Smart, Loving Sammy Was Bullied At His New School

Sammy Teusch was an intelligent, humorous, and affectionate youngster who enjoyed football, robots, and fishing.

He put a lot of effort into his studies, spent time with his family, and got along well with his Florida classmates, but in November 2022, his family moved to Greenfield, central Indiana, and suddenly the boy’s life became a living hell.

Bullying of the newbie was immediately initiated by Weston Elementary students. At Greenfield Intermediate, the violence and taunting persisted.

To no avail, he begged teachers for assistance.

After months of brutality and cruelty, he killed himself in May – his asphyxiated body was found at home by his 13-year-old brother.

Now in a bombshell lawsuit filed by the parents, the extent of the ten-year-old’s unbelievable suffering has been laid bare – with pictures documenting his injuries. 

Along with a heartbreaking illustration of how the boy was tormented even after he passed away, the startling document also has a text message from one bully who seems to confess to driving Sammy to suicide.

Sam and Nicci Teusch have accused the school district of failing to act and showing ‘callous indifference’ to Sammy, who endured months of misery despite their desperate pleas for help.

Grieving dad Sam told DailyMail.com the wrongful death suit, filed this week at Hancock County Circuit Court, would make schools safer by ensuring teachers crack down on bullies.

‘Their neglect and lack of ability to accept responsibility for their actions can’t be allowed,’ said Sam.

‘I went to the school 20 times or more about all this.’

Greenfield-Central Community School Corporation refused to comment on the 14-page complaint against the district and its trustees.

It alleges that Sammy was attacked and ridiculed about everything from his ‘beaver’ teeth to his general appearance, which was grotesquely likened to that of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer.

Remarkably, a teacher reportedly joined in on the mockery at one point, claiming that the youngster did look like the Milwaukee maniac.

In one instance, a classmate allegedly choked Sammy until he ‘saw stars’.

Another hit him so hard with an iPad that Sammy was left with a black eye and broken glasses, the filing says.

On another occasion, a gang of students allegedly chased him through the school and trapped him in a bathroom.

Perhaps the most hurtful bullying cited in the lawsuit came from a student who simply followed Sammy around the school, urging him to kill himself.

Sammy complained to teachers but was largely ignored, the complaint alleges.

In an attempt to grab the attention of the staff, he flipped over his desk out of exasperation, however, this resulted in his being reprimanded for disturbing the class.

Sam told DailyMail.com that his boy ‘had the biggest heart along with the best smile’.

‘That made him an easy target and easy for school officials to dismiss and disregard him,’ he said.

‘We can’t let the world be like that.’

When Sammy alerted his parents, Sam and Nicci urged teachers to get involved and protect the boy, the lawsuit says.

Some 20 warnings were filed with GIS principal Bronson Curtis and others but to no avail.

The lawsuit says teachers took a ‘cavalier’ attitude to Sammy’s welfare and blamed the victim, not his bullies.

The filing accused staff of even saying the boy was picked upon due to his own ‘mental problems’. 

At one point, the exasperated child told his father: ‘They don’t listen to me, daddy.’

The final straw, it appears, was phone calls from a bully known in court papers as NT.

On Saturday, May 4, the schoolmate allegedly threatened more violence against Sammy once they were back in class the coming Monday.

‘NT never got the opportunity to carry through on his threats,’ says the complaint, as Sammy died by suicide shortly before midday on Sunday, May 5.

Upon finding his lifeless body, Sammy’s grieving parents and paramedics attempted but failed to get his young heart beating again.

Even as the community rallied behind the Teusches and hundreds turned out for the boy’s funeral on May 14, including a commemorative motorbike procession, the taunting persisted.

After reportedly taking pictures of Sammy’s open coffin, one of the bullies, a girl named TN, was observed giggling at her phone.

The lawsuit calls this a ‘blood-curdling moment reminiscent of the movie Children of the Corn’.

NT, the bully accused of prompting Sammy’s suicide, acknowledged in an apologetic text message that it was ‘all my fault for bullying him,’ the documents show.

The Teusches’ lawyer Brian Grossman says school officials are to blame because they ‘for months callously dismissed and disregarded Sammy’s pleas for protection’ and failed to step in.

The family wants damages, a jury trial, and reimbursement for their legal fees.

‘This suit is about more than holding the Greenfield School Corporation accountable,’ says Grossman.

‘It’s about making sure no child ever experiences what Sammy experienced—and no family again experiences the heartbreak the Teusch family can now never escape.’

Days after the fourth-grader’s death, the Greenfield Police Department opened an investigation into the bullying.

They discovered that ‘some bullying’ had plagued Sammy, both in and outside of school, but they ended the investigation on May 31 without bringing charges against anyone.

Deputy police chief Charles McMichael at the time said there was ‘no evidence’ teachers were neglectful.

The school district’s superintendent, Dr. Harold Olin, has contested the Teusches’ claims, saying no report of bullying was ever submitted by Sammy or his parents.

Sammy is just one among some two dozen US children who take their own lives each year after classroom bullying, according to data from the United Educators Association.

According to the US Department of Education, over 25 percent of children experience bullying every day.

Peer pressure and 24/7 social media are contributing to a young mental health crisis that is making those numbers worse.

The Megan Meier Foundation, a Missouri-based nonprofit, says kids who’ve been bullied or cyberbullied are twice as likely to try to end their lives as others.

The Teusches established the non-profit Sammy’s Tree Foundation to assist children who have been bullied in reporting their abusers and discussing issues in the classroom.

‘Our main goal is to let everybody know that right now suicide is the second-leading cause of death in children,’ said Sam.

‘It’s something I didn’t know because they don’t let us talk about it. There’s a stigma: You’re not allowed to even say the word.’

With or without this so-called Bullying Report, I guarantee that most of the grown-ups and students at this child’s grade level knew he was being tormented. This family lost a child due to the negligence of an entire system – all it would have taken is one adult from that school to speak up to protect this boy.

Bullying is out of control, particularly due to the use of social media. Groups form on social media and together they go on a mass frenzy of abuse.

There needs to be consequences, but that will take forever to accomplish. In the meantime, check your child’s phone and talk to your kids. Tell them to block social media posts from the masses, and take measures to help build up your child’s confidence and strength to walk away. It’s not much, but it’s a start in the right direction.

