Shropshire Star Saturday Example

Saturday,April 13,2024

COUNTY EDITION

WE’REWINNERS!

Neighbours pickup£1millionprize potafter scooping Postcode Lottery

WelcometoMillionaire Street in Shropshire, wherethe neighbours have hitthe jackpot.

Seven households in thestreet in Telfordhaveshareda smallfortuneafter they wonthe Postcode Lottery.

Sixofthempickedup cheques for£125,000–and onestruck luckywith£250,000

Stunned Elise Buswellgrabbed thebiggestwin becauseshe had managed to buytwo ticketsby mistake.

Elise,28, cancelledone of the ticketsweeks agoaftersigning up fortwo in error, butdoubled her winnings anyway because it was still validfor this week’s draw

When told of thewin shesaid: “Ohmy God! I’mlostfor words Iwould have been happywitha couple of grand, to be honest.I’m shaking. It’s unimaginable l Mistake–Pages 4&5

Five men arejailedfor atotal of 122years overDPD driver killingintown

Five menconvicted of killing a 23-year-oldDPD driver in Shropshirehavebeengiven acombined prisonsentenceof122 years.

Aurman Singh washackedto deathin broaddaylightonAugust 21 last year He wasattackedbytwo gangsof masked menbrandishing an array of weaponsincluding an axe, golf club,cricket batand wooden stave. They hadtravelled from theBlack

CountrytoShrewsburyin order to carryout theattack. Four menwanted in connection with thekilling remain at largeand arebeing hunted by police

Last month, Arshdeep Singh,24, of Shaw Road in Tipton;Shivdeep Singh, 27,ofGreenfieldRoadin Smethwick; Manjot Singh,25, also of GreenfieldRoad; JagdeepSingh, 23, of Goodrich Mews in Dudley were allfound guilty of hismurder.

A fifthman,Sukhmandeep Singh, 24, of Peterborough,was found guilty of manslaughter afterheprovidedinformation on Aurman Singh’s whereaboutstothe gang while working at thesamedeliverydepot in Stokeasthe murdered man.

Yesterdaythe five menappeared before judge Kristina Montgomery KC at Stafford CrownCourt to face sentencing fortheir part in thekilling.

Judge Kristina Montgomery told thecourt themurder of Aurman Singh hadbeenan“actofhorrifyingbrutality”.

Shesaidthe four BlackCountry mengatheredwithfourother men and“finalised” theplanand that theweapons have been “carefully curated”tocause themaximum damage when “wielded with fervent aggression”.

l Specialreports –Page6

Crewscalled to car andmotorbike crash

Emergencyserviceswerecalledto acrash involvingacar anda motorbike yesterday.

Theambulance service, police and fire servicewerescrambled to GaskellCorneratHighStreet, Much Wenlock,at2.41pm.

ShropshireFireand Rescue Service said crewsmadevehiclessafe andassisted police

DOMINIC ROBERTSON ChiefReporter

Luckywinners of thePostcodeLottery sharetheir good newsafter they were told they hadhit the jackpot andwerepresented with bumpercheques

Trio chargedas cannabis found

Threemen have been chargedaftermorethan500 cannabisplants were uncovered by police

Thetriowerecharged with the production of cannabisfollowing the discoveryofa cannabis farm in ShifnalonThursday

Thegrowwas foundfollowing a warrantatanaddress just offthe Bridgnorth Road, with 579cannabisplantsseized.

Police said that when officers enteredthe building,432 mature cannabisplantswerediscovered,which have been given an estimatedstreet valueof£361,000.Officers later foundafurther 147cannabisplants at this address.

EdvinasTupolpvskij,22, of no fixedabode,Andrius Parnarauskas, 39,ofno fixedabode andShaun Wilson, 65,ofPriorslee Road, Shifnalwerecharged in theearly hours of Friday morning.

Allthree have been remanded in custody.

Woodlandfor sale at £30,000

Asmall compartmentofwoodland andpastureland in South Shropshireisonthe market with agents Hallswithaguide priceof£30,000 Rowton Wood at Aston-OnClun,nearCravenArms, which is ownedbyRichard Hughes, comprises 3.15 acresofmixed hardwoodsand a2.60-acre pasture fieldwithnatural water supplies on thesouthernboundary, adjacent to thelargerView Wood Thelandisaccessedvia a rightofway from thecouncil maintained minor road known as Park Lane whichrunsfrom Craven Arms to Rowton and Shelderton

Viewingisduringreasonabledaylighthours with aset of Hallssaleparticulars.The sale is beinghandled by PeterWillcock at Halls.

