A windy welcome for William and Kate: Elegant Duchess steps from plane in figure-hugging dress to kick start Canada tour

By REBECCA ENGLISH, FIONA ROBERTS and RICHARD HARTLEY-PARKINSON

Thousands of cheering fans turn out to welcome the Royal couple to Ottawa

Kate looks poised and natural as she laughs and smiles with the crowds

Prince William flits between English and French in touching speech at welcome event


Elegant: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge walk down the steps of the Royal Canadian Air Force aircraft after they landed in blustery Ottawa this afternoon


Beaming broadly, a picture-perfect Duke and Duchess of Cambridge touched down in Ottawa this afternoon to be greeted by thousands of Royal fans as they began their first official Royal tour together.

Kate looked elegant and graceful despite the blustery conditions, and concealed any nerves on this, her first major test as a fully-fledged member of the Royal family, with a wide smile.

The newlywed couple were greeted by a host of dignitaries and a wall of photographers as they stepped on to the gusty runway, before being driven to the city centre where crowds had been gathering to meet the couple since early this morning.



A natural: The Duchess of Cambridge stayed poised and elegant despite the windy conditions, with her hair in a demi-chignon, and again displayed her affection for children as she spent several minutes talking to Kellen Schlever, who presented her with a beautiful posy of pink roses


They were formally greeted at the airport by the Canadian Foreign Minister. The Duchess accepted a posy from a young boy on the tarmac and chatted to him for some time before moving along the line of dignitaries as William waited for a few moments in their car.

It was adorned with a special flag created in their honour by Canada's prime minister, Stephen Harper - the first to be designed by the Commonwealth country for a member of the royal family since 1962.

The flag was given Prince William’s seal of approval and that of the Queen, who was the last royal to adopt one for her own use.

The Duchess had transformed herself during the seven hour flight from London, and was wearing a dress by the hugely fashionable designer Erdem Moralioglu, favoured by Samantha Cameron and Michelle Obama. Erdem is another Canadian designer born in Montreal.



At ease: Kate smiles as she receives flowers from the Royal fans who lined up to meet the newlyweds at Ottawa's Macdonald-Cartier International Airport today.


Tomorrow they will take part in National Canada Day
The dress was a navy, lace Cecile shift scoop-backed dress of contrast stone crepe with a navy lace overlay. The dress has a sheer lace sleeve with a scallop detail.

She sported the same nude LK Bennett £175 heels she has sported on several occasions recently. Her hairdresser, James Pryce, had also swept her hair back in a 'half up, half down' do to account for the slight breeze.

After their official welcome, they headed straight for the National War Memorial in the centre of the city.

As the couple's official car drew up along the red carpet, they were greeted by the Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his wife Laureen.



Quick change: The Duchess of Cambridge boarded the plane at Heathrow in a navy-blue Roland Mouret dress, but by the time she landed she'd changed into an outfit by Erdem Moralıoglu, a Montreal-born designer, in a carefully-chosen nod to her Canadian hosts. She teamed it with nude heels and a matching clutch bag


The 10,000 strong crowd, waving Canadian flags and flowers, cheered wildly as they stepped out. Tanned Kate looked particularly delighted at the warm reception and waved shyly.

The foursome approached the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and stood in quiet contemplation as the Last Post was played by a lone trumpeter.

William then placed a large wreath on the monument while his wife leant forwards to put down a small posey. The duchess warmly greeted the woman who had handed it to her, Mabel Girouard.



Official welcome: The Royal couple shake hands with Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird


Mrs Girouard's son Bobby, 46, was killed by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan in 2006. She was chosen by the Canadian Legion as their Memorial Silver Cross Mother.

As they left the memorial the couple undertook what will be the first of many walkabouts, sending the crowd into a frenzy. There were as many screams for William as there were for Kate.

The Duchess looked delighted as she was handed armfuls of flowers and gifts.'Thank you so much. We are so delighted to be here,' she said.



Great honour: A special flag created for the young Royal couple flew from the bonnet of their car. It's the first new flag to be designed by a Commonwealth country for a member of the Royal family since 1962. Right, the Prince's standard was waved from the Canadian Air Force plane as the couple landed



Pleased to meet you: A line of dignitaries waits to meet the Duchess of Cambridge as she steps on to the tarmac at a blustery Ottawa airport


Occasionally she looked over to her husband on the other side of the crowd to make sure she was moving quickly enough.

