all: three, two, one! cheering. thousands of people took advantage of the midnight unlocking, saying they wanted to return to normality. i've had my vaccines, i want to have a good time, hun. so excited! so excited, can't wait for it. it'sjust, like, a relief, after such a long time | just to have freedom. but the prime minister is urging people to be cautious, with cases of covid on the rise. also this lunchtime: foreign travel rules change — fully vaccinated people no longer have to quarantine on return from amber list countries. back in business — hard—hit firms hope the end of restrictions will lead to recovery but now they face staff

have having to self—isolate. having to self—isolate. not everyone is celebrating — we speak to people who are immuno—suppressed, about how they view what some are calling freedom day. and the uk and the eu have accused china of carrying out a major cyber attack, earlier this year. and coming—up on the bbc news channel... lewis hamilton is targeted with racist abuse following his clash with max verstappen on his way to victory in the british grand prix. good afternoon and welcome to the bbc news at one.

16 months after they were introduced, most legal restrictions on social contact have been lifted in england. there are now no limits on how many people can meet or go to events; nightclubs can reopen; table service won't be needed in pubs and restaurants. but the prime minister, borisjohnson, is urging people to remain cautious. he, the chancellor, and the health secretary are all self—isolating, and ministers warn that the number of new infections will continue to surge. our first report from luxmy gopal contains flashing images. all: six, five, four, three... the moment they've been waiting for for over a year. cheering. the final stage of unlocking in england, with social—distancing rules dropped. 1,000 people packed into this club in central london — no testing, contact—tracing details orjabs required — with many more lining up outside.

they've waited 16 months. what's a little longer? there's so many people there, and we're just so, so pumped to get in there. it's been a year and a half, and now we're alljust ready to dance. i've had my vaccines. i want to have a good time, hun! so excited. so excited! i can't wait for it. it'sjust, like, a relief after such a long time...just to have freedom. nightclubs are one of the few businesses that have had to stay closed throughout the whole pandemic — among the last to reopen. loud music plays. and this is what many have waited so long for, and what the nightlife industry has so desperately needed. some feel the sector has been sidelined. the last year has been hell on earth. i mean, it's been very, very difficult. if you look at what happened last week with the football, compared with what's happening tonight, and you think, why were we treated differently?

all we're doing is taking the screens out, putting them into storage. it's more sedate but no less celebratory at this pub in west london — where they're preparing for an end to table service only and mandatory masks. i can't wait to enjoy doing ourjob, rather than sort of having to basically be a policeman the whole time, and just lecturing people on what they can and can't do, where they can and can't go, the masks they wear, what they touch, where they sanitise, where they track and trace. it's going to be strange for us to adapt again, and the notion of people coming into the pub, being able to go to the table themselves without being directed. as of midnight in england, nearly all legal restrictions on social contact have been removed. face coverings are no longer required by law, but are still recommended in crowded, enclosed spaces. meanwhile, scotland has moved to what's known as level zero. limits on social gatherings remain, with face coverings still mandatory in shops and on public transport. in northern ireland,

the latest phase of unlocking is expected next week, while in wales, most covid rules are to be scrapped from the 7th of august — though face coverings will still be required in many indoor public places. there is concern about restrictions easing at a time when covid cases in the uk are rising. we're at the point where 10% orjust over of intensive care beds in england are occupied by people who have got covid. so there's been a significant increase in pressure on intensive—care services over the last few weeks. # cos you're free # to do what you want to do!# with experts warning that cases could surge further — and with a third of adults not yet fully vaccinated — the worry is, at what price this new freedom? luxmy gopal, bbc news. new advice about travelling abroad has come into effect. the government is no longer warning against travel to amber—list countries and people who've had both doses of a vaccine won't have to quarantine on their return from any country on the amber list

except france. nina warhurst reports. mid—july in one of the uk's biggest airports and look — capacity around 10%. the changing traffic light system, multiple testing, leading many to ask — is it worth it? how are you feeling about this holiday?! we're feeling super, really excited. great, yeah. be going away again after all this lockdown. what he said. laughter. normally going on holiday is something you look forward to and be excited about. i have to say, this has been a pretty stressful, anxious time for everybody. so, not sure i'd do it again, knowing what i know now from this experience. from today, those returning from amber—listed countries will not have to quarantine if they're double jabbed or under 18, though they will still have to test before and after coming home. and those travelling to france will still have to quarantine, despite it being on the amber list. and it's these inconsistencies

