A retired couple’s ­precious boat stolen by a gang to smuggle migrants from France to England has been returned to them after a Herculean battle against officialdom by the Mail.

The much-cherished red-and-white vessel, named Aidan and little bigger than a bathtub, was delivered to the pensioners at their picturesque ­village near Dunkirk in northern France amid tears, laughter – and much kissing of cheeks in the French style.

‘Merci, merci again,’ said an ­emotional Eric Blin, hugging me as he set eyes on Aidan for the first time since February.

‘We never thought our bateau would come back. She disappeared at night from our local canal and we were told by the French police and British ­Border Force that a smuggling gang had taken her to England.’

The retired welder bought Aidan on the internet for £2,200 as a present to his wife Nadia, a former laundress. They planned to spend this summer taking it out for picnics along the ­willow-lined canal near their home in Watten village, which leads 15 miles to the North Sea at Dunkirk.

Eric Blin bought Aidan on the internet for £2,200 as a present to his wife Nadia, a former laundress

They planned to spend this summer taking it out for picnics along the ­willow-lined canal near their home in Watten village, which leads 15 miles to the North Sea at Dunkirk

Mr and Mrs Blin have been reunited with their beloved boat thanks to the Mail – Mr Blin is pictured here with the Mail’s Sue Reid

That dream, however, was destroyed by the smugglers who snatched the boat to travel along the canal before making the perilous ­journey across the Channel to Dover with five migrants squashed on board.

The Mail’s search for Aidan (‘Nadia’ in reverse, painted by Eric on its hull) began when we first met the couple, both 62, during our investigation last spring into a spate of small boat thefts by migrant smugglers from the ­Watten waterway for Channel crossings to the Kent coast.

The village and its canal is now a key set-off point for people smugglers as they try to avoid French police patrolling the Dunkirk and Calais beaches to stop the myriad migrant crossings in small boats. The couple told us the story of their lost boat and we promised to find Aidan – which we knew must have been hidden somewhere in England –and return it safely to them.

After weeks of combing the ports, boatyards, beaches and inlets along the coastline of Kent and Sussex, we traced the vessel to a secretive and guarded ­Government compound three miles from Dover.

Using an overhead drone, we spotted it lying in a corner of the open-air complex, ­surrounded by ­hundreds of smugglers’ rubber dinghies seized by Border Force.

‘We did not know if she had been broken up for scrap. We were ­forgotten by both ­countries,’ Eric told us this week. ‘Bravo to the Mail for finding our lost boat and battling the authorities which did not seem to care about us.’

Eric had moored Aidan for the winter two months after buying it in August 2023. He tied the boat securely to the canal bank near the couple’s terraced home.

‘I thought she was safe,’ he remembered this week. ‘Then the smugglers came for her.’

The boat was stolen just before midnight on February 9, after a gang ­scouting the area picked it out, cut its rope and released it from the bank mooring.

Five migrants, including a child, were put on board for the overnight crossing to Dover. It is thought they paid a total of £6,000 for the journey.

The boat was stolen just before midnight on February 9, after a gang ­scouting the area picked it out, cut its rope and released it from the bank mooring

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On Tuesday morning this week, we put the boat on a low loader behind a four-wheel drive to travel back to France on a cross-Channel ferry

The stolen boat can be seen arriving at a slipway at Dover Harbour, ready to make the journey across the channel back to France

The smugglers were spotted by French police at 5am, a few miles from the point where the canal to Dunkirk from Watten village meets the North Sea.

Although the boat was ­unseaworthy, had only four lifejackets and was ­dangerously overloaded, officers did not halt the vessel as it made its ­dangerous journey.

It ploughed on through a calm – but bitterly cold – night towards ­British waters. At the border in the middle of the Channel, migrants on board were met and escorted into Dover by Border Force vessels during the morning of February 10.

We have seen Border Force ­photos, shared with the Blin ­family, of Aidan after its arrival in Dover. It is in a shambolic state, caked in mud and littered with the migrants’ debris including discarded insulated gold-coloured blankets given to them by the smuggling gang.

The boat was then dumped by the British in the lock-up and left to rot in months of rain and bad weather.

Aiden now has holes in its hull and damage to its deck, thought to have been caused by the prongs of a fork-lift truck used to move it from port to lock-up after arrival in England.

