Harry and Meghan’s neighborhood is under flash flood warnings as a super storm hits southern California.

Heavy rains have drenched parts of California, bringing the threat of flooding and mudslides to the region, the National Weather Service said.

Thunderstorms are covering Santa Barbara and Montecito, where the Duke and Duchess of Sussex live with their children.

In nearby Oxnard, residents have reported being trapped in their cars as multiple streets in the area are submerged with water. 

A tornado warning has been issued for central Ventura County until 2am local time. Meteorologists have warned that a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located near Oxnard early Thursday morning, moving north at 15 mph.

Harry and Meghan’s neighborhood is under flash flood warnings as a super storm hits southern California. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are pictured in September at the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf, Germany

Heavy rains have drenched parts of California, bringing the threat of flooding and mudslides to the region, the National Weather Service said

Thunderstorms are covering Santa Barbara and Montecito, where the Duke and Duchess of Sussex live with their children, and a flash flood warning is currently in effect

A Oxnard resident shares footage of the heavy rains striking the area this morning

The storm, more powerful and widespread than one that blew in earlier in the week, is expected to jumpstart a laggard rainy season just a year after California was inundated by a series of atmospheric rivers that refilled reservoirs that had been emptied by a prolonged drought.

The Pacific storm centered offshore was moving gradually southeastward, sending bands of rain ashore and hitting particularly hard on the central coast after sweeping through the San Francisco Bay Area. Flood watches were posted all the way south to San Diego.

California´s rain came as the Northeast battled the effects of storms that brought floods and downed trees, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands and killing at least five people.

More than 5 inches (12.7 centimeters) of rain had fallen by late Wednesday morning in the Santa Ynez Mountains – the steep backdrop to the south Santa Barbara County’s ‘American Riviera’ communities – and more bands of heavy rain were expected to follow.

The storm has been very unstable, and at times on Wednesday, forecasters issued marine warnings for coastal waters due to severe thunderstorms capable of producing waterspouts.

The storm, more powerful and widespread than one that blew in earlier in the week, is expected to jumpstart a laggard rainy season just a year after California was inundated by a series of atmospheric rivers that refilled reservoirs that had been emptied by a prolonged drought

Southbound lanes on US Highway 101 in South San Francisco, California flood during a storm on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023

People walk through wet conditions along Seacliff State Beach in Aptos, California on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023

Santa Cruz County public works employees clear a storm drain in the Rio Del Mar neighborhood of Aptos, California on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023

A surfer jumps in the water near Steamer Lane as storm clouds approach in Santa Cruz, California on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023

The pace of the storm also was proving difficult to forecast. The San Diego-area weather office pushed back the timing of the heaviest rain there to Thursday and Friday.

Flood watches were issued from the central California coast to San Diego with warnings of a high risk of roadway flooding that could prompt travel delays, as well as rockslides, mudslides and debris flows from wildfire burn scars. 

The severe weather could pose a problem for some of the 9.5 million Southern Californians that the Auto Club predicts will be traveling for the holidays.

The relative warmth of the storm meant that snowfall would be mostly limited to high elevations in the southern Sierra Nevada and some Southern California ranges.

The California Highway Patrol office in South Lake Tahoe said in social media posts that the storm, nonetheless, was ‘making a mess,’ producing rain, sleet, snow and icy roads.

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At least twice a week at all-girls school Cerdon College, students spend a silent 20 minutes, sometimes more, immersed in writing short stories and one-page essays.

“In the past three years we are doing more timed writing tasks for years 7 to 10 in English lessons. And it’s all handwritten, under the watchful eye of their teacher,” explains Gai Mellier, Cerdon’s English co-ordinator. “The HSC exams are timed, so it’s good to get used to that.”

The Merrylands school – which leapt more than 100 places in this year’s HSC rankings – has introduced fortnightly reading lessons for students in the library, while also boosting activities outside the classroom such as book and history clubs, poetry competitions and debating.

Cerdon, a Catholic systemic college, is also one of multiple lower-fee schools in Sydney that recorded similar or higher HSC success rates than schools where fees are above $20,000, a Herald analysis has found.

More than a dozen schools with fees of $10,000 or less have recorded above-average HSC results compared to the top-ranked private schools over the past four years.

Schools that charge fees of $6000 or less — including Parramatta Marist High, Brigidine in Randwick, Al Faisal College in Auburn and St Ursula’s in Kingsgrove — had a similar or greater proportion of students achieving top band 6 results than schools with fees of nearly $40,000.

Al Noori Muslim School in Greenacre and Al Faisal College — both which charge parents less than $4000 a year — finished in the top 20 ranked private schools in NSW, their best result in six years.

Brigidine Girls College HSC students with principal Sharyn Quirk. Credit: Edwina Pickles

Brigidine in Randwick, where fees are about $5500 for year 12, was the highest-ranked systemic Catholic school this year, cracking into the top 50 and recording a 58 per cent success rate in advanced English. The school’s overall success rate – the ratio of high scores to total HSC exams sat – was similar to Frensham and The Scots College where fees are above $39,000, and Loreto Normanhurst with fees of about $32,000.

The principal at Brigdine, Sharyn Quirk, credits the rise in HSC advanced English results to the school’s “incredibly dedicated teaching staff” and an intensified focus on literacy from year 7.

The school is also running lunchtime tutoring sessions in maths and English where senior students work with year 7 and 8 pupils. “That’s boosted the confidence and knowledge of the older students when they have to explain and go through fundamental concepts to the younger girls,” she said.

Cerdon’s principal Lisa-Maree Browning said more students at her school are being encouraged into advanced HSC English, with about 50 per cent of students enrolled in the subject. “We definitely set the bar high, and the girls and their teachers work incredibly hard”.

Ensuring students have grasped the fundamentals of how to construct a sentence and detailed paragraphs from year 7 gives them the scaffolding to write successful long-form essays, she explains.

“More than 70 per cent of our girls come from non-English-speaking backgrounds,” Browning said. “Teachers have also started offering lunchtime and after school sessions … many of our girls will not have the opportunities to access additional tutoring outside of school”.

Al-Faisal College principal Safia Khan Hassanein said the school has achieved steady growth in results due to a culture of high expectations and using data from student assessments to target areas for improvement.

“Feedback our students receive from staff is a key for them to work towards self-improvement and meeting their goals. This approach is the cornerstone of our student’s success in mathematics,” Hassanein said.

Students at Al-Faisal College in Auburn with principal Safia Khan Hassanein. The school is ranked 15th on the Herald’s rankings this year.Credit: Kate Geraghty

Teachers use evidence-based practices to help “monitor, analyse and track” students understanding of concepts, he added.

At Marist College Kogarah, which also jumped 100 places in this year’s Herald HSC league table, principal Simon Ghantous said the school was accessible for many parents who live in the local area, with fees of about $5300 for year 12.

“We recorded an average ATAR of about 82, and had a jump in band six results. We have definitely been building a culture of success, but nothing comes easy,” he said.

“The school has also started an after school hours tutoring program from 3 to 5pm for all students. We bring back high performing ex-students who tutor the kids in multiple subjects.”

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• Ex-NFL player Lorne Sam moved to the UK from the U.S. to run the village pub

In deepest Leicestershire, down muddy lanes, past fields dotted with sheep, a bitter feud is raging over The Carington Arms, described as ‘possibly the prettiest pub’ in England.

On one side is a posh-sounding chap called Alex Stroud and fellow members of the Ashby Folville Land Trust, which owns most of the village.

Alex, 54, is a scion of the Smith-Carington family, who have lived in Ashby Folville for generations, has a willowy blonde wife called Lucy, a £1 million house next to the pub and a controlling vote over the estate.

On the other side of the bar is Lorne Sam, a 6ft 3in, 39-year-old ex-NFL player, who played American football for the Green Bay Packers and Denver Broncos.

