A CHRISTMAS market in the UK has been named one of the best in Europe.

Taking 8th place is none other than the UK’s Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market.

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Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market is located in front of Brimingham’s beautiful civic buildings[/caption]

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The market has over 100 stalls, a wide selection of German food and drink and free live music[/caption]

Set against Victoria Square and the new Street shopping district, the market is the largest authentic German Christmas market outside of Austria and Germany.

It’s organised by Birmingham’s sister city of Frankfurt with over 100 stalls selling traditional toys, ornaments, arts and crafts.

There’s also a wide selection of traditional German food and drink on offer, including bratwurst, pretzels, schnitzels, roasted almonds, glühwein, weissbeer, and hot chocolate. 

And a free live music programme with performances from German and Birmingham musicians takes place.

Rides and attractions include a Big Wheel, a Carousel, Danters AIR (a swing, spin and loop ride), and an ice rink.

But perhaps the most famous attraction of them all is a singing moose called Chris Moose.

The Christmas moose, a faux deer head, become quite the sensation over the years by belting out Christmas classics during the festivities.

He even has his own X profile, where he keeps followers entertained with hilarious pun-based jokes.

Some of his best posts include: “I had a great joke about German Christmas cake but someone’s stollen it.”

And: “What are the best Christmas jumpers made from? Fleece Navidad!”

People who have visited the market over the years have taken to Tripadvisor to share their thoughts.

One person wrote: “Had a wonderful time on our overnight visit to Birmingham Market.

“Lots of traditional German food and drink to try, with plenty of festive entertainment around. Queue’s were not too long either.”

Another said: “Look forward to this every year, gluwein music and fun.

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Perhaps the most famous attraction at the Birmingham Christmas market is a singing moose called Chris Moose[/caption]

“Also plenty of others bars around once you’ve had your German wurst and a pint or two.”

The city’s Christmas market was given a place in the top 10 by European Best Destinations.

The list comprises of 20 markets, which were ranked based on more than 590,000 votes of worldwide travellers.

Advent Feast at the Basilica in Budapest, Hungary was awarded the top spot, for its beautiful location, unique festive atmosphere, gastronomic adventures, and heart-warming musical and charity programmes.

Two more Christmas markets in Europe also made the list – London’s Hyde Park Winter Wonderland and Manchester’s Christmas market.

Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market will return to the city centre from Friday, November 1 and run until December 24.

In the mean time, here is Butlin’s ‘ultimate Christmas holiday weekend’ launching this year.

And here are some affordable December city breaks you can still book.

SNOOKER fans rejoice as the Wuhan Open 2024 is now UNDERWAY – with some huge names in action in China.

This morning’s action saw world champion Kyren Wilson crash out after a narrow 5-4 defeat to Guodong Xiao.

Elsewhere, John Higgins overcame British rival Zak Surety while Judd Trump sent Anthony McGill packing.

Fan favourite Ronnie O’Sullivan withdrew from the event last week due to medical reasons.

• Start times: 7.30am/12.30pm BST
• TV channel: Eurosport
• Live stream: discovery+
• Explainer: Full schedule and prize money

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Follow ALL the action from the Wuhan Open with our live blog below…

SIR JIM RATCLIFFE gave no update on Erik ten Hag’s future following SEVEN HOURS of talks with Manchester United bosses in London on Tuesday.

The Red Devils’ co-owner met with several key club chiefs in the capital following a dismal start to the season.

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X formerly Twitter / @itvnews

X formerly Twitter / @itvnews

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He was seen arriving for the meeting at around 9:30am, while Sir Dave Brailsford and sporting director Dan Ashworth were also spotted heading into the building.

Man Utd have their worst ever return from the opening seven Premier League games, picking up just eight points and languishing in 14th place.

Without a win in five matches in all competitions, Ten Hag heads into the international break with his future uncertain.

However, Ratcliffe offered no insight into the manager’s position after the meeting.

The Ineos chief, 71, left the venue via a rear exit at 4:45pm.

He then whizzed off in a car with blacked out windows, refusing to stop and answer questions.

This leaves fans no closer to learning whether Ten Hag will still be in charge come their next game against Brentford at Old Trafford on October 19.