Police renewing appeal in search

Police have issued arenewed appeal to find aman they want to speakto about an assault.

West Mercia Police officers are lookingtotrackdown28-year-old LeeFarrugia–aftertheir appeal on March 25 wasnot successful

Aspokesman forthe forcesaid: “We’re keen to speaktohim as he maybeabletohelpwithour enquiriesintotwo assaults.

“The assaults took placeinTelford on Tuesday, February 13,and Tuesday,March 12

“It’sbelievedhemay be in Harlow, Essex

“Anyonewho sees Leeorhas informationabout hiswhereaboutsis askedtocall01952 214753 quoting reference383iof13February.

“Alternatively,information can be shared anonymouslywiththe independentcharity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or by visiting www. crimestoppers-org.uk.”

Pearls singer ElkieBrooksis revealed as festival headliner

DOMINICROBERTSON

Oneofthe UK’s most successfulfemalerock, bluesand jazz singers leadsthe list of finalartists announcedfor this year’s Shrewsbury Folk Festival

ElkieBrooks, whose‘Pearls’albumbecamethe most successful chartalbum by aBritishfemale when it wasreleased, will headline theclosing dayofthe festival

American bluegrasship hopband Gangstagrass will closeout thefestival’sSevernstage on Friday,August 23, with Scotland’s Peatbog Faeriesdoing the honours on Saturday, August 24

TheCelticSocialClub(France/ UK), London Afrobeat Collective, BellaHardy (trio),all female outfits HEISK, TheMagpies, Lady Nade andRoswell alongwithSidiki Jobarteh Trio andMazula(South Africa)are also in thethird and finalwaveofartists

Thefestival’sextensive line-up will combinefolk, Americana, blues andworld musicacrossfourmain stages from August 23 to 26 at the West MidShowground

It includes LadysmithBlack Mambazo(SouthAfrica),Mary Black(Ireland),EricBibb(USA), Beth NielsenChapman (USA), Ward Thomas,JacquiMcShee’s Pentangle, Mànran,The Longest Johns,ElPonyPisador (Spain), Mary Gauthier (USA), Le Vent du Nord (Canada),Kathryn Tickell &The Darkening, TheWanderingHearts, DreaminColors, The Pleasures (Australia),SuntouSusso Band,Ranagri,The HelloDarlins’ (Canada),JoshuaBurnell Band, NATI,The Hunch, JamesDelarre &SaulRose, RosieHood Band,Joli Blon,Winter Wilson, AnthonyJohn Clarke, The309s, TheLostNotes, Patakas andAlO’Kane.

AndDanishbandThe Sentimentals,which is markingits 20thanniversaryofmakingmusic together

with twospecialgigsonSunday, August 25,and Monday,August 26, hasannounced itsspecial guestsas StephenFearing (Blackie andThe RodeoKings)fromCanada, American singer songwriter Jonathan Byrd andMaryGauthier.

“Our festivalgoersknowthey will always discover somethingnew amongtheir favourite artistsand we’reproud to offeranincredibly varied programmethatappeals to so many musicaltastesand brings topquality artiststothe heartof Shrewsbury

“There’s more than 100hours of musicbut thefestival’sabout so much more thanthat. As well as thedance tent,festivals forchildren andyoung people,workshops, singaroundsand musicsessions, Shrewsbury is renowned forits friendly andwelcoming atmosphere. It’s just agreat waytospend four daysora day, listeningtogreat music, relaxing with friendsand familyand soakingupthe festival vibes.”

Thefestivalsiteislocated ashort walk from thetowncentre andalso hason-site campingand glamping, an extensivefood villageand festivalshop, craftfairand real ale, wine andcocktailbars.

Dayand weekendticketsare on sale at www.shrewsburyfolkfestival.co.uk.