Despite knowing little about pubs and loathing British beer (‘terrible’), Lorne moved here last November from the U.S. to run the village pub. 

Lorne Sam, a 6ft 3in, 39-year-old ex-NFL player moved here last November from the U.S. to run the village pub

‘Running it into the ground, more like,’ mutters one old boy.

After barely a year and endless rows, Lorne says he is being forced out as he’s black and American. The whole sorry matter is now heading to court.

Sadly, things haven’t been going smoothly for a while.

‘It’s been open. It’s been shut. It’s like a rollercoaster. When we moved here last year the pub was a huge draw,’ says Charlotte, who lives in an estate cottage in the village. ‘But not any more. Apparently, now we’re all racist. It’s just one big battleground.’

She’s right.

There have been disputes over everything — from £13,000 unpaid rent, to Lorne’s loss of earnings when trustees forfeited his lease and shut the pub.

There have been rumblings over its cleanliness, proposed decor and ad hoc refurbishments — right down to who paid for the lino in the men’s loo.

Not forgetting the Americanised menu and dearth of traditional cottage pie and peas (now back after a punter outcry).

But things really blew up when Lorne used the pub’s Facebook account to share private correspondence with Alex, dating back to the summer, in which he accuses his landlord of discriminating against him because he is African-American — something Alex calls ‘ludicrous and offensive’.

Alex Stroud, 54, is a scion of the Smith-Carington family, who have lived in Ashby Folville for generations and a £1 million house next to the pub and a controlling vote over the estate

Social media went berserk. ‘How dare you say that about Alex?’ one post said.

‘We’ll boycott the pub!’ said several more.

Others were unprintable.

And it seems they were true to their word. Because, last Thursday, when I meet Lorne for a chat in the bar, we have the pick of every table. It’s the week before Christmas and the place is deserted.

He hasn’t bothered to turn on the beer pumps — no need. The heating is off, as are the Christmas lights, and it’s freezing.

‘They just don’t like the way I am, and they’re committed to getting me out,’ he says.

Lorne previously played American football for the Green Bay Packers and Denver Broncos

His main grievance is that he has been treated differently from the previous tenants who, due to an accounting error, enjoyed a discounted rent for more than two years. However, it is the smaller squabbles that seem to have hurt him more — particularly Alex and Lucy’s efforts to ‘uplift’ the pub.

‘Alex kept saying: ‘I want to be able to bring my friends here and share a nice meal.’

The couple are said to have felt the pub’s previous staples of pie and roasts were more suitable for his regular shooting parties than Lorne’s spicy chicken wings and frozen pizza.

There were also endless suggestions for cleaning, maintenance, garden shrubs and, one day, he says, Lucy, without invitation, stuck paint swatches to the wall — darker greens and blues.

Instead, he used white.

In deepest Leicestershire, down muddy lanes, past fields dotted with sheep, a bitter feud is raging over The Carington Arms, described as ‘possibly the prettiest pub’ in England

Even worse, he claims someone told him Alex was spreading rumours that Lorne had threatened himself and his family.

‘Typical stereotyping of a big black American man!’ says Lorne.

Again, Alex firmly denies this.

But why on earth would a former quarterback move to a teeny village where he knows no one?

‘I’m a reckless adventurer. I have always had an itch to see stuff. I never made the big bucks, maybe $90,000 (£71,000) a year. But I always travelled with my football — all over the States, to Italy, to Coventry to play for the Jets.’

But Ashby Folville? It’s very pretty. But there’s hardly anything here. Just the church, village hall, cricket pitch, pub and a population of less than 100.

When he first arrived, everyone was very welcoming.

Lorne used the pub’s Facebook account to share private correspondence with Alex in which he accuses his landlord of discriminating against him because he is African-American

He threw himself into the pub —changed the menu to bar snacks and encouraged the bikers back. Lorne was thrilled when 500 turned up one night, ‘filling the road right down to the church!’

He also embraced the local community. ‘I joined the rugby team. I’d never played before, but I had a great time!’ he says. He loves the local hunt, too. And next year, he plans to join the cricket club, if he’s still here, but that’s unlikely.

Right now, after a two-month closure, the pub is open just four days a week on a temporary event licence. That ends in January, when it is likely to be closed until the court case next summer.

When I visited last week it was rather dismal. The Young Farmers were due in later. But in the whole time I’m there, the only visitor is a chap called Vince, who rushes in to use the loo and, on emerging asks: ‘Is that bloody Yank who owes all the money still here?’

And then leaves. Silence again.

However hard you try — and Lorne does try, sinking more than £100,000 of his own money into the enterprise, taking on all the cooking after finances meant he had to let his chef go — a village pub without locals is doomed.

While here, I try to contact Alex, Lucy and George, the head of the estate, but none want to chat.

Lorne insists he is going nowhere, as he’s had many messages of support, and wants to fight on in court on principle

The villagers, however, don’t hold back. Not about their deep love for Alex and Lucy: ‘They’re the nicest people and part of everything — the cake stall, the fete, the pub, the village hall.’

Or, for that matter, on their loathing of Lorne’s allegations.

‘To say that! Everyone is disgusted,’ says a lady called Sue. ‘They’ve not got a racist bone in their bodies. One of Alex’s friends is black! None of us are racists.’

When we meet, Lorne insists he is going nowhere, as he’s had many messages of support, and wants to fight on in court on principle.

But, a few days later, he tells me he’s having a rethink as he’s worried about his personal safety after hearing rumours that a Ku Klux Klan meme had been doing the rounds locally on social media.

Poor Lorne. For whatever the truth, it’s going to be miserable for everyone, as long he stays. Particularly, for him.

Lorne spent more than £100,000 of his own money into the enterprise, taking on all the cooking after finances meant he had to let his chef go

Because he lives above the pub in a community that has sent him back to Coventry and it is taking its toll. He looks tired and his eyes are bloodshot. He feels isolated.

‘It’s affecting my mental health. My sleep isn’t good,’ he says.

He is also homesick. ‘I haven’t been home all year. I want to go and see my mum. My sister.’

And he hasn’t seen his 11-year-old daughter since January.

But most of all, he must be kicking himself. For not doing due diligence before pouring money into the business. For making serious allegations of racism on public websites. But perhaps, also, for assuming that running a country pub in Britain was easy.

I can’t help feeling sorry for him. He’s a nice chap, with good intentions, but this whole adventure has clearly been a disaster.

As the sky darkens and I leave, I can see him turning out the lights. I really hope those Young Farmers don’t let him down tonight.

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• A new survey shows 22% of 2020 Trump voters don’t think he should be the nominee if he is convicted of a crime
• Trump is facing 91 felony charges, but has yet to be convicted
• Pollsters say Trump is ‘more likely’ to beat Biden in 2024 after Colorado Supreme Court ruling that will keep him off the ballot in 2024

Nearly a quarter of those who voted for Donald Trump in 2020 say that if he is convicted of a crime, he should not be the 2024 Republican presidential nominee.

The poll, released on Wednesday, was taken before the Colorado Supreme Court’s Tuesday decision that disqualifies Trump from running in the presidential primary election in the state.

Trump is facing 91 felony charges in Washington D.C., New York, Georgia and Florida.

He has not yet been convicted of the crimes he stands accused of, but at least 22 percent of those surveyed in the New York Times/Siena College poll say that it could determine whether they think he should still be the nominee in 2024.

Twenty-eight percent of Republicans surveyed don’t think Trump should be on the ballot if convicted, while 62 percent of Democrats and 41 percent of independents feel the same.

Additionally, a surprising 20 percent of self-identified Trump supporters say that Trump should be put in prison if convicted in the federal case in Washington.

Another 23 percent say they believe that he has committed ‘serious federal crimes,’ which is up from 11 percent who said so in a July polling.