When the Mail first asked the Home Office in London what had happened to Aidan, we received evasive responses.

We asked political aides of the then Conservative government’s Home Office ministers to help find the boat and return it to the Blin family. They agreed to do so, but the snap General Election was called, throwing a promised ­rescue plan into disarray.

A first attempt by the Mail to tow Aidan behind a sturdy ­fishing boat across the Channel late last month ended halfway to France

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Aiden now has holes in its hull and damage to its deck, thought to have been caused by the prongs of a fork-lift truck used to move it from port to lock-up after arrival in England

Finally, we approached Border Force officers stationed in France who refused to answer our questions because they ‘don’t deal with the media’.

The wall of silence was ­impenetrable. It was hard not to ­conclude that Eric was correct – no one in officialdom on either side of the Channel cared a jot.

Frustrated, in July we hired a team of French lawyers to help retrieve the boat and return it. They navigated a tricky path negotiating with the French and British authorities on behalf of the Blin family.

Finally, after many weeks, we received permission from ­Border Force and the French police to collect the missing boat on behalf of Eric and Nadia from the lock-up in Dover.

A first attempt by the Mail to tow Aidan behind a sturdy ­fishing boat across the Channel late last month ended halfway to France. The little boat had been so badly damaged in ­English ­custody that it let in water and had to be pulled back to Dover to safety.

Our second attempt was a ­success. On Tuesday morning this week, we put the boat on a low loader behind a four-wheel drive to travel back to France on a cross-Channel ferry.

We then took it the 27 miles to Watten ­village for the happy reunion with the Blins.

There are not many good news stories around in this troubled world but this is one. We ­promised the ­pensioners, and their daughter Melissa, who helps refugee ­families in France, to rescue the boat and give it back to them. And this week, to their joy, we succeeded.

More than two decades after his breakthrough role in The O.C., Adam Brody is finding a new legion of fans with Netflix’s Nobody Wants This.

The 44-year-old actor plays newly-single, Noah, a witty basketball-playing rabbi who finds himself tangled in a relationship with Joanne — Kirsten Bell — an agnostic sex and relationships podcaster.

The pair must contend with their religious differences, as well as their respective chaotic family dynamics. 

In the series, Noah is also referred to as ‘hot rabbi,’ an apparent nod to Fleabag’s hot priest. And it’s proven even more popular than the hit BBC show, boasting more than 10 million views in the first four days alone of streaming. 

Fans have swarmed to social media to praise Adam Brody’s middle-aged sex appeal, intelligence and vulnerability. 

The 44-year-old actor plays newly-single, Noah, a witty basketball-playing rabbi who finds himself tangled in a relationship with Joanne — Kirsten Bell — an agnostic sex and relationships podcaster

In the series, Noah is referred to as ‘hot rabbi,’ an apparent nod to Fleabag ‘s hot priest

Fans have swarmed to social media to praise Adam Brody’s middle-aged sex appeal, intelligence and vulnerability

One wrote: ‘Adam Brody the absolute green flag you are.’ 

Another said: ‘Adam Brody healed all girls who have ever been told they were “too much”. I cried actually.’ 

A third declared: ‘Save me Adam Brody as hot rabbi, save me.’

‘Adam Brody is the perfect romance lead and we have severely underutilized [sic] that in the last 10-15 years’, a fourth said. 

Now, research has indicated exactly why Noah could be considered ‘perfect’, pinpointing three different characteristics.

Kindness and understanding, not always wanting the same things, and compromise are among the top three qualities repeatedly emphasised in studies. 

In one US study, researchers quizzed 184 participants on their most and least desired characteristics in a romantic partner. 

Both sexes agreed on the characteristics of kindness and understanding, having an exciting personality, and intelligence as being the most important. 

In another, published earlier this year, scientists in Brazil found regardless of sexual orientation, people prioritized intelligence and kindness over physical attractiveness, when choosing a partner. 

The 10-part series stars Brody and Bell as the leads, and comes from writer Erin Foster, daughter of David Foster and step-daughter of Katharine McPhee

One social media user wrote: ‘Adam Brody the absolute green flag you are.’ Another said: ‘Adam Brody healed all girls who have ever been told they were “too much”. I cried actually’

They asked 778 straight, bisexual and gay men and women to construct their ideal partner based on a set of predetermined traits: intelligence, kindness, physical attractiveness, health, and socioeconomic status. 

