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A MASKED idiot risked their life by riding an e-scooter on a motorway as Storm Darragh raged at the weekend.

Footage shows their illegal trip on the 10mph tech amid spray from passing vehicles and failing light.

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A masked idiot risked their life by riding an e-scooter on a motorway as Storm Darragh raged at the weekend[/caption]

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Cars speed at up to 50mph past the 10mph scooter[/caption]

Despite a rare red weather warning as Storm Darragh unleashed torrential downpours and severe gales, the rider seemed oblivious to the obvious dangers on Saturday.

They were seen on the A38(M) Aston Expressway in Birmingham on the same day Kher Hussain Shahin, 56, died after a tree hit his car in nearby Erdington.

And Imran Younas, 37, escaped after his BMW was crushed by a falling tree in Solihull.

In the shocking footage, the rider is wearing a long black jacket and balaclava.

The Aston Expressway, with a 50mph limit, is one of the busiest commuter routes in and out of the city.

One local said: “It’s not the brightest idea, but to do it ­during that storm is brain-dead moronic. Must have a death wish.”

It is illegal to ride private e-scooters on roads or any public land.

An official hire scheme is available in Birmingham as part of a government trial, but they ­cannot be used on motorways.

Meanwhile, a huge clean-up operation is under way to clear fallen trees and flooded areas.

Nearly 100,000 homes were yesterday still without power, with train services severely disrupted, particularly in the South West and Wales.

Flights have also been hit.

Winds will gradually ease tomorrow with less rainfall but it is likely to remain chilly.

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Kher Hussain Shahin, 56, died after a tree hit his car in Erdington[/caption]

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Storm damage in Clyne Gardens near Swansea[/caption]

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Waves batter Seaham harbour in Co Durham[/caption]

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The River Severn swamps Worcester cricket ground[/caption]

HORRIFIED customers were left disgusted after the council found a deep-fried rat in their local kebab shop kitchen.

Health inspectors spotted what looked like a well-cooked rodent in September at Mexicano Food Box in Preston, Lancashire.

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The Mexicano Food Box in Lancashire received a zero hygiene rating from health inspectors[/caption]

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Customers have been put off their takeaways after the council found a deep-fried rat in the kitchen[/caption]

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Members of the health board spotted cockroaches, dirt, and a distinct lack of soap[/caption]

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The kebab shop has agreed to close down to tackle the issue[/caption]

Customers have eaten at the kebab joint for years without knowing the filth-riddled kitchen was overrun with cockroaches and crunchy vermin.

According to the kebab shop website, they offer “mouth-watering dishes and catering for all kinds of different tastes.”

The council’s food hygiene officer spotted one of these varied flavours and snapped a picture of the creature, which appeared to be squashed flat and incredibly crispy.

Mexicano Food Box was immediately given a rating of zero which is the bottom of the hygiene scale and is the worst level that can be handed out.

The rating means urgent improvement is necessary and the store owners were immediately slapped with a stern letter from the council.

The notice read: “The premises was in a poor state of cleanliness at the time of the inspection and a cockroach infestation was found without adequate control.

“Food was not protected from a risk of contamination.”

Owners of Mexicano Food Box agreed to voluntarily close the business to carry out a deep clean and put measures in place to control the cockroach infestation.

The letter continued: “Should similar conditions be found on any future inspections then formal action may be taken.”

During their inspection, the council discovered bread buns stored next to raw doner kebab meat which can lead to cross-contamination.

They also tested the fridge, containing dairy products, to the temperature was 5°C hotter than the legal maximum of eight.

Keeping food in environments warmer than their recommended temperature is risky as it can allow harmful bacteria to grow.

Germs appeared not to be a concern however with no soap found in the restaurant toilets.

Regardless of the cleanliness standards, Mexicano Food Box has received relatively good reviews, with a 4.2 star rating, according to their website.

Reviews even contained the words “excellent” and “great.”

However one customer took to the internet to complained they felt a bit dodgy after they ordered a takeaway.

They wrote: “Won’t be ordering again, I ordered the chicken noodles with sweet chilli sauce and a couple of hours later I was being sick and having bowel movement, to put it politely.”

