LUKE LITTLER admitted he “fell asleep” before setting up another blockbuster clash with Michael van Gerwen.

The 18-year-old ground out a 6-4 win over Dimitri Van den Bergh in his Dutch Masters opener – after the Belgian had shaken up his walk-on routine.

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Luke Littler had plenty to say about Dimitri Van den Bergh’s walk-on change at the Dutch Masters[/caption]

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The Belgian was unable to stop the world champion winning 6-4[/caption]

However, the teen sensation needed to hit three 180s in the last two legs to get over the line after a mid-match slump.

On going up a gear, he admitted: “I had to. Dimitri was behind me all the way.

“But two-nil up, fell asleep and I had to find other gears.

“The World Series is a massive thing. You go to all these different countries. But I would say it’s match practice for the Premier League.”

Van den Bergh surprisingly dumped his classic Happy walk-on song and dance for the occasion.

It was replaced by Play Hard by David Guetta.

When asked about it, Littler replied: “I don’t really know. I think it’s good for us players that he’s not there dancing around!

“So we get to walk-on quicker. He can take his time. It’s a good song.”

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Littler now faces Van Gerwen in the quarters, a repeat of their World Final clash at the Ally Pally three weeks ago.

He added: “Obviously I’d like to get another win and progress to the semi-final.

“I think Michael might be thinking he wants revenge, especially in his backyard.

“It would be a good thing to beat him in his backyard.

“Like I said, win that game and guarantee myself a place in the semi-final.”

MVG will go into his rematch with Littler sporting a broken toe.

The three-time world champion suffered a freak injury while on holiday with his family in Thailand.

Asked if the injury would hamper him in the tournament, he replied: “[It’s] annoying, but you can’t do anything about it.

“It happened last week on holiday. Accidents can happen. I enjoyed my holiday. I definitely had a nice rest.”

A 33-YEAR-OLD woman and a man, 35, are being treated for “life-threatening injuries” after a horror double stabbing.

The pair were knifed in the neck and stomach following two horrific attacks in Hull.

The man, who also suffered a head injury, was found with a stab wound to his stomach in Buckingham Street area at around 2am today, said cops.

Just an hour later, at 3am, a 33-year-old woman was found in nearby Rosmead Street, with a stab wound to her neck. 

Humberside Police said the incidents appear to be connected.

The force also stressed that there was “no wider risk to the public”.

Detective Inspector Mark Skelton from the Major Crime Team said: “We believe these incidents to be connected and I would like to offer my reassurance that the individuals are believed to be known to each other.

“There is no wider risk to the public.

“Enquiries remain ongoing, including house to house enquiries, and trawling CCTV to establish the full circumstances and identify those involved.

“A 35-year-old man and 33-year-old woman remain in hospital for treatment to injuries which are thought to be life-threatening at this time.

“Members of the public can expect to see an increase in police presence and there are multiple scene guards in place on Barnsley Street, Buckingham Street, and Rosmead Street as our investigation continues and Crime Scene Investigators carry out their enquiries.”

Alternatively, you can report anonymously via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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A DAD-of-one has told how he was left with six-inch weeping holes in his legs after suffering a deadly drug addiction.

Two decades ago, Paul Hannaford’s sores were so severe that he faced double amputation – but now he uses his injuries to stop children from following in his footsteps.

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Paul Hannaford dedicated his life to educating children on the real-life dangers of drug addiction[/caption]

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The Sun

The sores on his legs were so extreme the hospital put maggots in them to avoid amputating them[/caption]

Last year, drug awareness advocate Paul, 55, celebrated 18 years clean of drugs and alcohol after his heroin and crack addiction nearly killed him.

He spent £2million on drugs over two decades and during his darkest days he was injecting himself 50 times a day.

Now Paul has swapped crack dens for schools across the country and has dedicated his life to sharing his harrowing life story in brutally honest workshops.

Paul told The Sun: “Kids cry in my workshops, they pass out. I’ve had thousands of kids faint.

“I show them pictures of me in hospital with maggots in my legs and tell them what it’s like to be brutally stabbed because I owed drug dealers money.

“I told them what it’s like to be locked up for 24 hours a day in a prison cell and become very lonely.

“I tell them about what it’s like to not see family at Christmas because I’m sat in drug dens sharing needles with other addicts.

“I’ve not just stepped out of an office or downloaded some rubbish from the internet to put on the screen for kids. 

“Kids these days are hardcore, they need evidence and I’m living evidence of the consequences of drug abuse and gang culture,” he explained.

Despite his brutal approach, he’s not received one complaint from a parent during his years of teaching.

