‘Enraged’ ex-marine drove into crowds at Liverpool parade, court hears

An ex-Royal Marine drove his car into a crowd of people attending Liverpool football club’s victory parade in a rage, using the 1.9-tonne Ford Galaxy as a weapon to strike more than 100 supporters in a two-minute rampage, a court heard.

Harrowing footage played to Liverpool Crown Court showed Paul Doyle, described as a 54-year-old family man, accelerating into the horrified crowd while shouting “Get out of the f***ing way”.

When the vehicle finally stopped, after injuring a total of 134 people, CCTV showed supporters and police swarm in on Doyle, who after his arrest told officers: “I’ve just ruined my family’s life.”

Doyle, of West Derby in Liverpool, appeared tearful in the dock as video footage of the Liverpool parade on 26 May was played at the start of his sentencing hearing on Monday.

Last month, he sobbed as he pleaded guilty to 31 charges, including dangerous driving, affray, 17 counts of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH), nine counts of causing GBH with intent, and three counts of wounding with intent.

During a highly charged hearing attended by victims, the court heard that:

The packed-out courtroom, just an eight-minute walk from the location of Doyle’s attack, heard from dozens of victims through impact statements. Many claimed still to be suffering from the physical and mental injuries they sustained on the fateful day.

Opening the sentencing, Paul Greaney KC, prosecuting, played horrifying dashcam footage from Doyle’s car, showing, Mr Greaney said, him driving in an “aggressive and dangerous” manner into Liverpool city centre, where he intended to pick up a friend and his family from the parade.

The footage showed the vehicle arriving in Dale Street, after which it was seen driving down a crowded thoroughfare while supporters dragged their children out of its path as Doyle could be heard shouting “Move” and “F***ing pricks”.

The vehicle then proceeded through a gap in traffic cones that had been opened up to allow access for an ambulance, and footage showed it heading into Water Street, where Mr Greaney said it hit more than 100 people in just over two minutes.

The recording showed some victims bouncing off the car’s bonnet, with the impact cracking the windscreen. Others were dragged under the front of the vehicle.

In the courtroom, the footage was met with gasps and tears in the public gallery, which was filled with victims and their families. In the dock, Doyle cried as the footage was shown to the court, putting his head down and shutting his eyes.

Mr Greaney said: “Paul Doyle just lost his temper in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to.

“In a rage, he drove into the crowd. When he did so, he intended to cause people within the crowd serious harm. He was prepared to cause those in the crowd, even children, serious harm if necessary to achieve his aim of getting through.

“The truth is as simple as the consequences were awful.”

Mr Greaney said that the charges mainly focused on a two-minute period in Water Street, where he said Doyle had accelerated into a crowd of people who were leaving the parade, which was held to mark Liverpool winning the Premier League.

“The prosecution case is that the defendant had used the vehicle as a weapon over that period of time,” Mr Greaney said. “In doing so, he not only caused injury on a large scale, but he also generated horror in those who had attended what they had thought would be a day of joyfulness.”

The court was told how, in spite of the danger, some people reacted in a bid to stop Doyle as they “sensed that something dreadful was unfolding”.

One person opened the driver’s door, and another person smashed the back window by punching it. A camping chair was also thrown.

Mr Greaney singled out ex-soldier Daniel Barr, who managed to get into the back seat and shift the automatic gear stick into “park” mode.

“It [the vehicle] stopped as the result of a combination of the actions of a man named Daniel Barr, who bravely jumped into the back of the vehicle … and the sheer volume of people trapped under the Galaxy,” said the prosecutor.

Other clips played to the court showed the horrific impact on victims, with one injured child pulled from underneath the front of the car. Another piece of footage showed five-month-old baby Teddy Eveson being taken out of his pram, which had been hit by the vehicle and thrown 15ft along the road. Teddy’s mother, Sheree Aldridge, was also struck.

In a moving victim impact statement that was read out in court, Ms Aldridge said: “In that moment, I thought I was going to die. I didn’t know where Dan or Teddy was.