Thefestival’sdance line-upfeatures12bands offering ceilidhs, bals andother socialdanceswitha rare ceilidhfromacclaimed folk duo Spiers &Boden Otherperformerswill be Abrevyn, BagasFellyon,Banter, CriduCanard, Club Débris,Crowdy Kit, EFDSSCeilidh Band,James Delarre, Saul Rose &DaveDelarre, MonsterCeilidh Band,Tom Moore &ArchieChurchill-Moss, Steamchickenand TheOakstoneTrio. DirectorSandraSurteessaid: “We’re delighted with this year’s line-upand thesheer rangeand breadthofmusic that will be on offer. Over theyears,our line-up hasdiversified from folk to include Americana, bluesand world music whichisall traditional musicat source

at centre of rowafter tragedy

Thewildgoats whichachieved worldwidefamewhentheyroamed emptystreetsduringCovid lockdownsare nowat thecentre of a majorcrisis.

It followsthe deathoffourof them afterbeing hitbya caronthe fast link road at Llandudno. They hadwanderedtwo miles from theirhabitat on therugged GreatOrmeheadlandand in recent weekshaveventuredeven further.

netFinch-Saundersisdemanding action before anymoreblood is spilled –humanoranimal. No onewill accept responsibility forthe Kashmiris –council,estate company, RSPCA, NaturalResourcesWales or National Trust. MrsFinch-Saunderswants the WelshGovernmenttobring in a lawwithguidelinestoprotect both goatsand public “Itisextremely sadthatsome of ourbeloved goatshavebeenkilled on theroads,” shesaid.

“I know this is averycontentiousissue.However it is my duty as member forAberconwy to ensure that constituents andvisitors aresafeand that thegoats can live in Llandudnopeacefully. Iwill continue to search forasolutionas this is not an issuetowhich we can turn ablind eye.”

Last year more than 150goats were counted on theOrme.

A“feralgoats management plan”was launched –withlittle effect

Elkie Brookes will be closing outthe ShrewsburyFolkFestival

Gangstagrass beingtheir uniquemusic. Picture:Melodie Yvonne ThePeatbog Faerieswillbeentertaining thefestival crowds

LocalWelsh Senedd member Ja-

Petition launched in fightfor school libraryservice

DOMINIC ROBERTSON ChiefReporter

Aprimary school headteacherhas launched apetition callingona council to drop planstoscrap the school libraryservice.

Tracey Cansdale, headteacherat Christ Church CofEPrimary School in Cressage, said theideaoflosingthe servicewas unthinkable– adding that it is ahugeasset,and something“we should be proudof”

It comesafterShropshireCouncil confirmed it is lookingatclosing the service, whichprovidesbooks andresourcestoschools acrossShropshire, andTelford &Wrekin.

Thecouncil said theservice made a loss of £30k in 2023/24–addingthatit has“no choice”asitseeks to cut£62m from itsbudget.

MrsCansdale, whohas been head at Christ Church since2016, hasnow set up apetitioncalling forare-think.

Shesaid: “I don’tthink anyone can understand it.Shropshireshouldbe really proudofthe libraryservice,itis an amazing service. It is likeatreasuretrove,itisnot just booksbut incredible artefact boxestoo.”

Sheexplained how thevariedresourceswerehugelybeneficialfor pupils, saying they hadborrowedaskeletontostudy last term

MrsCansdalesaidthe school pays £1,300intothe serviceeachyear–and receives access to around £800 of resourcesfor every£100spent

Return

Shesaidthatwerethe school to spendthe £1,300 on itsown books insteadthe moneywould providenowherenearthe same return forthe pupils

MrsCansdalesaidthatshe hadbeen surprisednot to be contactedtoask if schoolswerewilling to paymoreto retain theservice,orifschools would be interested in housing some of the resourcesifthe serviceisclosed.

Shesaidthere wasconcern that the quarterofamillion itemsheldbythe servicecould be splitupand lost as a resource in eventofthe closure.

Shesaid: “Asaheadteacher there hasbeennothing about ‘doyou want to payintoit?’. Iwould paymorebut I have notbeenasked.”

MrsCansdalesaiditwould be ‘short-sighted’ to withdraw theservice Shesaid: “All research showsifyou getchildrenlovingreading theydo better at GCSE.”

Sheadded: “Weshouldbeinvesting in ourchildren,itisveryshort sighted.”

MrsCansdaleurged people to add theirnames to thepetitioninthe hope offorcingare-think.