Instead, he receives countless calls and emails from parents and school teachers in tears begging him to hold workshops for their kids.

Paul, from Essex, revealed: “I had a head teacher phoning me in tears an hour ago – she was so desperate. She wanted me to visit her school in Kensington.”

“We’ve got problems. I went to a college in Middlesborough recently and I spoke to 200 16 and 17-year-olds across four different workshops. My talk with them about drugs, gangs, county lines and addiction was their first-ever talk.

“I then went to a prison, also in Middlesborough, and sat in front of 60 murderers who are coming to the end of their prison sentence.

“They’ve all been locked up since they were teenagers and all their murders were drug related. My talk with them on drug addiction was their first-ever talk. 

“These men have cost the taxpayer £60million,” he added.

Despite being clean from drugs for 18 years, the life-changing effects still haunt him. 

He has to bandage his legs every day as they still ooze blood and puss.

He carries the scars from the seven times he was stabbed, spent years behind bars and was cut from his daughter’s life after he left her mum just two weeks before she gave birth.

Stressing the importance of giving children the hard facts from the mouth of someone who has experienced the chaos and devastation of drug addiction, Paul made the point: “How many ten-year-olds are in prison now for murder? None.

“How many 10-year-olds are there running a gang with knifes in their pocket? None.

“Every gang leader right now walking around with a big knife in his pocket and every man in prison for murder was once ten.”

Paul was introduced to cannabis when he was 13 and within six months he was smoking it every day.

His school work suffered, he quit his beloved football team and his behaviour worsened, resulting in him being sent to a Pupil Referral Unit in Romford.

It was at the unit that he met 16-year-old gang members who forced him into carrying knives for them.

He said: “I got bullied a little bit by the gang to hold the drugs and go out and commit crime, then the violence started and I was carrying knives.

“I never stabbed anyone but I’ve seen a lot of stabbings. And slowly that was all I knew. I knew nothing else. I was a kid.”

He moved up the gang ranks and eventually became one of the leaders.

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Paul Hannaford vowed to educate over a million children on the horrors of drug abuse, and has succeeded[/caption]

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He believes kids need brutal honesty and delivers that in his workshops[/caption]

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Paul entered a rehab in Weston super-Mare and managed to turn his life around[/caption]

When he was 21 years old, Paul tried heroin for the first time.

“I never thought I’d get into class A drugs but I did. I was injecting heroin and it destroyed me,” he said.

He spent 10 years living in crack dens where he’d inject heroin into his hands, legs, feet, neck and groin.

“I’d also started to inject crack, which makes your veins thrombosed. Some days blood would squirt everywhere and I’d have large clots and open wounds,” he grimaced.

His mum later told him that every time she got a knock at her front door, she thought it would be the police telling her that he was dead.

By the time he was in his mid-thirties, he was holding dealers at gunpoint and stealing their supplies.

Paul admitted: “I knew that it was only a matter of days that I would be dead.”

With the police hot on his heels, Paul’s health had deteriorated so dramatically that he was hardly able to walk.

“I was in such a poor state with open wounds in my legs, I was terrified so I handed myself in.

“I know now that by doing so it saved my life,” he said.

After walking into his local police station he was arrested and was admitted to Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, Essex where he was handcuffed to a bed.

The 35-year-old’s health was in such a dire state that he spent his entire 12-week prison sentence at the hospital.

“The hospital was going to amputate both my legs but they put hundreds of maggots in them instead,” Paul said.

Larvae therapy involves applying live maggots to an open wound to help it heal.

They eat away at the dead tissue and bacteria, leaving behind healthy tissue.

“I also had 22 skin grafts and then after that, they took the handcuffs off and released me. I had nowhere to go, the only thing I owed that day was an old blood-stained tracksuit in a carrier bag,” he said.

Paul was offered a slot at a rehab centre in Somerset, but he wasn’t able to check in for another week.

With no family support and nowhere to go, Paul said: “I had a choice that day in the hospital, which was either go to rehab or back to a drug den and probably die.”

During his time at the hospital he’d befriended the staff so one of the nurses let him stay until he could go to the rehab in Weston super-Mare.

“For five days they fed me, showered me and clothed me. That nurse saved my life,” he said, still in awe of the staff member’s kindness.

After the grueling stint in rehab purged his body of the toxic substances and he worked towards getting clean, Paul decided he wanted to give back and try to stop as many young people making the same mistakes he did.

“The bottom line is if we continue not to give the kids in our care education on these harmful situations that grow in every community, then I strongly believe that things will just get worse moving forward.”