Participants were also presented with three budget scenarios: low, medium, and high. 

But despite the universal appeal of intelligence and kindness, the researchers also uncovered variations in how these and other traits were valued through the lens of sex. 

Straight men, for instance, rated physical attractiveness significantly higher than their counterparts.  

It comes as the series is being praised by critics for delivering the best and kookiest story in the romcom genre since 1989’s When Harry Met Sally.

The 10-part series stars Brody and Bell as the leads, and comes from writer Erin Foster, daughter of David Foster and step-daughter of Katharine McPhee, who converted to judaism before marrying her husband.

In the show, Noah tells Joanne there’s nothing worse for his professional image than falling for a ‘shiksa’. ‘

Technically, it’s a Yiddish insult that means you’re impure and detestable, but these days it just means you’re a hot, blonde non-Jew,’ Noah says to Joanne.

Part of the appeal, viewers say, is Noah’s intrinsic lack of availability. 

Like the ‘hot priest’ before him in Fleabag, Noah is not supposed to date a secular woman. 

And like Phoebe Waller Bridge’s character, Joanne is a committed atheist. 

They both represent forbidden crushes, forcing the protagonists to compromise. 

In one 2017 study, researchers concluded that holding on to the idea you shouldn’t have to compromise in a relationship is unrealistic and ‘compromises are unavoidable’. 

But Noah’s relationship with Joanne also highlights that couples are not always going to want the same things — another factor research repeatedly suggests makes the ‘perfect partner’. 

In an interview with Vanity Fair this week, Brody said fans can expect his characters to be ‘progressively more generous and self-aware’ as the actor himself gets older

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In the show, Noah tells Joanne there’s nothing worse for his professional image than falling for a ‘shiksa’. ‘ Technically, it’s a Yiddish insult that means you’re impure and detestable, but these days it just means you’re a hot, blonde non-Jew,’ Noah says to Joanne

One US study assessing the personality traits of 360 couples found both partners bring their own unique qualities to the table, and those qualities influence the relationship independently.

Writing in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, the researchers said: ‘Each partner’s personality contributes independently to relationship outcomes but not in a synergistic way — a whole relationship is not greater than the sum of its two parts.’ 

Relationship psychotherapist Charisse Cooke also told Refinery29: ‘People often confuse compatibility with being the same. 

‘It’s often the differences in relationships that can cause problems and conflict. 

‘So we may imagine someone having the same interests as us protects us from misunderstandings or disagreements.’

But she added: ‘When dating someone with the same interests, there’s less room for growth. You may find that you stop trying new things.’

In an interview with Vanity Fair this week, Brody said fans can expect his characters to be ‘progressively more generous and self-aware’ as the actor himself gets older. 

‘This could either be because I’m old and I’m slowing down,’ he said, ‘or because I’m wise and I’m grounded and confident’. 

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If you were asked to visualise Antarctica, it’s likely a vast white landscape would spring to mind. 

But a concerning new study might have you rethinking that image in your head. 

Experts from the universities of Exeter and Hertfordshire have warned that Antarctica is turning green – with climate change to blame. 

Their analysis shows that vegetation cover across the Antarctic Peninsula has increased more than tenfold over the last four decades. 

‘Our findings raise serious concerns about the environmental future of the Antarctic Peninsula, and of the continent as a whole,’ said Dr Thomas Roland, who led the study. 

If you were asked to visualise Antarctica, it’s likely a vast white landscape would spring to mind. But a concerning new study might have you rethinking that image in your head. Pictured: a WorldView-2 Satellite Image of Robert Island (top) and the same image after the analysis, showing areas of vegetated land in bright green (bottom) 

Previous studies have shown that, like many polar regions, the Antarctic Peninsula is warming faster than the global average. Pictured: Green Island

Previous studies have shown that, like many polar regions, the Antarctic Peninsula is warming faster than the global average. 

In their new study, the researchers set out to understand how much of the area has ‘greened’ in response to this warming. 

The team analysed satellite images taken across the Peninsula over the last 40 years. 