causing confusion, which are putting many travellers off. what we need is we need the framework to be able to put in place exactly what was intended, you know, a framework that would enable confidence, that will enable people to travel, everyone understands the rules and it's simplified. now that we have so many of the population that are fully vaccinated, we also need to enable those that are fully vaccinated coming back from green countries to be able to travel without the need for testing. manchester airport group has spent £1 billion on this brand—new terminal. it's got everything you might need for a global travel hub except the volume of passengers. they say they're confident that footfall will return, but it has to happen soon. i mean, last year, manchester airport group lost manchester airports group lost several hundred million pounds. and we really need to have a good summer. and then a consistent application of the framework through the rest of the year to try and start

that period of recovery. clearly, we're not going to recover fully this year. but we do need that framework in place that is consistently applied. some holiday—makers told us that absorbing the expense of testing — around £100 per person — still left a smaller dent in their savings than a holiday in the uk. but for others, the risk of catching covid before they fly or having to isolate when they get back feels too great. another summer, another holiday postponed. nina warhurst, bbc news, manchester. today's opening up is being welcomed by businesses who've struggled during the pandemic. but while there's been relief for many, there's still confusion for some around whether to maintain some restrictions, as theo leggett has been finding out. for some, it's a new dawn, the lifting of the gloom. businesses across england have been struggling to cope with covid restrictions for more than a year. now, those restrictions

are being removed. for the hospitality industry, it's a big moment — no more compulsory table service or social distancing in pubs and restaurants. wearing a face covering in supermarkets, shops or on public transport is no longer a legal requirement as of today — but that doesn't mean you won't be asked to wear one. many shops — including major supermarkets — say they'd rather you did, just to be on the safe side. this coffee shop in birmingham city centre also wants its customers to continue being careful. in terms of observing the customers coming in, we're not enforcing that they're wearing facemasks — which is one of the things that obviously they don't have to do from today in terms of a mandatory sense — but our observation is that nearly everyone has been wearing a facemask when they've come in, which really pleases me. meanwhile, weddings can now go ahead with no limits on the number of guests — that's good news for caterers and the beauty industry. midwife lynn parsons is preparing for her big day.

our guests will be able to mingle with drinks in hand, and chat to family that they've not seen. i've got, you know, family that haven't seen each other for years — you know, year and a half now — so it's going to be amazing, all the family coming together. the lifting of legal restrictions has been flagged up for months, but the unite trade union claims the government has made it too difficult for businesses to prepare. the government's guidance for employers about how to keep workplaces covid secure — they're supposed to be preparing their risk assessments against today so that people can go into work knowing that their workplaces are as safe as possible — was published with only two working days' notice before today. two working days for employers and employees to sit down and make sure that workplaces are covid secure. multiple phone alerts. then there's the pinging problem. more and more people are being pinged by the track and trace app, and told to isolate. that's left businesses struggling with staff shortages. even large companies are affected —

today motor manufacturer vauxhall admitted production at its luton van plant has suffered. and, as the number of covid infections continues to rise, there's increasing pressure for the track—and—trace rules to be relaxed. theo leggett, bbc news. well, the whole of scotland has moved to the lowest level of coronavirus restrictions. the rules have been eased on social gatherings and also around weddings and funerals — but face coverings are still compulsory in indoor public places. james shaw reports. ferries, buses, trains and taxis, masks will remain mandatory on all public transport in scotland. and in many indoor public spaces. that will be the biggest difference between the ways that scotland and england are managing the pandemic. the holiday season is in full swing here on the west coast. and small

business owners are hoping it will give them the boost they've been waiting for so long. i give them the boost they've been waiting for so long.— waiting for so long. i think personal— waiting for so long. i think personal responsibility - waiting for so long. i think personal responsibility is i waiting for so long. i think| personal responsibility is a waiting for so long. i think - personal responsibility is a good thing to have, you know. you know, we would... we would continue to do the best we can and, you know, we take some customer comfort inn, you know, a sense of safety quite seriously. know, a sense of safety quite seriously-— know, a sense of safety quite seriously. the restrictions will remain in _ seriously. the restrictions will remain in place _ seriously. the restrictions will remain in place in _ seriously. the restrictions will remain in place in scotland i seriously. the restrictions will remain in place in scotland at| seriously. the restrictions will- remain in place in scotland at least for the next three weeks. that means no more than 80 people from four households can meet in a private home, no more than ten from four households can meet in pubs and restaurants and a maximum of 15 people can get together outdoors. nightclubs must remain closed. but 200 people will now be able to attend weddings and funerals. and soft play centres can reopen. things are not so bad _ soft play centres can reopen. things are not so bad because _ soft play centres can reopen. things are not so bad because it's - soft play centres can reopen. things are not so bad because it's the - are not so bad because it's the summen — are not so bad because it's the summer. but i can see us having to id summer. but i can see us having to go back_ summer. but i can see us having to go back to — summer. but i can see us having to go back to lock down before long. businesses need help and people have

