Security fears on eve of World Cup as fans injured in stampede at warm-up match

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By Christian Gysin

Stampede: Police attempt to restrain fans as they burst through the gates ahead of a warm-up match between North Korea and Nigeria in Johannesburg


Fears over how South Africa will deal with 350,000 visiting supporters to the World Cup were highlighted after a terrifying stampede at a pre-tournament friendly.

Ten people were taken to hospital - with one police officer suffering serious injuries - after 1,000 spectators rushed to get into the friendly match yesterday between Nigeria and North Korea at the Makhulong Stadium in Johannesburg.

Disturbing scenes showed children being taken away with blood pouring from their faces.

Bloodied: An injured supporter walks away from the stampede in Johannesburg


The images will unnerve the game's governing body FIFA which has resisted claims that South Africa does not have the infrastructure and organisation to stage the tournament.

Fans had tried to break down the gates at the ground after police had closed them after the 4pm kick-off as earlier spectators tried to get into the ground.

The problem of dealing with a relatively small crowd came as England prepare to play at a similar ground tomorrw in a pre-tournament friendly in front of sell out crowd of 12,000.

The game against South African side the Platinum All Stars takes place near their Rustenburg training camp and the crowd has been reduced to 12,000 although the ground has a 20,000 capacity.

Last night the South African authorities made a plea for football fans to turn up early for tournament games to prevent a repeat of yesterday's scenes.

However, while fans from many other countries like to enter grounds more than an hour before kick-off thousands the tradition for English supporters has been to make their way to their seats less than 15 minutes before the games start.

Problems occurred for the South African police and authorities yesterday when hundreds of fans attempted to enter the ground carrying photocopies of free tickets which had been distributed before the match.


Fans show their tickets to police prior to the warm-up match between North Korea and Nigeria in Johannesburg, South Africa today



Security concerns: Police hold the gates shut, above, but were powerless to stop the rush of people, below


Most of those involved in both an initial stampede and then an attempt to rush the gates of the stadium appeared to be wearing Nigerian jerseys.

Of equal concern to the South African World Cup organisers was a problem inside the ground shortly after the second half began.

The match referee was forced to halt the game for ten minutes after a railing attached to a grandstand broke loose and left hundreds of fans just feet from a dangerous fall from the terracing.

Last night an FA spokesman said that the South African tournament organisers had made assurances that security for the England friendly today would be 'intensified.'

The Makhulong Stadium has a 15,000 capacity and last year was the subject of a £3.8 million refit as one of four practice stadiums to be used in and around the city during the World Cup.

The ground has been cleared by both the South African Premier Soccer League and FIFA and boasts floodlights, a 200 square metre media facility and both VIP and V-VIP areas


Nigeria's fans cheer their team on


A child clutches a plastic trumpet as he wanders through police officers


Yesterday fans caught up in the stampede told how they were crushed on the ground shortly before kick-off.

'The crowd just overpowered me and I went down,' said Japhta Mombelo who suffered cuts to his head.

'I fell down and people just fell over me.The crowd was overpowering.'

The first rush came when the gates opened to allow fans into the stadium. Police soon closed the gates, but when they were reopened, a second rush occurred, with more people being pushed over.

A total of six ambulances were sent to the scene .

The Nigeria and North Korean football teams were lining up for the national anthems when the second surge happened and had no idea about the scenes outside the ground.

Last year, FIFA fined Ivory Coast's football federation more than £30,000 after 22 people died in a stampede at a World Cup qualifying match.



Rush: Fans could be seen falling over as people attempted to get into stadium


Official World Cup security was not in place at the match because it was a only classed as a 'friendly' but one police officer blamed FIFA for the trouble.

'FIFA made the tickets free and now look what happened. This was not our problem but FIFA's problem because so many people heard they could watch a match for nothing.'

England's warm-up game today (Mon) at the Moruleng Stadium will see all supporters produce their tickets for the match which is eagerly anticipated by local soccer enthusiasts.