Every area of the school should have cameras, and if there are frequent issues, security personnel should always be on call to intercept, and mobile phones should be banned from schools.

Computers should also be banned from schools because even if they ban mobile phones, youngsters can get onto the computers, so the bullying will continue, and of course, once school has ended these kids are back on their phones where the bullying continues.

After physical punishment was outlawed in both the home and school, bullying began to flourish unchecked.

These kids basically killed this boy indirectly. They weren’t toddlers. They knew that hitting and name-calling someone else was wrong, but now with a carefully cultivated idolisation of children and then we get burned-out families and all entitled, evil, arrogant, rebel without a cause children.

Children spend more time in school than with their parents during the day. This is the reason it’s so crucial to be able to pick a school that respects morals and gives the youngster the proper instruction.

Children are supposed to be psychologically safeguarded by teachers as well as being taught by them. They’re expected to have training in child welfare and early detection of warning signals concerning the welfare and emotional health of children while in school.

There are numerous situations where children have ‘problems’ at home and school should be a haven of safety and trust between children and teachers where children are treated impartially, equal to one another, observed and listened to, and if they can’t receive the highest standard of care in a professional teaching environment, then where can they?

Drive-By Shooting Witnesses Released

Police have released fresh images of witnesses they are keen to talk to in connection to a drive-by shooting outside a wake where a mother-of-two was killed. 

Michelle Sadio, 46, was gunned down when a car drew up outside of a church near Wembley Stadium and opened fire on a gathering of mourners in the street.

The ceremony – held at the River of Life Elim Pentecostal Church in Harlesden – was organised to mark the ninth day of Dinah Boateng’s death on December 5.

Ms Sadio, 46, from Walthamstow, East London, had stepped out of the venue to take a break when she was shot just before 9.15 pm on December 14.

Two men – both in their 30s – were also shot, with one being struck in the foot while the other was hit in the back and remains in hospital in a critical state. 

Investigators have now made public a picture of a person they think may know something about the car’s occupants connected to the drive-by shooting.

The car driven by the suspects has been described as a black Kia Niro with distinct alloys, with the number plate LA23 XRE.

The assailants fired a number of shots in Gifford Road, before driving away to Barnhill Road where the vehicle was dumped and set ablaze.

Detective Chief Inspector Phil Clarke, who is overseeing the investigation, said: ‘Our investigation has progressed at pace but we are still keen to hear from anyone who can help piece together the series of events which led to Michelle’s murder.

‘We have an image of a number of people who were seen speaking to the occupants of a black Kia Niro of interest on Church Road, NW10 at 20:50hrs on Saturday, 14 December.

‘Are you one of the people pictured in the white Mercedes or on the pavement nearby, or do you recognise anyone?

‘Did you hear or see something either before or after the shooting that may help with the investigation?

‘I would like to stress that none of those pictured have done anything wrong. 

‘They may not live in the area but they could hold information that is important to the investigation and I urge them to contact us.’

Specialist officers are presently providing support to Ms Sadio’s family, who have asked for privacy at this trying time.

It’s Walthamstow, so there is no British involvement, and two words immediately come to mind: gangs and drugs!

At one time, gun crime was something that occurred in other countries, but sadly not anymore. Not to worry – Labour is giving Khan a knighthood for wrecking London, I wonder what Rachel from complaints will get for recking the economy and condemning the Tories for her policies.

Every day there’s a killing in London, but the Mayor of London said it’s safe on the streets while he drives about in a bulletproof car.

Pedestrian Leaps Into Air After Ford Fiesta Mounts Sidewalk

This is the moment a pedestrian was launched into the air before being knocked to the ground by a car ascending the pavement.

Mridhul Kombara, 35, was hit by a white Ford Fiesta when the car unexpectedly swerved onto the pavement but dodged the full force of the impact after attempting to jump out of the way.

Footage shows Mridhul, wearing a brown jacket and jeans strolling along the path before the out-of-control car crashes into him and a lamp post, severely damaging its bonnet in the process.

He was rushed to University Hospital Coventry where he was found to have a fracture on his left ankle and injuries in his hips, legs and shoulder, the Sun reported.

The father-of-one, who works in IT, said he had been left ‘traumatised’ by the freak incident, which happened while he was walking to a restaurant to meet friends.

He said: ‘Someone was looking out for me that day, it’s a miracle I wasn’t more hurt.’

Mridhul initially thought the car was pulling up to park at the side of the road before he realised its speed wasn’t decreasing and was then tossed up by the bonnet of the car.

The unidentified driver of the vehicle is seen getting out and fleeing the scene without saying sorry to the victim.

Mridhul was luckily helped by passers-by and the manager of a local supermarket who came to his aid and called an ambulance.

But rather than remaining in the UK, Mridhul travelled to Kerala, India to have his injuries treated to ‘avoid NHS wait times’.

Mridhul said he wanted to know the identity of the reckless driver, adding that he would like ‘closure’ on the issue.

‘It was really painful, but I feel lucky to be alive’, he added.

Coventry Police said no arrests had been made in connection with the incident, but that it was continuing enquiries to identify and track down the driver. 

The vehicle was most likely not his, and the driver was most likely uninsured. He fled the scene and he’s probably an illegal, both in terms of residency status and also as a driver. The least he could have done is check the injured man. I hope that the police hunt him down, but they probably won’t bother that much.

Apparently, the man who got injured by the car. His wife took to the comments section and said:

“Hi,

The victim in this video is my husband. He was taken to UHCW A&E by the paramedics. However, he was let go because they couldn’t find anything seriously wrong with him. We waited for a week for him to get better. Unfortunately, he got worse and was in so much pain. That’s when we decided to go back to India where we have family and a better support system there.

At the time, it was the best decision for us as a family. We are very grateful to the paramedics, the doctors and nurses at the UHCW Coventry. They were wonderful. That said, we are taxpaying, hard-working immigrants in this country. We respect this country and live by its rules. No matter the colour of our skin, leaving a human to die on the road is truly disturbing to me!! I am so grateful my daughter was not accompanying him when the incident happened. I feel lucky to had gotten him alive”.

Prince Harry Claims NYPD Cover-Up In Unseen Emails

Prince Harry pressured New York cops to speed up their investigation and make arrests after their ‘high speed’ chase with shutterbugs through the streets of Manhattan.