William looked equally thrilled as one woman told him;'Canada is so happy you are here.' 'Thank you, that is so kind,' he replied.

As she waited for the prince to finish Kate chatted with the Prime Minister and his wife and told them: 'That was so amazing, there were so many people there.... How many do you think?

'We have been on the go since 7.30 this morning so it's been a long day.'

Then, as the couple got into their official car, her first test over, Kate leant into her husband's shoulder and grinned broadly with undisguised relief.

But the new Duchess only had a brief respite before the couple were driven to Ottawa's Rideau Hall, the governor general's residence, for an official welcome event.



Solemn: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge made a sombre start to their official tour with a visit to the Canadian War Memorial. Flanked by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his wife Laureen, they pause for a moment of silence


Prince William charmed the crowd by flitting between English and French, as Kate looked on admiringly.

He joked: 'It will improve as we go on,' and continued: 'Catherine and I are so delighted to be here in Canada.

'Instilled in us by our parents and grandparents, who love this country, we have been looking forward to this moment for a very long time – and before we were married, we had a longing to come here together.

'The geography of Canada is unsurpassed and is famous for being matched only by the hospitality of its people. We are so very excited about having this opportunity to experience both – and learn much more about this amazing country.'



Respectful: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge each laid a wreath at the Canadian War Memorial in Ottawa this afternoon


Among those who turned out the greet the Royal couple was Jennifer Baldwin, 19, who drove for 21 hours from her home in Bloomington, Illinois, and stood in the street from 5.30am to see the couple at close quarters.

She said: 'I talked to William and congratulated him on the wedding and he said "thank you very much", he's so polite! My mum told him we had come from the U.S. and he said: "We're going there next".

'It was completely worth the journey just for that five seconds. I mean, I shook his hand!'



During the visit, Prince William will demonstrate his skills as a helicopter rescue pilot by performing a water landing. Later, they will head to Quebec City where they will don their aprons for a cooking workshop.


Francine Dorion, 50, gave the Duchess a tapestry she had made, featuring a picture of the couple kissing on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on their wedding day.

She said: 'Kate said it was beautiful and thanked me for doing it for them. She is so pretty and reminds me of Diana. She just steals you.'

Tomorrow they will take part in Canada Day - a special day for William as it would have been his mother's 50th birthday. They will be opening the Calgary Stampede and canoeing in the Northwest Territories before flying to Los Angeles.



Admiring glances: Kate looks relaxed and elegant as she walks by war veterans in Ottawa, and right, she signs the guest book as William waits his turn


Tomorrow they will mark Canada Day and after their week-long tour of Canada they will jet to LA to host a gala dinner.

There, they will promote up-and-coming British film talent by introducing them to Hollywood executives.

The south Californian trip will include a $4,000-a-head three-course meal and charity polo match, giving revellers an opportunity to get close to the Duke and Duchess.



Tribute: Prince William inspects a Canadian Forces guard of honour, left, and right, the note - in French and English - he left on the tomb of the unknown soldier


The Mail can also reveal that the Queen has given the new Duchess the pick of her fabulous collection of jewels for the 11-day trip.

The monarch, who is said to be extremely fond of her grandson’s new bride, wants Kate to shine on her first major test as a member of the Royal Family.



Picture perfect: The Duchess has already mastered the Royal wave, and both she and Prince William beamed as they greeted the crowds


A few weeks ago she invited the 29-year-old Duchess into Buckingham Palace to choose from her priceless collection of tiaras, necklaces and bracelets, and she picked out one or two pieces to borrow.

While Kate is said to be ‘excited beyond belief’ at the prospect of the hugely anticipated tour, she is also keen not to overshadow her new husband, the Mail understands.



Fans of all ages: The prince holds a little boy's hand as he is lifted up to say hello, left, and greets a war veteran, right


It is one of the reasons she has chosen not to make any public speeches during the trip, while the Duke will make several.

In this she appears to have learnt a lesson from the experience of Princess Diana, who repeatedly stole the limelight from her then husband, Prince Charles, and in doing so unwittingly drove a wedge between them.