A poll taken December 10-14 shows 22% of people who voted for Donald Trump in 2020 don’t think he should be the Republican nominee in 2024 if he is convicted of a crime

The same Wednesday poll, conducted December 10-14, shows Trump beating President Joe Biden in a 46-44 percent vote if a hypothetical reelection matchup were held today.

All of this, however, might be impacted by the fact that the Colorado Supreme Court has now decided that Trump cannot appear on the state’s primary ballot, claiming that he violated 14th Amendment.

Clause 3 states that a person cannot serve in public office if they participate in an insurrection, which the Colorado court claims Trump did due to his role in enticing supporters to riot at the Capitol Building on January 6, 2021.

Critics of the ruling claim, however, that the clause does not specific note that a person cannot run for president, although it does mention almost every other public office position.

Some speculate that courts in other states will use this precedent as argument to decide to boot Trump from their ballots, as well.

Since the ruling was just handed down on Tuesday, no polls have been taken so far to indicate how it will impact the former president, but most pollsters and strategists suggest he will only see a boost in polling figures due to the continue targeting.

The poll was released the day after the Colorado Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday to disqualify Trump from appearing on the state’s presidential ballot

‘Every time Trump has [h]ad an adverse engagement with the legal system, it has been like rocket fuel with Republican voters because it reinforces his core message that he is (and has been) unfairly treated since the moment he burst on to the scene,’ Republican strategist Scott Jennings said in a statement to DailyMail.com.

‘Republicans see this in the same way they saw two impeachments, the indictments, the Russia investigation, and all the rest – just another attempt by the elites and the Democrats to stop Trump and his voters from getting a fair shake in an election,’ he added in lining up with Luntz’s take on the latest ruling.

‘For Trump haters, this is like getting drunk at your office Christmas Party,’ Jennings said. ‘It may seem like fun tonight, but you will really, really regret it tomorrow.’

Well-known pollster and political consultant Frank Luntz said in an interview Tuesday that the Colorado ruling will have ‘the same impact as his 91 indictments,’ which saw Trump’s poll numbers jump.

‘Trump is now even more likely to beat Biden,’ he predicted in the interview.

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Parts of the UK can look forward to a white Christmas this year, despite Storm Pia set to hit in the next two days.

The storm is due to break over the UK tomorrow, with a yellow weather warning for wind in place for much of England, Wales and all of Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Senior meteorologist at British Weather Services, Jim Dale, explained that the storm was formed by low pressure over Scandinavia and high pressure to the southwest squeezing.

“The stormy period will last between 24 and 36 hours, from tomorrow into Friday morning and posing a moderate to high risk,” he said.

“The UK weather warning is in place for the top two-thirds of the country, from mid-Wales to Norfolk and up. This will be the main zone but the coastline and hills in the south will still be gusty.”

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He continued: “In the northern quadrant of the warning, there will be gusts between 45-65mph gusts, and the southern quadrant will see winds between 35-45mph.

“It will cause problems for travel with even cars impacted by wind as well as the high possibility of falling trees and powerlines.”

But once the storm breaks on Friday, parts of the UK could be lucky enough to see some snow.

Mr Dale said: “The wind will reduce into Christmas Eve but it will remain breezy with the first colder air intrusions from northern Scotland.

“Snow could start to fall at midnight on Christmas Eve over the Grampians and Inverness. But even Wick and Aberdeen could see some snow into Christmas Day and Boxing Day.”

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He concluded: “It could pull down into the far north of England but this is unlikely.

“On Christmas Day, most of the UK will be dry and be less wintery the further south you go, with some rain possible on the south coast

“Scotland, and potentially Northern Ireland and northern England, will be very cold with frost on Boxing Day. The rest of the UK will just be cold.

“Other places that normally have high possibilities of snow will also not be having a white Christmas, including Paris, Berlin, and most of America such as Buffalo and Chicago.”

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A homeowner faced a horror year-long battle against ‘out of control’ bamboo which was growing out of his oven and cost him £6,000 to remove.

Stephen Neville, 73, found the plant, which has been dubbed the next Japanese Knotweed due to its proclivity to damage property, was two metres tall inside his kitchen when he returned from a family holiday to Center Parcs in summer 2022. 

Mr Neville planted bamboo in his garden a decade ago but the invasive plants soon became unmanageable and made their way into his home.

Invasive plant specialists Environet has seen a 900 per cent increase in demand for bamboo related work in the last three years and they say bamboo related work accounts for 30 per cent of their work as Japanese Knotweed accounts for 60 per cent. 

It cost the retiree £6,000 to remove the rogue bamboo from his home but he has concerns he will have to dig up the foundations of his home if the issues with the plant persists. 

‘We planted the bamboo in our garden a decade ago to divide a neighbouring fence,’ Mr Neville told the Telegraph. 

Mr Neville planted bamboo in his garden a decade ago but the invasive plants soon became unmanageable and made their way into his home. Pictured: A stock image of bamboo

Bamboo has been dubbed the next Japanese Knotweed due to its invasive nature and proclivity to damage property 

Bamboo is easy to grow – it is hardy and tolerates most soil types – but  it can spread out of control if not maintained properly

‘After it grew out of control, we had to pay £6,000 to remove it which was a financial shock for just a bit of bamboo coming through the oven.’ 

Despite have the bamboo removed, it returned in his oven a year later. 

Mr Neville said: ‘It’s been over a year’s worth of saga. I’m amazed at how much it comes through where the oven was.

READ MORE: Expert calls for BAMBOO to be sold with a warning because it can damage houses and break through bricks, mortar and concrete just like Japanese knotweed 

‘Again, I’m in that period now where you have to wait until the regrowth time, again to see if that’s been effective.

‘If it doesn’t work this time, it’ll be a question of more fundamentally digging under the foundations of the house to get anything out from there but then you’ll be into mega money.’

There have been a number of high profile cases of bamboo causing damage to properties. 

During the summer, Bamboo caused £10,000 worth of damage to woman’s house after her neighbour’s plant invaded her garden.

Last year a bamboo infestation at a house in Hampshire which had spread from next door exploited a weakness in the foundations to emerge into the living room, hall and kitchen, resulting in the excavation of the entire ground floor at a cost of over £100,000. 

Originating in Eastern Asia and first brought to Britain by the Victorians, bamboo is a popular planting choice for screening overlooked gardens.

But experts say its location close to garden boundaries heightens the risk it will spread to neighbouring properties.

And with its ability to grow 5ft in a year and reach heights in excess of 18ft, the damage can be catastrophic.

Spreading as far as 30ft away via its long, lateral roots, bamboo has the ability to push through brickwork, drains, patios, cavity walls and even cracks in concrete.

Benita Middleton is a professional qualified gardener with experience dealing with bamboo in client’s gardens

A YouGov survey of over 2,000 people, which was conducted over the summer, found that almost a fifth (18 per cent) of British adults have had bamboo on their own or an adjacent property.

Yet, despite the serious threat bamboo poses, less than a quarter would be concerned if it was growing near their home, suggesting a lack of awareness of the risks.

Nic Seal, founder and managing director of Environet, said: ‘Bamboo encroachment is one of the most common problems we deal with, since unlike knotweed, it’s still being marketed and sold in garden centres up and down the country with no warning of the risks – and planted directly into the ground by unsuspecting homeowners.

‘There are hundreds of varieties of bamboo and it might take ten years, but most types will become invasive eventually.

‘As such cases become more common, I wouldn’t be surprised if mortgage lenders start to look more closely at the issue and impose lending restrictions, similar to those for Japanese knotweed.’

Ms Middleton said people should not be buying if ‘if you’re concerned about it’. Alternatively, she said that you can purchase less invasive variants of the plant like a clumping variety

Previously, a gardening expert with experience in tackling bamboo told MailOnline that while bamboo is usually a good, ornamental plant, it is ‘crucial to adopt proactive measures’ to prevent it from going rampant. 