He even claimed there was a cover-up, letters and emails obtained by DailyMail.com show.

‘The Duke feels intentionally misled and is suspicious of a cover-up,’ one missive from his security company to the New York Police Department said.

Harry also threatened to file a formal complaint and insisted that arrests be made the very following day.

The demand was made in response to two letters written to police in London by John Hart, the chief intelligence officer for the NYPD, stating that there was insufficient evidence to make arrests and then stating three months later that there was.

To date, no arrests have been made in connection with the May 2023 incident. 

Hart’s original letter was sent in September 2023. The second arrived on December 6 that year, halfway through a hearing in London when he was attempting to get the British government to pay for security for him and his family while visiting the UK.

But TorchStone then sent an email saying Harry was upset at the slow pace of the NYPD’s investigation and felt ‘intentionally misled’.

The Duke of Sussex was said to be ‘suspicious of a cover-up’ and the letter from his security advisors insisted that the paparazzi involved be arrested by the next day while threatening to make a formal complaint against Hart and the NYPD. 

Harry even asked California Governor Gavin Newsom for contact with the prosecutors in New York – and wanted to take the matter higher if ‘necessary’.

This new information is the latest twist surrounding the car chase incident after Harry’s wife Meghan Markle received the Ms. Foundation for Women of Vision Award at the Ziegfeld Ballroom on May 16 of last year.

The couple claimed in a statement that after they left the ceremony they were involved in a ‘near catastrophic car chase’ involving ‘a ring of highly aggressive paparazzi’ who followed them through the streets of Manhattan.

One of their security team, Chris Sanchez from TorchStone, told CNN that it was ‘chaotic’ and ‘could have been fatal’ and involved ruthless photographers jumping curbs and going through red lights. Footage captured by TMZ showed Harry and Meghan in a taxi at one point.

Omid Scobie, a biographer of the Sussexes, even claimed the ‘pursuit went on for two hours’ and Harry and Meghan’s car ‘went up to 80 miles an hour’.

The report was instantly questioned by sceptics due to the typical clogged streets of Manhattan.

New York Mayor Eric Adams said it was ‘hard to believe’ there was a lengthy high-speed car chase.

Emails obtained by DailyMail.com through a Freedom of Information request show that Harry’s team continually pressed the NYPD about the incident. 

Harry seems to be struggling to comprehend that he is no longer in the UK and that there is no monarchy with privileges in the US.

Anybody who has been to Manhattan will tell you that a car pursuit is nearly incomprehensible, it’s like attempting to sprint through Central London, but worse.

When Meghan and Harry went to the US from the UK, I assumed they wanted a tranquil existence, but ever since, they have been chasing attention everywhere they go – pardon the pun!

How on earth do you speed through Manhattan in a high-speed car chase unless, of course, you’re Spiderman?

Prince Harry, the self-proclaimed advocate of truth and transparency has now flung the NYPD under the bus, claiming some cover-up related to some seemingly incendiary unseen emails demanding arrests. Of course, the NYPD want it brushed under the carpet. Meanwhile, in Harry and Meghan’s whirlwind of ‘me, me, me,’ it appears they’ve conjured up yet another distraction to keep themselves relevant amid a string of flip-flops and failed ventures.

Their charity, which seems to prioritise grand parties and payouts over actual generosity, maybe the ideal diversion they require. Let’s not forget Meghan’s curious relationship with her former royal kin. She allegedly despises them but continues to milk the title for all its worth.

Additionally, continuing to feel like a victim is not natural. Harry needs to take care of that!

If certain celebs are brave enough to stroll around NYC by themselves, it just goes to show the delusions of grandeur these two have.

Unexpected Duo Writes Christmas Hit In An Hour

It has topped the charts and already been listened to more than a million times but the Christmas hit criticising Sir Keir Starmer was created by a duo who have never met.

‘Freezing This Christmas’ is about the government’s slashing of winter fuel payments for pensioners and the resulting ‘hardship’ imposed on its prey.

The track was composed by freelance marketer and writer Chris Middleton and uses the melody of Mud’s 1974 hit ‘Lonely This Christmas’ and has been released under the faux band name Sir Starmer and the Granny Harmers.

It was sung by Frank Sinatra impersonator Dean Ager, 51, from Worthing, who recorded it in only 15 minutes. 

All sales proceeds will be donated to organisations that assist the elderly.

The song features the vocals: ‘It’ll be freezing this Christmas, without fuel at home, it’ll be freezing this Christmas, while Keir Starmer is warm. It’ll be cold, so cold, without fuel at home, this Christmas.’

Middleton, from Newcastle, said he was inspired by ‘something on Twitter a couple of months ago about trying to do a Christmas song for pensioners’ and that the hook of the chorus then ‘just came’ to him.

Speaking to the Telegraph, Ager said that Middleton had stumbled across him online when he was looking for a singer for the record and offered just £50 for him to perform the track.

Ager explained: ‘Chris contacted me and said ”I’ve got this song – can you do it?” He paid me £50 and I recorded it in about 15 minutes. I already knew the tune, well-ish, and so I sent it and scurried off on my way. I thought that would be the end of it.

‘When Chris asked me if I wanted recognition I looked at the lyrics again and thought ”Wow, that’s something”, but when he told me we were number one on the iTunes download charts, I was jumping around in excitement like a little kid.’

Middleton was raised by his grandparents for a number of years and says he has seen first-hand how damaging Labour’s fuel payment policy had been.

He said: ‘Older people do feel the cold more.

‘My gran had a heart attack and her medication makes her blood vessels constrict so she is always freezing. Even in summer, she’s bundled up by the fire.

‘After 14 years of the Tories we were all fed up, and we thought things would be different under Labour, but it’s way worse than anyone thought.’

Ager, who frequently does gigs at care homes, agreed, saying he is ‘not very political’ but that ‘you don’t have to look far to see that the elderly are vulnerable and a lot of people are really struggling’. 

An original member of Mud, Rob Davis, who is now 77, is among those to express their support for the record.

He said of winter fuel cuts: ‘That’s not a good thing. I mean, there are a lot of very broke people over here. It’s very hard.’