“I felt an overwhelming pain in my leg, and looked up to see Teddy’s pushchair on its side further up the road. I thought my Teddy was dead. I thought I was next. I thought my children would grow up without a mother.”

Doyle had told police in an interview that he went into a panic after a group of men, whom he described as “drunken loons”, had approached him, one of them armed with a knife, said Mr Greaney.

Mr Greaney said no image or witness account of someone with a knife could be found during the police investigation. “This simply did not happen,” said Mr Greaney, who earlier said Doyle had become “enraged”.

The sentencing continues on Tuesday.

Our children must be ready to fight as threat from Russia rises, says armed forces chief

Russia is a growing threat to the UK and the nation’s “sons and daughters” must be ready to fight in the event of an attack, the head of the British armed forces has warned.

Making the case for a society-wide approach to “defence and deterrence”, chief of defence staff Sir Richard Knighton said the situation is “more dangerous than I have known during my career”.

He called on “people who are not soldiers, sailors or aviators to nevertheless invest their skills – and money” on building up national resilience.

Sir Richard said: “Sons and daughters. Colleagues. Veterans. …will all have a role to play. To build. To serve. And if necessary, to fight. And more families will know what sacrifice for our nation means.

“That is why it’s so important we do explain the changing threat and the need to stay ahead of it.”

It comes as the new head of MI6 warned that Britain is already on the front line against Russia and the UK is facing an “age of uncertainty” as the rules of conflict are being rewritten by hostile actors.

In her first public speech taking up the role, Blaise Metreweli addressed the acute threat posed by an “aggressive, expansionist and revisionist” Russia.

During his speech at the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) on Monday, Sir Richard said: “Our armed forces always need to be ready to fight and win – that’s why readiness is such a priority.

“But deterrence is also about our resilience to these threats, it’s about how we harness all our national power, from universities, to industry, the rail network to the NHS.

“It’s about our defence and resilience being a higher national priority for all of us. An ‘all-in’ mentality.

“And that will require people who are not soldiers, sailors or aviators to nevertheless invest their skills – and money – in innovation and problem solving on the nation’s behalf.”

Sir Richard warned that Russian leadership has made clear its wish to “challenge, limit, divide and ultimately destroy Nato”.

Discussing the threats faced by Britain, he said: “The situation is more dangerous than I have known during my career and the response requires more than simply strengthening our armed forces.

“A new era for defence doesn’t just mean our military and government stepping up – as we are – it means our whole nation stepping up.”

He announced £50m for new defence technical excellence colleges, which provide short courses aimed at ensuring training can be accessed for new and existing staff in the defence sector more quickly.

On defence spending, Sir Richard said: “I find myself in a position that none of my predecessors during my career have faced, looking at the prospect of the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War.

“And that is because the price of peace is increasing.”

Meanwhile, speaking from inside MI6 headquarters in Vauxhall, London, Ms Metreweli said: “Putin should be in no doubt, our support is enduring. The pressure we apply on Ukraine’s behalf will be sustained.

“The export of chaos is a feature, not a bug, in the Russian approach to international engagement; and we should be ready for this to continue until Putin is forced to change his calculus.”

She also argued that the “front line is everywhere” as a result of the Kremlin’s use of hybrid warfare tactics, including disinformation, sabotage and cyber attacks.

It comes after the head of the Royal Navy warned earlier this month Britain must “step up” on defence or risk losing its advantage in the Atlantic, as Russia continues to spend billions on its capabilities at sea.

In a speech in London, First Sea Lord General Sir Gwyn Jenkins said there was “no room for complacency” while Moscow invests heavily in its northern fleet.

Sir Gwyn said there had been a spike in “Russian incursion in our waters” – activity which is most visibly seen in the presence of spy ships like the Yantar near UK waters – but warned: “It’s what’s going on under the waves that most concerns me.”

The government announced earlier this year that UK defence and security spending would rise to 5 per cent of GDP by 2035 at the latest.

Last week, Nato secretary general Mark Rutte warned Europe was “Russia’s next target” and said countries should prepare for a “scale of war our grandparents or great-grandparents endured”.