-ot businesses need help and people have got to— businesses need help and people have got to trade~ _ businesses need help and people have got to trade~ i— businesses need help and people have got to trade. i suppose _ businesses need help and people have got to trade. i suppose there's - businesses need help and people have got to trade. i suppose there's got - got to trade. i suppose there's got to be _ got to trade. i suppose there's got to be a _ got to trade. i suppose there's got to be a balance _ got to trade. i suppose there's got to be a balance but _ got to trade. i suppose there's got to be a balance but from _ got to trade. i suppose there's got to be a balance but from a - got to trade. i suppose there's gotl to be a balance but from a personal perspective. — to be a balance but from a personal perspective. i'm _ to be a balance but from a personal perspective, i'm keeping— to be a balance but from a personal perspective, i'm keeping my- to be a balance but from a personal perspective, i'm keeping my maskl to be a balance but from a personal. perspective, i'm keeping my mask on. relying _ perspective, i'm keeping my mask on. relying on _ perspective, i'm keeping my mask on. relying on a _ perspective, i'm keeping my mask on. relying on a vaccine _ perspective, i'm keeping my mask on. relying on a vaccine that, _ perspective, i'm keeping my mask on. relying on a vaccine that, you - perspective, i'm keeping my mask on. relying on a vaccine that, you know, l relying on a vaccine that, you know, we are thinking is a miracle cure. it doesn't because these different variants coming out all the time, so, you know, they've got to bring another vaccine out to combat that! this is the moment when the differences between england and scotland are perhaps as wide as they've ever been. but nicola sturgeon has insisted that the scottish government's approach is the right one. she tweeted that it wouldn't be sensible to think of the as freedom day. it is too early to know which policy will turn out to be the right one. james shaw, bbc news. r ,on , on the west coast of scotland. the rules differ in other parts of the uk. in a moment, we'll talk to chris page in belfast but first let's hear from hywel griffith in cardiff. remind us of the picture where you

are. in remind us of the picture where you are, . ., ., , ., remind us of the picture where you are. _, .,, ., ., ., are. in contrast to england and scotland, _ are. in contrast to england and scotland, this _ are. in contrast to england and scotland, this isn't _ are. in contrast to england and scotland, this isn't a _ are. in contrast to england and scotland, this isn't a big - are. in contrast to england and scotland, this isn't a big day i are. in contrast to england and scotland, this isn't a big day in j scotland, this isn't a big day in the welsh calendar for easing restrictions. two days ago, the limits on meeting outdoors were ended and that means people can meet up ended and that means people can meet up in gardens or maybe even beer gardens and sit and stop together without social distancing for the first time in a very long time. the one change today is on international travel. people who are double jab can return from other countries without self isolation. everything else is still a way off in wales, the earliest date for getting rid of the earliest date for getting rid of the limit indoors is august the 7th. for now, limits on meeting people in private homes, who use it with inside a cafe or a restaurant. even that will depend on the data. over the last 16 months, the welsh government has moved at a different pace, some would say slower, to the rest of the uk. but at the moment, the covid rates here are lower. the vaccination rates are higher. at the moment, the welsh government sees no