He also said of the parody arrangement: ‘It’s a good version. The vocals sound the same as Les [Gray, the late singer of Mud]. It’s a cool version.’

Perhaps paralleling the production of earlier charity Christmas songs, ‘Freezing This Christmas’ was written quickly – reportedly in an hour – and has already raised £24,000.

The amount is not quite as much as the millions made by Band-Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas,” but the men who wrote the new holiday charity song haven’t even met yet, just like many of the singers of the classic 80s track.

While 1.4 million people have already watched the cover on YouTube, the only airtime the song has had so far on radio is through a small chart round-up on Heart Radio, a channel run by media company Global.

But bookmaker William Hill has pegged the song as a second favourite to become Christmas No 1.

Every Friday, the Official Charts Company releases the official singles chart, which combines sales from physical purchases, paid downloads, and streaming to determine the week’s top-selling song.

William Hill has spoken of how the single is now actually ‘a serious contender to top the charts on Christmas Day and that a miracle next week is still on the table.

The company presently has Wham! at 1/16 odds to take pole position and Sir Starmer and the Granny Harmers at 12/1.

After Rachel Reeves changed the regulations governing winter fuel subsidies, tens of thousands of senior citizens may have to choose between heating and eating this Christmas.

The chancellor announced this summer that claims for the allowance, which is intended to support pensioners with energy bills and is worth up to £300, would be mainly limited to people eligible for pension credit.

The shift resulted in a wave of pension credit claims that has overwhelmed Whitehall, creating a pile-up of 91,075 unprocessed applications as of 18 November, according to Emma Reynolds, the pensions minister.

It’s an amazing song, and these two guys deserve a lot of credit for using comedy to make their argument in a tactful yet powerful way.

Apparently, the BBC is refusing to push it, which tells you everything you need to know about the BBC.

What a lot of people don’t comprehend is that it is the single pensioner who will suffer the most because they still have to pay the same bill for the heat as a couple or family would.

A single radiator for instance heats a room no matter how many people are in it. A thermostat can be turned down or even turned off if there are many people in a room because body heat warms instead.

The cost of living has increased, and supermarkets are offering groceries better suited for parties with families around this time of year, ignoring the fact that many individuals will be sitting at home alone and unable to afford to spend money on extravagant meals or meals that are prepared for several people. Eating keeps the body warm.

For many people, this is a terrible time of year, and the government’s thoughtless and uninformed actions have made it even worse, and it’s refreshing to see young people identifying the problem by writing a song – well done!

This song hasn’t had the airtime et cetera like the sausage roll Christmas song from previous years, and I wonder why. Maybe it’s because the words in this song are true and caused by those who are paid to serve and look after us, and it appears that those who come from across the water are more of a priority.

‘Chemical Attack’ In Winter Wonderland Hospitalizes Man

An alleged chemical attack at London’s Winter Wonderland on Sunday resulted in the hospitalisation of a man.

Police attended the Christmas market at about 8 pm following reports of an “altercation” between two groups of people.

A 22-year-old man was rushed to hospital after a bottle of alkaline liquid was allegedly hurled at him during the incident. He had non-life-threatening injuries. Police confirmed no other injuries were reported.

A 21-year-old man, an 18-year-old man, and a 16-year-old boy have been arrested.

A Met Police spokesperson said: “It was alleged that a bottle containing an alkaline liquid was thrown. A man who was splashed by the liquid was taken to hospital where his injuries were assessed as non-life changing. No other injuries were reported.”

Anyone with information about the incident is being urged to contact the Met Police.

A Hyde Park Winter Wonderland spokesperson said medical and security staff attended the scene and assisted the Met Police. The spokesperson also said: “We do not tolerate any acts of violence.”

The spokesperson told Metro: “We are aware of an isolated incident involving a corrosive substance during an altercation between a small group on Sunday evening, which resulted in a person being taken to hospital. Our medical and security staff attended the scene and we assisted the Metropolitan Police with their arrest of three individuals that evening.

“The safety of our visitors and staff is our top priority and we do not tolerate any acts of violence. We have robust security measures in place, including bag searches, CCTV, onsite security services, specially trained staff that flag suspicious activity, and extensive perimeter protection. We will continue to support the authorities with their investigation.”

I’m not sure why this was not on the main news, perhaps someone is keeping things quiet from the masses, or have incidents like this become normal these days?

Perhaps this was a hate crime that has been hushed up.

Just because things like these happen doesn’t imply that Winter Wonderland should be closed or that we shouldn’t go there; just be careful and have fun while you’re there. Winter Wonderland is a great spot to come to before Christmas.

To be fair, you have to watch your back wherever you go now. There is so much hatred, prejudice and animosity now, but we can’t live our lives inside a bubble. We have to go out, and we have to go to work.

However, it’s also awful what native Brits are being asked to do. We are being asked to close our eyes and ears to things, and pretend they’re not happening because if we don’t and we have an opinion as to what is going on – the ‘woke police’ will arrest you!

However, some people don’t need to be encouraged to cover their eyes and ears; they do it voluntarily and feel good about themselves because they think they’re being kinder than others who do see the patterns.

These people just won’t accept any patterns even when it’s staring them straight in the face.

They must adhere to their egotistical notion that they are superior to all of that at all costs. Some even march, claiming to be heroes in their own right, declaring their morality and denial.

Believe what you will. I didn’t vote for this, so my conscience is clear, and I’m sure there are a bunch of other people who didn’t vote for this either.

I’m not saying that native Brits never perpetrate crimes, of course, they do, but now we have more people here who are not native to this country, and if a native Brit went to another country and executed a serious offence they would be tossed into prison instantly.

It doesn’t matter though, Starmer loves these people and will still keep letting them in with open arms.

Shoppers Lose Money On Fake Fashion Sites

Fake online fashion sites are ‘scamming’ angry customers with knock-off products after luring them in with massive Christmas discounts, MailOnline can reveal.

Dozens of people shopping for last-minute festive presents for loved ones claim to have been ‘ripped off’ by two websites flogging fake ‘cashmere’ garments, leaving them hundreds of pounds out of pocket.

The firms, Velora-London.co.uk and Thompson-Oxford.com, both seem to share similar ‘sob stories’ online and in social media adverts designed to pull at customers’ heartstrings and trick them into spending money.