If he is dismissed, he is set for a huge pay-off having penned a one-year extension in the summer.

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X formerly Twitter / @itvnews

X formerly Twitter / @itvnews

He will be entitled to a £17.5million pay-off, one of the biggest in Man Utd’s history.

Ten Hag’s assistant and club legend Ruud van Nistelrooy is favourite to become the next Man Utd boss on an interim basis.

Former England boss Gareth Southgate, ex-Bayern manager Thomas Tuchel, former Chelsea head coach Graham Potter, Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna and former Liverpool target Ruben Amorim are among the other contenders.

Man Utd considered replacing Ten Hag in the summer after the club finished eighth – their lowest-ever position in Premier League history.

But a shock 2-1 FA Cup final win over rivals Manchester City, adding to his 2023 Carabao Cup, temporarily saved Ten Hag from the axe.

Club officials held talks with Mauricio Pochettino and Thomas Frank over replacing the 54-year-old while he travelled to the FA Cup final.

Club chiefs also looked for alternatives during an end-of-season review in the summer, with Tuchel allegedly interviewed.

But ultimately, United performed a dramatic U-turn in June as Brailsford flew to Ibiza to hold a four-hour meeting at Ten Hag’s home.

Now, though, after a nightmare start to the season, the Dutchman’s time could finally be up.

And Tuchel has again been mooted as his replacement as the out of work coach seeks a route back into football.

A GRANDMA was furious after she was charged £75 for her oversized suitcase but ‘younger and good looking’ passengers were let off.

Maxine Haughian, 63, was stopped in the queue for her flight to Alicante by Ryanair staff at Leeds Bradford Airport.

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Maxine Haughain was stopped as she waited to board her flight to Spain[/caption]

The mum-of-two claims her luggage fit inside the guidance rack but “stuck out very slightly” by 2cm the side.

She was told that her suitcase was too big and she’d need to pay to place the luggage into the hold.

However, Maxine, a retired prison governor, noticed other passengers in the queue being let off for oversized bags.

She described one woman as “young and gorgeous” and even took a sneaky snap of her being let off.

Taking to Facebook, Maxine said she was “disgusted” with Ryanair.

“I’ve just been held up for 20 minutes because they said my cabin bag was too big and I must pay an EXTRA £75 for it to go in hold,” she wrote.

“It’s funny (not funny) how other bags that are exactly the same were allowed through without comment.

“It’s a good job I took the photo of this (gorgeous) girl pushing her case into the box and being allowed through.

“I’m obviously not young or good looking enough!” she fumed.

Maxine, who was travelling with her husband Jim, continued: “Eventually (using photographic evidence) I was allowed through. I’m stressed to high-hell and hope I can calm down and get into holiday mode before we land.”

Despite being pleased that she was let off, Maxine told Oxford Mail: “It was almost like letting me go justified what I was saying. I think it’s definitely a money-making exercise.

“I’m a bit older, perhaps he thought I would be compliant. A lot of people just paid the money.”

She added: “Several people had suitcases that looked exactly the same as mine and they were putting them in the rack and it was sticking out a bit, but they were allowed to go through. It was the inconsistency of it all.

The Sun has contacted Ryanair for comment.

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Her hand luggage didn’t quite fit inside the size checker[/caption]

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A younger woman, who had the same size bag wasn’t charged[/caption]

A MUM and her lover wheeled a toddler’s body around for three days in her buggy after she died from a “regime of escalating brutality”, a court heard.

Isabella Rose Wheildon suffered horror injuries after she was allegedly kicked or stomped on by 24-year-old Scott Jeff.

Jurors heard how the two-year-old is believed to have died on June 26 last year in a temporary housing unit in Ipswich.

But Jeff and Isabella’s mum Chelsea Gleason-Mitchell, also 24, allegedly kept the girl’s death a secret.

Ipswich Crown Court was told they carried on pushing her body around in a pushchair with the hood pulled up to shield her face.

The couple also allegedly took her corpse on a shopping trip to buy computer gaming equipment.

She was finally discovered on June 30 under blankets in a shower at the housing unit.

The court was told police officers had been greeted by a “very strong smell” when the bathroom was unlocked.

One pulled back the blankets to see the “face of a young child who was not moving”.

