Pet owners told to buy medicine online to beat overpriced vets
Competition body issues advice as it investigates escalating costs in £5bn market

Pet owners should buy medication online to avoid rip-off vet costs, the competition watchdog has said.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched a review into the £5bn market amid concerns that private equity takeovers are driving up prices for pet owners.

About 60pc of vet practices now belong to large companies, up from 10pc a decade ago – almost 90pc of vets in the UK were independent in 2013.

Olympic champion swimmer Wilkie dies aged 70

British Olympic swimming champion David Wilkie has died at the age of 70.

The Scot won 200m breaststroke gold in Montreal in 1976, as well as two Olympic silver medals and three world titles.

Ex-Post Office boss cries as she admits incorrect evidence

Former Post Office boss Paula Vennells has admitted that evidence she gave to MPs looking into problems with the Horizon IT system in 2012 was not true.

Speaking publicly for the first time in almost ten years, Ms Vennells broke down as she was questioned over the scandal, saying her previous assertion that there had been no failed Horizon prosecutions was not correct.

Number of teens, adults that go missing is growing

Every three days two children go missing in Greece and every two days an adult disappeared in the first quarter of 2024, according to data presented on Tuesday by child welfare organization Smile of the Child ahead of International Missing Children’s Day on May 25. The trend appears to be growing as in 2023 the NGO reported one minor disappearing every two days.

“For the most part, teenage Greek girls disappear,” said Irini Rizopoulou, coordinator of Smile of the Child’s National Center for the Disappearance of Children and Adults. Usually it is because of a love affair and the second is problems at home.