Shesaid: “Ifyou thinkofthe value of theresource they have got– there aremorethanaquarter of amillion itemsin theirstock,ifthatgetssplit up we will never getitback.Theywill neverbeabletorestore it

“Soitisreallyurgenttoget people signingthe petition andtoget councillorstoreconsiderit. We don’twantto lose it,weshouldbereallyproud of it.”

Thepetitionstates: “The School LibraryService –SLS –createexciting topic boxesand mixesofbooks to engage andsupport children –children in schoolsget excitedtosee theboxes come in andexplorewhatisinthem.

“Closing theSchoolLibrary Service will barely make adentinShropshire’sdeficitbut it will take booksout of thehands of children andentrench educationaldisadvantage.

“Pleasesignbelow andask the Counciltorethink this decision before this valuable resourceislostfor allfuturegenerations of Shropshire children.If1000 people sign then the Councilwill have to have adebateon this decision

“Wethe undersigneddemanda formalconsultationonthe decision to close theSLS,plusacommitmentto rapidlyexplore andreportonoptions to rehousethe existing libraryand maintain theservice in some form, within amonth andbeforeany actions aretaken to closeit.”

Confirmingits intentiontoscrap theservice KirstieHurst-Knight, ShropshireCouncil’s cabinetmember forchildrenand education, said it was oneofthe many “difficult decisions” having to be made by theauthority.

Shesaid: “The School LibraryService (SLS)isone such servicethat councilsdonot have to providebylaw andmanyother councilshavealready stopped.

“InShropshire, SLSoperatesasa traded service, whichschools canbuy into,and around twothirds of schools in Shropshire choose to do so.However,the servicesaw an annual loss of around £30,000 in 2023/4 having previouslymadealossin2022/3and the council no longer hasthe reserves to fund this.

“Aspart of thecouncil’s savings plans, it proposes to stop theSchool LibraryService from theautumn and hasbegun consultation with the service’s four employees

“SLS is nota public service, so publicconsultationisnot appropriate However,wehaveinformedall schools whouse theservice andare working with them to identify alternatives.”

Forinformation aboutthe petition visithttps://www.change.org/p/saveshropshire-s-school-library-service

Councilleadercalling forclarityoverthe name fordowngradedA&E department

Acouncil leader hascalledfor health chiefs to reveal what they will call thenew downgraded A&Edepartmentatthe Princess RoyalHospital.

TheNHS is currentlyimplementingtheir Future Fitproposalswhich wouldsee thePrincess RoyalHospital(PRH) downgraded from having afullyfunctioningA&E department

Underthe health authority’s £312 million transformationof thetwo acutehospitals runby theShrewsbury andTelford HospitalNHS Trust(SaTH) critical care will only be carriedout at theRoyal Shrewsbury Hospital

An IndependentReconfiguration Panelruled in January that transformationplansatthe RoyalShrewsburyHospitaland Princess RoyalHospitalcan continue.

Review

Councillor ShaunDaviessaid that this came afteralmosta year of thecouncil requesting thedecision to closethe Princess RoyalHospital’sA&E to be reconsidered

Thecouncil’s leader said the independentpanel,who conducted theirreviewvirtually,‘were very clear’ that theterm‘Accident &Emergency Local’ should notbeusedashesaidit“under-

minesclinicalsafetyand patient understanding.”

He said that thecouncil ‘immediately’ wrotetothe government andlocal health bosses asking them to confirm that they wouldnolongeruse theterm ‘A&E Local’ because of theindependentpanel’s concerns

“Despite almost threemonths passingIhavenot hadthe courtesy of aresponse from thegovernment, whichisnot surprising consideringhow chaoticthings areatthe moment,” said councillor Davies

“ButIamdeeplydistressed anddisappointed that despite conversationswithNHS leaders

locallytheyhavestill notcome forwardwithconfirmationthat they will notuse thewords ‘A&E Local’ formally.Moreimportantly they have notsaidthatthey aregoing to come up with anew titlefor that downgradeofthe A&Edepartment.

“Thisissomethingthatreally matterstoour residentsinTelford &Wrekin.”

Councillor Davies addedthat this came after20,000 people signed apetition, whichhedelivered to DowningStreet, calling forplanstobescrappedfor the downgradingofthe A&Eservices at thePrincessRoyal Hospital.