Prosecutor Sally Howes KC said: “He was aware of severe bruising on her face. She was cold to the touch.”

The discovery was made when a woman reported to police on June 30 that she had received a Facebook message from a “friend of hers”.

Ms Howes said: “That message disclosed that her friend’s daughter had died in her sleep three days before and was in her pushchair in the bathroom.

“That friend was the first defendant, Chelsea Gleason-Mitchell, and her daughter was Isabella.”

Gleason-Mitchell is accused of allowed her daughter’s death to happen as she “stood back, watched and did nothing”.

A post mortem found she had “extensive external traumatic injuries to the soft tissues of the body including head, neck, torso, limbs” and other areas.

She had also suffered fractures to both wrists and a “complex pelvic fracture involving several bones”.

Her cause of death was given as “bone marrow embolism caused by skeletal trauma”.

‘Regime of escalating brutality’

The court heard this “severe” damage to her pelvis was likely caused by “either kicking or stamping or both”.

Ms Howes said: “It’s the prosecution case that Isabella Wheildon was a healthy, contented, well-cared for little girl until Scott Jeff came into her young life.

“Towards the end of May 2023, he entered a relationship with Chelsea Gleason-Mitchell.

“From that time up to her death, Isabella was subjected to a regime of escalating brutality which was callous, cruel and ultimately fatal.”

Gleason-Mitchell and Jeff lived together in hotels in Great Yarmouth, a caravan park and “camping in a very small tent on Caister beach” in Norfolk before they ended up in Ipswich.

The mum told Great Yarmouth Borough Council she and her daughter were “homeless” and escaping domestic abuse from her ex.

She also falsely claimed Jeff was Isabella’s biological dad and refused a home by Bedfordshire Council for her and the youngster as she wanted to stay with her partner.

After moving into the unit, CCTV showed the toddler being pushed around in her chair, wearing sunglasses with the hood up, concealing her head, it was said.

The court heard the couple went with Isabella out on June 26, visiting a barber shop so Jeff could get a haircut.

They returned at 3.15pm with CCTV showing the youngster’s legs and feet moving in her pushchair – suggesting she was still alive.

The court was told this is believed to the last image of Isabella and that she had died later that day.

Jeff has denied causing or allowing Isabella’s death and murder.

Gleason-Mitchell has pleaded guilty to causing or allowing the death of a child but denies murder.

The trial continues.

FOOTAGE of notorious shock jock Howard Stern in blackface has resurfaced as he prepares to interview Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris.

The Sirius XM radio host is no stranger to controversy, with some branding his past behavior as racist, misogynistic, and homophobic.

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Donald Trump, Melania Trump, Beth Ostrosky, and Howard Stern[/caption]

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Trump and Stern have been friends for decades[/caption]

Among the high-profile incidents Stern, 70, has caught flack for, he joked about the Columbine gunmen, wore blackface, and got his long-time friend Donald Trump to talk about his “hot” daughter Ivanka.

In the run-up to his Tuesday afternoon interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, a video of Stern wearing blackface has been widely shared.

Harris’ decision to appear on Stern’s show, after avoiding a number of mainstream media appearances, has been slammed by Republicans.

Matt Terrill – former chief of staff for Marco Rubio’s presidential campaign, told The U.S. Sun “no interview can fix” her issues connecting with voters.

The 1993 video of Stern was a reference to Ted Danson, who had recently worn blackface during the roast of Whoopi Goldberg, his then-girlfriend, at the Friars Club.

Stern wore black face paint and a wig similar to Ted Danson’s hair and also used a number of racial slurs in response to questions from his sidekick Robin Quivers.

Years later, Stern didn’t apologize for the sketch, but admitted he would do things differently.

“Would I go about it the same way now?” he said. “Probably not.”

In an appearance on The View, Stern claimed he had never used the N-word on air, which led to the clip of him in blackface to resurface.

People have reacted in outrage to the resurfaced video.

“I can’t believe I’ve never seen this until today,” one user on X, formerly known as Twitter, wrote. “How did he get away with this? Wow.”

“There was nothing funny at all about this,” wrote another. “The ‘shock’ isn’t even funny. Who wrote this and thought it was good enough to put on the air?”