Each claimed to have been running ‘for years’ but were being ‘forced’ to close up shop due to financial struggles – and that ‘with a heavy heart’ they were having a final ‘closing down’ sale with ‘huge discounts’.

However, checks reveal both firms set up their online shops just weeks ago, with Velora’s going live at the end of September while Thompson Oxford – which claims to have been ‘offering our customers the best service for more than 30 years’ – going live last month. 

Disappointed customers who claim to have spent hundreds of pounds on high-quality garments advertised as ‘cashmere’ say when the garments arrived, they were ‘cheap knock-offs’ made of ’95 per cent polyester’ – and imported from China. 

Since neither website provides complete communication addresses, frustrated customers who are looking for a refund then claim they have had difficulty getting their money back.

One person allegedly scammed by the Velora spent £154 on five tops after spotting an advert on Instagram last month, including a ‘large cashmere sweater’, two ‘cashmere turtle necks’, a cardigan and a ‘cozy sweater’. 

When they arrived, weeks later, they were ‘acrylic’ and ‘not cashmere… with no labels. 

‘I was very naive. I wanted to buy nice jumpers for Christmas presents,’ the person told MailOnline. ‘The problem is that you receive the order, but they send rubbish jumpers. I have sent two emails to the company to cancel the order. No news.’

In an email to the company, the angry customer wrote: ‘Dear Fraudsters, the quality of the jumpers is appalling. 

‘They are neither cashmere nor wool – just cheap, badly cut acrylic. The packaging was equally rubbish, and there are no labels on the jumpers.

‘I demand a full refund immediately. Confirm at once where I should return this garbage. It is disgraceful that there isn’t even a return label provided.’

Others have left derogatory reviews online, alleging they were deceived into buying cheap knock-offs advertised as quality cashmere jumpers. 

Nearly all of the 112 reviews of Velora on Trustpilot – which claims to have more than 14,000 ‘satisfied customers’ – are rated as one star, with seething shoppers saying they’ve been ‘scammed’. While 75 per cent of 91 Thompson reviews were one star.

‘FRAUD. DON’T BUY FROM THEM. Awful quality and you need to return to China and pay for the return yourself. IT IS A BIG SCAM,’ one person wrote.

Another added: ‘I bought a “cashmere” jumper from them because the site looked legit, and even states it’s based in Covent Garden, London with a 30-day money back guarantee and great customer support. None of this is true. 

‘My jumper was shipped from a warehouse in China, and arrived the wrong colour, the wrong style and is certainly NOT made of cashmere. 

‘If you try to contact this company to complain and ask for a refund, as I have done, you get absolutely nothing back. Nada. They take your money and run, and you are left with goods that look nothing like what they are advertising on their website.’

A reviewer of Thompson Oxford wrote: ‘Buyers beware! I ordered a luxurious, windproof cashmere jacket. Silly me! I received a shabby jacket made of thin polyester. It is neither luxurious or windproof. Outrageous!’

Velora London, which says it is ‘cleaning up’ on its website and claims to have an address someplace in London’s Covent Garden, was only set up on September 27.

Explaining why it was being ‘forced to close’ its shop, its website says: ‘Well, let’s be honest… Running an online store has been harder than we ever imagined a few years ago. It’s been a mix of many factors: poor collaborations with partners, too many unsold items, and a lack of funds that have accumulated, leaving us with no choice but to stop featuring most of our products. 

‘We’re now at the point of liquidating our stock and, to speed up this process, we’re offering you these huge discounts. It’s difficult for us to see this situation continue… We hope that you, our community, understand and support our decision. With love, Annie and Sophie.’

In a supported post on Instagram, a scammer posing as the owner Thompson Oxford claims they have ‘a heavy heart and tears in my eyes’ as ‘after many years’ their store cannot compete financially with larger stores.

However, a probe by the MailOnline has revealed the alleged boutique shop’s website was only set up last month ago, on November 17. 

Meanwhile, an almost identical sob story to Velora’s was shared by Thompson Oxford on its website. 

It said: ‘Well, I’ll be honest with you… Running an online store has turned out to be more challenging than I had imagined a few years ago. It’s been a mix of different reasons: unfortunate partnerships, too many unsold products, and a lack of funds that have piled up, leaving me with no choice but to stop offering most of my items.

‘Now I’m at a stage where I’m clearing out stock, and to speed up this process, I’m offering you these huge discounts. It’s hard for me to let this situation continue… I hope that you, my community, understand and support my decision. With love, Maggie.’

Velora claims to have a 30-day money-back guarantee and ’24-hour customer service’.

But after buying at Velora, a consumer who wanted a refund said they were neglected for days before getting an answer.

In an email sent from Velora to the customer, seen by MailOnline, a worker going by the name of ‘Cindy’ wrote: ‘Thank you for your message. I’m sorry, but as your order has already been processed and is on its way to you, unfortunately, it can no longer be cancelled.

‘If you still wish to return the item for a refund, you can do so when you receive it. We’re here to help you with the returns process and ensure you receive your refund.

‘If you have any further questions or concerns, feel free to contact us. We are here to help.’

Both businesses have been contacted by MailOnline for comment.

Never buy from sites that don’t give you the name of their head office or telephone details. Check the fine details, especially if you’ve never bought from them before. Also, when attempting to purchase clothes, always look at the description, nine times out of ten it will say acrylic.

Many of these online stores where it’s being shipped from abroad, especially China, knock up these clothes on the cheap which means they use inferior materials, but sell them as something else. Not only that, you are purchasing from companies that manufacture in China where their workers work 15-hour days for about $1.50 a day – it’s called slave labour, and if they oppose the regime they get beaten if not killed.

The reviews are too easily faked, and Trustpilot and other internet review sites pay people to fabricate ratings, so you can’t even trust them.

Always use PayPal to make payments, and just don’t purchase the item if you can’t.

There’s an old saying, that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Some people just see a great deal, or at least believe that they do and just click and buy without even doing the most basic checks.

There are thousands of these sites now and they rely heavily on social media advertising. Always study the small print and facts section on the site. If it’s got a long delivery time plus a weird returns policy, this generally means it’s rubbish, and you could probably purchase it on Amazon or eBay. We need to stop fuelling this fast fashion – if it’s cheap, then it’s cheap for a reason.