Last night an FA spokesman said: ' We were always insistent that there should only be 12,000 tickets for this game even though the stadium is capable of holding 20,000.The distribution of the tickets was also very carefully controlled.

'But after the incident at the Nigeria-North Korea game we called the organisers to highlight the need for measures to prevent any such rush or stampede at our game and have been assured security in and around the ground will be intensified.'


Onlookers climb onto a roof as they try to watch the match
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British racing driver escapes with broken leg after car disintegrates in 200mph horror smash

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By Daily Mail Reporter

Mike Conway goes airborne before crashing into the fencing after colliding with Ryan Hunter-Reay (37) during Indianapolis 500


This is the moment British driver Mike Conway was launched into the air at 200mph during the Indy 500 motor race.

His car catapulted into the safety fencing and disintegrated in front of hundreds of thousands of horrified spectators.

But amazingly, Conway only sustained broken leg and ligament damage.


Dreyer & Reinbold Racing driver Mike Conway flies through the air after crashing with Andretti Autosport driver Ryan Hunter-Reay


The car was airborne for several seconds during the penultimate lap of the race


Team owner Dennis Reinbold told how the accident happened a split second before he was about to warn Conway that other drivers were sklowing down.

'I was just getting ready to tell Mike, 'Some guys are going to slow down, so give yourself some room'' Reinbold said, his upper lip quivering. 'I never got the words out.'

With cars slowing to save fuel, the 26-year-old Briton entered the narrow short chute between turns three and four, ran into Ryan Hunter-Reay's sputtering car and flew into the catch fence.

The accident on Lap 199 prompted the final caution of the race and shook up the drivers.

'It's not comforting going underneath a car flipping in the air,' Danica Patrick said. 'I got through it, but I hope they're OK. It's never good when people are upside down and doing cartwheels


The car begins to disintegrate as it strikes the catch fencing going backwards at 200mph


This amazing image captures the split second when Conway's car slams into the fence


Horrified spectators look on as the racing car splinters apart. But, crucially, the cockpit remains intact saving Conway from serious injury


The remains of the car skids along the race track with the driver strapped inside. Because the vehicle was very low on fuel, there was no fire


Reinbold didn't even realize at first that it was Conway and teammate Ana Beatriz involved in the crash.

The small-budget team owner with four cars in Sunday's lineup had his eyes on IndyCar's biggest prize - winning the Indianapolis 500 - and decided to send Conway after it.

'We caught the pack. When you catch the pack and you're going that fast, it's a gamble,' Reinbold said. 'But it's the Indianapolis 500 and sometimes you have to take a gamble.'


Survived: Mike Conway suffered compound fracture to his left leg


The risk didn't pay off, shaking Reinbold and his team as the car was unloaded in two long pieces and the destroyed chassis was thrown into a pile of rubble.

Doctors rushed to his aid as wreckage was strewn across the track and Conway, 26, was airlifted to hospital.

His injuries were last night described as 'gruesome' and the man from Bromley in Kent faces a long fight back.

Doctors believe Conway suffered a compound fracture of his left leg, as well as tearing ligaments and tendons in his knees and ankles.

The miracle is that his injuries were not more serious given the severity of the accident that drew gasps not just from the crowd, but from the drivers coming to the end of one of the fastest and most gruelling events in the motor racing calendar.

Reinbold acknowledged series officials didn't have enough time to react to the slowing field and the hard-charging Conway.

Brian Barnhart, IndyCar president of competition and racing operations, said there was probably nothing he would have done anyway.

'It looked like the closing rate was pretty significant between the 37 and 24 and when you're in the middle of a corner like that,' Barnhart said.

'It's one of the risks that happens when you come down to the end of a race.'

Hunter-Reay, however, thought it could have been prevented another way.

'In hindsight we should have stopped for fuel,' he said. 'It's dangerous. ...

There's no runoff lane. There's no bailout procedure. You've got to slow down or you're going to hit the car in front of you.'