“I never understood why Howard Stern was so popular or why he became so successful,” wrote a third. “He wasn’t witty, he wasn’t warm, he had no insights.

“He was just boorish and crude,” they added.

Throughout his career, Stern has courted controversy. These are some of his biggest scandals.

You become a madman, and that’s who I was.

Howard Stern

TRUMP CALLS IVANKA A ‘PIECE OF A**’

In 2004, Stern’s long-term pal Donald Trump appeared on the show.

Trump tells the host, “My daughter is beautiful, Ivanka.”

Stern agrees, adding, “Can I say this? A piece of a**.”

“Yeah,” Trump replies.

In another appearance on the show from 2006, Stern asks Trump if Ivanka had ever got breast implants.

“No, she didn’t,” Trump responded. I mean, I would know if she did.”

When Stern said Ivanka looked “more voluptuous than ever,” Trump replied, “She’s actually always been very voluptuous.”

Stern and Trump have been friends for decades, despite their divergent political views.

In 2017, Stern said on his show that the job would be a “nightmare” for Trump because he wants “to be loved,” by everyone.

“He does want people to really love him,” Stern said. “And that drives him a lot. I think that he has a very sensitive ego.”

COLUMBINE SCANDAL

Days after the Columbine High School shooting in 1999, Stern questioned why the two gunmen hadn’t sexually assaulted their female classmates before taking their own lives.

“Did those kids try to have sex with any of those good-looking girls?” Stern asked on air. “They didn’t even do that?

“At least if you’re going to kill yourself and kill the kids, why wouldn’t you have some sex?

“If I was going to kill some people, I’d take them out with sex.”

In the wake of his comments, Stern was dropped by numerous advertisers.

He also faced calls for a public apology from the Colorado legislator.

SELENA MURDER

In April 1995, Stern joked about the recent murder of Mexican-American singer Selena.

During a broadcast, he played some of her music with the sound of gunshots dubbed over it and made racist remarks.

“This music does absolutely nothing for me,” he said. “Alvin and the Chipmunks have more soul.”

He added, “Spanish people have the worst taste in music. They have no depth,” before mocking her fans.

Stern faced multiple calls for a boycott, and various Latino groups denounced his comments as racist.

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Stern, 70, is interviewing Kamala Harris[/caption]

RODNEY KING

The acquittal of the LAPD officers filmed brutally beating Rodney King in 1991 triggered six days of rioting in Los Angeles.

In the wake of the riots, Stern described King as “a blight on society.”

He also said in his memoir that the officers should have beaten King more.

PARIS HILTON

In 2004, Stern interviewed Rick Salomon about the “sex tape” he made with Paris Hilton the previous year.

During the interview, he allowed a caller to use the N-word multiple times, leading to his show being dropped by several outlets.

In the fallout from the interview, Stern left CBS Radio to join the new outlet Sirius XM.

Stern says he has mellowed with age and describes his earlier self as a “madman.”

Years later, he told David Letterman, “I had a lot of rage, and I was going to let that rage out.

“Which is great radio but really damaging to your personal life. You become a madman, and that’s who I was.”

ACTRESS Jenna Ortega has urged fans to stop mistreating the Addams Family plush toy.

Retail stores that stock the Wednesday Addams dolls are in disarray after TikTok fans leave their shelves filled the plush toy character without hair.

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TIKTOK

Hitting back

The viral trend for balding the Wednesday doll has got so widespread that one department store even put a poster up saying: “Do not flip Wednesday’s hair, you will be asked to leave”.

The trend has gained so much popularity that the actress felt compelled to take to social media to step in.

Jenna Ortega who plays Wednesday commented on one video saying: “Please don’t”.

Fans were left amused in the comments, and brands including Fanta, Play-Doh and La Roche Posay joined in on the joke.

The skincare company La Roche Posay wrote, “The way the dolls look like they were over it too”.

Another fan commented: “That’s not Wednesday, that’s Thursday”.

Jenna

WireImage

Jenna Marie Ortega is an American actress.

Born on September 27, 2002, Jenna started her career from a young age and was noticed after her mother posted a video of nine-year-old Jenna performing.

A casting director watched the video and signed her to an agency.