A Preston City Council spokesperson said: “Where things go wrong, inspectors can detain and seize food, equipment, records, and in the worse cases require a business to stop using a particular ingredient, process or premises.

“Food law provides a minimum standard for businesses to maintain. Where businesses fail to maintain those hygiene standards, formal action will be taken where the proprietor does not cooperate fully. “
ends”

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The kitchen was caked in filth according to the hygiene report[/caption]

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It also stated a there was a cockroach infestation[/caption]

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There was no soap found in the restaurant toilets[/caption]

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Hygiene inspectors noted multiple health hazards[/caption]

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The council snapped multiple pictures of the ‘digusting’ kitchen[/caption]

Dutch authorities say there are indications that a crime was committed as blasts at an apartment block in The Hague killed six people.

The RBA board will meet on Tuesday and announce the final cash rate decision for 2024 later in the day.

THERE is one common reason linking the facts that Chelsea are in the title race and  Manchester City are not. Cole Palmer.

City are an ageing squad in desperate need of a world-class youngster to give them freshness and spark.

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Cole Palmer is Chelsea’s main man and just what old club Man City need[/caption]

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Etihad chief Pep Guardiola must rue Palmer’s departure more than ever[/caption]

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Palmer ran out of patience at Man City when they signed Jeremy Doku[/caption]

That player should have been Cole Palmer.

Chelsea were a chaotic club in desperate need of an on-field leader to build a team around.

That player is Cole Palmer.

Pep Guardiola’s decision to allow Palmer to join Chelsea looked highly questionable even last season, when City were winning a fourth straight title and the young  Mancunian he released was the stand-out player in a wildly inconsistent Blues team.

Now that Palmer is the stand-out player in an excellent Chelsea side, and now that City have suddenly imploded — winning just once in nine games — that chicken is well and truly roosting.

And yes, yes, the Rodri injury. But City’s extraordinary collapse is not all about the absence of their Ballon d’Or-winning midfield anchor.

Etihad chiefs are this week  trumpeting the tenth anniversary of their City Football Academy, which has “developed 40 players for the men’s senior team and generated fees of up to £300million”.

City boast that “seven Premier League clubs and 12 Championship sides currently have a player from the CFA”.

FOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS

Which is all well and good, except that Palmer — one of two world-class players to come through the CFA, along with Phil Foden — is currently tearing it up for a team higher in the table than City.

And for an initial fee of £40m, which now looks an absolute steal.

These mistakes happen in football. It’s just that they usually happen to Chelsea and certainly not to Guardiola.

Look around at Chelsea’s main rivals and you’ll find Kevin De Bruyne, flogged by Chelsea aged 22, who has been Manchester City’s best player for years.

And you’ll find Mo Salah, shipped out by Chelsea aged 23, who has been Liverpool’s best player for years.

You’ll also find Declan Rice, rejected by Chelsea aged 14, who  is now the £105million midfield heartbeat of Arsenal.

When Jose Mourinho was Chelsea boss he didn’t think De Bruyne or Salah were useless. Just not good enough for his first team at that point and certainly not future  Footballers of the Year.

It’s the same with City and Palmer — who got my vote as Footballer of the Year above City’s Foden, who won the award because most voters seemed to think it was more impressive to be a great player in a great team than be a great player in a bad team.

Guardiola rated Palmer so highly that, while other promising City youngsters were loaned out, he was jealously guarded by the Etihad boss, drip-fed first-team football and asked to remain patient at City, just as Foden was.

Yet by the summer of last year, Palmer was 21 and ready to be a major Premier League footballer.

Guardiola had promised him  substantially more football and all looked well last August when Palmer netted a stunning goal at Wembley in the Community Shield against Arsenal and scored again in the European Super Cup against Sevilla.

But the following week, City spent £55.5m on Jeremy Doku — who, while not a like-for-like player to Palmer, was another attacking player, the same age as Palmer, who City rated with a higher transfer value.

This arrival surprised Palmer and his advisers, and was the straw that broke the camel’s back when it came to the player deciding he wanted to leave.