Starmer hit by five Labour defections to Greens

Keir Starmer has suffered a blow after five Labour councillors in London announced they were defecting to the Green Party.

With London set to be a major battleground in next year’s crucial local elections, Green leader Zack Polanski has welcomed five Labour councillors from Brent to join his party.

It comes amid concerns that the Greens could take control of Labour councils in the coming elections next year which could also decide the fate of Sir Keir’s premiership.

Mr Polanski claimed the move by the five defectors “mirrors what we’re hearing across the country”.

Previously, he told The Independent that he is also talking to potential defectors among Labour MPs.

Among the councils under threat is Camden, covering Sir Keir’s own constituency.

The five Brent councillors to defect from Labour include a former cabinet member, Harbi Farah, and a former whip, Iman Ahmadi-Moghaddam.

They are joined by Mary Mitchell, Tony Ethapemi, and Erica Gbajumo in moving to the Greens.

With concerns that the PM could be ousted following a briefing against health secretary Wes Streeting by Downing Street sources, a heavy defeat in May could be the end of his premiership.

Among those believed to be eyeing the Labour leadership are Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner and energy secretary Ed Miliband.

The Labour defections to the Greens come as the party’s membership has surged to more than 180,000, up from some 70,000 when Mr Polanski was elected leader in September.

The Green Party has recently seen several defections from Labour across London, but not in such a large block.

Mr Polanski claimed the “Green surge has just widened in London”.

He added: “What we’re witnessing in Brent mirrors what we’re hearing across the country on doorsteps and in polls.

“Good Labour councillors can see Labour has abandoned any sense of progressive politics and is showing absolute cowardice in its doomed attempt to out-Reform Reform with the politics of division and scapegoating.

“Increasingly, people are finding the alternative they need by joining the Green Party and working for a better world shaped by hope rather than fear.

“In the elections in May, it is the Greens who will be taking the fight to Reform and we show our intent today in Brent.

“This is just the start.”

Defections to the Greens from Labour mirror a similar political phenomenon on the right of politics, where Conservative councillors and ex-MPs have flocked to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.

In the polls, Labour are averaging around 20 per cent after just 18 months in power with Reform at around 30 per cent and the Greens climbing to about 12 per cent.

Nick Reiner’s addiction history and the movie his father made about it

Nick Reiner, son of Hollywood movie director Rob Reiner, has been arrested after his father and mother, Michele Singer Reiner, were found stabbed to death at their Los Angeles home.

The bodies were discovered Sunday afternoon by the director’s daughter, Romy Reiner, according to People magazine. Initial reports said that a family member was being questioned by police.

Nick Reiner, 32, was arrested at 9:15 p.m. Sunday evening and booked into jail around 5 a.m. Monday. He is being held on a $4 million bond, although his record does not state what charges he might face.

Born on September 14, 1993, Nick Reiner is the couple’s middle child – he has an older brother, Jake, and Romy, is his younger sister. Nick Reiner has previously claimed that he “didn’t bond a lot” with his father during childhood.

He has a well-known history of heroin addiction, which began when he was a teenager and saw him enter rehab on at least 17 occasions, beginning at age 15. He has experienced homelessness a number of times, in a number of states, he has said.

“I was homeless in Maine. I was homeless in New Jersey. I was homeless in Texas,” he told People in a December 2015 interview. “I spent nights on the street. I spent weeks on the street. It was not fun.”

But, he added: “If I wanted to do it [recovery] my way and not go to the programs they were suggesting, then I had to be homeless.

“When I was out there, I could’ve died. It’s all luck. You roll the dice and you hope you make it.”

He subsequently channeled his experiences into an autobiographical screenplay, co-written with his friend Matt Elisofon, which became the 2015 film Being Charlie, directed by his father.

The movie starred Nick Robinson as Charlie Mills, an 18-year-old addict, and Princess Bride star Cary Elwes as his dad David, a Hollywood actor now running for Congress who struggles to help his son.