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Lin Ping's 1st Birthday!

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News Center Chiang Mai - Chiang Mai Zoo commemorated big birthday panda cub, Lin Ping, age of first year fans flock appreciate congestion. While a great little panda development continued. China preparing for negotiations is extended to two more years in Thailand.

Panda cub, Ling Ping, is now weighing 36 kg with a height of about 135 cm while the newborn panda weighs only 257 grams at only the overall strength completely good health. From experiments such as bamboo shoot eating solid food and various fruits. Along with milk consumption. While skills in climbing improved significantly.












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Three-day-old pinto stallion named Einstein born at Tiz a miniature Horse Farm

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Three-day-old pinto stallion named Einstein born at Tiz a miniature Horse Farm Friday feeds with its mother Tiz Fenisse in Barnstead, N.H. , Sunday, April 25,2010. The diminutive horse born in New Hampshire could lay claim to the world record for lightweight foal. The pinto stallion named Einstein weighed just 6 pounds and measured 14 inches in height when he was born Friday in Barnstead, N.H. Those proportions fit a human baby just about right but are downright tiny for horse, even a miniature breed like Einstein.


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Dr. Rachel Wagner watches a holds a ruler next to her three day old pinto stallion named Einstein in Barnstead, N.H. , Sunday, April 25,2010. The diminutive horse born in New Hampshire could lay claim to the world record for lightweight foal. The pinto stallion named Einstein weighed just 6 pounds and measured 14 inches in height when he was born Friday in Barnstead, N.H. Those proportions fit a human baby just about right but are downright tiny for horse, even a miniature breed like Einstein.




Four-year-old Garrett Mullen pets three-day-old pinto stallion named Einstein in Barnstead, N.H. , Sunday, April 25,2010. The diminutive horse born in New Hampshire could lay claim to the world record for lightweight foal. The pinto stallion named Einstein weighed just 6 pounds and measured 14 inches in height when he was born Friday in Barnstead, N.H. Those proportions fit a human baby just about right but are downright tiny for horse, even a miniature breed like Einstein.


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That's our girl! Princess Beatrice helps set London Marathon record as 37,000 runners take part

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By David Wilkes

Stretching themselves: Princess Beatrice, third from left, in Team Caterpillar led by Holly and Sam Branson


Like thousands of others, they were there to support their daughter through the ups and downs of the London Marathon.

And Prince Andrew and the Duchess of York couldn't have been more proud as Beatrice, 21, finished the race tied to 33 green tutu-wearing friends by bungee cords.

Running for her mother's Children In Crisis charity with 'Team Caterpillar', Beatrice, became the first royal to complete the race and also set the record for the largest number of runners to finish a marathon tied together.


Proud parents: Prince Andrew and the Duchess of York watch their daughter complete the London Marathon, and right, Beatrice clutching her medal


Triumph: Beatrice is embraced by boyfriend Dave Clark and then gets a big hug from her mother, the Duchess, after finishing the marathon


The Duchess of York, who also watched with her other daughter Eugenie, 20, told the BBC: 'For so long I've been trying to get her fit and now she's showing me up today.

I've just decided that if she's such a good role-model to me then next year I'm going to do it.'

Sir Richard Branson slipped on a pair of wings for the race, but the fastest celebrity to finish the London Marathon was Emerdale actor Tony Audenshaw, dressed as a baby.

Audenshaw, who plays Bob Hope on the ITV1 soap, finished in three hours and 13 minutes and was also the fastest runner ever dressed as a baby, breaking a Guinness World Record.

There were 37,000 runners aiming to complete the 26.2-mile course and among the crowds was Branson, whose Virgin empire took over sponsorship of the event for the first time.


Growing wings: Sir Richard Branson runs next to the Caterpillar Team as head butterfly


Branson ran alongside Team Caterpillar, which also included his children Holly and Sam.

Sir Richard made it round in five hours, two minutes and 24 seconds while the caterpillar took five hours, 13 minutes and four seconds.