Benita Middleton said the invasion of bamboo in Britain has become a pressing concern, often being referred to as ‘Japanese Knotweed 2.0’ due to its invasive nature and potential for causing property damage.

In order to combat this issue, ‘it is crucial to adopt proactive measures for prevention and implement effective management strategies once bamboo has taken hold,’ she says.

While bamboo grows natively on five continents – except for Europe and Antarctica – it was originally brought to the UK as a ornamental plant but it soon outgrew its welcome!

Because it is easy to grow and tolerates most soil types, it can get out of control if allowed. And the problem tends to be with the invasive types of bamboo, with the varieties belonging to the genus Phyllostachys and other aggressive, running bamboo genera including Sasa and Pleioblastus.

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Colin Armstrong, 78, is understood to have been snatched in the early hours of Saturday from his estate by gangsters disguised as police.

His son Nick Armstrong has flown out to help track down his father who has not been seen or heard from since his kidnapping in Baba, Ecuador.

Colin’s daughter Diana Armstrong-Bruns said: "This is a critical time.

"We’ve been told not to say anything to anyone.

"We just want my father back."

read more on colin armstrong

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Brit businessman 'kidnapped from Ecuador home after criminals stormed estate'

When asked about her brother's dash to Ecuador, the California-based estate agent told the Mail: "I really can’t say anything else.

"We’ve been told not to speak to anyone."

Police are investigating the disappearance of Armstrong – the UK's Honorary Consul in second largest city Guayaqui, which is plagued by spiralling gang violence.

Armstrong's glam younger lover Katherine Paola Santos is reportedly being quizzed by cops after being released by the kidnappers.

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The pair were allegedly snatched from Rancho Rodeo Grande by 15 armed gangsters disguised by police and whisked off in a black BMW, which was later found abandoned by the roadside.

Do YOU know what happened? Contact us at: [email protected] or [email protected]

Colin's son, Nick, is believed to have an extensive network of contacts inside Ecuador and will try and use them to locate and secure the release of his ageing father.

Kidnapping for ransom has become increasingly common in Ecuador amid rising crime largely attributed to drug trafficking gangs.

A video said to be circulating on social media shows the aftermath of the raid with signs of a forced entry, along with traces of blood and ransacked rooms.

A woman filming inside takes close-up shots of broken plates on the floor and a man who appeared to be holding a bandage to his head.

She then walks into one of the bedrooms where blood covers the bed before saying: “This is where they hit him. My God what is this.”

The Foreign Office said they were in contact with authorities in the South American nation following the disappearance of a British man.

They did not confirm his identity or the location of the potential crime.

Armstrong is the founder of a large firm in Ecuador called Agripac that produces, distributes and sells agricultural and industrial supplies.

He is also the owner of Tupgill Park Estate in North Yorkshire, which has been in the family for 45 years.

His sons Nick and Leo Morris help to run the sprawling 500-acre family pad that welcomes 150,000 visitors a year.

Read more on The Sun

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TV legend Esther Rantzen, 83, may end life at Dignitas after cancer battle

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Supermarket giant slashes 1L Baileys to under £10 – and it's not Tesco

It features a famous labyrinth of tunnels, chambers and follies known as Forbidden Corner, which claims to be "the strangest place in the world".

The 78-year-old was awarded an OBE and CMG for services to the Royal Family in 2011.

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Plane passengers were horrified as they flew over an erupting volcano, which comes after weeks of intense earthquakes and tremors in Iceland.

The eruption broke out on the Reykjanes peninsula of south-west Iceland and over 4,000 people have been evacuated from Grindavik over the past month, which is a fishing town threatened by the lava flow.

Pictures show the sky being “lit up in red” from the eruption, with dark, thick smoke billowing into the air.

Social media user, Ryan Felix, posted on X, as his plane flew over the active volcano, heading into Finland.

Ryan said: “Flew over an active volcano erupting in Iceland en route to Suomi. Managed to snap a couple pics from the plane before our flight turned back for repairs. First time seeing lava albeit from afar!”

READ MORE: ‘Curtain of fire’ erupting from volcano may engulf Iceland for months

More footage from an Icelandic Air flight from Keflavik to Berlin, posted by Alexander Belenkyi, captured the eruption of lava on December 19. Footage showed giant fissures glowing deep red, with smoke billowing from the site, as the plane flew over the volcano.

The Fagradalsfjall volcano, located on the Reykjanes peninsula in southwest Iceland, began spewing lava into the sky at 10.17pm on December 18, and the crack that has devloped is around two-miles long. Thrill seekers have been pictured getting too close to the volcano.

While the situation is quickly developing, the lava is currently flowing at a rate of around 100 to 200 cubic metres per second.

The Icelandic Met Office says the capital, Reykjavik could be at risk of gas pollution, as the hotspot is 30 miles southwest of the city.

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The Icelandic Met Office said: “Seismic activity together with measurements from GPS devices indicate that the magma is moving to the southwest and the eruption may continue in the direction of Grindavik.”

The eruption “could potentially go on for several months” or it could “just stop later today or tomorrow”, according to Halldor Geirson, an associate professor at the Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland.

Unlike Eyafjallajokull, which caused travel chaos in 2010, the Reykjanes volcano systems are not trapped under glaciers and are not expected to cause ash clouds.

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Kremlin kingpin Vlad has lost over 340,000 troops since the beginning of his brutal invasion in Ukraine – and has an election coming up to contend with.

Six different key points on the frontline were bombarded by fighting over the weekend, as Russian forces targeted Kupiansk, Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, Marinka and Zaporizhzhia.

In just one day over 100 different bloody battles took place.

And over three days Putin's forces reportedly lost 3,270 troops.

It comes as the Russian dictator pushes towards the 2024 election, where he plans to renew his decades-long rule.

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FLOP GUN

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He is all but certain to win the no-doubt rigged election, despite his painfully slow grind in Ukraine that is coming up on two years.

Ukrainian forces said on Tuesday: "A total of 105 combat engagements took place over the past 24 hours.

"The enemy launched a missile strike and six airstrikes and bombarded the positions of our forces and populated areas 62 times using multiple-launch rocket systems."

Countless attacks by Russian forces from land and air were reportedly rebuffed on the different fronts.

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Vlad's forces have apparently lost tens of thousands of tanks, armoured vehicles, rocket systems, aircraft, ships, submarines and drones alongside troops.

The recent figures emphasise this latest humiliating blow to the despot's efforts in Ukraine.

Ukrainian official Anton Gerashchenko said Putin is now on the hunt for more soldiers to pad out his "meat assaults" on Ukraine.

He is reportedly "simplified obtaining Russian citizenship" for people in Belarus, Moldova and Kazakhstan to increase recruits.

Gerashchenko said those citizens will now no longer need to have lived in Russia for five years, or have knowledge about its history and laws.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has said the country is also increasing the size of its armed forces to over one million people.

Just days ago embarrassing footage showed a Russian fighter jet shot down by Putin's own missiles.

And days before a Russian pilot nearly died in another embarrassing friendly fire near miss.

The wives and girlfriends of Russian soldiers even told Vlad to "go to the frontline yourself – and die".

In a message posted to a Telegram channel fighting for mobilised troops to be brought home, the women wrote: "Vladimir, what have you brought people to?

"We Russians have no hope left under your leadership.

"Finish your work and sit down at the negotiating table."

And just last week, the president faced a fresh embarrassment when he hosted his first TV call-in show since the war began.

The closely-regulated "Direct Line with Vladimir Putin" saw civilians and journalists ask him questions live on air.

Despite trying to talk his way out of some of the trickier lines of questioning, including some on falsely imprisoned Evan Gershkovich, Putin couldn't avoid this humiliation.