Back in 1986, the images show that just one square kilometre of the Peninsula was covered with vegetation. 

However, by 2021, this area had increased to almost 12 square kilometres. 

Speaking to MailOnline, Dr Roland explained that while simple before-and-after photos would be ‘impactful’, they were not possible. 

‘Sadly we only have “very high resolution” images from 2013 and 2016,’ he said. 

‘Whilst the increases in vegetation we observe over this short window are in line with our overall greening trend (1986-2021) the visual difference is not that remarkable! 

‘In turn, a single image from the coarser resolution satellite we use for the main study (where we have hundreds of images over the full 35 year period), I suspect, would not be perceived as good enough “quality” as to be impactful.’

The team analysed satellite images taken across the Peninsula over the last 40 years, and found that vegetation cover has increased significantly

Back in 1986, just one square kilometre of the Peninsula was covered with vegetaion. However, by 2021, this area had increased to almost 12 square kilometres. Pictured: Norsel Point

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Greening accelerated by over 30 per cent in recent years (2016-2021) relative to the full study period (1986-2021) – expanding by over 400,000 square metres per year in this period. Pictured: Barrientos Island

The study also found that the greening is happening quicker and quicker. 

Greening accelerated by over 30 per cent in recent years (2016-2021) relative to the full study period (1986-2021) – expanding by over 400,000 square metres per year in this period.

‘The plants we find on the Antarctic Peninsula – mostly mosses – grow in perhaps the harshest conditions on Earth,’ said Dr Roland.

‘The landscape is still almost entirely dominated by snow, ice and rock, with only a tiny fraction colonised by plant life.

‘But that tiny fraction has grown dramatically – showing that even this vast and isolated ‘wilderness’ is being affected by anthropogenic climate change.’

Worryingly, the researchers say that as these ecosystems become more established and temperatures continue to rise, the extent of the greening will increase. 

Experts from the universities of Exeter and Hertfordshire have warned that Antarctica is turning green – with climate change to blame. Pictured: Ardley Island

Dr Olly Bartlett, co-author of the study, said: ‘Soil in Antarctica is mostly poor or non-existent, but this increase in plant life will add organic matter, and facilitate soil formation – potentially paving the way for other plants to grow.

‘This raises the risk of non-native and invasive species arriving, possibly carried by eco-tourists, scientists or other visitors to the continent.’

Based on the findings, the team is calling for ‘urgent’ research into the specific mechanisms behind the greening trend.  

‘The sensitivity of the Antarctic Peninsula’s vegetation to climate change is now clear and, under future anthropogenic warming, we could see fundamental changes to the biology and landscape of this iconic and vulnerable region,’ Dr Roland added.

‘In order to protect Antarctica, we must understand these changes and identify precisely what is causing them.’

A child in Ontario, Canada, has died of rabies after contact with a bat, the first case confirmed there since 1967.

The unidentified child had been in the hospital since early September after waking up one morning to a bat in their room. Officials have withheld the child’s name, age, and gender to protect the family’s privacy.

The rabies virus is transmitted to humans through the saliva of infected animals, including bats, raccoons, skunks, foxes, and coyotes. The Ontario child’s parents did not see any signs of a bite, though, and did not get the child vaccinated against rabies following the incident.

Rabies has one of the highest mortality rates of all viruses – nearly 100 percent – with fewer than 20 documented survivors. 

The child did not show any signs of a bite or scratch from the bat, so their parents did not administer a rabies vaccine

Rabies kills around 70,000 people worldwide every year , though most deaths are concentrated in countries with inadequate public health resources, such as wide-reaching vaccination programs for people and animals.

In the US, fewer than 10 cases of rabies occur each year. That rate was once more than 100 before the arrival of vaccines for people and pets in the late 19th century. 

The vaccine can be given after a person is exposed and is 100 percent effective if administered within 48 hours of exposure. 

The Ontario child’s death was announced by Malcolm Lock, a doctor at the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit at a health board meeting on Wednesday.

He said: ‘They woke up with a bat in their room.

‘The parents looked, didn’t see any signs of a bite or scratches or saliva and didn’t seek getting a rabies vaccine.’