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Palmer notched two penalties at Spurs, including this Panenka effort[/caption]

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Chelsea chief Enzo Maresca has got the best out of Palmer[/caption]

Guardiola didn’t want him to go but didn’t want to keep a player against his will when he knew his first-team chances would remain limited at City last season.

Also, the Doku transfer meant City needed to balance the books  to comply with those ever-pesky  Premier League Profit and Sustainability Rules.

Doku is a decent player — a bums-off-seats winger who may improve significantly but, at present, lacks end product and is often a substitute.

He is certainly not in the same class as Palmer, whose two penalties and one glorious assist helped Chelsea close on leaders Liverpool with a statement comeback victory at Spurs on Sunday.

After that 4-3 win at the  Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca — who had worked with Palmer as a coach in City’s academy — was glowing about his talisman.

Especially interesting was Maresca’s admission that Palmer, who has scored 12 spot-kicks out of 12 in the Premier League, doesn’t practise penalties.

The idea of not practising penalties is remarkable in the modern age.
England didn’t practise penalties and they kept losing shootouts.

Under Gareth Southgate, they practised and studied them pretty much to PhD level and started winning shootouts.

But according to Maresca, Palmer is “not normal”. He is “not like us”.
Normal players practise and get better. Even very good players practise and get better.

The absolute best — the innate, blessed, ice-cool, off-the-cuff geniuses — are different.

The strange thing is that Guardiola — an undoubted genius himself — didn’t realise he had an actual genius in his squad.
For Manchester City, and for Chelsea, that is the difference.

Ashworth exit so excruciating

MANY highly successful businessmen have gone into football and ballsed it up – but Sir Jim Ratcliffe is taking this trend to new limits.

Sir Jim, literally the most successful businessman in England, has gone into Manchester United, England’s biggest football club, and, within a year, has made the biggest imaginable pig’s ear of it.

This summer’s decision to hand Erik ten Hag a new contract and a huge say in transfer policy, only to sack him nine games into the season, was embarrassing enough.

But now the exit of Dan Ashworth – the world-class sporting director poached from filthy-rich Newcastle United in a supposedly almighty coup – just five months into his role, is truly excruciating.

Ashworth had an excellent track record of appointing managers – Gareth Southgate at England, Graham Potter at Brighton and Eddie Howe at Newcastle.

Yet Ratcliffe apparently ignored Ashworth’s advice when appointing Ruben Amorim.

Perhaps, Amorim will be a hit, perhaps not.

But Ratcliffe’s blunders over Ten Hag and Ashworth have cost United around £25million.

The multi-billionaire Ineos chief is currently trying to claw back some of his own immense wastage by charging children £66 to watch United and by sacking swathes of hard-working club staff. 

And that there is capitalism in motion, baby.

‘Smallest’ clubs hit treble top for bosses

THIS summer, Bournemouth sold their star man, Dominic Solanke. Brentford flogged their goal machine, Ivan Toney. And Fulham cashed in on their best player, Joao Palhinha.

Yet all three clubs – probably the three ‘smallest’ in the Premier League – have improved and sit in the top half of the table, looking down on several bigger, wealthier sides.

Immense credit should go to managers Andoni Iraola, Thomas Frank and Marco Silva.

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Brentford have thrived despite Ivan Toney’s big-money exit to Al-Ahli[/caption]

Your rissa is my command

FOOTBALL clubs don’t actually need expensive PR gurus.

Win matches and people in the media will generally write and say positive things. Lose matches, and people in the media will generally write and say negative things.

Yet Chelsea are apparently hiring a blue-chip spin doctor, Nerissa Chesterfield, who was director of communications in Rishi Sunak’s Downing Street regime. Which went well.

Perhaps she can help to ship out all those unwanted members of Chelsea’s ‘bomb squad’. To Rwanda, maybe?

Cornering the market

LET’S not be snobbish about Arsenal’s reliance on set-piece goals.

If it was good enough for Stoke City, it should be good enough for the footballing chatterati of Stoke Newington.

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Bukayo Saka’s corners are a major factor in Arsenal’s goal tally[/caption]

MOVE over Love Island, a new dating show is in the works aimed at people who use sign language.

