas facing a further 10 days of rain, forecasters have warned.

Like some sort of biblical punishment, the country seems even rainier than ever, with 41 consecutive days of rain falling from slate-grey skies – with every day so far in 2026 a wet one. And there’s more to come.

“There is currently no sign of any prolonged dry weather for the next seven to 10 days,” said Met Office senior operational meteorologist Simon Partridge.

“With so much rain having already fallen over parts of the UK this year, many areas are sensitive to further rainfall. Therefore, further rainfall warnings are likely as the week progresses.”

The Environment Agency has issued more than 100 flood warnings, while the Met Office has issued yellow rain warnings for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, with the South West and Scotland bearing the brunt as the inclement weather continues. Another band of heavy rain is forecast across much of the rest of the country.

“We start the week once again with more rain in the places that we’ve seen a lot of rain in the last few weeks,” said Met Office meteorologist Aiden McGivern on Monday. “For some, that means it’s the 40th day of rain this year.”

This is all accompanied by “extensive low cloud and mist and some fog in places”, he added.

This has made it “an exceptionally wet start to the year”, the Met Office said, leaving many places with the sense that “winter has been stuck on repeat”.

Very wet. Cornwall and County Down in Ireland both logged their wettest January on record, while Northern Ireland endured its wettest in 149 years.

Across the UK, 26 stations set new monthly rainfall records, while several daily records also fell – Plymouth saw its wettest January day in 104 years, Hurn in Dorset in 74 years, and Dunkeswell in Devon in 57 years.

The figures indicate that 2026 has splashed down with a rainfall intensity and frequency rivalling some of the most extreme periods ever observed in the country.

Spare a thought for the saturated souls residing in North Wyke in Devon, Cardinham in Cornwall and Astwood Bank in Worcestershire – places which have each logged 40 consecutive wet days – from 31 December to 8 February.

Meanwhile two other places – Liscombe in Somerset and Camborne in Cornwall – have seen 37 straight days of rain over almost the same period.

But perhaps bleakest of all is the news that Aberdeen hasn’t seen a single minute of sunshine for two weeks and counting – the longest period for the area since records began in 1957.

The UK has already reached 89 per cent of its average winter rainfall, with England surpassing its seasonal norm at 111 per cent. Wales stands at 94 per cent, and Northern Ireland has edged above average at 101 per cent. Scotland is lower at 69 per cent, though that national figure masks sharp regional contrasts in this winter’s weather, the Met Office said.

According to the Met Office’s chief forecaster Neil Armstrong, the relentless mizzle, drizzle, rain and downpours across the country have “been driven by a strong, south-shifted jet stream steering low pressure systems directly towards the UK.

“Cold plunges of air across North America have strengthened the temperature gradient across the northwest Atlantic, energising the jet, while a blocking high over northern Europe has prevented weather fronts from clearing, causing them to stall over the UK.

“The result has been continuous waves of rain, strong winds, and hill snow in parts of Scotland,” he added.

His colleagues have also shed some light on when the rain will go away, but have also warned it is set to come another day – and soon.

“If you’re sick of all this kind of weather, well there is some hope on the horizon – something a little less wet heading our way for later in the week and into the weekend,” Mr McGivern said.

But this break may be short-lived. Deputy chief forecaster Steven Keates added: “We are likely to see the transition from wet and windy weather to colder, more settled conditions towards the end of the week, with Saturday looking a fine day for many. But, this reprieve doesn’t last long, as the next set of Atlantic weather fronts looks set to move in from the west at the end of the weekend.”

As average temperatures rise due to the climate crisis, forecasters have previously warned that wetter weather is increasingly likely, as a warmer atmosphere can hold more water.

For humans the impact is increased flood risk, chaotic travel, saturated farmland, and obviously despair at the constant gloom.

Meanwhile for the natural world, the unusually wet weather also represents major challenges for some species.

Experts at the Wildlife Trusts have warned the extreme weather may already be taking a toll on many creatures, as saturated farmland leaches pollutants into Britain’s already environmentally-compromised waterways.

As well as species living in the rivers, those dwelling in riverbanks, such as water voles and kingfishers are particularly at risk from unusually high river levels.

Eleanor Johnston, climate change manager at The Wildlife Trusts, told The Independent: “As global temperatures rise, we can expect more extreme weather like flooding as warmer, wetter winters are dominated by heavy rainfall.

“This affects the places we live and our public safety, as well as farmland and our natural world. For instance, heavy rainfall can push more pollutants into our waterways and across fields, impacting the delicate ecosystems, while water voles, kingfishers and other wildlife may find their riverbank homes flooded out or washed away.”

She said that this can mean the loss of eggs and young, which can then have an impact further up the food chain, affecting birds like owls and larger mammals too.

“Flooding also exacerbates the spread of invasive non-native species [such as] Himalayan balsam, signal crayfish and associated diseases … by helping disperse seeds downstream,” she added.

But it’s not time to fire up the ark just yet. The organisation is calling for more nature-based solutions to tackle the UK’s rising flood risk, including restoration of bogs, wetlands, peatlands, all designed to hold more water in the landscape, slowing runoff – which reduces the impact of floods – as well as providing much needed habitat for species such as curlew, golden plover and green hairstreak butterflies.