reason to move off its course and when it comes it comes to use of facemasks, they may remain in public places and on public transport in wales for many months to come. all right, you. chris pace many months to come. all right, you. chris page in — many months to come. all right, you. chris page in belfast, _ many months to come. all right, you. chris page in belfast, the _ many months to come. all right, you. chris page in belfast, the picture - chris page in belfast, the picture where you are. chris page in belfast, the picture where you are-— where you are. jane, here in northern _ where you are. jane, here in northern ireland, _ where you are. jane, here in northern ireland, the - where you are. jane, here in | northern ireland, the picture where you are. jane, here in i northern ireland, the picture as regards — northern ireland, the picture as regards to— northern ireland, the picture as regards to the spread of the virus is similar— regards to the spread of the virus is similar to — regards to the spread of the virus is similarto in regards to the spread of the virus is similar to in england but the story— is similar to in england but the story on— is similar to in england but the story on restrictions is very different— story on restrictions is very different indeed. the number of positive — different indeed. the number of positive tests has been going up rapidty— positive tests has been going up rapidiy in — positive tests has been going up rapidly in recent weeks and the number— rapidly in recent weeks and the number of hospitalisations rising, too. number of hospitalisations rising, too a _ number of hospitalisations rising, too. a much slower rate and the number— too. a much slower rate and the number of— too. a much slower rate and the number of deaths remains relatively low. number of deaths remains relatively low the _ number of deaths remains relatively low. the devolved government is taking _ low. the devolved government is taking a — low. the devolved government is taking a very cautious approach. restrictions are continuing. if you are going — restrictions are continuing. if you are going shopping here, today, facemasks will still be legally required. there are still limits on socialising — required. there are still limits on socialising. for example, only up to six people _ socialising. for example, only up to six people from two households can -et six people from two households can get together and someone pulls my garden _ get together and someone pulls my garden and social distancing also remains — garden and social distancing also remains in — garden and social distancing also remains in place. if you are

enjoying _ remains in place. if you are enjoying a _ remains in place. if you are enjoying a nice weather with a meal or a drink— enjoying a nice weather with a meal or a drink in — enjoying a nice weather with a meal or a drink in a pub enjoying a nice weather with a meal ora drink in a pub —— imp enjoying a nice weather with a meal or a drink in a pub —— imp someone's garden _ or a drink in a pub —— imp someone's garden. ministers will be meeting on thursday— garden. ministers will be meeting on thursday to rubber—stamp the plans to ease _ thursday to rubber—stamp the plans to ease some of those restrictions on socialising a bit and also reopen theatres _ on socialising a bit and also reopen theatres and conference venues. beyond — theatres and conference venues. beyond that, ministers are suggesting it will be well into next month— suggesting it will be well into next month before they can begin to properly— month before they can begin to properly consider easing all restrictions, lifting lockdown once and for _ restrictions, lifting lockdown once and for all — restrictions, lifting lockdown once and for all. and it may well be into the autumn— and for all. and it may well be into the autumn before they get to that point _ the autumn before they get to that point that— the autumn before they get to that point that england has arrived at today _ point that england has arrived at toda . , ., , point that england has arrived at toda. , . , . still be well, for some people, the lifting of most of england's restrictions is not a time to celebrate. many people in at—risk groups say they feel abandoned. our health correspondent katharine da costa has spoken to three people who are immuno—suppressed about how they view what others call freedom day. 28—year—old holly van geffen from leicester suffers from cystic fibrosis. six years ago, she had a double lung transplant, and takes immunosuppressants to stop her body rejecting them.

she's been shielding since the first lockdown in march last year. it's had a huge impact on my mental health. i've had days where i'vejust cried. it's been really tough, logging on to social media and seeing my friends all go out to parties. do you think there's been enough guidance and support for people with a weakened immune system? we've been told to try to avoid people who have not yet had both doses of the vaccine, or any doses. well, that's very difficult. they've told us to go shopping, if we like, at quieter times. it's now the summer holidays — i don't know when those quieter times are going to be. so i am just going to have to stay home, shielding, really, but without the support. it's difficult — i feel very abandoned right now. chris sandon's garden's become his sanctuary for the last 16 months. the 79—year—old from sheffield is currently undergoing chemotherapy, after his prostate cancer returned. the treatment�*s knocked out his immune system, so he's having to be extremely careful.

we couldn't meet the grandchildren and give them a hug, you know, all this sort of thing. it impacts on your mental being and your health generally, and you just get very, very down. chris and his wife should have been going off to the cotswolds today, but they cancelled their holiday, because of concerns not everyone would be wearing masks at the hotel. i can't take the risks to go and mix indoors in a crowded hotel with other people who probably will not be wearing masks — and neither will the staff. yay! 39—year—old delyth parton from west bromwich had her third child in the first lockdown last march. delyth has lupus, and takes immunosuppressants to stop her body attacking itself. it's meant shielding away from friends and family. i've found it really hard without my parents and my support bubble. my husband's brilliant but, you know, new baby on your own, five of us stuck in a small house for the best part of a year with no respite — it's been horrible, it's just been awful.