The niche idea follows successful TV series that have helped young people, single parents, grannies, virgins, nudists and even farmers to find love.

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A new dating show for people who use sign language is in the works – pictured inspiration Tasha Ghouri, who had a cochlear implant fitted at five years old[/caption]

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You cannot help but wonder if two high-profile Strictly Come Dancing contestants inspired the show.

Former EastEnders actress Rose Ayling-Ellis was the first deaf contestant to appear on the BBC One dance contest in 2021.

While Islander Tasha Ghouri, who had a cochlear implant fitted at five years old, made it through to the final on Sunday.

Both stars have raised awareness of what life is like for deaf people with their successful telly stints.

TV execs are now on the hunt for singletons who are deaf, British Sign Language users and CODAs (children of deaf adults) — aged 25 to 35 years old for the new dating show.

An insider said: “The creators have just put out a casting call for people in their twenties and thirties, who might like to take part.

“Though it’s not clear which channel it will air on, ITV and Channel 4 are the most likely recipients because they like to explore new territory with their shows.

“As for the dating show genre, producers are always looking for new ways to look at what attracts people to one another.”

The new casting call comes from production company Gold Wala, which has made multiple programmes aimed at younger people for BBC Three, MTV and E4.

The advert says: “Casting is now live for a super-exciting, brand new British Sign Language dating show for a major new channel.

“We are looking for all deaf, BSL users and CODAs who are aged 25 to 35 years old, are single and up for taking part in what will be an incredibly fun, exciting opportunity.”

But Gold Wala also makes clear it is flexible on the age range, adding: “The casting process will depend on the age group we hear from most.”

Danny’s going loco

DANNY DYER now gets his thrills from building model trains – like fellow celebrities Sir Rod Stewart, James May and Pete Waterman.

The ex EastEnders star says: “It keeps my mind less busy. As I’ve got older this is the kind of s*** I like to do.”

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Danny Dyer says he now gets his thrills from building model trains[/caption]

He reckons his hobby might “surprise” people and jar with his TV persona – “a hardman who loves a cocaine binge and head-butting people.”

His trains take pride of place in his man cave with his other mini-builds.

But not all stay there, he revealed on the Live And Let Dyers podcast.

The Lego Hogwarts he built during lockdown was “too big”.

He added: “I smashed it up, put it in a big box of Lego then elbowed that.”

His other Lego models must be bricking it.

WE always knew Taylor Swift’s Eras tour was breaking records, but even she couldn’t have predicted how big the 18-month trek would become.

Figures released yesterday revealed she netted more than £1.5 billion in ticket sales alone.

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Figures released on Monday revealed Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour netted more than £1.5 billion in ticket sales alone[/caption]

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And once the merchandise sales are added on, Taylor will easily top the £2bn mark.

Earlier this summer Coldplay were reported to have set an industry record after racking up £782million in ticket sales after playing 156 shows on their Music Of The Spheres World Tour.

But the numbers from Taylor’s 149-date tour are almost double that of Chris Martin and co.

The official figures also reveal the biggest night on the tour was in February when Taylor played Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia in front of 96,006 fans.

Meanwhile, Taylor’s eight nights at Wembley Stadium in London drew in an audience of 753,112.

Last night it was confirmed that Taylor handed out more than £1.5million in bonuses all of her Eras Tour crew to thank them for all their hard work.

It also looks likely she will be celebrating her 35th birthday this Friday with her eleventh album The Tortured Poets Department spending a tenth non-consecutive week at No1.

Taylor is now enjoying a well earned break until the Grammy Awards on February 2.

I’m told her boyfriend, NFL ace Travis Kelce, is planning an epic birthday bash for her — despite being in the middle of gruelling season.

A source said: “Travis has been Taylor’s biggest cheerleader ever since they got together 18 months ago.

“He is locked in training ahead of Kansas City’s clash with Cleveland Browns on Sunday, but he’s made sure to keep Taylor’s birthday clear.

“He’s planning something extra special to show her how much she means to him, though with his next game just 48 hours later he will probably be steering clear of the booze.

“When Taylor wrapped up the European leg of her tour Travis sent her 51 boxes of red roses each containing 60 to 70 roses — so when it comes to her birthday, think big.”