At the end of the run Branson said: 'My legs just kept going and going. It was a fabulous day.'

Other world records fell thick and fast at the marathon, as runners dressed as cartoon characters, super heroes and even The Angel of the North, who took five hours, 24 minutes and four seconds to complete the course.

The first home was David Ross, 42, from Sutton, dressed as Fred Flintstone and brandishing an inflatable club.


Huge: George Bingham was wearing the 1/12 scale model of The Angel of the North, which took him almost ten minutes for him to get to the start line


Blur: Thousands of runners take to the streets in the 2010 Virgin London Marathon


His time of three hours, seven minutes and 34 seconds earned him the title of fastest cartoon character.

The City sales account manager, who was running his 175th marathon, said: 'I got a bit tired saying 'Yabba Dabba Doo, but it's a very proud moment. It's been a good day.'

Police officer Jill Christie, 27, from Brentford, north west London, who was dressed as Superwoman, became the fastest female dressed as a super hero, finishing in three hours, eight minutes and 55 seconds.

The fastest leprechaun was Ben Afforselles, 42, a financial analyst from Hamstreet in Kent.

He finished in three hours nine minutes 40 seconds, while the fastest runner dressed as an animal was Kevin Robins, coming home in three hours 30 minutes and one second.





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One million Britons stranded by ash and food shortages expected: Volcano flight chaos to last until next week

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By Michael Seamark and Ray Massey

Stranded: Stacey Barker is stuck in Malaga, Spain, with her husband and children, Yasmin and Harrison. Some holidaymakers have been told they face a ten-day wait to return home. Read about the Barkers' ordeal below


Lockdown over British skies extended until at least 7pm tonight

Qantas cancels all flights to Europe until further notice


One million Britons were stranded abroad last night by the travel paralysis caused by volcanic ash.

The unprecedented air lockdown was extended until at least 7pm tonight, with Qantas cancelling all flights to Europe until further notice, and the chaos and confusion will drift well into next week.

Some holidaymakers in Spain were told they face a ten-day wait for a flight home and the delays - coming at the end of the Easter holiday period - intensified problems caused by the massive Icelandic eruption.


Safety measures: An aircraft maintenance worker covers a jet engine at Belfast City Airport, Northern Ireland, yesterday as a cloud of volcanic ash made its way across Europe


Schoolchildren, and their teachers, will be missing from classrooms on Monday, and Britain faces shortages of air-freighted food as the impact of the vast spume of ash begins to bite beyond air travel.

Fruit and vegetables including lettuce, grapes, spring onions and asparagus may be missing from many supermarket shelves next week and firms specialising in flying in produce from overseas are also warning of higher prices.

The transport giant Norbert Dentressangle said activity at its perishable air freight handling centre at Heathrow, the UK's largest, was at a standstill. The result will be a three-day shortfall in the supply of products including prepacked fruit salads and flowers.

It said that while there are enough products on shelves and in warehouses to see stores through the weekend, supermarkets will be 'severely impacted' next week.





Spectacular: A satellite image of the volcano under the Eyjafjallajokull glacier in Iceland


Widespread: Ash from the erupting volcano sweeps in an arc across the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, and Russia in this image from NASA yesterday


Some desperate travellers were paying hundreds of pounds for taxis to bring them back via ferries from Ireland or to take them into Europe.

Forecasters say there is no imminent change in the wind direction to blow the vast cloud away from Britain and large swathes of northern Europe.

Day two of the chaos caused by the Mount Eyjafjallokull eruption saw the first reports of volcanic ash settling in the UK, as World Health Organisation officials suggested people consider wearing masks if they venture outside.

And as Transport Secretary Lord Adonis told travellers to expect ' significant disruption' for at least 48 hours, the cost to airlines alone was put at an astonishing £200million a day.