“Thiscon-trick of making peoplethink we’regoing to keep an A&Ebecause it’s called ‘A&E Local’ hasbeencalledout by an independentpanel,” addedcouncillor Davies

“Yet ourhealthbosses whoare at theend of theday civilservants, they don’tworkfor apoliticalparty,havenot come forward with that response.”

Councillor Davies addedthat thecouncil arechasing theresponse to asklocal health bosses andthe governmentto‘confirm what thedowngraded A&Efacilitywill be called’.

SaTH hasbeenasked foraresponse to thecommentsmade.

Apetitionhas been launched

Councillor Shaun Davies

NATIONAL BRIEFING444

Arrestsindouble murder inquiry

Threesuspectsare beingquestioned in connection with the murdersoftwo meninthe West Midlands sixyears ago.

JohnnyRobbins, 33, disappeared on March 21 2018,and is believed to have been tortured before beingmurdered.

Mr Robbins’ deathhas been linked by detectives to themurderofDanielShaw, 28,who was foundwithgunshot injuries to hischest in CoplandPlace,Tile Hill, Coventry, four days after Mr Robbinswas last seen

West Midlands Police said six menhavethisweekbeenarrested on suspicionofconspiracyto murder,whiletwo women and twomen have been arrested on suspicionofassistinganoffender.Three of themen arrested andare still in custody, while theother seven suspectsarrested have been released on bail whilethe investigationcontinues.

Pubs raiseaglass to drierweather

Hospitalitygroupshaveurged thepublictotakeadvantage of aweekend breakinthe spring weathertovisit localbusinesses whichhavebeenhamperedby monthsofexcessrainfall.

TheUKsaw 127per cent of theusualmonthly rainfall in March, rising to 162per cent in Englandand 179per cent in southern England, accordingto theMet Office.

So farthismonth, theUK hasalready seen 85 percentof themonthly averagerainfallfor April, with areassuchasWales andnorthernEngland having hadmorethan100 percent.

Emma McClarkin, chiefexecutiveofthe BritishBeerand PubAssociation,voicedconcern that an unseasonably damp spring washavinganeffecton footfall.But said shehoped that drierweather wouldencourage awider return to venues

WEATHER

Today

16°C (61°F)

Sunset: 8.05pm

Todaywill startcloudywiththe small chanceof alight shower,but these will clearinthe afternoon to leave sunshine

Tomorrow

12°C (54°F)

Sunrise: 6.12am

Sunday will seeamix of variable cloud and brighter spells. Staying largelydry, butturning cooler

Idoubled my lotterywin

DOMINICROBERTSON ChiefReporter

StunnedElise Buswell won£250,000 on thePeople’s PostcodeLottery by mistake–thensaidit wasdowntoher late dad lookingout forher.

Elise,28, cancelledone of the ticketsweeks agoafter signingup fortwo in error– butdoubled her winnings anyway becauseitwas still validfor today’sprize Now, themobilebarberreckons herWelsh dadRobertSeager–who died of cancer last May, aged 67 –is still helpingher

Elise,ofTelford,said: “I joined thePostcode Lotteryin December, butI accidentally signed up with twotickets.Nextday Igot two emails saying that I’dsignedup twice, butInever gotround to cancelling it untilaweekortwo ago.

“The timing’s been rightbecause I’ve still wonwithtwo tickets. But Ifeellikemydad’s always around me,thathe’smyguardianangel andhe’sthe reason that this has happened

“Hewas my best friend andunfortunately at theend of Maylast year Ilosthim to cancer.Hebattled it formorethantwo years, buthe lost his fightand leftabig hole in my heart.”

Sheadded: “I thoughtithad to be my dad. Iwas hisbaby. He wasa lotlikethatwhenhewas alive. He wouldhelpmewhenhe could.

“It’ssad that he’s not here to celebrate with me.But Iliketothink that he’s celebratingwithmein spirit.”

Windfalls

Elise andsix neighboursbagged theirwindfalls in Telfordafter TF1 5GNwon thePostcode Lottery’s weekly Millionaire Street £1mprize today.

Everyticket wasworth £125,000 ButElise doubled herwinnings with two.

Elise confessedshe rarely treats herself butisnow consideringher firstforeign breakin 10 years–and possibly anew car.

Shesaid: “OhmyGod!Thisis goingtohelpsomuch. I’mlostfor words.Iwould have been happy with acouple of grand, to be honest I’mshaking.It’sunimaginable.