Messages from angry citizens popped up on a huge screen in front of him, asking: ''Why is your 'reality' at odds with our lived reality?" and telling him to "quit".

One even said: "Don't run for another term as Russian president – make way for the young!"

But the dictator will no doubt run again in the so-called elections scheduled for March 2024.

He has twice changed Russia's constitution to extend his time in power, and could well sit at the head of the table until his mid-80s.

Since former president Boris Yeltsin handed him the keys in 1999, Putin has served as president for longer than any other Russian ruler with the exception of Josef Stalin.

Incredibly, around 80 per cent of civilians approve of Putin's performance in power, according to a recent independent poll.

This could be more to do with the brutal crackdowns in Russia reserved for those who criticise the establishment.

The weekend triumph for Ukraine comes amid a brutal wintry fight to hold back against Putin's armies.

Buried in icy trenches in sub-zero temperatures, Russia has failed to break the long-standing brutal stalemate as Zelenskyy's forces hold off on the frontline.

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Britain's boozers could be in trouble as cash-strapped drinkers aren't spending their hard-earned money in the pub, according to new research.

The cost of living crisis has hit both consumers' and businesses' coffers and means fewer of us are going to our local watering holes in the run-up to Christmas. The festive season usually brings a boost to the nation's drinking spots but after a challenging year for landlords, many haven't seen the much-needed cashflow they typically would around this time of year.

Ricky Graham, owner of Crown Hotel in Newton Stewart, said: "To be completely honest it has been absolutely brutal. From the back end of October until now, we’ve seen at least a drop by half week-on-week over the last 6 weeks.

READ MORE: Work pals thought they scooped £800m on Lottery – but their dreams came crashing down

"In the last year, the cost of living alongside the price increases of products and services has had a major impact on my business. And then we'll have another minimum wage increase in April next year."

Insurer Simply Business found some 54% of SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) are facing the prospect of closing up shop, putting plans on hold or will see business owners forced to find another job if the festive period doesn't bring some financial respite. This includes many of the nation's independent pubs.

Among their top concerns were rising costs and inflation, not being able to pay the bills and a negative change in consumer confidence and spending. Many pub owners have been forced to up their prices, but fear they'll price customers out of visiting if food and drink becomes even more expensive.

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Ben William, owner of The George & Dragon in Much Wenlock, said: "We’re reluctant to keep increasing prices as we don’t want to price customers out of visiting. The situation with utilities is well documented and we feel the government needs to do more to support hospitality businesses.

"Staffing for skilled team members is hard! We’re a chef down and haven’t been able to find a suitable candidate so have reduced our offering and made the menu simpler. We haven’t seen a festive uplift yet, with school term coming to an end we’re hoping to see more of an uplift once people are in holiday mode."

Alan Thomas, UK CEO at Simply Business, chimed in: "A robust Christmas trading period has the potential to serve as a much-needed tonic for the UK's pubs who have been dealt a very challenging hand in 2023, especially with heightened energy costs and business rates. As four in five SME owners stress how important it is to support small businesses over Christmas – we encourage consumers to think about their local pubs when planning social festivities this December.

"Small businesses are the lifeblood of our local communities, and with over five million of them in the UK, together they contribute trillions of pounds to the economy. They are quite simply the backbone of the economy and need our support now more than ever."

For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletter by clicking here.

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The parents of a teenager sexually abused by a dance teacher have told friends how their ‘world has been torn apart.’

As the former UK ballroom dance champion Richard Still was today jailed for six years and eight months, the couple told friends they are struggling to come to terms with what has happened to their 15-year-old daughter.

They have called for an independent body be set up to monitor dance schools and the behaviour of teachers so other families avoid the trauma they have endured.

And they are also highly critical of the sport’s governing body who they say appointed Still as the person responsible for the welfare of students when he was dogged by numerous claims of inappropriate behaviour.

The 38-year-old showed no emotion as he was sentenced to almost seven years behind bars, having earlier pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual activity with a child and a single charge of inciting child prostitution or pornography.

His arrest and conviction has shocked the ballroom dancing world.

Richard Still, who was one of the UK’s top Latin and Ballroom dancers competing in competitions worldwide, ‘groomed’ his victim over several months

Accused ballroom dance champion Richard Still performing with another dancer. There is no suggestion the other dancer pictured had any close relationship with him

Richard Still pictured outside his home in Reading last month

The family told friends : ‘Since we learned that our child was sexually abused by a dance teacher our world has been torn apart.

‘The fact that someone in a position of trust who is as member of a regulatory body could do such a thing was incomprehensible’.

MailOnline has learned other concerned parents first raised the alarm about the paedophile dance teacher seven years ago.

They complained about his multiple affairs with adult students that were said to be an open secret at his dance studio. Three women have told MailOnline about affairs.

One woman attending his classes even told how she feared she was being stalked by the UK Latin and Ballroom dance champion.

But their pleas to the governing body for dance teachers for an investigation went unanswered, they say – and years later the 38-year-old was arrested for underage sex.

MailOnline has seen emails sent to the Imperial Society of Dance Teachers from 2016 when concerns about Still and his ‘inappropriate behaviour’ were first raised.

One email describes how female students felt ‘intimidated and threatened’ by Still who ran the Vibez dance studio in Reading, Berkshire.

Accused ballroom champion Richard Still performing a show dance. There is no suggestion the other dancer pictured had any close relationship with him

The women who complained had young children attending the Latin and Ballroom classes run by the Still. 

One of the women told MailOnline: ‘It was common knowledge among all those who went to his dance studio that he was having affairs with students. They were all adults, and not children. It was consensual, but that sort of behaviour was totally inappropriate for a dancer teacher.

‘Contact was made with the ISDT. There was no response.

‘All those who knew what was going on were in total disbelief at the situation, but he got away with it.’

Still was appointed the lead safeguarding officer for another regulatory body for dancing, The British Dance Association, in 2022.

He resigned his position after being arrested earlier this year on underage sex charges.

As the lead safeguarding officer, it was his job to investigate claims of inappropriate behaviour involving teachers and their students.

‘Putting him in that role was rather like putting a fox to guard a chicken coop,’ said one of the mothers who complained in 2016.

‘He was the person who was meant to investigate any allegations that were made by students, yet he was responsible for abusing this teenager. It just seems incredible that those meant to be monitoring the sport were not taking any notice of what people were saying.’

Still, 38, showed no emotion as he was sentenced to almost seven years behind bar. Pictured: last month

Still’s affairs with students became common knowledge among those attending his dance classes at his studio above a supermarket in Woodley, a suburb of Reading.

After one fling his wife kicked him out of their home in Earley and he was forced to sleep on a friend’s sofa. His wife later relented and allowed him back into the marital home.

A previous relationship with his dance partner ended after she found out he was cheating on her.

A former student who attended Still’s class said: ‘He made no secret that he was pursuing these women. He is a skilled liar and manipulative. That sort of behaviour should never have been tolerated, but he was allowed to get away with it for so long.’

Still’s conviction has sent shockwaves through the world of Latin and Ballroom dancing where many parents fear their children could fall prey to predatory teachers.

One father told MailOnline dance classes were a ‘paradise of paedophiles.’

He said: ‘There has to be much tougher rules and regulations if we do not want another Richard Still situation.

‘You have 12-year-old girls who are dressed and made up to look like 21-year-olds. There should be an independent body that is set up to make sure that these young children are looked after properly.

‘We cannot rely on the governing bodies that are already there to oversee the sport.’

Other parents said they were concerned that not enough was being done to protect young children many of whom began dancing at the age of five or six.

The mother said: ‘It is almost as if the governing bodies want to brush this all under the carpet. They do not want anyone to know what goes on. It is all wrong and children need to be protected.’

Still was appointed the lead safeguarding officer for another regulatory body for dancing, The British Dance Association, in 2022. There is no suggestion the other dancer pictured had any close relationship with him

Parents are particularly critical of the British Dance Council who they claim failed to make any statement about Still until he pleaded guilty in October.