The unnamed child was exposed in an area north of Sudbury, Ontario, a rugged landscape with hundreds of lakes and at least four different types of bats.

A bat’s fangs are incredibly small and someone bit by the animal may not be able to see the mark, so doctors recommend anyone who has come into contact with a bat receive a rabies vaccine.  

While common beliefs about rabies may lead people to think all infected animals are aggressive or show signs of frothing at the mouth, any changes in an animal’s usual behavior can be early indicators of rabies.

A bat that is active during the day, found on the ground, or seems unable to fly should be treated with caution. 

Large swathes of Ontario’s bat population have been wiped out since the arrival of white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease first identified in New York in 2006. It causes a white fungal growth on the bats causing their skin to disintegrate over time.

It disrupts their ability to hibernate. When they wake up early, their metabolism revs up and uses up fat reserves stored for winter as they struggle to find food, leaving them malnourished and depleted of energy.

But bats are essential to the environment, keeping insect populations under control, which helps maintain an area’s ecosystem, protect against diseases, and shield crops from pests. 

The above map shows which animals are most likely to be infected with rabies in certain areas

Rabies affects bats similarly to how it affects humans.

Once the virus reaches the brain, it binds to nerve cells where it can replicate uncontrollably and rapidly, erupting in a constellation of symptoms starting with fever, fatigue, and headache.

As the infection advances, it leads to respiratory spasms that cause gasping, wheezing, and tightness in the chest.

It also causes spasms in the throat while swallowing when trying to drink water, causing someone anxiety about drinking water, also called hydrophobia. People with rabies typically die severely dehydrated.

Rabies changes a person’s mental status, causing confusion, agitation, and aggression, as well as seizures in some cases. As the disease worsens, paralysis sets in, starting with the limbs.

The infection almost always results in coma and death within a few weeks after the onset if a vaccine is not administered promptly.

Worldwide, dogs are the leading carriers of rabies. But in the US, around 70 percent of rabies infections arise from exposure to bats.

Dr Lock said: ‘It’s extremely important that anyone who has a form of exposure [to bats] seeks medical attention,’ adding that treatment and vaccination should be quickly sought, even if bite marks are not immediately visible.’

By Daniel Matthews

Published: 00:42 BST, 5 October 2024 | Updated: 00:51 BST, 5 October 2024

Kyle Juszczyk has called out a San Francisco 49ers reporter in a bizarre argument over locker room interviews with players.

The NFL’s Players Association is urging the league to make ‘immediate changes’ and move interviews away from where stars get dressed.

‘Players feel that locker room interviews invade their privacy and are uncomfortable,’ a statement read on Friday.

The NFLPA did not name any specific journalists but Juszczyk singled out reporter Grant Cohn – who covers San Francisco for Sports Illustrated – on social media.

‘Maybe we can keep Grant Cohn from always hanging around our lockers while we’re changing,’ the 49ers fullback said.

Kyle Juszczyk has called out a 49ers reporter in a bizarre argument over locker room access

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Juszczyk accused reporter Grant Cohn of ‘hanging around our lockers while we’re changing’

‘I’m starting to think certain players on the 49ers don’t like me,’ Cohn wrote on X, formerly Twitter, shortly after. He then shared an article calling for the 49ers to sit Juszczyk, adding: ‘I stand by this’

Two-time Super Bowl champion Torrey Smith, meanwhile, accused journalists of looking at players’ private parts.  

‘If only y’all knew how awkward some of the male reporters act,’ he wrote on social media.

Juszczyk, 33, has been with the 49ers since 2017 and was a first-team All Pro in 2023 as San Francisco reached the Super Bowl.

Juszczyk and Co were beaten by the Kansas City Chiefs, with the fullback’s wife Kristin hitting the headlines after making personalized jackets for the likes of Taylor Swift and Brittany Mahomes.

Journalists are typically permitted to enter locker rooms a few days a week, to speak to players after games and practice.

The 33-year-old fullback, pictured with his wife Kristin, has been with the 49ers since 2017

The NFLPA insists it is not trying to ‘limit media access’ but only wants to ‘respect players’ privacy and dignity.’

‘Over the past three years, the NFLPA has tried to work with the NFL and Pro Football Writers of America to move media interviews out of locker rooms,’ the statement said.