“It’s not my life,” Nick said of the project in his People interview, but, “I went to a lot of these places, so I had a lot of these stories.”

Being Charlie is about the tensions between Mills and his parents, who are desperate for him to get clean and insist he checks into rehab on the advice of counselors, despite his insistence that he does not find the treatment helpful or conducive to recovery. The film attempts to address both perspectives in the interest of helping other families facing comparable situations.

Rob Reiner told The Los Angeles Times upon the film’s release: “When Nick would tell us that it wasn’t working for him, we wouldn’t listen. We were desperate and because the people had diplomas on their wall, we listened to them when we should have been listening to our son.”

“We were so influenced by these people,” Michele Reiner added. “They would tell us he’s a liar, that he was trying to manipulate us. And we believed them.”

In the same interview, Nick himself said: “I got sick of it. I got sick of doing that s***. I come from a nice family. I’m not supposed to be out there on the streets and in homeless shelters doing all these f***ed up things.”

At a Q&A event promoting the film, Rob Reiner said: “We didn’t set out for it to be cathartic or for it to be therapeutic, but it turned out to be that.”

He admitted that “there were disagreements” during the shoot and that “at times it was really rough,” with Nick agreeing that the process was sometimes “overwhelming for me.”

Towards the end of Being Charlie, Elwes’ character delivers an apology that appears to chime with much of what Rob Reiner has said about his real relationship with Nick.

“Charlie, I know you’re angry at me and probably don’t want to hear this right now but I do love you,” David tells his son in the film.

“I’m sorry. Every expert with a desk and a diploma told me I had to be tough on you but every time we sent you away to another one of those programs I saw you slipping away from us.

Asked by NPR in April 2016 whether he planned to work with his father again, Nick answered: “I think for now, it’s best for me at least to be sort of independent. But that’s not to say I didn’t have an amazing experience.”

Rob was characteristically more effusive. “He was the heart and soul of the film and any time I would get an opportunity to work with him I would do it, but I do understand him wanting to forge his own way. I do know what that’s about, I went through it, and he’s brilliant and talented and he’s going to figure out his path,” he said.

Speaking to People about getting sober in 2016, Nick said: “I’ve been home for a really long time, and I’ve sort of gotten acclimated back to being in L.A. and being around my family.”

Only Fools and Horses cast to reunite for special anniversary series

Sir David Jason is set to reunite with fellow cast members from the beloved sitcom Only Fools And Horses for a new documentary series, marking the show’s 45th anniversary.

Titled Only Fools And Horses: The Lost Archive, the programme promises to unveil behind-the-scenes footage and previously unseen material that, according to the series producer, was “filmed but never broadcast”.

The iconic sitcom, a ratings juggernaut for the BBC, first graced screens on 8 September 1981. It became a career-defining role for Sir Jason, who portrayed the entrepreneurial Del Boy, and Nicholas Lyndhurst, who played his younger brother Rodney.

Sir David, 85, expressed his enduring affection for the show, stating: “The love for Only Fools has never faded. It’s incredible to see how many people still hold it close to their hearts. Revisiting these rediscovered moments reminded me just how special the show was – and still is. It’s incredible to be able to share them now.”

The two-part series will feature new interviews with cast and crew, alongside archival material spanning more than 10 classic episodes, including fan favourites like ‘The Jolly Boys’ Outing’ and ‘Mother Nature’s Son’.

Cast members, including Sir David, Tessa Peake-Jones (Raquel), Gwyneth Strong (Cassandra), and Sue Holderness (Marlene), will also pay tribute to the show’s late creator, John Sullivan, who passed away in 2011 at the age of 64.

The documentary will also include new material from episodes such as He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Uncle, Mother Nature’s Son, Time On Our Hands, and an unbroadcast opening scene featuring Del and Rodney in a nightclub from The Class Of ’62.