“I’venot been on holidayfor 10 years. Anywhere is fine.EvenWales wouldbe fine.The only holidayI’ve ever hadabroadwas Greece. Iloved that,soImightgotoGreece again. ButIwouldn’tmindtryingBe-

nidorm.” Sheadded: “I neverreally treat myself.My kind of treat is a newHoover.But Imightevenget a newcar now.”

Elise also planstoinclude hertwo beloveddogs–Polo, 10,aHusky/ Malamutecross, and five-year-old Bentley, aHusky/Boxercross–in thecelebrations.

Shesaid: “Mytwo dogs aremy luckycharms. They’llget lots of chewsand toys.”

Andshe laughed: “I’llalsospend moneyonsortingbitsofthe house that they’vedestroyed.”

Sheadded: “It’salsoamazing winningwithneighbours. It’s nice to be able to sharethe feelingand excitement.”

Directly opposite,young dad JamesKingthrew hishandover his mouth, exclaimed‘Oh my God’ and boweddownafterhis £125,000 win wasrevealed, then said:“We’vegot twoyoung kids,we’ll make lots of memories forthem.”

James, 29,saidheand wife Sally mayalso speedup theirhouse-move planstoget more room fortheir six-year-old sonand daughter,aged three.

ThePlumb Centre managersaid: “I’m speechless andreallyexcited.Thisisabsolutelycrazy life changing.We’ve been thinking about trying to getaslightlybigger house.Thiswill help with that.

“Wetoldour parentsthatwe’d wonsomething buttried to stay grounded.I thinkmymum will faint.

“Our parentshavedonesomuch forus. It wouldbegood to give somethingbacktothem.”

Part-timecivil servantSally,also 29,said: “Thisnever happensto people likeus. It meanswecan do things we want to do now

“We’ve gottwo little ones and we’vejustoutgrownthishouse Acoupleofholidayswould also be nice…anywherethat’swarm. Hope-

fullyatthe endofthisweek!”She added: “Thiswill affect ourwhole family,not just us.”

Jamessaidhe firstjoinedPostcode Lotterytohelparange of charities.

He said:“Having thechanceof winningisgreat.But obviously the moneygoing to charitiesand giving back abit makesitmorespecial.”

Thecouplewill celebratetheir 30th birthdayswithinthree months of each otherlater in theyear.

Sallysaid: “James’isinOctober andI’m January. We’llhavesome bigcelebrations.”

Up thestreet,civil servantTony Ward,57, won£125,000 aftersigningup just five months ago.

Nowhewants to converthis grey VW TransporterT6.1–nicknamed Vera,afterthe Geordietelly detective –togoonretirement‘adventures’ with wife Lisa,51.

Thekeenrambler said:“Iwas goingtoconvertthe vaninthree

Dinner lady wins £3mmansion with £25raffleticket

Aformerdinner lady haswon the keys to astunning five-bedroom houseinCornwallworth over£3 million –along with £100,000 in cash –afterenteringa draw for £25.

Rose Doyle, 73,has wonthe latestOmaze Million PoundHouse Draw –and is now theproud owner of acoastal retreat complete with a

hottub andpanoramic viewsofthe surroundingCornish countryside

Theluxurious property comes mortgage free andwithall legal fees covered Rose,who livesinthe Midlands, hasalso been given awhopping £100,000 in cash to help hersettle in

If thegrandmother-of-four decidestorentitout,local estate agents estimate that theproperty couldachieve along-term rental valueofbetween £3,000 -4,000 per month.

Rose,who boughther winning

Shecan decide to either live in thehouse,rentitout forasupplementaryincomeorsellittobecome acashmulti-millionaire.

entryfor just£25,retired from her jobasa salesassistant at an insurance resale companyafter17years Shealso hadasecond jobas adinner lady at alocal primary school

Herhusband Tony,65, has workedasa gasengineerfor the past 25 yearsbut is eyeing up an earlierretirementaftertheir big

Tony andLisasaidtheywillhelptheir childrenafter thebig moneywin

PlumbCentremanager James King couldn’t believehow much he hadwon

OverjoyedElise Buswelldoubledher winnings

thanks to ticket mistake

years, butI mightdoitsoonernow Iamdue to retire in threeyears and thoughtwecould have afew adventuresinthe van.”