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‘However, there has been little willingness to collaborate on a new solution. Players feel that locker room interviews invade their privacy and are uncomfortable.

The NFLPS continued: ‘The NFL’s current media policy is outdated. We the NFLPA Executive Committee, urge the NFL to make immediate changes to foster a more respectful and safer workplace for all players.

‘In the meantime, we encourage each player to ask for interviews outside the locker room during the week.’ 

A police force has apologised after putting down a family’s pet XL bully dog by mistake.

Lancashire Police said it has given the family an ‘unreserved apology’ for euthanising the seized dog, named Bruno, while the owners were in the process of applying for an exemption to keep him.

In a statement, the force said Bruno was put down due to an ‘administration error’.

Lizzi Collinge, MP for the local area Morecambe and Lunesdale, said: ‘This should be a ‘never event’ and I have taken this issue up directly with the police.’ 

The Government brought in the ban on the muscular canines after they were blamed for maulings which led to at least 11 deaths since 2021. Those killed ranged from 17 months to 84 years of age. 

Lancashire Police said it has given the family an ‘unreserved apology’ for euthanising the seized dog, named Bruno, while the owners were in the process of applying for an exemption to keep him

Lizzi Collinge, MP (left) for Morecambe and Lunesdale, said: ‘This should be a ‘never event’ and I have taken this issue up directly with the police.’

‘In August we seized an XL bully dog from an address in Morecambe as part of our powers under the Dangerous Dogs Act as XL Bully dogs are a banned breed,’ the statement said.

‘A file was being prepared for consideration of the owner being prosecuted for the relevant offences.

‘However, unfortunately, due to an administration error the dog was subsequently euthanised before the court hearing.’

The force added that it has introduced a process ‘to ensure the same mistake cannot be made again’.

Lizzi Collinge, MP Morecambe and Lunesdale, told the BBC that she is demanding answers over the incident.

‘This should be a ‘never event’ and I have taken this issue up directly with the police,’ she said.

She added: ‘I was shocked to see that a much-loved pet dog, Bruno, was wrongly euthanised whilst in police care.

‘Processes should have been in place to ensure this never happened.

‘There is a legal process when dogs are under police care and it appears this hasn’t been followed.

‘I will continue to support the family and I appeal to the police to disclose how they are changing their practices so that this is something that can never happen again.’

The XL bully is the fifth dog breed to be banned in the UK, following a spate of attacks on people last year.

Other banned breeds include the pit bull terrier, Japanese rosa, fila brasiliero and dogo argentino.

But attacks have continued despite the ban as just two days after it came into effect, Esther Martin, 68, was killed by XL bullies inside a property in Jaywick, Essex. Her daughter claimed the dogs were unregistered.

Four-year-old XL bully Coby during a protest in Dublin’s city centre against a planned ban on XL Bully dogs in Ireland

The XL bully is the fifth dog breed to be banned in the UK, following a spate of attacks on people last year

The XL bully ban, which was criticised heavily by lovers of the breed, makes it a criminal offence to own, breed or sell the animals without permission, and those who have the exemption need to neuter their dogs and have third-party liability insurance.

Doug Smith member of Bully Watch, said: ‘We will likely be seeing more of these attacks. They won’t go away.’

‘It is a really tricky and messy situation for police to respond to. They can’t go door to door to assess the owners and assess the dogs.

‘The ban hasn’t had an impact on the ownership of these dogs and they are being rehomed to unsuitable homes illegally.

‘People are rehoming these dogs to other irresponsible owners. It is a case of idiots giving their dogs to other idiots. These people think they are responsible owners when they aren’t.

‘It is quite unprecedented. They have put this ban in place and people are still wanting to take these dogs into these homes.’

By Nikki Main Science Reporter For Dailymail.Com

Published: 22:34 BST, 3 October 2024 | Updated: 18:17 BST, 4 October 2024

A mysterious geyser erupted in a West Texas oilfield on Wednesday, sending salty water contaminated with oil 100 feet into the air.

Responders reported a smell of oil and rotten eggs coming from the geyser, which is a sign of hydrogen sulfide gas.

The fumes are poisonous and are typically present in natural gas deposits and at high levels, exposure can cause shock, convulsions, coma and death.