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Travis Kelce has made sure he has saved the date for Taylor’s birthday[/caption]

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Travis is said to be planning ‘something extra special’ for Taylor’s birthday[/caption]

THERE are fears that West Ham striker Michail Antonio may never return to the pitch again after his horror accident on Saturday afternoon.

Since signing from Nottingham Forest in 2015, Antonio has established himself as West Ham‘s all-time Premier League leading goal scorer with 68 goals.

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Michail Antonio’s footballing career is in jeopardy[/caption]

The Jamaican forward also played a key role in West Ham’s 2023 Europa Conference League triumph – the Hammers’ first major trophy in 43 years.

But it has now been revealed that Antonio’s return to action is in jeopardy following the news that broke last weekend.

And SunSport can explain exactly what has happened to the versatile footballer

What happened to Michail Antonio?

Michail Antonio “shattered” his legs after being involved in a horror car crash.

Shocking images showed the West Ham striker had smashed his £260,000 Ferrari FF into trees.

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COLLECT PIC OF WEST HAM FOOTBALLER MICHAIL ANTONIO TRAPPED IN HIS FERRARI SPORTS CAR FOLLOWING A CRASH IN EPPING FOREST,ESSEX TODAY-07/12/24[/caption]

And it was reported that Antonio was trapped for 45 minutes before being cut free by a fire crew.

Antonio was then airlifted to a London hospital were he underwent surgery on his lower limbs.

It is now understood the dad-of-four’s best-case scenario will be a one-year recovery time.

What has been said?

West Ham put out a statement confirming that Michail Antonio has undergone surgery.

The statement read: “West Ham United can confirm Michail Antonio has undergone surgery on a lower limb fracture following a road traffic accident on Saturday afternoon.

“Michail will continue to be monitored in hospital over the coming days.

“Everyone at the Club wishes Michail a speedy recovery and expresses its sincere gratitude to the football family at large for the overwhelming support shown since yesterday’s news.

“A heartfelt thank you to the emergency services and first responders who attended to Michail in the immediate aftermath of the incident, and the medical team who continue to aid him in his recovery.

“The Club will provide further updates when appropriate.”

Michail Antonio’s first words since the crash

The Premier League star asked a witness who rushed to his help three worrying questions after the crash.

He was disorientated. He said, ‘Where am I? What’s going on? What car am I in?’

Samuel Woods

Samuel, a carer from Regent’s Park, told The Sun: “I said to him ‘hello’ to see if anyone was alive.

“I heard sirens and told him that help was on its way.

“He was so disorientated. He said, ‘Where am I? What’s going on? What car am I in?’

“The paramedics got there really fast. I couldn’t believe what happened. The car smelt of petrol.”

Samuel, who does not follow football and did not recognise the star, went on: “I looked at him and thought, ‘He’s in big trouble’.

“I just said, ‘You’ve had an ­accident’. He didn’t reply. He was looking around trying to make sense of what I just said. He was sitting in the passenger side.”

I’M A Celebrity champion Danny Jones has revealed the moment that left the campmates terrified that was never seen on TV.

The McFly star became the second member of the band to be crowned King of the Jungle when he won the ITV reality show last night.

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Danny Jones has revealed a scary camp incident[/caption]

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He followed in the footsteps of Dougie Poynter who scooped the title back in 2011.

Now, Danny has shared the moment during the programme that forced the stars to flee and seek refuge in the Bush Telegraph.

As a result of the disaster weather conditions in Oz that saw buckets of rain pelt the camp, all 12 stars were forced to make a run for it out of camp.

Speaking after his win, Danny discussed the terryfying incident that saw all of them holed up in the confined space.

He said: “It was one of the hardest nights, we were all quite cramped and I think there were still 12 of us then as well, all boiling-hot in close proximity.”

He further added to the Mirror that as a result of the excessive rain, the campmates also found themselves joined by LEECHES which further added to their misery.

The Voice UK coach continued to the publication: “The rain also meant the leeches were searching for you and I was literally on leech check every day.”

Danny’s victory comes 13 years after pal Dougie became the first of the McFly boys to brave the camp.