Jenna starred on the popular soap, Days of our Lives in 2013 when she was just 10 years old.

Jenna went on to pursue a role in acting and first received recognition for her role as a younger version of Jane in the comedy-drama series Jane the Virgin.

Netflix Wednesday

getty image

Wednesday is a coming of age story that premiered on November 16, 2022, and was released on Netflix on November 2023.

The series gained predominantly positive reviews from critics, who praised Jenna’s performance.

Within three weeks of release, it became the second most watched English language Netflix series, and went on to win four Primetime Emmy awards.

In January 2023, the series was renewed for a second season, which is scheduled to premiere in 2025.

The show was originally filmed in Romania, but the show is expected to film the second series from Ireland. 

AS ONE of the world’s leading young actors, Millie Bobby Brown enjoys a life of fame and fortune.

The Stranger Things star is know enjoying another aspect of life as a married woman, after getting wed to Jake Bongiovi.

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Millie Bobby Brown is married to husband Jake Bongiovi[/caption]

Born on May 7, 2002, in Palm Beach, Florida, Jake Bongiovi is best known as the son of musician Jon Bon Jovi and his wife Dorothea Hurley.

He is the star couple’s third child and second son.

Jake has three siblings – sister Stephanie, born May 31, 1993, and brothers Jesse, born on February 19, 1995, and Romeo, born on March 29, 2004.

Along with his family, he was raised in New Jersey and played football at Pennington High School

Becoming a model and actor

After largely staying out of the spotlight for most of his life, Jake hit the mainstream when he launched a modeling career at the age of 18.

He then dropped out of Syracuse University after his freshman year to pursue an acting career.

Jake has also perused an acting career and starred in comedy Rockbottom, playing a lead singer of a 1980s hair metal band.

Away from fame, he enjoys scuba diving and even got his license with his now-wife, Millie Bobby Brown.

Charitable Jake

Jake also enjoys giving back, inspired by his philanthropic dad.

In high school, he even organized a walkout in response to the Parkland, Florida, shooting.

“He’s really been some sort of an inspiration to me, as well, but I think it was really special that it was more the students inspiring each other,” Jake told People.

“Our bravery spouts from each other,” he added.

Meeting Millie

Millie first appeared on Jake Bongiovi’s Instagram in June 2021 after he shared a photo of them sitting inside a car.

The following month, the actress shared a selfie of herself and Jake posing in front of a sunset to her Instagram stories, with him doing the same.

In November 2021, Millie posted a blurry photo of them together on the London Eye, confirming their relationship.

Millie previously dated internet star Jacob Sartorius.

The big engagement

On April 10, 2023, Millie shared a sweet announcement that she was engaged to Jake.

In an Instagram photo captioned: “I’ve loved you three summers now, honey, I want ’em all.”

She previously explained that they met online, saying:  “We met on Instagram. And we were friends for a bit, and then, what can I say?”

The exact date of their engagement is unknown.

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The happy couple are now married[/caption]

Married life

On May 24, 2024, The US Sun revealed that Millie and Jake had secretly tied the knot in a romantic, low-key ceremony earlier that month.

Their parents, including Jake’s rock star dad, were in attendance.

“It was a very low-key, romantic affair with their closest family with them as they said their vows,” said the source.

Bon Jovi had given the couple his blessing in 2023, during an appearance on Radio Andy, calling Millie “wonderful” and saying his son was “very, very happy,” as reported by People.

“I don’t know if age matters,” the Bon Jovi frontman said, referring to the young couple.

“If you find the right partner and you grow together… my advice really is growing together is wise.”

“I think that all of my kids have found people that they think they can grow together with and we like them all,” he added.

ANGEL Reese is getting heat for an outfit she wore to an NFL game.

Reese is a self-proclaimed Baltimore Ravens fan, but her outfit showed other allegiances on Sunday.

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Angel Reese was decked out in Chicago Bears gear on Sunday[/caption]

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Reese is a self-proclaimed Baltimore Ravens fan[/caption]

Reese was decked out in Chicago Bears gear on Sunday and was on the sidelines before their game against the Carolina Panthers kicked off.

She featured on the team’s X account before the game too, giving a shoutout to the team before the game started.