The prince would become particularly frustrated when, during official walkabouts, the crowds would groan and call for Diana when he approached them.

Walkabouts will be a particular feature of the Canadian leg of William and Kate’ s trip as they attempt to meet as many of their future subjects as possible.

Their arrival in the Commonwealth country, where the Queen is still sovereign, is eagerly anticipated, with frenzied minute-by-minute television coverage.



Overwhelming affection: The Duchess looks ecstatic as she shakes hand with the crowd and clutches bunches of flowers presented by Royal fans lining the streets



Happy to be here: The Duchess of Cambridge laughs as her husband gives a speech, left, and pauses for a moment to smell one of her many bouquets, right



Popular princess: Kate bobs down to accept flowers from two little girls, left, and beams ecstatically as she shakes hands with fans



Mobbed: Prince William almost disappears beneath a sea of Royal fans wielding cameras. One woman even seemed to be wearing a replica of his wife's engagement ring


Each public appearance is expected to draw thousands of well-wishers on to the streets and large crowds gathered from early yesterday keen to meet the glamorous young newly-weds.

Some anti-royal protests are, however, expected later in the week in the French-speaking provinces, with small republican groups planning protests in Quebec City and Montreal.



Official welcome: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive at Rideau Hall, and Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his wife look on as Kate accepts more flowers


‘This visit is really a battle for the hearts and minds of Canadian as to what to do down the road about the head of state in Canada,’ said University of Ottawa History Professor Michael Behiels.

They had no fears about winning over Joyce Udell, 57, a diplomat with the Canadian Government, had delayed travelling home to St John's in Newfoundland in order to see the couple.



Poise: The Duchess of Cambridge beams as she and her husband arrive at Rideau Hall, and right, she is at ease chatting to Prime Minister Stephen Harper


She said: 'I don't like to use the word admire but I like her style, I like both their styles, they're not as ostentatious as some in the royal family.

'Kate, she reinvents herself with her clothes and wears the same dress twice - which the royals don't do.

'They are going to be a fabulous king and queen in the future. They are obviously in love and I think that's where their strength lies.'



Cherie Gray, 50, a by-law enforcement officer from the town of Manitouwadge, Ontario had made a six-hour detour while on holiday in the national province with husband David, 51, to see the royal couple.

She said: 'We're so excited to be here and hopefully to meet Kate - she brings a new revival to the royal family and represents the younger generation.'


William and Kate in Ottawa, canada -The Royal Couple


Prince William and Kate Middleton Take Off For Canada


source: dailymail

Forget the Grinch: Pepsi's new advert steals Santa from Coca-Cola as cola wars hot up

By Fiona Roberts


It's one of the most iconic advertising symbols of all time - but then, nothing is sacred in the cola wars.

PepsiCo has taken great delight in recruiting Santa Claus, Coca-Cola's unofficial symbol for more than eight decades, for its latest U.S. advertising campaign.

The commercial stars a short-sleeved Santa who does the unthinkable and deliberately picks Pepsi Cola over Coke - because he's 'on vacation'.

Scroll down for videos

Off-duty: PepsiCo's new advertising campaign stars a short-sleeved Santa who chooses Pepsi over Coke because he's on vacation

Appropriation: Pepsi's summer advert shows a short-sleeved Santa dancing on the beach - and then going to order a Pepsi, not a Coke, from the bemused bartender


Santa has been an intrinsic part of the Coke brand since 1931, and the company is credited with forever fixing his image as a fat, jolly man in the red and white suit

Although Pepsi's appropriation is nothing new - it recently emerged ginger ale White Rock used a red-and-white Santa in its advertising as far back as 1925 - It's a sure sign the legendary cola wars between the two rivals are back.

PepsiCo is desperately trying to increase sales after Diet Coke leapfrogged its regular brand to become America's second most-popular soda for the first time ever earlier this year.

The battle has begun with Summer Time is Pepsi Time, the company's first advertising campaign for its regular brand of cola in three years, which aired this week on ABC.

The original: Haddon Sundblom's first ever Coca-Cola Santa Claus made his debut in 1931


It features Santa Claus - dressed in a red Hawaiian shirt - dancing on the beach.