He was arrested in March and had initially pleaded not guilty but later changed his plea.

‘The fact that the British Dance Council made no statement regarding safeguarding despite the arrest of their lead officer for serious safeguarding offences is beyond belief,’ said one parent.

‘They are more concerned about protecting themselves.’

In a statement on their website the BDC said Still’s licences to teach were immediately suspended when the sex abuse allegations were first made.

The parents of his victim sat grim faced in the public gallery at Reading Crown Court as the prosecutor Charles Ward-Jackson outlined the extent of the grooming and said the girl fell pregnant. She later had a termination.

Still was told by the judge he had abused the trust of the victim’s parents.

Judge Amwad Nawaz told Still he had used emotional blackmail on his victim to stop her telling anyone about their sexual relationship.

He said there had been planning on Still’s part telling him: ‘You knew exactly what you were doing.

‘You were much older in this relationship and broke the trust which is an aggravating factor.’

The judge accepted he had apologised to the family and had shown genuine remorse.

‘The grooming of the girl over a period of time was a an abuse of trust.’

The court heard the father-of-one ran the Vibez dance studio in Woodley, Berkshire, and had groomed the teen over a period of months.

He had begun sending her messages that had become more sexual in their content. He also asked her to send photos of herself that were sexual in content.

Prosecutor Mr Ward Jackson said Still would pay small amounts of money up to £100 into her bank account and would buy her clothes and lingerie, including lace bras and knickers.

‘It was part of a grooming exercise to win her over and to sexualise her. Payments of £10, £30 and up to £100 were paid into her bank account. The money amounted to several hundred pounds.’

Still first had sex with the teenager in January this year after booking a hotel room in Bournemouth and later on another occasion in the back of his car after driving her to an isolated spot.

The court was told her parents had no idea about the relationship and only found out when a friend was given access to her Instagram account and spotted the sexual messages.

Police launched an investigation, and it was discovered that the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was pregnant.

After his arrest the 38-year-old told his wife: ‘I am in big trouble now.’

Still initially answered no comment during a police interview after being arrested his dance studio.

Defence barrister Quentin Hunt said Still had asked him to apologise to the girl, her family and the public.

In mitigation he said Still had been under stress due to keeping his business going and the pregnancy of his wife.

Hunt said he had made an ‘error of judgement’ and had now lost his career as a dancer teacher.

He said Still had been the victim of targeted attacks with his car vandalised and eggs thrown at his hours.

Still was told he will be placed on the sex offenders register.

Christoper Hawkins, the BDC President said: ‘The British Dance Council are appalled with the actions of one of its former Directors.

‘There is no place for abuse in the dance sector of any child, young person or vulnerable adult.

‘Richard Still abused the position of trust he was afforded as a professional dance teacher and we offer our support, in any way we can, to the young victim in this case.

‘Since the case came to light I’ve appointed a new President and an independent Safeguarding Officer with significant experience in managing investigations and an extensive knowledge in safeguarding.

‘We continue to work closely with all our member bodies to ensure the dance sector is a safer space for children young people and vulnerable adults.’

A spokesman for the ISDT said: ‘We recognise the need to provide a safe and caring environment for children, young people and adults. We are committed to promoting the wellbeing of all who interact with us – our students, exam candidates, members, staff, contractors and volunteers.

‘We have set out our commitment to safeguarding in our safeguarding policy in accordance with statutory guidance. Teachers, students and members of the public are encouraged to raise any safeguarding concerns by contacting: [email protected]. 

‘All concerns raised are investigated, in liaison – where appropriate – with the Police Service and other relevant statutory authorities. However, ISTD has no authority to investigate allegations against individuals who are not members of the Society.

‘Richard Still did not become a member of the Society until May 2018. As soon as we were informed about allegations against Mr Still on 23 March 2023, the ISTD took immediate action to suspend his membership with the ISTD in accordance with our Rules and Standing Orders and Member Agreement / Professional Code of Conduct.

The Standards Board will convene in early January to confirm the ISTDs course of action against Mr Still. Our sympathies go to the victims and their families impacted by the actions of Mr Still.’

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• Eruption at the Sundhjuka took place on Monday night and was captured in jaw-dropping footage
• Astonishing footage showed holidaymakers flying over the volcano in Iceland, with rivers of magma flowing

Holidaymakers watched the gates of hell open up beneath them as they took-off and landed in Iceland during the nation’s volcanic eruption that sent molten lava spewing into the black sky from fissures in the ground. 

Astonishing footage showed holidaymakers bound for Suomi in Finland flying over the volcano, with rivers of orange magma flowing over Iceland in a spectacular show of Earth’s power in the land known for fire and ice. 

Other tourists on board an Icelander flight from Keflavik airport to Berlin and another to Copenhagen were this morning met with the same astonishing views, with the molten lava seen spewing into the air from below and snaking its way across the Reykjanes peninsula. 

Dramatic video and pictures also showed British tourists stranded on the runway of Reykjavik’s international Keflavik airport, with the holidaymakers shouting ‘Oh my God’ as they watched the magma and flames turn the sky red. 

The eruption began just north of the evacuated town of Grindavik last night at around 10.17pm after an earthquakes storm, the Icelandic Meteorological Office said, referring to a series of small shakes.

There are fears that the eruption, which has seen 200 cubic metres of lava spewing out from the fissures every second, could cause havoc to air traffic travel after another Icelandic eruption in 2010 grounded thousands of flights across Europe and North America and saw holidaymakers stranded.

Flights from Reykjavik’s international Keflavik airport were delayed last night, with an EasyJet flight to Manchester standing on the tarmac for five hours before taking off at 1.35am due to the volcanic activity. 

Passengers were told by easyJet: ‘We’re sorry that your flight has been delayed. This is because volcanic activity in Keflavik (KEF) is causing restrictions to the areas in which aircraft are permitted to fly.’ 

British holidaymakers are now waiting anxiously to see if their flights will be cancelled today – but the Icelandic government and airlines including EasyJet have said the airports in Iceland are ‘not impacted’ and flights should be operating ‘as scheduled’. 

Indeed, Hallgrímur Indriðason, a journalist from Icelandic state broadcaster RUV, said there was ‘no threat to air traffic – at least not for now’ with Reykjavik’s international Keflavik airport remaining open today. 

Other tourists on board an Icelander flight from Keflavik to Copenhagen were this morning met with the same astonishing views, with the molten lava seen spewing into the air from below and snaking its way across the Reykjanes peninsula

Astonishing footage also showed holidaymakers bound for Suomi in Finland flying over the volcano, with rivers of orange magma flowing over Iceland in a spectacular show of Earth’s power in the land known for fire and ice (left). Dramatic video and pictures showed British tourists stranded on the runway of Reykjavik’s international Keflavik airport, with the holidaymakers shouting ‘Oh my God’ as they watched the magma and flames turn the sky red (right)

The view from the international airport at Keflavík showed the volcano filling the sky with red flames and s

 Other tourists on board an Icelander flight from Keflavik to Berlin were this morning met with the same astonishing views, with the molten lava seen spewing into the air from below and snaking its way across the Reykjanes peninsula

Astonishing footage also showed holidaymakers bound for Suomi in Finland flying over the volcano, with rivers of orange magma flowing over the land in a spectacular show of Earth’s power in the land known for fire and ice.