The unearthed clips have undergone digital scanning and restoration from 16mm negatives, ensuring the cast appears in high definition. Sean Doherty, the director and series producer, highlighted the show’s lasting appeal: “Few shows have the kind of enduring popularity that Only Fools enjoys. The archive has uncovered some extraordinary material – 66 unseen clips and scenes so far that were filmed but never broadcast because they didn’t fit the timing or structure of the original episodes, plus nearly 100 assets from rushes and location filming. We’ve truly been spoilt for choice.”

Helen Nightingale, UKTV’s head of factual and factual entertainment commissioning, added: “Only Fools And Horses is part of the national DNA. With its humour, heart and unforgettable characters, it’s British comedy at its very best. This series is a celebration of its legacy and a chance to share new discoveries with the fans who’ve loved it for decades.”

The original sitcom followed the colourful escapades of market trader Del Boy and his less streetwise younger brother Rodney as they navigated the highs and lows of life in Peckham, perpetually striving for wealth.

The cast also included Leonard “Lennard” Pearce as Grandad, Roger Lloyd Pack as Trigger, and John Challis as Boycie. The enduring popularity of the show also led to a musical adaptation starring Paul Whitehouse, which opened in 2019 and toured the UK and Ireland in 2024 and 2025.

Only Fools And Horses: The Lost Archive is scheduled to air on U&GOLD in 2026.

Pit-Smoked and Bourbon-Soaked: how to eat in Kentucky like a pro

What’s a drop of Bourbon or a foot tapping beat without the perfect dish to accompany them? There’s more to the Bluegrass State than whiskey and music alone. Though those things are important. Vital actually.

In Kentucky, the good times come served with a side of soul-enriching food, from fine dining, to time-honed traditions passed down through generations. A combination of Southern know-how, bountiful farmland and top-notch ingredients, plus modern culinary talent combine to make Kentucky a truly world-class culinary destination.

So get your fingers sticky with the sweet tang of BBQ, find the ultimate comfort food at a ma and pop shop on the roadside, or pull up a chair beneath a crisp linen tablecloth. It’s all here. Let us guide you to the top spots.

Louisville

Home of the world-famous Kentucky Derby, and with deep roots in the world of whiskey making, Louisville is a place where tradition is respected. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t reinterpreted, reinvented, and well, shaken up.

Kentucky’s largest metropolis, which straddles the slow running waters of the Ohio River, was built on whiskey. But as the new food hub of the South, it’s writing a new, distinctly delicious chapter.

‘New Southern Cuisine’, that’s the term coined for this new spirit of reverent playfulness where chefs across the city are putting new unique twists on traditional Southern fare from Hot Browns to Benedictine.

At 610 Magnolia, in the heart of Old Louisville, for chef and owner Edward Lee that means seasonal, multi-course menus that combine surprising global flavours into locally-inspired, often Bourbon laced dishes. Think seared scallops with kimchi or a sweet pea risotto with rock shrimp and magnolia.

Jack Fry’s is an institution. Behind its shutter board and mullioned window exterior, live jazz accompanies Southern flavours prepared with classic French techniques since 1933. Where once bootlegging occurred in a backroom, today spicy fried oysters, Bourbon braised short ribs, and peach cheesecakes laden the tables.

Don’t Miss:

Walk the distilleries and tasting rooms of Whiskey Row. This is mandatory. The imposing cast iron and red brick facades of Main Street once fronted the offices and warehouses for the burgeoning Bourbon barons. Today, they’re a playground for whiskey enthusiasts with exclusive bottlings, tastings and more to explore.

Follow Whiskey Row – and the Urban Bourbon Trail – across multiple blocks, and you’ll find NuLu (New Louisville). The East Market District of downtown draws an artsy crowd hang out to its neighbourhood murals, street art, galleries, and innovative eateries from Biscuit Belly to Royal Hot Chicken.

Lexington and the Bluegrass region

Combine fine dining with authentic Bluegrass charm in Lexington and beyond, where a visit to the world famous Keeneland Rack Track isn’t all about the horses. Yes, Lexington is a race horse capital, but sometimes the food is the main event.