When he gets thirsty he heads over to a cabana to find the bartender is already holding two bottles of Coca-Cola.

Santa shakes his head and says 'make it a Pepsi'. The confused bartender replies: 'But Mr Claus, I thought you had a deal with - you know.'

Then Santa leans in and says: 'I'm on vacation. Gonna have a little fun!'

Enduring icon: Mr Sundblom's 1936 design shows Santa playing with the toys he's delivered

Post-war Santa: This 1956 advert shows a hatless Santa with a full red coat rather than his old overalls

Legendary image: This 1964 advert shows Santa playing with two children and their newest gift, a puppy. Artist Haddon Sundblom first used a friend to model as Santa, but after he died he used his own face as inspiration


Pepsi-Co has a long history of rattling Coca-Cola with cheeky advertising campaigns, most notably with its taste challenges in the 1980s, which even pushed its rival into the disastrous move of replacing traditional Coke with New Coke.

But with its latest advert, PepsiCo takes a swipe right at the heart of the Coca-Cola brand.

The firm first started using Santa Claus as a symbol in 1931, when Swedish-American artist Haddon Sundblom was commissioned to create the first of 40 oil paintings.

Inspiration: After the death of the friend he used as a model for Santa, Haddon Sundblom used his own face for the paintings

Man behind the image: Artist Haddon Sundblom, left, is credited with forever fixing the red-and-white image of Santa Claus in the public imagination but, right, he had already been used in a 1925 White Rock advert


He modelled Santa on his friend, retired salesman Lou Prentiss, and after he died, he used his own face for inspiration.

Before Mr Sundblom, St Nicholas had been variously depicted as thin, in a green coat, or even as a ghoul, and his image as a jolly man in a red and white suit only became fixed with that first advertising campaign.

After his death, images based on his paintings continued to be used in television campaigns, magazine adverts and billboards.

Modern incarnation: Last year's Coca-Cola Christmas commercial showed Santa using a snow globe to cheer up the planet


PepsiCo's chief executive officer, Massimo d'Amore, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: 'Pepsi has a tradition over time of doing this kind of communication.

'It's funny and witty. Everybody benefits. The category grows, and it's something U.S. consumers love to watch. It's a competitive spirit.'

PepsiCo has increased its spending on U.S. television advertising by 30 per cent this year, and has sponsored the American version of The X Factor for $60millon.

Summer Time is Pepsi Time advert








source:dailymail

She's Miss Fancy Pants: After the wrath of the mother-in-law, now the fury of the bride-to-be's father

-Carolyn Bourne told Heidi Withers she was 'an ideal candidate for Ladette to Lady television series'
-She sends vitriolic email three times in a day and tells bride-to-be she needs 'guidance from experts'
-Heidi's shocked father hits back and says he will never forgive Carolyn for abusing his daughter
-He says Carolyn was snotty on the day he first met her

By Arthur Martin, Luke Salkeld and David Wilkes


It promises to be some wedding.

Carolyn Bourne, 60, launched the first salvo by sending her future daughter-in-law an email criticising her ‘staggering uncouthness and lack of grace’.

Yesterday the father of bride-to-be Heidi Withers hit back, branding Mrs Bourne a ‘snotty Miss Fancy Pants’.

Family-to-be at war: Alan Withers (left) has said his family call Carolyn Bourne (right) 'Miss Fancy-Pants' and say they do not like her 'snotty' attitude saying 'she thought she was better than us'


In the stinging repost, Alan Withers, 64, said the renowned horticulturist ‘has her head stuck so far up her own a*** she doesn’t know whether to speak or f**t.’

And although Mrs Bourne appears fastidious about social mores, it emerged yesterday that she may have become pregnant some months before her first marriage in 1974, according to public records.

She is also now on her third marriage.

Happier times: Heidi Withers and her fiancee Freddie Bourne are reeling after the venomous message sent by Mrs Bourne bemoaning Heidi's manners

The astonishing war of words began after Miss Withers, 28, and her fiancé Freddie Bourne, 29, spent the weekend at the home of his father Edward and stepmother Carolyn in April.

Incensed by her future daughter-in-law’s apparent lack of manners, Mrs Bourne sent her an email listing all her faults. She then sent it twice more to ensure it arrived.