how do you feel about so—called freedom day? you can already see it — a lot less masks in shops now, people are sort of on top of each other. let's alljust keep a lid on it, just for a little bit, and let's alljust keep each other safe — because that's the kindest thing that we can do for each other — and then everybody can enjoy freedoms. katherine da costa, bbc news. our political correspondent, iain watson, is in westminster. let's discuss the changes. how big a risk is today, the changes in england, for the prime minister? i england, forthe prime minister? i think it is a huge political gamble for the prime minister because in the past when restrictions were eased, case numbers were falling but now they are rising sharply and, as if to symbolise this, the health secretary himself is a course self isolating with covid and after a false start, the prime minister and chancellor are also self isolating is close contact. i am told the

prime minister has actually tested negative for covid. since mitt later want to increase the political pressure on the prime minister. in the past sometimes keir starmer has been criticised by some in his own ranks for not being critical enough of the prime minister. today he certainly got very personal, accusing borisjohnson of creating mayhem and saying he wasn'tjust reckless or incompetent, sane, actually, he was dangerous, too. it is very clear that as case numbers continue to rise, sallyjess will continue to rise, sallyjess will continue to rise, labour are not prepared to give the government any cover and are prepared to lay the blame very firmly at the prime minister kudla. the government argument to locking is this. if not now, when? there will always be an exit wave is restrictions are lifted so it is much better to have that in the summer when there is less pressure on the nhs. but prime minister is also facing a political risk notjust minister is also facing a political risk not just from minister is also facing a political risk notjust from the disease but from the disruption to businesses, public services as they face the prospect of perhaps hundreds of

thousands of people self isolating every day. what is interesting about this is the government is currently standing firm against pressure from some of its own mps bring forward from august 16 the replacement of self isolation with daily testing for those who have been double jabbed but i have to say, if we have learned one thing, this pandemic has huge habit of making ministers reconsider their political decisions.— reconsider their political decisions. . ., ~ , ., the prime minister will be remotely hosting the downing street press conference this afternoon at 5pm. you can see full coverage of that from az30pm on bbc news and bbc one. with me now is our medical editor, fergus walsh. cases on the rise, we reflect on that. your thoughts, given the changes today. aha, that. your thoughts, given the changes today.— that. your thoughts, given the changes today. a huge amount of uncertainty _ changes today. a huge amount of uncertainty about _ changes today. a huge amount of uncertainty about how _ changes today. a huge amount of uncertainty about how high - changes today. a huge amount of uncertainty about how high this . changes today. a huge amount of. uncertainty about how high this wave could go. a lot of possible scenarios where we would see

hospital admissions, scenarios where we would see hospitaladmissions, daily admissions, rising to maybe 2000 per day. that would still be half the levels we saw in the winter peak. this should be much lower debt debt should be much lower butjust a small amount of variation in the effectiveness of the vaccines could make a big difference in terms of hospital admissions. we will also get an announcement from thejcvi, the body get an announcement from the jcvi, the body that advises on vaccinations and they are likely to say that vulnerable 12 to 15—year—olds may well be in line for getting the jab. at the moment if you are 16 and 17 and have a medical condition then you can already have the vaccine, but no blanket immunisation offered to teenagers. all rights, fergus, thank you very much. fergus walsh. our top story this lunchtime: after 16 months, most of england's

coronavirus rules are eased — thousands take advantage of the midnight unlocking, saying they wanted to return to normality. i've had my vaccines, i want to have a good time, hun. so excited! so excited, can't wait for it. it'sjust, like, a relief, after such a long time | just to have freedom. coming up on the bbc news channel... mark cavendish says he needs to think about his future after rolling back at the years at the tour de france — winning the sprinters green jersey for the first time in a decade. they were meant to be among the first to be immunised against covid—19, but health and care workers are being left behind in efforts to vaccinate the world — according to the international council of nurses. new figures suggest tens of millions of frontline workers have yet to be fully vaccinated worldwide. our global health correspondent,

tulip mazumdar, reports. ever since this outbreak began, health and care workers have been putting their lives on the line to protect ours. the world was caught woefully unprepared for covid—19. we've had doctors tell us that they feel like lambs to the slaughter. protective equipment was in short supply — some were reduced to using bin liners as barriers against the virus. now, more than a year on, as vaccines are rolled out around the world, tens of millions of those working on the covid front line still haven't received a single vaccine dose. you've got nurses and health care workers going to work knowing that there is a way to protect them, and nurses and health workers in other countries are getting that. people who are less vulnerable in other countries are getting that, as well. but they are being left behind. it feels that, despite all of the warm words of support, they in some way are dispensable or disposable. many countries are not officially