Arrive purposefully hungry, and get amongst the smell of turf, saddle leather and smoked meats as jockeys, trainers and spectators alike head to the Track Kitchen. A morning staple and one of the city’s best-kept secrets, its home-style food feels like a hug. But careful, pace yourself.

Trackside concession stalls, only open during the races, beckon with their many culinary delights. From Keeneland’s signature Bourbon Bread Pudding to Kentucky Beer Cheese and the refreshing Keeneland Breeze cocktail, the food and drink here are as much a part of the experience as the races themselves. Classic Southern comfort meets local flair.

Don’t Miss:

Head out to the countryside, where the morning mist sits low on the pastures of Thoroughbred farms. Culinary star, Chef Ouita Michel may have just pioneered farm-to-table dining over the past 15-plus years. With all that high-quality produce in abundance surrounding Lexington, it just made sense to make the most of it.

Visit all eight of Ouita’s famous restaurants – or just a few – on a culinary tour. Honeywood at Fritz Farm is all about the locally-grown specialities, from sweet potato beignets to duck-fat basted New York strip. Meanwhile, Smithtown Seafood is a quintessential taste of the south with wild-caught fried catfish, fresh-shucked oysters and blackened catfish.

Owensboro

Breathe in the sweet smell of smoke and molasses. When you catch the scent of a true pit master at work, you follow it.

In Owensboro, Kentucky’s undisputed BBQ capital, a passion for flavour and a dedication to time-honed techniques, means you’re in for a treat.

In this city located on the south side of a deep bend in the Ohio River, BBQ is more than just a dish, it’s a tradition. With a history dating back to the 1830s, the area has developed its own unique style of pit BBQ, where vinegar-based sauces are mopped over the meat during a lengthy smoking process. Think tangy, tender, and melt-in-the-mouth.

Sure you’ll find chicken, beef, et al. But with sheep historically more plentiful, the main event here is mutton. Burgoo who? Look out for local dish Burgoo, a stew similar to Irish or Mulligan stew, most often served with a generous wedge of cornbread. Well, this is Kentucky.

Don’t get us wrong. BBQ is a year-round way of life with secrets passed down generations. Head to the Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn, where smoked meat has been slung since the 1950s. Or Old Hickory BBQ, where the grills have been firing since 1918.

But once a year Owensboro becomes the global BBQ capital. At the International Bar-B-Q Festival, BBQ and Barrels, held every second weekend in May, 80,000 assemble for two days of BBQ heaven, while teams fiercely compete over secret recipes and sizzling coals.

Don’t Miss:

What goes better with a smoked slice, than the twang of strings? Owensboro is the Bluegrass world capital too. Stop by the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum – the only international museum dedicated to preserving and showcasing the history and culture of this soulful, uniquely American genre.

Man Utd’s next task is clear as dramatic tweak leads to 4-4 thriller

On the night Ruben Amorim delivered the surprise of the season by jettisoning his beloved 3-4-3 formation, Manchester United contrived to put part of his new shape in the scoreline. A 4-4 was not a tribute to Amorim’s unexpected switch to 4-4-2 as much as the consequence of an extraordinary evening of frenzied attacking, poor defending and flawed goalkeeping as two sides traded free kicks and comebacks.

“Crazy game,” said Amorim. “It was fun for everyone at home.” Entertaining mayhem at their home could come at a cost to United. Ahead 1-0, 2-1 and 4-3, they missed the chance to go fifth and extended an undistinguished run on their own turf. Ten-man Everton won at Old Trafford, relegation-threatened West Ham drew and so, in ludicrous fashion, did out-of-form, goal-shy Bournemouth. What could have been nine points at Old Trafford is instead just two.

And yet to concentrate on the wider ramifications would be to overlook the eight goals that came amidst the bemusing, confusing drama. It may have been fitting that the last of them came from Bournemouth, Eli Junior Kroupi coming off the bench to procure Andoni Iraola’s side a point. It still required two saves from Senne Lammens to stop David Brooks turning that into 5-4 triumph for Bournemouth.

Even so, it was the first time United scored four goals in a league game without taking three points since Sir Alex Ferguson’s final match, a 5-5 draw with West Bromwich Albion.

