A Burnley plumber known for providing free services to the elderly and vulnerable in his community has been forced to put his help on hold.
James Anderson, the owner of DEPHER – a company providing emergency plumbing and heating services to the elderly, disabled, and vulnerable for free of charge – has this week been announced the company is to suspend its services for the time being.
James has spoken out about the reason he’s been forced into making this disappointing decision.
DEPHER was originally set up back in 2017 by the Burnley native after his son sadly died at just 16-weeks-old, and he made promise to him that he would “be a better man” – and while his original aim was to provide free heating and plumbing services to those in need, the company has since gone from strength to strength, and James and the team lend a hand with almost anything.
Staff get around 400 emails every day from people asking for help, and in almost six years since being set up, the company has been able to assist more than half a million people across Lancashire, the North West, and the rest of the country.
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Burnley plumber who helps elderly and vulnerable for free forced to suspend services over costs / Credit: The Manc Group
But while the services are provided for free to those in need, it of course comes at a cost for James and the DEPHER team.
And it’s the rising cost of living crisis that has proved to be the current roadblock for the company.
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James says that a “massive increase in demand” for their services as households nationwide grapple with finances has meant the company is running out of money each week.
Addressing the need to suspend services, James explained in a statement: “DEPHER will unfortunately have to postpone all requests for help with food, gas, and electricity. Due to a massive increase in demand, we are running out of funds very quickly every week.
“We will restart the initiative as soon as we find more support [but] we need to balance the outgoings for people who need our plumbing, heating boilers, and funeral support.
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“We cannot use everything on just food, gas, and electricity. We have a responsibility to a wide range of people around the UK.
As a community interest company, DEPHER relies largely on donations – with legendary actor Hugh Grant grabbing headlines for being a regular donor – which is why James is now appealing to the public for financial support as he “works hard to reinstall the initiative” as soon as possible.
Price caps and standardisations to be introduced for vet care in UK following major investigation
Emily Sergeant
Reforms to the veterinary industry to help pet owners better navigate the vet services market are set to be introduced this year.
After an independent inquiry group recently found that the current system is leaving pet owners ‘in the dark’, with a lack of information to help make informed decisions leading to weak competition and high prices, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has this week concluded its investigation into veterinary services for household pets in the UK.
The final report green-lights a package of measures to make the market more competitive, easier to navigate, and more responsive to pet owners’ needs.
It outlines the final remedies and recommendations, which together, will transform the market.
Remedies and recommendations in the report range from price caps and standardisations, through to upfront cost transparency.
We’ve set out major reforms to the UK’s veterinary sector now our market investigation is complete.
Our reforms will help pet owners better navigate the vet services market and will start coming into force later this year.
— Competition & Markets Authority (@CMAgovUK) March 24, 2026
Practices will soon be required to publish a comprehensive price list for standard services – including consultations, common procedures, diagnostics, written prescriptions and cremation options – so pet owners know up-front how much certain services are expected to cost.
They’ll also have to make it clear whether they are part of a group or an independent business, and provide a written estimate in advance for any treatment expected to cost £500 or more (including aftercare costs), plus an itemised bill.
Written prescription fees are set to be capped at £21 for the first medicine, and then £12.50 for any additional medicines.
Price caps and standardisations are set to be introduced for vet care in UK / Credit: Pxhere
There’s also set to be changes to the complaints process, as practices will now be required to follow a transparent, accessible, in-house complaints process, and engage in mediation where disputes cannot be resolved.
The CMA says an ‘unprecedented’ response from both the public and the sector has helped to shape the final report.
The next step is for the Government to respond to the report formally – with Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Emma Reynolds, commenting: “We are grateful for all the work of the Competition and Markets Authority, and we will respond to the report and set out next steps for our proposed reforms in due course.
“This Government is focused on helping families save money on vet services by improving transparency and choice around pricing, so the public can make informed decisions about their pets’ care.”
Featured Image – Pxhere
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Police release footage of Manchester burglar who tried to evade arrest by hiding under a bed
Emily Sergeant
Police have released unseen footage of a Manchester burglar who tried to evade arrest and justice by hiding under a bed.
David Dale Thompson, of no fixed abode, appeared at Manchester Crown Court last week (18 March) where he was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to four counts of residential burglary at an earlier hearing.
The 43-year-old was caught early last year (15 January 2025) following proactive patrols by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) neighbourhood officers across Rusholme and Moss Side, who were in the area due to a high number of reports of burglaries in the weeks prior.
While on patrol, police spotted Thompson ‘acting suspiciously’ while riding a bike just before 5pm, and once officer subsequently followed him to a property on Boscombe Street, before calling for more officers to attend.
After gaining entry to the address, officers suspected something was wrong when they entered one of the rooms, and after lifting up the bed, they found Thompson hiding in the storage compartment attempting to evade arrest.
GMP has now released footage of the moment Thompson was caught.
Speaking following Thompson’s sentencing last week, Detective Inspector Natalie McDonald, of GMP’s Manchester Central Neighbourhood Crime Team, said: “This was a fantastic example of proactive policing, which has resulted in a serial offender now behind bars.
“We know how devastating a burglary in your own home can be and this shows our commitment to tackling them head on.
“If you have any information or concerns about neighbourhood crime in your area, make sure you speak to us. In the meantime, we have officers on regular patrols in areas that need us the most.”
Emily Sergeant -
16th February 2023 