The geyser was located off of Interstate 20 near Toyah in Reeves County, an area that is known for hydraulic fracturing sites that inject wastewater into the ground.

This comes amid a series of earthquakes that have plagued the region, which experts have suggested are due to fracking. 

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A geyser erupted in Texas on Wednesday that spewed salty water contaminated with oil 100 feet into the air (pictured)

Reeves County Emergency Management responded to the geyser and reported that the toxic fumes coming from the eruption measured 250 parts per million.

The measurement is considered to be a moderately high level and can lead to symptoms like nausea, throat burning, dizziness and headaches.

Oil and gas attorney Sarah Stogner and well control specialist Hawk Dunlap also responded to the eruption and told the Houston Chronicle that the area has been plagued by geyser eruptions, like this one, that stemmed from ‘zombie’ wells. 

A zombie well is an abandoned oil or gas well that leaks toxic waste into the groundwater but can erupt if they aren’t filled properly.

Local officials are blaming the Texas Railroad Commission (RRC) for the eruptions, saying the wells should be plugged once they’re no longer needed for hydraulic fracturing.

West Texas has been hit by a recent spate of earthquakes – the strongest of which was a 3.2-magnitude that took place that same day and originated 134 miles away from the geyser in Midland, Texas.

Wastewater injections have been linked to increased seismic activity and in January, the commission suspended 23 permits that allow oil and gas companies to inject wastewater into the ground after it found their practices were causing fault lines to rupture, inducing earthquakes.

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Scientists have attributed the recent spate of earthquakes in Texas to hydraulic fracturing and determined that the increase in seismic activity could be causing the geysers to erupt. Pictured: Hydraulic fracturing locations and injection wells in Texas

Texas is listed as the number one state for hydraulic fracturing – or fracking – and as of 2023, that number had increased to 373,133 active wells. 

Fracking involves miners drilling deep into the earth’s surface and releasing high-pressure water that creates a small explosion to release natural gas and oil that can be used to create energy.

The action brings groundwater to the surface and when it is injected back into the ground, it puts pressure on fault lines, resulting in more earthquakes. 

The RRC told hydraulic fracturing operators last year that it plans to start suspending permits that allowed companies to inject wastewater into the ground, although it has not stated when this would go into effect.

DailyMail.com has reached out to the Texas Railroad Commission and Reeves County Emergency Management for comment.

Five more mortgage lenders have today announced cuts to home loan prices.

Barclays, HSBC, Halifax, Santander and NatWest are all making a number of interest rate reductions across various mortgage deals.

It marks the latest flurry of mortgage rate cuts in what is becoming an ever cheaper market for Britain’s borrowers.

Since the start of July, the lowest five-year fixed rate mortgage has fallen from 4.28 per cent to 3.69 per cent.

Battle to the bottom: Barclays, HSBC, Halifax, Santander and NatWest are all making a number of interest rate reductions across various mortgage deals

Meanwhile, the lowest two-year fix has fallen from 4.68 per cent to 3.89 per cent.

Barclays set the wheels in motion this morning when it announced a whole raft of cuts primarily benefiting first-time buyers and home movers, including a number of sub 4 per cent deals for those with the biggest deposits.

Its lowest two-year fix for buyers with a 40 per cent deposit or more, is falling to 3.99 per cent from tomorrow.

On a £200,000 mortgage being repaid over 25 years, that would equate to £1,055 a month. 

For buyers with a 15 per cent deposit, Barclays will be offering a rate of 4.46 per cent, which unless beaten by tomorrow, will be a new best buy.

Barclays says it is also reducing rates across its springboard and mortgage guarantee products aimed at first-time buyers struggling to raise a deposit.

The Barclays Springboard mortgage requires family or friends to help with the deposit.

In this case, the helper provides a 10 per cent deposit as security for five years and it’s placed into a Helpful Start account that earns interest and is returned after five years.

HSBC cuts rates 

Shortly after Barclays, we received word that HSBC is making another wave of mortgage rate cuts.

It says all its residential and buy-to-let deals are being reduced by up to 0.16 percentage points.

HSBC confirmed its two-year and five-year fixed mortgages for both home movers and first time-buyers are reducing by up to 0.25 percentage points.