The world revolved quite freely before the birth of social media which seems to have an almost narcotic influence on people.

If you can’t touch it or handle the item, then don’t buy it unless it’s from a store online like Marks & Spencer or such like. You get what you pay for, and if it’s cheap it’s not worth it.

People are becoming paralytic lemmings and letting social media take over their lives. When you can get genuine quality at a fraction of the price at high street businesses like second-hand shops, designer vintage stores, or even retro stores, why should you buy from retailers that are promoted on social media?

Facebook has become rife with these online websites advertising garbage. It shouldn’t be called Facebook, it should be called Farcebook or even Arsebook!

An Elderly Grandfather Is Taken To Court For Feeding Birds

A grandfather who buys up to 30 loaves of bread each day to feed the birds, is being taken to court by his local council who blame him for the town’s vermin situation.

Brian Wilkins, 76, received a Community Protection Order last year after councillors griped that his feeding the birds was attracting vermin in areas of Hartlepool.

His daughter Paula Wilkins claims her dad — known as the ‘Bird Man of Hartlepool’ — had attempted to avoid places he was barred from but continued with his favoured activity.

Now, Hartlepool Borough Council is prosecuting Mr Wilkins for allegedly breaching his notice between January 16 and October 31 of this year.

He denied breaking the community order when he appeared at Teesside Magistrates’ Court, and his case will now proceed to trial.

What is the world coming to? For crying out loud, a trial!

His court summons said that he’d continued to ‘ignore advice and requests to stop placing food and feed for wildlife’, leading to ‘the persistent attraction of vermin’, and as a result of his ‘unreasonable behaviour’, the summons alleged he was ‘significantly impacting the quality of life’ of the people of Hartlepool.

Ms Wilkins, 57, said numerous residents support her father and disagree with the council’s ‘targeting’ of him. 

She argues the council is attempting to blame her dad for attracting rats, but says they have been about for ‘ages’, partly due to takeaways in the town.

Ms Wilkins said her father buys as many as 30 loaves of bread each morning before chopping it up and taking it out to feed the birds.

‘He says it’s not a particular enjoyment… It’s the plight of these poor creatures,’ Ms Wilkins said.

‘He’s overjoyed to see them enjoying the food.

‘It saddens him because of the lack of food because of the lesser and lesser green areas and the removal of their food sources because of human expansion.

‘It’s more of a commitment than an enjoyment. All he spends his pension on is bread and seeds.’

She went on to say that after losing six important individuals in short succession, her father, who formerly owned several businesses, including a skip company and a building firm, started feeding the birds.

She said her dad told her he’d been in contact with the council and agreed he would avoid certain areas of the town such as a cenotaph and war memorial.

Ms Wilkins added: ‘He used to work but now he doesn’t have a car. He’s restricted.

‘As he’s gotten older, he’s had nothing else to do. He used to go dancing but now he’s got out of society, practically.

‘I don’t know how many years he’s been doing this for.

‘They are trying to say my dad’s the cause of rats, but that’s rubbish – they have been around for ages.

‘One woman came up to us the other day and said, ‘The people of Hartlepool back you in this’.

‘He’s not harming anybody. He’s just feeding the animals.’

At his trial in April next year, it’s believed Mr Wilkins, who represented himself in court, will say he had a ‘reasonable excuse’ for breaching the order.

Hartlepool Borough Council’s solicitor Sophie Johnston summarised several complaints the council had received about Mr Wilkins from members of the public, local brewers Cameron’s Brewery and the manager of a Grade II-listed apartment building.

Ms Johnston told the court: ‘It has been a persistent problem for the council. Since January this year, there have been further complaints.’

Asked by District Judge Stephen Hood if these accounts were correct, Mr Wilkins replied: ‘Quite correct, sir. We do it on a daily basis.

‘There [are] massive quantities of starving wildlife and these people are saying ‘don’t feed them.’

Wilkins also said he was representing Hartlepool Wildlife Feeding Programme, and added that rats were an existing issue in the town.

His daughter Paula has branded HBC’s prosecution of her dad ‘ridiculous’ and believes authorities should be going after real criminals instead.

‘The amount of money it’s going to cost taking dad to court for feeding the birds… It’s absolutely ridiculous,’ she argued.

‘They should be dealing with criminals.

‘It’s insane. My dad might have to pay the court costs as well, which is disgusting. Absolutely crazy.

‘He enjoys [feeding the birds]. He has people buying him bread and seeds. He says he struggles because of his arthritis and has cut his route down.

‘His life consists of sleeping and feeding the birds. He says he’ll do it until the day he dies – unless they ban him.’

People have taken to Facebook following the news, with one person saying: ‘If they have the space to imprison bird feeders, why the hell did they let dangerous individuals out early? What a joke.’

Another person said: ‘This makes me really angry. All the poor fella does is feed the local birds and animals. What harm does it really do? And if he gets joy from this, then who are we to stop this? Every time I see him I can’t help but smile to myself whilst humming that scene from Mary Poppins.’

‘I feed the birds in my garden, daily. With a feeder, I also sprinkle it around my garden. Am I also committing an offence? Crazy, this is absolutely crazy.’

However, some people defended the council’s actions saying: ‘Although I feel for you and him. It’s his own fault. Just move away from the businesses etc. He can still feed birds etc but he’s causing a problem the fact you think the businesses want this for him they don’t but they also don’t want the issues he’s causing.’

Another said: ‘I’m all for encouraging his passion and yes in a way it is a lovely thing that he is doing….But I have seen first-hand the dangers he puts drivers in with feeding the birds! I nearly hit him at Morrisons roundabout a couple of weeks ago because he was picking up feathers and the bird that had been hit there then threw it into the bushes.’ 

A GoFundMe page set up to cover any legal fees as her father battles his case compares him to Dr Doolittle, adding that he’s ‘dedicated his life to the wellbeing of our local wildlife’.

He appears to be a very thoughtful man, and it’s something that he enjoys doing. Yes, some of these birds are classed as vermin but birds have been about for a very long time and so have rats. He’s not hurting anybody by feeding them – I know some humans who will do that though.

We can all be judgemental at times, some of us more times than others, but we should keep our opinions to ourselves sometimes. How people choose to live their lives is up to them, and people might not approve but it’s his choice.