Man what kinda timing is this man #fyp #iceland #volcano #eruption #reykjavik

Dramatic video showed British tourists stranded on the runway of Reykjavik’s international Keflavik airport, with the holidaymakers shouting ‘Oh my God’ as they watched the magma and flames turn the sky red

This image made from video provided by the Icelandic Coast Guard shows magma flow on a hill near Grindavik on Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula on Monday night 

Emergency personnel and scientists observe the billowing smoke and flowing lava turning the sky orange are seen in this Icelandic Coast Guard handout image flying over an volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula 3 km north of Grindavik on Monday night

A volcano spews lava and smoke as it erupts near Grindavik, Iceland, on Tuesday morning

Local resident watch smoke billow as the lava colour the night sky orange from an volcanic eruption (left) on the Reykjanes peninsula 3 km north of Grindavik, western Iceland in the early hours of Tuesday morning

‘The 2010 eruption was different because it erupted under a glacier and when this happens you get this huge explosive ash high up in the air which is very fine and stays up in the air for a long time,’ Indriðason told the BBC. 

‘This is much different. This is a crack [in the ground] with lava flow and the ash doesn’t stay up in the air as much than in previous cases. So unless we had an eruption under the sea – which there is a slim chance of – then there will no impact on air traffic.’

‘The eruption does not present a threat to life,’ an Icelandic government statement said. ‘There are no disruptions to flights to and from Iceland and international flight corridors remain open.’

But volcanologist Porvaldur Póroarson told Icelandic newspaper MBL.is that this volcanic eruption is ‘a different creature’ to what we have seen before as dramatic pictures and video showed lava shooting up into the sky from fissures. 

Póroarson said the eruption north of Grindavik is the largest that has occurred on the Reykjanes Peninsula since 2019 while warning that the rate of sulphur dioxide being pumped into the air is much greater than in previous years.

Indeed, the Norwegian Meteorological Agency estimated that 100 to 200 cubic meters of lava is spewing out per second, which is ‘many times more than in previous eruptions on the Reykjanes Peninsula in recent years.’

‘This is a different creature than we have seen in Fagradalsfjall,’ Poroarson said of the eruption that began last night. 

On Tuesday, fountains of orange lava shot into the darkened sky from a fissure in the ground. Iceland, which sits just below the Arctic Circle and above a volcanic hotspot in the North Atlantic, has about 20 hours of darkness a day in December.

Despite the obvious dangers. the Ministry of the Environment was forced to issue repeated warnings to those thinking about getting close to the volcano 

First aerial footage of the eruption shows nearly two miles of lava coming out of the fissure

Billowing smoke and flowing lava turning the sky orange are seen in this Icelandic Coast Guard handout image during an volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula on Monday 

The eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula just north of the evacuated town of Grindavik began last night at around 10.17 pm after an earthquake swarm, the Icelandic Meteorological Office said, referring to a series of small shakes

Emergency personnel and scientists observe the billowing smoke and flowing lava turning the sky orange are seen in this Icelandic Coast Guard handout image flying over an volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula 3 km north of Grindavik on Monday night

Emergency personnel and scientists observe the billowing smoke and flowing lava turning the sky orange are seen in this Icelandic Coast Guard handout image flying over an volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula 3 km north of Grindavik on Monday night

A volcano spews lava and smoke as it erupts in Grindavik, Iceland, on Monday night 

A number of people can be seen watching the eruption from a distance

First aerial footage shows the volcanic fissure, which is estimated to be nearly two miles long

Pictures taken at five o’clock last night from a Coast Guard helicopter show the lava spilling out of the fissures 

Pictures on social media show the sky being tinted red by the lava spurts

It comes as thrill-seekers last night defied danger warnings and ventured near the site of a huge volcano eruption in Iceland – despite bubbling lava and smoke being spewed into the sky. 

Astonishing pictures – including one of scores of cars queuing to get close to the area – show people trying to witness Mother Nature’s work first-hand. 

The eruption began around 2.4 miles from the town of Grindavik just after 10pm on Monday at the Sundhjuka crater, on the Reykjanes peninsula.

It comes after a series of earthquakes forced thousands to be evacuated last month as the country declared a state of emergency and braced itself for the impending explosion. 

Jaw-dropping footage last night captured Iceland’s black night sky lit up a deep orange colour as molten rock flew into the air in spectacular scenes which continued into the early hours of this morning.

Magnus Tumi Gudmundsson, a scientist who flew over the site on Tuesday morning onboard an coast guard research flight, told Icelandic broadcaster RUV that he estimates twice as much lava had already spewed than the entire monthlong eruption on the peninsula this summer.

Gudmundsson said the eruption was expected to continue decreasing in intensity but that scientists have no idea how long it could last. ‘It can be over in a week, or it could take quite a bit longer,’ he said.

However, despite the obvious dangers, the Ministry of the Environment was forced to issue repeated warnings to those thinking about getting close to the volcano.

‘Think about someone other than yourself and follow the guidelines of the public safety. Please,’ one spokesman begged.

Icelandic Police added: ‘An eruption has begun. We ask people not to be in front of the responders and not to go in the direction of the eruption. It is important that roads and other things are as accessible as possible.’ 

Police said they had raised their alert level and the country’s civil defence warned the public not to approach the area while emergency personnel assessed the situation. 

But thrill-seekers defied the orders and were pictured standing close to the plumes of lava spewing out of the cracks in the ground. 

Indeed, the spectacular natural phenomenon is hard for people to resist. ‘It’s just something from a movie!’ said Robert Donald Forrester III, a tourist from the United States. 

Four boys named Jói, Halli, Stefán and Stefán, told local media that they always head towards eruptions in Reykjanes. 

‘We are trying to see the eruption. Unfortunately, we didn’t get any closer. It’s a hobby that we’ve had for four years, attending every single eruption, and we’ll continue to do so.’

A volcano spews Lava and smoke as it erupts, north of Grindavik, Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland, in the early hours of Tuesday morning

Iceland is a particular hotspot for seismic activity because it sits on a tectonic plate boundary called the Mid Atlantic Ridge

People watch as a volcano erupts on the Reykjanes Peninsula near the power station on Monday night north of Grindavik

A group watches as smoke billows into the sky from the volcano explosion 

The Reykjanesbraut, a key Icelandic highway in the area, was lit up with white headlights from cars travelling towards, not away from, the crater (left) while cars were parked nearby (right)

People watch as a volcano erupts on the Reykjanes Peninsula near the power station on Monday night north of Grindavik

A handout picture provided by Iceland Civil Defense shows a volcanic eruption north of Grindavik, Iceland, on Monday 

Billowing smoke and flowing lava turning the sky orange are seen following the volcanic eruption on Monday night

Billowing smoke and flowing lava turning the sky orange are seen in this Icelandic Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management handout image on Tuesday 

A volcano spews lava and smoke as it erupts in Grindavik, Iceland, on Monday night 

Lava spews from the volcano after it erupted north of Grindavík on Monday night 

People watch as a volcano erupts on the Reykjanes Peninsula near the power station on Monday night north of Grindavik

Lava fountains are seen as volcanic eruption started, turning the sky orange, in Grindavik on Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula

The road is blocked at the entrance of the road to Grindavík with the eruption in the background, in Grindavik on Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula on Monday night 

Witnesses have described the lava streaming out of the fissures as a two-mile-long ‘lake of fire’

The police vehicle is parked at the entrance of the road to Grindavak with the eruption in the background, near Grindavik on Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula on Monday night

A before and after of the Sundhjuka crater, on the Reykjanes peninsula

For local residents, the emotions are mixed. ‘The town involved might end up under the lava,’ said Ael Kermarec, a French tour guide living in Iceland. ‘It’s amazing to see but, there’s kind of a bittersweet feeling at the moment.’ 

Mother-of-three and masseuse Rakel Lilja Halldórsdóttir told MailOnline: ‘We are happy it finally erupted so all this unknowing can stop. But it is so close to everything, we were hoping it wouldn’t be. 

‘But they think it won’t get to Grindavík and will probably just be a short eruption and probably will be over soon. About 10 days or so, hopefully that is true.