Despite hitting his target of holding workshops for one million children, Paul has decided to keep going.

“I’ve got about 10 years left in me for work, legs pending. I go to the gym every day. Life is ok today. My mental health is ok. I keep to myself, pay my bills, pay my taxes – life is decent.

“But, I had a goal to educate 1 million kids and I got there last year. So now I said I’ll do another million. That will take me another 10 years.”

During one of his school visits he had a chance encounter with his daughter, who was in year 11 at the time.

After slowly building a relationship and making amends, Paul beamed as he told us that he now sees his daughter “all the time”.

To find out more about Paul’s incredible story and his work, visit his website here.

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Using his injuries and harrowing life story he hopes to prevent kids getting into similar situation[/caption]

 

A FRENCH mum who subjected her 13-year-old daughter to years of unimaginable torture before starving her to death has been sentenced to life in prison.

Sandrine Pissarra, 54, was convicted on Friday by a court in Montpellier of inflicting acts of “torture and barbarity” on her daughter, Amandine, who died of a heart attack in 2020.

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A French mum was jailed for life after starving her daughter Amandine (pictured) to death[/caption]

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The 13-year-old girl tragically died in 2020 after years of abuse[/caption]

Amandine, who weighed just 28 kilograms (62 pounds) at the time of her death, had endured years of horrific abuse, including beatings, starvation, and being locked in a windowless storage room for weeks.

She had lost several teeth, her hair had been ripped out, and she suffered from severe muscle loss and septicaemia, a medical report revealed.

Pissarra, described by prosecutors as a “domestic tyrant” and “executioner,” must serve at least 20 years before being eligible for parole.

Her ex-partner, Jean-Michel Cros, 49, was also sentenced to 20 years in prison for his role in the abuse.

He was convicted of depriving Amandine of care, a crime the court branded “cowardly collaboration.”

Unlike Pissarra, Cros is ineligible for parole.

“I want to apologize to my children, that’s all,” Pissarra said in a final statement.

Meanwhile, Cros said: “I have nothing to add.”

HOUSE OF HORRORS

Prosecutor Jean-Marie Beney laid bare the chilling extent of Amandine’s suffering.

He described how she was beaten with brooms, punched, kicked and subjected to relentless verbal and physical abuse from a very young age.

“For Pissarra, domestic tyrant, dictator of the home, executioner of Amandine, there can only be one sentence – a life term,” Beney declared.

The investigating magistrate’s report painted an equally harrowing picture, stating there was “no doubt” that Pissarra’s sole intent was to drag Amandine into “shameful and humiliating agony.”

The court heard that Amandine was forced to endure endless “writing punishments” and deprived of food as part of her mother’s calculated cruelty.

Cameras installed in the storage room monitored her every move.

According to psychiatric experts, Pissarra transferred her hatred for Amandine’s father onto her daughter, unleashing years of anger and violence.

FINAL DAYS

On the day Amandine died, Pissarra claimed her daughter had only consumed a piece of sugar, fruit purée, and a high-protein drink before she began vomiting and stopped breathing.

The mother of eight, who ran a nail salon, initially blamed Amandine’s death on eating disorders – a claim dismissed by the court.

Cros, meanwhile, was branded a passive enabler who allowed the abuse to continue unchecked.

“He deprived Amandine of care until her death,” Beney said.

Pissarra’s defence team argued others – including neighbours, doctors, social workers, and teachers – should share the blame for Amandine’s suffering.

While acknowledging Pissarra’s “individual responsibility,” her lawyer Jean-Marc Darrigade pointed to a broader “collective failure,” adding, “This tragedy could have been prevented.”

But for Amandine, the system failed her too late.

Pissarra now faces life behind bars for her heinous crimes – a sentence prosecutors called justice for a life lost too soon.

LEGEND Raymond van Barneveld has hinted that he only has two or three years left in the sport.

The five-time world champion showed his class to beat Chris Dobey in the Dutch Masters with a wonderful 144 finish on Friday night.

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Raymond van Barneveld has opened up about his future in darts[/caption]

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The 57-year-old beat Chris Dobey in a Dutch Masters thriller on Friday night[/caption]

Barney, 57, then revealed after the clash that he might be ready to quit again, six years after retiring and then returning to the sport two years later.

He said: “Maybe only two or three years left in me.

“Don’t get me wrong. [it’s a pleasure] to play in your own country.

“Germany, United Kingdom, it doesn’t matter. They all support the Barney Army.

“But here, I’m looking forward to tomorrow night. It’s going to be mental, sold out already.”