The star revealed the pair had an emotional catch-up as Danny made his way to the hotel after leaving the camp.

He said: “[Dougie] said to me something that I would never have thought would come out of his mouth.

He went, ‘mate, I’m so proud of my best mate, and every time I watched you, I just had tears in my eyes.”

Danny beat Coleen Rooney to be crowned the winner of the contest after lasting 23 days in the Aussie camp.

Voting percentages for the final revealed that Danny won with 55.21 per cent of the vote, while runner-up Coleen scored 44.79 per cent. 

The musician is said to be in talks for massive new TV roles following his success in the jungle.

He is already a judge on The Voice UK, alongside his bandmate Tom Fletcher, but insiders said telly bosses are keen to sign him up for more shows.

ITV bosses are keen to secure Danny long-term as one of its main players, alongside family favourites including Joel Dommett and Bradley Walsh.

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He became the second McFly star to win[/caption]

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The incident was never shown on TV[/caption]

THIS is the dramatic moment the largest statue of the Assad family is ruthlessly toppled over and smashed into pieces by Syrian rebels.

A giant monument honouring former president Hafez al-Assad – the dad of overthrown dictator Bashar al-Assad – was dragged to the ground today as hundreds celebrated.

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The moment a statue of former president Hafez al-Assad begins to topple backwards[/caption]

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Plumes of smoke filled the air after the statue fell[/caption]

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Rebels used an excavator to send the statue down[/caption]

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Rebels fired countless rounds of AK-47 gunfire into the air and jumped on the downed statue as they continue to rejoice over the fall of the Assad regime.

Shocking footage shows the moment the huge Hafez was being hacked away at by rebels in an excavator.

They can be seen piercing through the heavy statue’s left leg before a final blow leaves it plunging backwards.

It crashes onto the concrete platform below and splits into thousands of pieces upon impact.

A cloud of dust then fills the air of Deir Atiyah – just north of Damascus.

People could be heard singing “raise your head, you are a free Syrian”, as they danced around the dust.

It is the latest in a line of towering Syrian statues depicting the Assad family to be torn down by rebels.

A week ago the Islamist rebels toppled a statue of Bashar al-Assad‘s late brother in a chilling allusion to the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime.

Video showed crowds around the Bassel al-Assad statue in Aleppo’s Basel Square before tearing down the former heir to Syria‘s presidency from his horse.

Syria is reeling from a seismic shift in power after rebels overthrew Bashar al-Assad’s 24-year regime, forcing the dictator to flee to Moscow.

The collapse of Assad’s rule has sparked celebrations across the country but also unleashed chaos, with fears of humanitarian disasters and security threats.

One of the most immediate crises centres on Sednaya Military Prison, notorious for its brutal conditions and dubbed a “human slaughterhouse” by rights groups.

Rebels stormed the prison, freeing thousands of detainees, many of whom had been unlawfully held and subjected to torture, starvation, and overcrowding.

Shocking footage shows freed prisoners recounting years of abuse, including being crammed into cells with over 25 others and stripped of their identities.

Despite the mass release, an estimated 100,000 prisoners remain trapped in underground cells sealed behind electronically locked doors.

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The remains of the giant statue[/caption]

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Emergency crews, led by the Syrian civil defence group White Helmets, are racing against time to break into the hidden chambers amid fears that detainees could suffocate due to poor ventilation.

Teams are drilling through concrete walls and floors, while the White Helmets have offered a $3,000 reward for information leading to the discovery of survivors.

Meanwhile, fears of chemical weapons falling into the wrong hands are escalating.

Assad’s regime, despite agreeing in 2013 to dismantle its chemical arsenal, is believed to have retained stockpiles.

With the regime’s collapse, concerns have mounted that extremist groups could seize these weapons and orchestrate attacks.

In response, US and Israeli airstrikes have targeted suspected chemical weapon depots across Syria.

In Damascus, the fall of Assad has triggered both symbolic and practical shifts.

Rebel forces declared the capital “free of Assad” after a swift offensive and were seen looting the presidential palace, toppling statues of Assad and his father, Hafez, and waving rebel flags in celebration.