In the attack she told Miss Withers she should attend a finishing school in ‘utmost haste’ to get rid of her ‘bad manners’.

She went on to describe her as ‘an ideal candidate for the Ladette to Lady television series’.

Stunned Miss Withers, a PA for a London recruitment firm, sent it on to a select group of friends.

However, the email was forwarded to others and has now been read by millions on the internet.

Speaking from the £450,000 family home in Ledbury, Herefordshire, Mr Withers, 64, said he would never forgive Mrs Bourne for sending the email.

‘Heidi was very upset and the two of them obviously don’t see eye to eye,’ he added.

‘I met Carolyn and her husband Edward for dinner at a pub in London last year.

‘Edward was a jovial chap but Carolyn was quite snotty. She had a look about her which made us think she thought she was better than us. She kept talking about her five horses and how it made her part of the Queen’s set.

Etiquette guide: Renowned flower arranger Carolyn Bourne, right, gave her future daughter-in-law a stern dressing down via e-mail. She is pictured here at a plant show in Coventry with her husband Edward

‘Ever since that meeting we call her Miss Fancy Pants. I don’t care if she apologises. You can’t take back what has been said once it’s said.’

In the email, Mrs Bourne accused Miss Withers of poor table manners, insulting the family in public and failing to send a handwritten card to say thank you after her stay.

She even said her behaviour had left their pet dog Bomber ‘profoundly upset, depressed and anxious’.

Freddie Bourne is getting married to Miss Withers in an £18,000 ceremony in the great hall of Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire in October.

Mrs Bourne told Miss Withers that her decision to get married in a castle smacks of ‘brash, celebrity style behaviour’.

She went on to criticise Miss Withers’ parents for failing to ‘contribute very much’ money towards the wedding.

Mr Withers said: ‘The reason we have been unable to contribute as much money was because we both lost our jobs. I doubt Carolyn was aware of that when she sent the email. We were unceremoniously got rid of without warning in January and have been searching for jobs ever since.’

His wife Sylvia, 60, has since found work as a matron in a care home but he is still looking for work.

‘I have no desire to meet Carolyn or Edward again before or after the wedding,’ Mr Withers added.

‘They don’t know us and we don’t know them. Of course at the wedding we will shake hands and toast Heidi and Freddie.’

The young couple met three years ago through mutual friends and soon became close, enjoying a trip to America in 2009.

They live in a flat with a shihtzu dog called Whisky in the affluent district of Parsons Green in South-west London.

Freddie has an office nearby where he runs an online bike shop.

A source close to the couple said: ‘It’s not going to be a Jordan wedding with all that kind of pumpkin carriages and tack.

They are middle-class people with middle-class respectabilities.

‘It’s not like they’re taking over the entire castle in some vulgar show of excess. There’s a great hall that’s available and that’s where they’re having it.

‘They wanted to have as much of a dream wedding as possible. They heard about Berkeley Castle and it was available to book, so why not? It’s such a lovely setting.’

The source added: ‘Freddie is an absolutely charming guy and Heidi is an absolute sweetie. I’ve never heard a bad word said about either of them. None of their friends can believe what’s been said about Heidi.

‘Rude and unpleasant are the last things you’d say about her. The view of people who know them is that the problem lies with the mother in law.’

Mrs Bourne, 60, sent the e-mail to after she was less than impressed with her etiquette when she visited her Devon home in April


The couple declined to comment on the row yesterday.

Mrs Bourne and her husband Edward confirmed they were ‘well aware’ of the criticism by Heidi’s father but still planned to go to the wedding.

When asked if she thought it may be awkward, Mrs Bourne laughed: ‘We will see.’




source: dailymail

Winners and a Strong Women Giveaway

Congratulations to the winners of the last contest. Joel Fox' Lincoln's Hand will go to Linda S. in Columbus, OH, and Cindi H. of Edwardsville, IL won Steve Berry's The Jefferson Key. The books will go out in the mail tomorrow.

This week, I have crime novels by women, featuring strong women. I'm giving away the last autographed copy of Julia Spencer-Fleming's One Was a Soldier. Reverend Clare Fergusson has returned from Iraq, and she's still dealing with issues that she hasn't discussed with Russ Van Alstyne. They're trying to get back together, but when the death of a young Army specialist is ruled a suicide, Clare disagrees, and starts her own investigation.