“Hey guys, it’s Angel Reese here,” Reese said.

“I’m here at the Bears game today. Bear down.”

The Bears posted the video with the caption “The Bayou Barbie is in the building.”

Reese had a custom bears jersey with her name on the back and the No. 5.

The WNBA rookie sensation was also at a Ravens game this season, and Bleacher Report claimed she was on an “NFL tour” this season.

However, she was quick to shut down that idea with a reply on social media.

“I’m from baltimore but i live in chicago,” she wrote.

“This ain’t no tour sorry!”

Reese’s fans were quick to back her up too, showing her love for visiting the NFL teams.

“Can’t even go to a game without making a controversy. Angel Reese special,” one fan said.

“Two cities, one queen!” another fan said.

“You the Bayou Barbie, we gotta get you a Saints jersey too,” a third fan said.

“Repping Baltimore and holding it down in Chicago! Keep shining, Angel!” a fourth fan said.

“Talk to em queen,” a fifth fan said.

Reese had a spectacular rookie season for the Chicago Sky, where she came in second place for Rookie of the Year.

She averaged 13.6 points, 13.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game. She set the WNBA record for consecutive double-doubles.

Reese was named to both the All-Star team and All-Rookie team this season.

Her season was ended early due to a wrist injury, otherwise she may have been close to winning the Rookie of the Year award.

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Reese plays basketball in Chicago for the Sky[/caption]

SEARCH efforts for a missing horseback rider focused on a body of water where investigators believe that woman may have fallen.

Meghan Rouns, 27, was last seen leaving her home in Helena, Montana, on Friday afternoon to go horseriding at the McMaster Hills Recreation Area.

Lewis & Clark County Sheriff

Facebook/Jake Martenis

Facebook/Jake Martenis

Facebook

The avid horserider uploaded a photo on her Snapchat account at around 4:20 pm, over two hours after she was last spotted, according to the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office.

But, by Friday evening, Rouns had not returned home, and her father reported her missing to deputies.

Rouns’ truck was found parked at a trailhead in the McMaster Hills.

We believe something happened that spooked the horse to get it into the waters. We just don’t know what yet.

Lewis and County Sheriff Leo Dutton.

As the search for Rouns reaches day four, deputies have focused on a body of water near where the woman’s horse and cell phone were found on Sunday.

Lewis and County Sheriff Leo Dutton said his team has deployed scuba divers to comb through a section of the Missouri River.

“I am with Megan’s husband and family now. We are concentrating our search on a section of the Missouri River,” Dutton announced on Monday.

Dutton told The U.S. Sun on Monday that they believe Rouns was thrown in the water after something startled her horse.

“We believe something happened that spooked the horse to get it into the waters. We just don’t know what yet,” the sheriff said.

Dutton believes gusty winds could have been a factor and ruled out foul play.

Rouns’ cell phone and a tracker were found in a saddle bag in the area where her horse was located.

Sheriff Dutton said his team was able to piece together Rouns’ activity through McMaster Hills using the tracker.

LARGE SCALE SEARCH

Since Saturday, several police agencies have been assisting the Lewis and County Sheriff’s Office in its search for Rouns.

Helena police and the Malmstrom Air Force Base have deployed drones and helicopters while dozens of volunteers scoured the recreational area’s grounds on foot and horses.

On Sunday, a robotic-operated vehicle and divers were seen combing the waters where Rouns’ horse was found, according to NBC affiliate KTVH-TV.

Search crews brought in specialized dogs on Monday that could detect Rouns’ scent, ABC affiliate KRTV reported.

Lewis & Clark Sheriff deputies are urging volunteers not to interfere with their search of the waters.

Instead, deputies asked locals to focus on dense brush areas away from the shoreline.

PASSIONATE TRAIL RIDER

Family members described Rouns as a passionate trail rider who holds a strong bond with her horse, according to KRTV.

“Thinking about that of if this was your family member, if this was your spouse, your daughter, sister, whatever,” volunteer Gabrielle Murphy told the outlet.

“I think that is the importance of volunteering. If we do not have community, we do not have anything.”

Rouns was last seen wearing blue jeans, a black shirt, and possibly a gray hoodie and baseball cap.