There was one chink of light when air traffic control company Nats lifted flight restrictions for much of Scotland and Northern Ireland. BA said it would operate 'a number of flights' from the U.S. into Scotland overnight. But the restrictions were reinstated after the toxic clouds returned.


Dusty: A car in Iceland drives through the ash from the volcano


Frozen: Ice chunks carried downstream by floodwaters caused by volcanic activity lie on the Markarfljot riverbank in Iceland yesterday


Coating: Researchers at Sheffield Hallam University collected these particles of volcanic ash (seen here under a microscope) which fell on cars in the centre's grounds earlier today

The assessment of the huge scale of the travel disruption came from the Association of British Travel Agents, which said as many as 150,000 people a day will have left the country in the seven days leading up to the blanket ban on air travel.

A spokesman said: 'We estimate there could be as many as a million British people stranded abroad


The majority were stuck in Europe, with Spain particularly popular at this time of year. More than 100 flights were cancelled at Malaga airport on the Costa del Sol. Others are stranded in North America and may have to wait well into next week to return.

Eurocontrol, the organisation in charge of Europe's airspace, said it will hold crisis talks on Monday as more countries closed down national airspace and the volcanic ash cloud continued its south-eastern sweep 35,000 feet above the continent. Only 12,000 to 13,000 European flights operating yesterday instead of the 29,500 anticipated.

Pilots have reported smelling sulphur dioxide, a gas released by volcanoes, in cockpits, and scientists said traces of volcanic dust on the ground had been found in Sunderland, Sheffield, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Lerwick.

The World Health Organisation said Europeans should try to stay indoors if ash starts falling from the sky.

A spokesman said the microscopic ash was potentially dangerous because inhaled particles can reach the lungs and cause respiratory problems. There is a heightened risk for those with asthma and respiratory diseases.

For the second day running, travellers unable to fly scrambled for alternative transport.

Eurostar's 58 services were full yesterday, with more than 46,000 passengers on its trains. The company denied charges of ' profiteering' after customers found they could not book £58 tickets online and, when they phoned to book, were told they were no longer available and charged more than £200.

Eurostar said it did operate a system where prices rise and fall according to demand and supply, but added: 'We are not profiteering.'

Many more took ferries to reach the Continent. P&O Ferries said it was unable to accept any further foot-passenger bookings before Monday 'as a result of the unprecedented surge in demand due to the airline crisis'.

Coach company Eurolines increased its services, while minicab company Addison Lee received requests for journeys to cities as far away as Paris, Milan, Amsterdam and Zurich.

A group of stranded businessmen and doctors - who needed to get home to see their patients - paid a taxi £700 to take them from Belfast to London after they were stranded.

Experts at accountants KPMG say the cost to airlines alone is racking up at £200million a day. More than 500,000 passengers a day normally fly in and out of the UK on around 5,300 flights. The cost to them from extra delays and hotel bills is likely top £1billion.

And while airlines are re-booking and refunding customers, critics accused insurance firms of dragging their feet in deciding whether they would compensate travellers or invoke catchall 'Act of God' clauses to escape a pay-out.


Face of the volcano: A radar image shows the crater of Eyjafjallajokull in southeast Iceland which has caused the cloud of volcanic ash to spread over Europe


From Gatwick to Spain to New York...the British families stranded by ash

Ruined: Kelly Williams, centre, and Barry Stephens were due to fly to Antigua to get married


This was not the wedding photo Kelly Williams and Barry Stephens had hoped for.
The couple have been stranded at Gatwick since yesterday morning and look set to miss their dream wedding in Antigua in the Caribbean.

Miss Williams, a fitness instructor from Leicester, said: 'When they told me the plane had been cancelled I burst out crying. I've planned this for three years.

'I'd heard about the volcanic clouds so I was worried we might have problems flying out. But I never thought the flight would be cancelled. I am gutted.'

The 29-year-old, who posed for a photo with Mr Stephens, 28, and their other guests at Gatwick, said they were now trying to find another venue.