Or you could head to Ohio's Amish country with Linda Castillo's Breaking Silence. Police Chief Kate Burkholder has one of her toughest cases when three members of an Amish family die terrible deaths. Were the deaths an accident, or linked to recent hate crimes against the Amish. Castillo's thrillers are violent, but probe the inner thoughts of a police officer responsible for the safety of her community.

Would you like to win One Was a Soldier or Breaking Silence? You can enter to win both books, but I need separate entries. Email me at lholstine@yahoo.com.  The subject lines should read, either "Win One Was a Soldier" or "Win Breaking Silence."  Include your name and mailing address in the body of the email.  Entries only from the U.S., please.

The contest will close Thursday, July 7 at 6 PM PT when I'll draw the winners using a random number generator.  The books will go out in the mail on Friday.  Good luck!

'I did not know humans could produce so many tears': Father's anguish as three gap year students killed in Thai coach tragedy

-Victims named as Conrad Jame Quashie, Maximilian Hugo Ulrich Boomgaarden-Cook and Bruno Albert Melling-Firth
-Maximilian's father: He emailed me the day before he died and signed off with ten kisses. I can't believe he's coming back in a metal container


By Neil Sears and Christian Gysin


Three gap year students have been killed in a road crash in Thailand just days after beginning their ‘trip of a lifetime’.

School friends Conrad Quashie, 19, Max Boomgaarden-Cook, 20, and Bruno Melling-Firth, 19, had saved for months before setting off from Heathrow on Thursday last week for a tour of South-East Asia.

Their parents had warned them to stay away from drugs and motorbikes – but they died instantly early on Tuesday when the coach in which they were travelling from Bangkok to the northern town of Chiang Mai was hit from behind by a bus.

Killed: (left to right) Bruno Melling-Firth, Max Boomgaarden-Cook and Conrad Quashie died after their bus was hit by another vehicle in Thailand

Rescue efforts: Rescuers tried desperately to rescue the trapped holidaymakers

Wreckage: The three men are said to have died instantly


Conrad, who had been due to start university in Manchester with Max in September, had celebrated his 19th birthday in the Thai capital on Saturday with his two friends and girlfriend Elisa Smith, who then flew back to London.

The trio set off on Monday by overnight bus for the north, planning to go trekking in the hills to visit tribal villages.

Tragedy struck shortly after midnight. Some 40 passengers from all over the world were injured, including another Briton who is still in hospital.

Last night distraught relatives paid tribute to the adventurous boys who all had promising futures when they left Charter School in Dulwich, South London, last year after finishing their A-levels.

Conrad’s mother Amanda Bean, 48, an English teacher, said at her home in nearby Denmark Hill: ‘Conrad was due to go to Manchester Metropolitan University in September with his friend Max who also died in this tragic accident.

Chiang Mai: The boys had been heading to the northern Thai city, 422 miles north of Bangkok

'They were inseparable friends and they had even applied to live in the same hall of residence.’ Conrad was due to study history.

Miss Bean, who is separated from Conrad’s father Paul Quashie, 47, a computer financial analyst, said the families had met before the trip to talk about the possible dangers on holiday.

‘We drummed into them not to hire motorbikes, to stay away from drugs, and not do anything silly,’ she said. ‘But than they have had this terrible accident. It was not their fault and there was nothing they could do about it.’

She added that a friend of the boys who had survived the crash, a 19-year-old called Jack, had returned to London and told the parents the accident was over very quickly and ‘there was nothing the boys would have known about it’.

Max’s father Gerhard Boomgaarden, 48, who works in publishing, said at his home in Herne Hill, South London: ‘I am absolutely devastated. I did not know human bodies could produce so many tears. It is such an intense pain that will never go away.

‘He was such an incredibly bright boy with a big future ahead of him.’

Max was due to study history and politics and was a regular volunteer for a leukaemia charity.

His father said he had been planning the nine-week tour of Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia for years. Mr Boomgaarden said: ‘A few years ago he said to me, “Dad, before I am twenty I will have travelled around South-East Asia”.