“Today was inspiring but there is also the feeling of frustration from not winning,” said Amorim. His change of shape aided United in attack but malfunctioned defensively. There was an illogical look to a back four with two left-footers in the middle and a centre-back at right-back. There were personnel issues, with Ayden Heaven struggling. United lost three leads. “We are lacking in quality when we defend our goal,” said Amorim. “We need to close the game.” Instead, it was ludicrously open.

“People enjoy more to see Manchester United this season,” said Amorim. And, indeed, when playing 4-4-2. While they had also scored four at Wolves, they looked liberated, freed from Amorim’s tactical straitjacket. Energetic and attacking, they had 11 shots in the first 25 minutes alone, 25 in total, an xG of 3.27. They got more players forward; indeed Amad Diallo, not a natural wing-back, was given a more advanced role in a lopsided 4-4-2 and that felt a reason why he could open the scoring from a yard.

Yet for much of the evening, it seemed a case of chaos rather than structure. Bruno Fernandes has long had a galvanising influence but can alter games with force of personality. He provided United’s second goal – a seventh assist of the Premier League campaign giving him more than anyone else in the division – and scored the third with a wonderful free kick, his own third goal in eight days.

Amorim may taken particular pleasure from United’s fourth goal: a combination of two of his summer signings with Benjamin Sesko, making his comeback after injury, setting up Matheus Cunha to score just his second goal since his £62.5m arrival.

United received a helping hand from Djordje Petrovic, who was culpable for their first two goals. He parried Cunha’s header to Amad to finish and then allowed Casemiro’s effort to slip through his hands.

Nevertheless, their attacking endeavours offered vindication for Amorim’s formation change. It felt an admission he had been wrong for 13 months. It looked as though United were being hindered by dogma. Yet, unpractised in a shape previous managers preferred, they could not defend.

After bringing a back four, they conceded four. Antoine Semenyo and Evanilson arrived in the midst of goal droughts. By the time the former struck, Bournemouth had gone 294 minutes without a goal. Two players and the team all ended their waits.

Much of the credit should go to Andoni Iraola. There were two tactical rethinks: one by Amorim before kick-off, one by Iraola after it. The Portuguese had put Leny Yoro in a contest with Semenyo, so Iraola swapped him to the opposite flank. It was as a right winger that he levelled, surging clear to drive in a shot.

But United led at half-time and, when they do in a league game at Old Trafford, they have not lost since 1984; or, in other words, in Amorim’s lifetime. Nine awful minutes put that record under threat. Thirty seconds after the interval and played onside by Heaven, Evanilson latched on to Justin Kluivert’s pass to score a first goal in 11 games. “We need to start the second half in a different way,” said Amorim.

It got worse as Marcus Tavernier curled in a low free kick, conceded by Casemiro with a desperate foul on the eventual scorer. Lammens was also culpable as he probably should have saved it.

So Bournemouth became the first side in top-flight history to score at least three goals in three consecutive trips to Old Trafford. They had only struck five times here in their history before getting 10 in three visits. “Man United, it’s happened again,” chorused the visiting fans after Tavernier struck. “It had everything,” reflected Iraola. “Moments where you think it’s a loss. Moments where you think we have this one.”

Unlike in the last two seasons, Bournemouth did not win. This time, however, they got four goals, courtesy of Junior Kroupi. For United, a 4-4-2 brought a 4-4. The system, Amorim said, was “for you to discuss, not me”.

It had seemed the great certainties were death, taxes and his insistence on 3-4-3. Even the Pope, he had said, could not make him change that. Whether or not papal intervention is required, however, a newly flexible manager’s next task is to get United winning at Old Trafford again.

Row erupts at Oxfam after chief executive forced out

The forced exit of Oxfam’s chief executive in the UK has sparked a row at the charity, with one prominent trustee claiming that damning leaks to the press were intended to “destroy” Halima Begum and compounded existing headwinds the organisation faces.