'We are going on a three-week European cruise so I am ringing round all the places we stop,' she said. 'I suppose we will have one hell of a wedding day story.'


Extra hotel costs

'Trip of a lifetime': Chris and Sam Capes are stranded in New York


Chris and Sam Capes flew to America for the trip of a lifetime over Easter.

But the couple and their three-year-old son, Isaac, who were supposed to return home with KLM on Thursday, are now stranded in New York until Tuesday at the earliest.

Mr Capes, a 34-year-old civil servant, said: 'I know there are worse places to be stranded but we have work commitments and need to get home.

'Of all the things that could have delayed our flight we never expected a volcanic eruption to ruin our plans.'

The couple, pictured on their wedding day, organised their road trip around America themselves and are having to foot the extra hotel costs themselves.

Mrs Capes, 33, a beauty therapist from Chester, said: 'I am self-employed so every day I'm away I'm losing money. We've had a fantastic time in America, but this is just a bitter end to our holiday of a lifetime.'

Stranded in Spain
Stacey and Darren Barker and their two children have been told they will be stuck in Spain for the next week following the closure of UK airports.

They had been due to fly from Malaga to Manchester with easyJet at lunchtime yesterday after a week-long break on the Costa del Sol.

However, the airline has told the family they will not get a flight until Friday. Mr Barker, 35, who owns a bakery in Sheffield, is desperate to get back to work, while their daughter Yasmin, six, should be returning to school on Monday.

Mrs Barker, 28, pictured with Yasmin and son Harrison, two, said: 'I don't understand why it has to take so long. A week is an awfully long time.

'People might think we're lucky to have an extra week's holiday but in reality it's disastrous for us. Darren runs his own business so we're losing money every day that we're here.'
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Gone in 25 seconds, the Dallas Cowboys' stadium reduced to rubble by an 11-year-old boy

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Start of things to come: Fireworks light the sky before the demolion of the Texas Stadium, in Irving, Dallas

Texas Stadium is nothing but a memory - after being destroyed by a ton of dynamite.

The long-time home of the Dallas Cowboys was demolished in spectacular style today in an event that took six months to plan and less than a minute to execute.

The stadium, which was built in 1971 at a cost of $35m, is known in the world of American footbball for its giant hole in its roof, 'so God can watch his team'.

It also featured in the opening credits for each of the 13 series of the TV series Dallas, starring Larry Hagman and Victoria Principal.


One last look: The 65,675-capacity Texas Stadium in Irving, Dallas, moments before its destruction


Fireworks preceded the stadium's destruction, with fans counting down to the fateful button push by 11-year-old Casey Rogers, of nearby Terrell, the winner of an essay contest.

The dynamite dropped the west side of the building toward the north, the east die toward the south and the roof right on top.

The concrete and twisted metal that remains is expected to take until July to clean up.


Going... The stadium's west end goes first


Going... The middle portion of the stadium follows fast


Still going... Only a fraction of the roof remains


Fans arrived as early as Saturday night for 'final tailgate parties' in area parking lots.

Others gathered at hotels and office buildings as far as 10 miles away in downtown Dallas, including many former Cowboys players. Local TV stations carried the implosion live. There was even a corporate sponsor.

The Cowboys won all five of their Super Bowl titles while they called 65,675-capacity Texas Stadium home.

'Even in the dawn, (driving in) we slowed down and took a real good look at it. You get a little lump in your throat,' said Jerry Jones, who bought the team and the stadium lease for $160m in 1989. 'It was beautiful.'


Gone: Smoke fills the sky - the clean-up is expected to take six months


But many people seemed to be drawn Sunday by curiosity and spectacle more than an overriding sense of nostalgia.

The consensus was that the old place was great in its day, but past its prime - especially since the Cowboys moved to the new $1.2 billion Cowboys Stadium in nearby Arlington after the 2008 season.

After that, Irving city leaders decided they needed the land more than the building and planned the demolition. The state already has a 10-year lease to use the property as a staging area for a highway construction project.
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