‘It was a dream of his. I never dreamt he would be coming back in a metal container. The one consolation is I understand their deaths were instantaneous.

‘Just the day before the accident I received an email from Max and he said they were all having a wonderful time. The thing is, he said how much he loved me, and he signed it with ten kisses.’

School friends: All three of the gap year students were pupils at The Charter School in Dulwich, South London

Mr Boomgaarden said Max’s stepmother Madeleine was also distraught, as well as his brothers Leo, 16, and Ivan, six, and stepbrother Leon, 13. Max’s mother Polly Cook, who lives nearby, was so upset she could ‘barely talk’.

Bruno’s mother Gillian Melling, who lives in Central London, was too upset to speak.

David Sheppard, head teacher at The Charter School, said the teenagers were ‘delightful young people’ who had joined in the sixth form.

‘They settled in very quickly and they were really well liked amongst the community,’ he said. ‘They were credits to their families and they were really looking forward to making a contribution to society.’


source: dailymail

World's longest sea bridge opens in China... (but don't think about crossing it on foot, it's the length of a marathon)

At 26.4 miles long, it is five miles further than the distance between Dover and Calais

By Daily Mail Reporter


China has opened the world's longest cross-sea bridge - which stretches five miles further than the distance between Dover and Calais.

The Jiaozhou Bay bridge is 26.4 miles long and links China's eastern port city of Qingdao to the offshore island Huangdao.

The road bridge, which is 110ft wide and is the longest of its kind, cost nearly £1billion to build.

A bridge over misty waters: The immense £1billion structure which is supported by more than 5,000 pillars stretches for 24 miles along China's eastern port city of Qingdao to the offshore island Huangdao

Engineering feat: The vast bridge, the largest cross-ocean bridge in the world, cost £960million and took four years to build


Chinese TV reports said the bridge passed construction appraisals on Monday and it, along with an undersea tunnel, would be opened for traffic today.

It took four years to build the bridge, which is supported by more than 5,000 pillars across the bay, and it is almost three miles longer than the previous record-holder - the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in Louisiana.

Lengthy: The bridge stretches into the distance further than the eye can see and right, the first few cars roll out across the surface

Open road: Drivers pass through the mist as they make some of the first passes over the 110ft wide bridge which is longer than any others of its kind

Flowers: The first vehicle runs into toll station to the applause of staff and passers-by after the bridge opened to traffic today

Musical mileage: A brass band plays on the sides of the road as flags and banners herald in the opening of the bridge

The start of things to come: Two cars edge through the toll gates that will raise revenue to maintain the £1billion bridge


That structure features two bridges running side by side and is 23.87 miles long.

The three-way Qingdao Haiwan bridge is 174 times longer than London's Tower Bridge, spanning the River Thames, but cuts only 19 miles off the drive from Qingdao to Huangdao.

Two separate groups of workers have been building it from different ends of the structure since 2006.

After linking the two ends of the bridge on December 22, one engineer said: 'The computer models and calculations are all very well but you can't relax until the two sides are bolted together.

Don't keep me hanging: The suspension beams form an imposing sight as the reach through the clouds and look down upon colourful flags marking the bridge's grand opening

The long road home: The two roads which run alongside each other wind across The Jiaozhou Bay


'Even a few centimetres out would have been a disaster.'

The engineering feat will only hold the record as the longest sea bridge for a few years - it will be beaten by another Chinese bridge in the next decade.

Last December officials announced workers had begun constructing a bridge to link southern Guangdong province with Hong Kong and Macau.

Set to be completed in 2016, officials said the £6.5billion bridge will span nearly 30 miles.

It will be designed to cope with earthquakes up to magnitude 8.0, strong typhoons and the impact of a 300,000 tonne vessel.

But both structures will still be dwarfed by the longest bridge in the world, also in China.

The Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge is an astonishing 102 miles in length.

Record breaker: The Qingdao Jiaozhou bay bridge, spanning 26.4 miles between Qingdao and Huangdao, will open for traffic today

Impressive: Testing on the bridge was completed on Monday and it is expected to be opened to traffic for the first time today

A driver's dream: Twenty-four miles of fresh untouched tarmac stretch from Qingdao to Hungdao




source:dailymail