#river-thames

#river-thames

A drunken dad who threw his daughter's pet kittens into the River Thames shouted let them die, a court has heard. Andrew Shephard was helping his daughter rehome the three young cats when he tipped them from a box into the water from Twickenham bridge, in south-west London, last November. As he did, he could be heard shouting let them die and I want them to die, Wimbledon Magistrates' Court heard on Tuesday.

The government said the plans would increase the number of England's official bathing sites to 464. An official bathing spot on the Thames in London would mark a "vast transformation" in water quality in the river which was declared biologically dead in the 1950s due to pollution, officials said. Water minister Emma Hardy said rivers and beaches were "at the heart of so many communities, where people come together, families make memories and swimmers of all ages feel the benefits of being outdoors safely".

Conservation efforts along the 153 miles of the River Thames have delivered mixed results for wildlife, according to a new report that finds improvements in some species and habitats alongside emerging threats from climate change and pollution. Researchers recorded increases in several wading bird species, marine mammals and restored natural habitats, including intertidal areas that act as nurseries for many fish. The river continues to support a surprising range of wildlife, with seahorses, eels, seals and even sharks - including tope, starry smoothhound and spurdog - now documented in the Thames.

There's just one more match left between England's Red Roses and the Rugby World Cup final 2025. On Saturday evening, the girls will take on France at Ashton Gate to vie for their place at Twickenham next weekend - and there are a whole bunch of places across London that'll be following the action. Watch the game go down at free screenings at Battersea Power Station or Canary Wharf, or at your local rugby club or participating pub.

Trump administration officials are talking about more military strikes against suspected drug gangs in the southern Caribbean. This follows a US attack on a small boat from Venezuela that President Donald Trump says killed 11 "narcoterrorists."

A man's body has been discovered in the River Thames near the Dartford Crossing. Rescue teams confirmed the body was retrieved and the man was pronounced deceased shortly thereafter. The death is not considered suspicious and next of kin have been notified. Officers from Kent Police, along with paramedics and the Coastguard, responded to the incident.

London Rivers Week, now in its ninth year, encourages communities to celebrate all local rivers while raising awareness about their conservation and restoration.