Over the weekend Dr Begum was removed by the board after an independent review – which has not been made public, and which The Independent understands had not been presented to her – that allegedly flagged “serious issues” in her conduct and decision‑making.

The organisation’s trustees said Dr Begum’s £130,000 a year position was “untenable” because of an “irretrievable breakdown in its trust and confidence” in her ability to do the job.

Dr Begum has also been accused of bullying and creating a “climate of fear” since she took up the role nearly two years ago – allegations which her supporters within the charity have dismissed as “absurd”.

In an article announcing her removal late on Sunday night, The Times reported that a letter to the board “signed” by almost 70 Oxfam staff – but who have remained anonymous – had called for trustees to investigate her conduct. The charity then hired an external public relations company to handle her departure.

In a statement on Monday, Oxfam GB said: “In line with our policies, a review was carried out by an independent specialist consultancy with recognised expertise in workplace culture, equity, and inclusion. We have great respect for colleagues who have raised concerns about culture. Their perspectives informed an independent review that took place.”

With little opportunity to defend herself before news of her sacking was publicised, colleagues sought to defend Dr Begum.

In a statement to The Independent, Balwant Singh, a board trustee at Oxfam GB, said: “Oxfam believes in and values kindness, justice and fairness. Sadly, Halima’s treatment has been anything but kind, just or fair.

“Whilst many of those who raised concerns about Halima’s leadership hid behind anonymity by claiming fear of retribution and retaliation, it is sickening that Halima has been subjected to what appears to be a carefully orchestrated and intentionally brutal retaliation and retribution in the national media.”

He added: “It also saddens me that for an organisation that stands for speaking up, many have chosen to hide behind anonymity. It does not bode well for the culture at Oxfam.”

Dr Begum’s departure comes weeks after the unexplained departure of Oxfam GB’s board chair, Charles Gurassa, who in 2023, when Dr Begum was appointed, described himself as delighted that someone with “such a wealth of experience in how to make change happen and a real passion to fight injustice” had agreed to lead the charity.

Shortly after her appointment, Dr Begum’s analysis of Oxfam’s finances revealed a £16.3m deficit which was soon worsened by massive US and UK foreign aid cuts. With falling donations and a weak UK economy, the future of the organisation she had joined was far from guaranteed.

Her appointment of a new chief financial officer and a subsequent restructuring, which meant putting hundreds of jobs at risk of redundancy, helped move the dial to address the financial issues. Nonetheless, in September Oxfam said: “Charities are being asked to do more with less at the very moment people need us most.”

Sources told The Times that staff had been unhappy over the necessary restructuring and that it had created “widespread animosity”.

Meanwhile, according to Mr Singh, Dr Begum “had filed a grievance/whistleblowing claim” against Mr Gurassa, made before she was aware of any concerns about her leadership.

“The claims related to sexism, racism and bullying. The grievance process is yet to be completed,” he told The Independent.

Akiko Hart, the director of the campaign group Liberty, also defended Dr Begum, who she described as a “mentor and friend”.

“I would urge everyone watching to hold off from immediate judgement and see what facts and evidence emerge,” she said in a LinkedIn post.

“I would invite people to reflect on the timing of this announcement, at the tail end of a painful restructure which was approved by the board, and a few weeks after the resignation of the chair.”

Oxfam has fought to maintain its hard-won reputation as a leading NGO in the years since allegations emerged in 2018 that the charity’s staff had hired sex workers while overseas, including in Haiti and Chad.

More recently, shop profits have fallen by around two-thirds in the past three years, according to figures released this month, underscoring a sharp downturn in retail performance.

Earlier this year the organisation cut 250 roles from its 2,100-strong UK workforce, a move aimed at trimming £10.2m from its wage bill to address the shortfall in finances.

Over the summer Dr Begum was accused of potentially compromising Oxfam’s reputation for neutrality after joining a parliamentary panel which featured a Palestinian journalist reported to have described the 7 October attacks on Israel as a “great day.”

Oxfam’s chief supporter officer, Jan Oldfield, who has been in the role for four years, will now become acting chief executive.