He’s merely a senior citizen attempting to kill time. He doesn’t mean any harm, and it’s quite disgusting how more and more councils are issuing killjoy, Big Brother dictates, mainly because those at the council are power-crazed, it makes them feel important, but most of all, it makes them money – follow the money, always follow the money!

Every living creature on this planet is here for a reason. If something lives, then it will have to eat something, and then that something will eat something else, and any species that becomes extinct forms a void in the food chain, and depending on the importance of that species and the health of the food chain as a whole – it can have a small effect that can be compensated or it can be catastrophic.

However, no species is completely unimportant – not even mosquitos!

What the council should have done is reach a compromise. Perhaps there is an area like a wildlife park or a horse sanctuary he could volunteer at instead. Some birds like pigeons might be classed as vermin by humans but they have a reason in the food chain and they have been here for an extremely long time.

Eddie Stobart Has Passed Away

The founder of one of Britain’s most well-known haulage companies has passed away at the age of 95. 

Eddie Pears Stobart, who originally established the family-named company Eddie Stobart in the 1940s, died on November 25.

He was born in 1929 in Cumbria and worked as a farmer before trying his arm in the business world. 

Eddie set up a small agricultural business in 1946, concentrating on distributing fertiliser and doing contract work for local farms as well as running a farm shop.

He doubted there was much money to be made in haulage, and saw his small fleet simply as ‘a tool for business’, which back then was distributing slag, the fertiliser by-product of industrial steelmaking. 

But Eddie’s second-youngest child Edward – so-called to distinguish him from his father – took over the business in the 1970s and made it into a household name in the haulage sector with the company now owning more than 2700 vehicles.

Taking over the transport side in 1976, Edward, at the age of 21, started with eight lorries and 12 workers before making it into one of Britain’s largest logistics brands.

He is credited for transforming the public’s perception of the profession from one of filthy, macho men to one of efficiency, cleanliness, and friendliness. He gave his trucks feminine names, the first being Twiggy after the model.

Under his supervision, Stobart truck drivers were required to wear collars and ties and to respond to signals from onlookers by waving their horns and waving back.

Their distinctive trucks became a mainstay of Britain’s motorways and even sparked a spotting craze, fan club and cult following.

Thousands of people joined the fan club, which made it possible to produce Eddie Stobart model trucks and other branded goods.

Eddie, meanwhile, sold most of his trading interests in 1980 to invest in an industrial warehouse near Carlisle, where he ended up retiring with his wife Nora Boyd who he married in 1951.

The first Stobart lorry arrived in 1960 in the form of a second-hand Guy Invincible four-wheeler which Eddie chose to repaint in green and red. 

Eddie watched the family business rise to fortunes estimated to be about £100 million under his son Edward before it ran into problems during tough financial times in the 2000s.

The business was then purchased from Edward by a partnership run by Eddie’s fourth child William Stobart in 2004.

Edward, who ran the haulage empire for more than 30 years, passed away in 2011, aged 56, of a suspected heart attack.

He had allegedly collapsed at home in Ettington, Warwickshire, and was brought to the University Hospital in Coventry.

It was said that Edward died having filed for bankruptcy the previous year with debts of £220,000.

His brother William told workers at the firm of the sudden death.

In a statement at the time, he said: ‘Edward, although not directly involved in today’s company, was the person who built the brand and business and we have so much to thank him for.’

Three of the iconic green, red and white Eddie Stobart trucks, including two from the 70s and 80s, were part of his funeral cortege.

The funeral ceremony drew about 500 people to Carlisle Cathedral. Following the service, the hearse was driven to a private burial by the three Eddie Stobart trucks that were stationed outside the church.

I must admit that I was unaware of Eddie Stobart’s age, but he was a great icon who rose from the bottom. It proves that hard work can lead to achievement.

He was a beautiful, compassionate man who understood the value of hard work.

The man created an institution and kept numerous children looking out for his trucks, reading the truck names on car journeys, and many people in work.

You deserve your Tacho break, Eddie. Rest in peace!

Mystery ‘UFO’ Drones Over US Airbases In Britain

This is the moment a multitude of drones pass over an American air base which is set to become home to US nuclear weapons.

The footage acquired by MailOnline features what is suspected to be four drones, brazenly flying with bright lights, in the early evening darkness above RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk.

Information about American nuclear weapons being deployed to the base for the first time since the Cold War has intensified fears that Russia could be behind the drone activity.

While two of the drones to the left of the screen in the video seem stationary, the other two are shown moving and passing each other on the night of November 28.

It is thought that the brilliant light at the top of the screen represents Venus, which is visible in the southwest sky in November.

The brightest planet in the earth’s solar system is sometimes mistaken for a rocket or aeroplane.

The US Air Force revealed last month that drones had buzzed three of its UK bases – RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk and nearby RAF Feltwell, Norfolk.

The sightings which are said to have begun on November 20 and continued for several days have followed similar drone ‘invasions’ in New Jersey.

According to reports, unidentified aircraft have circled the US Army’s Picatinny Arsenal in the state, which produces and conducts research on weaponry, including those that are provided to Ukraine.

Some reports have talked of ‘car-sized’ drones over New Jersey since mid-November, occasionally emerging in groups and usually remaining in the same place for hours. They are also said to have been spotted in New York, Texas and Oklahoma.

A New Jersey police department sparked concern after it revealed that a drone it sent up to follow a mystery aircraft ‘easily’ evaded their device before disappearing into thin air.

Ocean County Sheriff Michael Mastronardy said a drone was launched after one of his officers saw 50 unmanned aerial vehicles, ‘coming off the ocean’.

The officer dialled 911 to warn state police, the FBI and the Coast Guard. The maritime agency then reported seeing spotted 13 drones following their boat, calculating that the devices had a wingspan of eight feet.

Matronardy told NewsNation’s Rich McHugh the force put up an ‘industrial grade’ drone to follow one of the devices, but it quickly slipped through their grasp.

Residents in the Garden State and beyond are worried about many drone sightings, including this one.

‘If this is not our military, then it’s even more scary,’ McHugh said.

Both US and UK intelligence professionals have blamed Russian dictator Vladimir Putin for the meddling.