reporting the number of health and care workers who have died of covid, but the world health organization estimates it's at least 115,000 — that's around 200 deaths a day — though it says the true figure is likely to be much higher. and even though health and care workers were supposed to be prioritised for covid jabs as soon as they became available, only one in eight globally have been fully vaccinated — and the vast majority of them are in richer nations. i had my first shot, i'm currently waiting for my second dose. things have been very, very difficult on our part because we have been short staffed and then the number of cases that we are receiving each and every single day is so overwhelming. to see the suffering, to go physically through it again, the emotional impact again — at this moment, ifeel like... i feel most of us will not survive it mentally. health care workers around the world have staged protests about working conditions, pay, and a lack of protection

throughout this crisis. but there are concerns that governments may be reluctant to share the data of health care worker infections and deaths out of fear of facing legal action. covid vaccines are in scarce supply, particularly in lower—income countries. it's also these countries that tend to have precious few health care workers. the wider concern is that if they are not protected, that the communities they serve are also left more vulnerable. tulip mazumdar, bbc news. the uk and eu have accused china of carrying out a major cyber attack earlier this year. the attack targeted microsoft exchange servers, affecting tens of thousands around the world. let's speak now to our security correspondent gordon corera. explain more, gordon. welcome in the last coule explain more, gordon. welcome in the last couple of— explain more, gordon. welcome in the last couple of hours _ explain more, gordon. welcome in the last couple of hours we _ explain more, gordon. welcome in the last couple of hours we have _ explain more, gordon. welcome in the last couple of hours we have had - explain more, gordon. welcome in the last couple of hours we have had a - last couple of hours we have had a flurry of diplomatic activity, not just the uk, but now also just now

the us, australia, canada, new zealand, even in nato, all taking on china about what they say is vicious and reckless cyber activity. much of this relates to a hack on the microsoft exchange system earlier this year which was discovered and was thought to leave at least 30,000 machines around the world vulnerable, requiring a huge amount of effort to remediate that problem and the risk that the hackers and criminals could, if you like, jump and what the chinese have been doing in exploiting these systems. but it is also a wider attempt to call out chinese activity. us is actually indicting some hackers linked to the chinese ministry of state security for what they say is espionage, even linked to trying to steal economic secrets, details of the virus research in terms of and it vaccine. the uk and eu have also called out china about much broader activity. this is all an attempt to put depression china. it is understand officials have tried to confront chinese in private but now have

decided to go public in the hope that this might deter them from doing what they see as reckless activity but activity which china has always denied.— activity but activity which china has always denied. gordon corera, thank you- — at least 4,000 racehorses — the vast majority of them trained in ireland, and some once owned and trained by some of the biggest names in racing — have been put down in abattoirs since 2019, according to figures obtained by bbc panorama. the investigation also reveals how regulations which are meant to protect horses from a cruel death appear to be regularly ignored at one of britain's biggest abattoirs. darragh macintyre reports. last february, a picture of grand national—winning trainer gordon elliott sitting on a dead horse sent shock waves through the world of racing and beyond. campaign group animal aid — which wants an end to horse racing — said the picture raised big questions about the whole industry. what concerned me was not particularly gordon elliott being an idiot, but the fact there's a dead young horse below him. what were the reasons for that

horse dying in training? animal aid was already investigating — it set up covert cameras in one of britain's biggest abattoirs — drury�*s. over four days of filming in 2019 and 2020, the footage captured dozens of racehorses being slaughtered. when we looked at the footage, we were absolutely astounded at the sheer volume of young thoroughbreds. many of them had been sent from ireland. three of them had been recently trained by gordon elliott. mr elliott told panorama that none of those animals were sent by him to the abattoir. he said the horses had retired from racing due to injury, and were not under his care or ownership when they were euthanised in england. he said the first time he learned of their fate was when panorama contacted him. equine expert professor daniel mills found what appeared to be routine breaches of regulations — including a practice of shooting horses from a distance. to me, that's, you know,

completely out of order. if you're going to euthanise a horse, you've got to get the bullet in the right place. if that's representative of how they're being killed, then we've got a really serious problem. other apparent breaches of the rules included horses being shot together. drury & sons told panorama that they take great care to maintain high welfare conditions, and do not accept any form of animal abuse. they said all horses are humanely destroyed, and that on occasions where issues do occur, they take swift action to review and rectify. the bottom line is these horses, if they are to be euthanised, could and should be euthanised at home. this is unnecessary suffering. horse racing ireland said it places great importance on the welfare of horses. the british horseracing authority told panorama it is committed to high standards of care for racehorses before, during and after racing, and that it would carefully consider