Its lowest five-year fix for those remortgaging with at least a 40 per cent equity is now priced at 3.83 per cent. 

For those needing a mortgage to cover 70 or 75 per cent of their home’s market value, HSBC’s five-year products come with a £999 fee and are also priced below 4 per cent at 3.99 per cent.

HSBC has also made further reductions in the higher loan-to-value ranges for first-time-buyers, offering 4.16 per cent to those fixing for five years with a 20 per cent deposit. The deal also offers £350 cashback. 

Home movers buying with a 15 per cent deposit can now secure 4.16 per cent when fixing for five-years with HSBC. 

Landlords looking to remortgage buy-to-let investments they hold in their own name, will also have reason to cheer.

Those fixing for five-years can remortgage with HSBC at a rate of 3.99 per cent with a £1,999 product fee if they have at least 35 per cent equity in the property.

On a £200,000 interest only mortgage that would mean paying £664 a month. 

Given the average five-year fixed rate across the entire market is 5.25 per cent, according to Moneyfacts – that could represent a monthly saving of £211. 

Homeowners rejoice: Halifax is cutting its remortgage rates by up to 0.24 percentgage points

Halifax cuts rates

Halifax then followed suit, by cutting mortgage rate on selected products by up to 0.11 percentage points for home movers and first time buyers.

Homeowners due to remortgage will benefit even more, with Halifax announcing reductions of up to 0.24 percentage points. 

The mortgage rates will take effect from tomorrow. 

Nicholas Mendes, technical manager at mortgage broker John Charcol said: ‘The latest round of rate reductions announced by Halifax comes as little surprise, given the broader trend observed in the market over the last few days. 

‘With HSBC and Barclays leading the way with similar rate cuts, Halifax’s move appears to be part of an industry-wide recalibration in mortgage pricing.

‘Halifax’s reduction in rates indicates a targeted strategy to attract both new customers and retain existing ones. 

‘Extending the completion dates on all products also provides borrowers with added flexibility. 

‘The continued repricing across various types of mortgage products reflects the banks’ efforts to enhance competitiveness.’

Santander and NatWest cut rates

Santander and NatWest also announced a wide range of range cuts for tomorrow.

From tomorrow, home buyers and people remortgaging wil see Santander’s fixed rate deals drop by 0.29 percentage points.

It means from tomorrow Santander will offer the lowest five-year fix on the market for home buyers purchasing with the biggest deposits.

All its mortgage rates for new build purchases are also reducing by up to 0.19 per cent alongside all its buy-to-let fixed rates, which are dropping by up to 0.17 per cent.

NatWest, meanwhile is also executing some healthy cuts across fixed rate deals aimed at home buyers, remortgagers and landlords.

Mark Harris, chief executive of mortgage broker SPF Private Clients said: ‘A number of lenders are already in the process of repricing – Coventry’s two and five-year fixes which top the best buy tables at 3.89 and 3.69 per cent respectively are being pulled tonight, while HSBC is repricing downwards today and NatWest and Barclays are repricing tomorrow.

‘Santander is also repricing tomorrow and is likely to top the ‘best buys’ with its new deals – a two-year purchase option at 3.84 per cent for those borrowing 60 per cent loan-to-value and a five-year fix at 3.68 per cent, also at 60 per cent LTV.

‘This ongoing rate war among lenders is great news for borrowers as there are some really compelling deals being launched, which will go some way to helping affordability.’

Will mortgage rates go lower? 

Today’s mortgage rate cuts comes after Bank of England governor, Andrew Bailey, singalled the central bank could take a ‘more aggressive’ approach to interest rate cuts if the economic conditions allow.

The Bank of England chose to hold base rate at 5 per cent last month, having opted to cut at the start of August. 

‘Following the Governor’s comments, which signalled potential lower long-term rates, markets are likely to readjust their forecasts,’ added Mendes.

‘If the Bank of England cuts the base rate to 4.75 per cent or even 4.5 per cent by the end of this year, it could have a significant impact on mortgage rates across the board.’

Mark Harris, chief executive of mortgage broker SPF Private Clients said a more aggressive approach to rate reductions has been welcomed by the markets

‘With Swaps falling on the back of the Governor’s comments, this should feed through to even lower mortgage pricing,’ said Harris.