‘Our house lies on a crack so it has gotten worse the damage surrounding our house. The house itself is semi ok… but I don’t know if we will be allowed to fix it and live there because it’s on a crack.’

Iceland’s president, Guðni Thorlacius Jóhannesson, said shortly after the eruption: ‘It is not clear what damage it can cause, but now we rely on our scientists as well as all those who need to do monitoring and other operations. 

‘Above all else, we protect human life but we do all the defense of structures to the best of our ability. I send warm greetings to the people of Grindavík and those who now work on the scene.’

Hjördís Guðmundsdóttir, from the Icelandic national defence, also warned people not to go near the site of the eruption. 

One image showed the Reykjanesbraut, a key Icelandic highway in the area, lit up with white headlights from cars travelling towards the crater. 

Fannar Jónasson, mayor of Grindavik, told Icelandic news service Visi: ‘I’m just, like others, trying to get information. But this seems like quite an explosion in the early stages. But you don’t know anything yet. It’s going to be a long night.’ 

He added that a few hundred meters can make all the difference, no matter in which direction the lava flows. 

Benedikt Ófeigsson, a geophysicist at the Norwegian Meteorological Agency, said the fissure, which is growing every minute, is only a short distance away from the town of Grindavík. 

‘There is a rather rapid development of the eruption. We saw it rise at around 10.17pm, it has spread very quickly and has moved to the south west. Is about 2.5 kilometers north of Grindavík. The eruption itself is a little further north than that.’ 

Meanwhile speaking to local media as the blast began, volcanologist Þorvald Þórðarson admitted the eruption was the worst-case scenario.

‘We were talking about two scenarios a few days ago, one of which was that everything was going to relax and die out, you were hoping that was what was going on,’ he said.

‘The other is that this stretch of the crust above the intrusion would have reached its tolerance limit and that it would start to erupt. This is what we feared the most.’

Hundreds were seen returning to the region, despite several Icelandic authorities warning them to stay away for their own safety

A volcano spews lava and smoke as it erupts, in this view from Keflavik, Iceland

However, Kristín Jónsdóttir, head of natural hazards at the Icelandic Meteorological Office, said the agency expects this growth to die down soon. 

‘The good news is that it is now usually the ducks that die out first and that is what we expect to happen in the near future. 

‘That the activity begins to be drawn to certain craters, and usually the center of the crack is the place where the most activity occurs, and that crack is clearly north of the watershed.’

Grindavik, a fishing town of 3,400, sits on the Reykjanes Peninsula, about 31 miles southwest of the capital, Reykjavik. 

It is also near the Svartsengi geothermal power station, which provides up to 74.4MW of energy to the country. The government said it is currently assessing the risk to nearby energy infrastructure. 

The night sky is illuminated caused by the eruption of a volcano on the Reykjanes peninsula

Benedikt Ófeigsson, a geophysicist at the Norwegian Meteorological Agency, said the fissure, which is growing every minute

Pictures from surveillance cameras covering the volcano show lava spurts

People watch as the night sky is illuminated caused by the eruption of a volcano on the Reykjanes peninsula

Lava spurts and smoke cover the horizon in Iceland near the eruption site

A picture taken in Iceland as seen from in Asbru, Reykjanesbaer, of the volcano eruption

On their website, the Met Office said the volcano eruption started at 10.17pm following an ‘earthquake swarm’ at 9pm.

eykjavik’s international airport, which is located nearby, remained open

Iceland Police said in a statement: ‘An eruption has begun. We ask people not to be in front of the responders and not to go in the direction of the eruption’

This comes after the volcano was hit by more than 1,000 earthquakes in just 24 hours on November 9, igniting fears of an imminent eruption.

On their website, the Met Office said the volcano eruption started at 10.17pm following an ‘earthquake swarm’ at 9pm.

Hjördís Guðmundsdóttir, from the Icelandic national defence, also reiterated warnings that people shouldn’t go near the eruption site. Nevertheless, large crowds gathered on vantage points to look at the lava spurts illuminating the sky.

This comes after the volcano was hit by more than 1,000 earthquakes in just 24 hours on November 9, igniting fears of an imminent eruption.

Data from Iceland’s Met Office shows that within the past hour, there have been 11 earthquake within a five km radius of Grindavík. 

Fearing a significant outbreak on the Reykjanes peninsula, authorities last month evacuated the nearly 4,000 inhabitants of the fishing town of Grindavik and closed the nearby Blue Lagoon geothermal spa. 

The area around the Fagradalsfjall had braced itself for an eruption after huge chasms ripping apart homes and roads in Grindavik.

On November 16, magmatic gas was detected at a borehole in Svartsengi – 2.3 miles north of Grindavik – which experts said was a signal that an eruption is imminent. 

An eruption of molten rock from the magma tunnel beneath Reykjanes was the most likely scenario following weeks of seismic activity, the head of the volcano department at the weather service Kristin Jonsdottir told RUV radio station last month.

Monitoring indicated that a corridor of magma, or semi-molten rock, extends under the community, Iceland’s Meteorological Office said. The town of 3,400 is about 31 miles southwest of the capital, Reykjavik.

Volcanologist Haraldur Sigurðsson previously said that if an eruption were to happen, he expects that it could erupt into the sea and says Grindavik needs to be ‘reorganised’ in order to mitigate the disk of future widespread destruction.

The area around the Fagradalsfjall had braced itself for an eruption after huge chasms ripping apart homes and roads in Grindavik

‘I’m also worried about the port. It doesn’t take much to destroy this port, fill it with lava,’ Haraldur told Iceland’s Morgunblaðið (MBL) newspaper.

‘There are both cracks there in the harbour and even if the magma comes up somewhere outside, it flows into the harbour, because this is the depression. 

‘So, in the big picture, this town needs to be completely reorganised,’ he added.

Asked by MBL’s reporter if he envisages a future in which the people of Grindavik can return to their homes, he said: ‘What didn’t people do in Vestmannaeyjar (a town hit by an eruption in 1973)? I think the town should be reorganised.’

Scientists have said that the eruption is unlikely to produce a plume of smoke like the Eyjafjallajokull volcano eruption, which grounded flights globally and cost 1.5bn and 2.5bn euros (£1.3-2.2bn).

The peninsula in recent years saw several eruptions in unpopulated areas, but the current outbreak was believed to pose an immediate risk to the town, authorities have said.

Reykjanes is a volcanic and seismic hot-spot southwest of the capital Reykjavik. In March 2021, lava fountains erupted spectacularly from a 500-750-metre-long (1,640-2,460-foot-long) fissure in the ground in the Fagradalsfjall volcanic system.

Volcanic eruptions are not uncommon in Iceland, home to 33 active volcano systems, the highest number in Europe.

The port Of Grindavik braced itself for what could be an eruption of the nearby Fagradalsfjall volcano or one of the fissures which have opened up in the area. Pictured: Crack across one of its main roads

Pictured: A police officer inspects a crack in the road in the fishing town of Grindavik, November 15

Eyjafjallajokull erupting in 2010 (pictured) produced a huge cloud of ash that prompted the biggest global aviation shutdown since World War II, with 50,000 flights cancelled and 8million passengers affected

But the Reykjanes peninsula had not experienced an eruption for eight centuries until 2021.

Since then, three eruptions have struck – all in remote, uninhabited areas – and volcanologists say this could be the start of a new era of activity in the region.

Previous eruptions near the Fagradalsfjall volcano on the Reykjanes peninsula took place in 2021, 2022 and earlier this year.

In 2010, the eruption of Iceland’s long-dormant Eyjafjallajokull volcano – an ice-capped volcano more than 1,660 metres tall – shot huge amounts of ash into the atmosphere. That massive, explosive eruption was not fatal, but forced the cancellation of around 100,000 flights and left more than 10 million travellers stranded.

Situated in the North Atlantic, Iceland straddles the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a crack in the ocean floor separating the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates.

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