Barney was an underdog heading into the contest with World No. 10 Dobey, but sealed the match with a stunning three-dart checkout.

He continued: “Wow, what a game. I’m so over the moon with this win.

“I was struggling for a year now and finally [things paid off]. I said 144, trip, trip and then double 12 went in.

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“I could have taken the first leg and that was worrying me. Then 3-1 down, then 3-3.

“I thought ‘Come on Ray I can do this’. Chris was a semi-finalist at the Worlds but I can do this if I keep putting him under pressure.

“But he was playing really good. He took his moments. That last leg.

“I started well with the 140. I’m thinking never give up.

“Just before I hit that 144 in my country, I’m thinking I’m going to do this for everyone here. And wow it went in.”

Barney now faces old pal Stephen Bunting in the quarter-finals tonight in Den Bosch.

He added: “I love Stephen, we get along fine together for long years.

“It’s going to be a great game.

“But for now I’m going to enjoy this, I’m really proud of myself.”

Perth Wildcats have slumped to fifth on the ladder following a dramatic double overtime loss to Cairns Taipans at home and coach John Rillie said the result all came down to an inability to handle big moments.

Quem nunca ficou perdido em meio a um catálogo interminável de rótulos?

Grupo terrorista palestino levou as quatro militares para um palco, onde foram exibidas para uma multudão, antes de retornarem a Israel

The hosts are closing in on a clean sweep after completing a white-ball whitewash.

A LOVE Island legend has revealed his incredible body transformation in a new topless video.

The former reality star met the love of his life on the hit ITV show and now they have three kids together.

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This Love Island legend shared his incredible body transformation[/caption]

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Jamie Jewitt said he wanted to get rid of his ‘dad bod’[/caption]

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Jamie and wife Camilla Thurlow share three kids together[/caption]

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Jamie Jewitt today showed off his new body after saying he was transforming his “dad bod”.

The former Islander was one of the lucky ones to meet his future wife on the show.

Jamie is now married to his 2017 Love island co-star Camilla Thurlow and they have three beautiful children.

The busy dad has revealed he has been upping his game in the gym and today posted a shirtless video of his impressive body transformation.

In the Instagram post he can be seen showing off his muscles, playing with his kids and working out at the gym.

Jamie captioned the post with: “DAD BOD DIARIES! 94.1kg and I’m feeling goooooooood! ”

Last May, Jamie and Camilla‘s family got a little bigger with the addition of their third child.

At the time, they shared pictures of their full brood on Instagram and Camilla wrote: “And just like that.. we are a family of 5.

“Meet baby Brodie.

“12.38pm 8th May 6lb15oz.”

Camilla and Jamie are also parents to Nell, four, and two-year-old Nora.

The couple announced they were adding to their family with a sweet post on Instagram.

Camilla wrote: “Our lovely girls are getting a baby brother. Delighted to share our little family is growing, baby boy due in Spring 2024, it’s going to be a busy house!”

She also shared an adorable video of her girls getting in on the action, pretending to study for the arrival of their little brother.

In their bedroom, the girls were looking at a blackboard which read: “Big sister 101: with brand new module ‘Boys’. Final exam May 2024.”

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DOTING DAD

Camilla previously gushed over her husband in a birthday tribute – and confessed Jamie is an amazing dad to their children.

Sharing a sweet montage of Jamie with his daughters, she said: “You’ve always been the man who had it all, naturally good at anything you tried.

“But the single greatest thing I’ve ever seen you do is to turn all that towards your family, because now our children are growing up wanting nothing more than to be best friends with their dad.

“Because he is the person who helped them believe that they hold the magic to make their own dreams come true.

“Happy birthday @jamiejewitt_ , it’s going to be another big year for us and we can only keep doing our best.

“But I hope you can see how much everything you do means to our family, because kids don’t get to pick their parents, but if they did our little girls would pick you, they would pick you every single time.”

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Jamie and Camilla fell in love in the villa[/caption]

MEETING IN THE VILLA

The couple met of third season of Love Island in 2017.

At first Camilla, who previously snogged Prince Harry, initially struggled to find love in the villa, after she was dumped by millionaire Jonny Mitchell.

However, all that changed when former Calvin Klein model Jamie joined the show for the Casa Amor part of the show and swept her off her feet.

They bonded over books and Camilla’s passion for humanitarianism – including her work clearing landmines in Afghanistan.

It wasn’t long before Camilla fell for the hunk, and told the other other Islanders: “I am falling for him and I’m trying really hard not to and so I’m fighting every feeling.”

After coming third on the show, the happy couple continued their romance outside of the villa and are now enjoying being married with kids.