The video at RAF Lakenheath was taken soon after British authorities had reported that 60 soldiers were being sent to explore the sightings at the three UK bases.

Two days after it was taken, an RAF Chinook flew British special forces troops to join the probe at RAF Lakenheath which is home to the 48th Fighter Wing’s F-15E Strike Eagle and F-35A Lightning II aircraft.

According to flight tracker records, the Chinook took off from RAF Odiham, Hampshire, and flew to Poole, Dorset, to pick up SBS personnel. From there, it proceeded to Hereford, the SAS’s base, and finally to the US base.

Earlier this month, villagers near RAF Lakenheath described seeing the drones on replicated nights, along with increased security patrols by MoD police. The base stated this week that there had been no new sightings in recent days.

A retired British spymaster claimed that Kremlin intelligence services were potentially gearing up for a fresh wave of incursions into UK airspace.

Philip Ingram, a former British military intelligence Colonel, said the recent drone sightings had ‘all the hallmarks’ of an operation by Russia’s secretive GRU spy agency.

‘It’s a distinct possibility if not a certain probability this is all down to Russian intelligence,’ he said.’

They and the GRU are just a bunch of petulant little boys. They’re trying to suggest they have the ability to disrupt and influence through a level of nuisance action.’

He added: ‘I would say we will see another flurry of activity in the next few months for sure. Whether drones or something else, I suspect something else.’

Col Ingram said Russians or their agents could also be using the UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) to test Western forces’ responses and capabilities.

He implied that they might be conducting these operations to stroke the bruised ego of Russian despot Putin following his setbacks in Ukraine.

He also claimed the drones were part of a wider spate of small, ‘seemingly isolated’ incidents which could be part of a larger coordinated test of disruption tactics.

‘There’s a pattern building up and from an intelligence perspective, I don’t like patterns,’ Col Ingram added.

‘Each one of these things in isolation won’t massively disrupt our way of life and none will potentially raise a big question mark but if you suddenly put them together and they all happen at once, then the level of disruption you could have could be really serious.’

The sightings come after a string of odd events that have occurred all around the world, including hacker-perpetrated cyberattacks, underwater internet cable sabotage, and bomb scares that caused pandemonium at Gatwick and in central London.

The FBI and other agencies are said to be investigating the sightings in America, but the Department of Homeland Security said on Wednesday: ‘We have no more information as to where these drones are coming from, where they’re launching from, where they’re landing.’

This week, Britain debuted its newest weapon in the fight against drones: a powerful laser that can quickly burn the drones out of the sky.

At the Radnor Range in mid-Wales, the high-energy gadget, which was installed on the roof of a Wolfhound armoured vehicle, underwent successful testing.

Soldiers from 16 Royal Artillery – an air defence regiment based near Portsmouth, Hampshire – were able to follow and destroy impending targets.

Retired police lieutenant and intelligence analyst Tim McMillan told DailyMail.com the descriptions of the UFOs in Jersey ‘sound exactly like Russian Orlan-10 drones’—secretive craft that fly in packs of three to five.

The Orlan-10 craft comes with ‘standard positional lighting’—a red light on the left (port) wingtip, a green light on the right (starboard) wingtip, and white taillights, similar to the lights seen on ordinary aircraft and Jersey’s ‘mystery drones.’

Experts suggest that Russia could be carrying out an intelligence-gathering mission known as ‘ferreting’, meant to deliberately trigger and test a rival’s airspace defence procedures and reaction times.

Or the Kremlin might just be eavesdropping on Ukraine’s allies who are supporting the country’s resistance to Russia’s incursion.

While experts could not rule out a theory that Iran was behind the attacks, argued by NJ Congressman Jeff Van Drew, but denied by the Pentagon, White House officials have long noted that Russia and Iran collaborate on military drone development.

‘Russia has been very aggressive and reckless with its responses to Western support of Ukraine,’ Lt McMillan told DailyMail.com. ‘This isn’t something I see discussed in US media, but it’s well documented and openly discussed here in Europe.’

The first New Jersey drone sightings emerged over the US Army’s Picatinny Arsenal on November 18 but reports to varying levels of credibility have now extended to at least 12 counties throughout the Garden State.

Officials have received reports of craft flying off ‘water reservoirs, electric transmission lines, rail stations, police departments, and military installations’ in recent weeks, according to Florham Park, NJ police chief Joseph J Orlando.

But those earliest and most plausible sightings above Picatinny, according to Lt McMillan, are most worth focusing on.

‘Picatinny Arsenal,’ as Lt McMillan told DailyMail.com, is ‘home of the US Army’s CCDC Armaments Center, which is responsible for manufacturing and supplying Ukraine with 155mm artillery ammunition.’

Republican Rep Jeff Van Drew has claimed that Iran is behind the drones in New Jersey, telling reporters that the nation parked a ‘mothership’ off the East Coast.

The MoD has been contacted by MailOnline for additional comment.

The most convincing hypothesis is that these drones are monitoring cities for anything harmful to national security. The fact that the Pentagon says that it doesn’t know what they are, but that they don’t pose a threat to anyone is like saying that the drones are theirs, but they won’t say that they have the technology.

Meanwhile, in the UK our government says nothing and none of us appear remotely concerned by the silence, but then we Brits don’t like to grumble too much.

Eventually, if we don’t fully comply with our governments’ demands, your every action will be monitored and documented.

This appears to be a highly secret way of testing their defences of air bases across the US. RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk might be called RAF but it’s completely USA – wait for those little green men!

Because there will always be conspiracy theorists who want to hear verifiable and accurate facts and because scared individuals are easier to manipulate, things won’t stop!

If the government aren’t doing anything to find out what they are or to stop them, then perhaps they are from the government, or maybe not, who knows these days what is truly going on?

Perhaps aliens are coming to see if there’s intelligent life on Earth – they will be sorely disappointed, especially if they look at our governments across the globe.

There is no way on earth that the UK and US military would permit potential Russian or Iranian drones to simply hang about over installations. The first one would be in a million pieces and on the front page of every newspaper.

Hostile drones don’t fly lit up like a Christmas tree, not even at this time of the year!

According to reports, they are flying over military locations in the US and the UK, but I do not doubt that these bases are protected and that they would shoot a bogey out of the sky if it got too close. Perhaps it’s JUST EAT extending their services.

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