He hasalready been quoted around £20,000 to installakitchen, apop-uproofand solarpanels.

Tony said:“It wouldbehigh-spec, thewhole shebang. I’ve been planning to travelthe NorthCoast 500 foralongtime.

“We’dalsolovetodoCountyKerry in Ireland. Butthe Amalfi Coast is also on thelist.”

Dad-of-one Tony,whose daughter is duetogivebirth to twinslater this year,saidtheywill also help thefamily– includingLisa’sson anddaughter.

Afterbeing presentedwithhis cheque,hesaid: “OhmyGod!Wow! Iwould have been happywitha grand. This will help us alot and otherpeopleinthe family.

“Itwill take some carefulthinking. Thereare so many things to

win. Thecouple,who have been together for46years, have livedin thesamethree-bedroom house in Birmingham whichtheyboughtfor £15,000 44 yearsago

They have twochildrenand four grandchildren, twoofwhich –Blake, 16,and Rosie, 14 –are currently living with them

When Omaze firstcontacted Rose to tell hershe’d scoopeda prizeshe initiallythought shemighthave wonaholiday to Cornwall,and

thinkabout with that sort of money. Butwe’ll definitely be helpingour kids.”

Lisa,who works in school transport forchildren with special educational needs, said they love holidayingin Britain.

Shesaid: “Tobehonest, we love theUKand have ablackLabrador that goes everywhere with us.”

Nearby neighbour Michaela Poultersaidshe andpartner WarrenMcCarthywill take theirfour boys –agedseven to 16 –onadream trip to Walt Disney WorldinFlorida.

Perfume shop supervisorMichaela,36, said:“This is aboutmaking memoriesfor theboys. We want to take them to Disney in Floridafor a once-in-a-lifetimeholiday.”

Kitchen fitter Warren,45, said they mightalso splash outonanew car.

He added: “Thisismassive forus; it givesusfreedom.”

hadnoideashe’d actually wonthe grandprize.

Rose said:“I’ve been an Omaze subscriber fora whileand to be honest,because IknowI’veentered everydrawautomatically,Idon’t keep trackofall thehouseseach time,sohad no clue what we’d won at first.

“Wethought maybeitwas alittle holidaytoCornwallora fewhundred pounds –wedidn’tthink for oneminutethatwe’dwon a£3mil-

Postcode Lotteryambassador Matt Johnsonsaid: “Telford is famous forits industrial heritage Andwebrought happinessonan industrial scaletoalittlecornerof thetown.”

Allofthe Telfordwinnerstoldof theirpride at helpingout local, national andinternational charities by beingplayers of People’s Postcode Lottery.

Andone localorganisationhas benefitted from theirwinsafter beingawarded £50,000 by Postcode CommunityTrust Volunteer-ledTelford Crisis Support createsand distributesemergencyparcels to variouscollection points acrossthe borough of Telford andWrekintosupport individuals andfamilies in financialcrisis.

Operations manager Simon Lellow said:“Thanks to thegenerous funding, we cancontinuetocombat financialpoverty andensurethat allthose identified andreferred

lion poundhouse there– things like this just don’thappentopeoplelike us.Whentheyconfirmed theprize I wasanemotional wreck.

“All ourneighbourscameout into thestreettosay congratulationsthey were allsohappy forus– they know how much this winmeans to ourfamily. Thewhole thingstill feelslikeadream –wekeepexpectingsomeone to wake us up any moment.” Sheadded: “I’llnever get boredofwalking onto thebalcony.”

Ex-militaryman avoidsjailafter stabbingtraveller in drunkenrow

Aman whostabbed atraveller in a drunkenbrawl outsideapub avoided an immediateprisonsentenceafterajudge heardhehad servedhis countryinthe armedforces.

RichardDavies, aged 52,of Greenfields Gardens, Shrewsbury, hadpleaded guilty to unlawfully wounding theman outsideThe Albion pub in Castle Foregate after using aracial slur on October16, 2021 Judge AnthonyLowedecidedona suspended sentence at Shrewsbury CrownCourt aftercareful thought on Thursday

Thecourt wastoldbyprosecuting barristerCharles Crinionthatthe offencehad been headingfor trialin March untilDaviesaccepted oneof threecharges he faced at thetime.

Thevictim, aself-employedgardener, hadbeenwithagroup celebratingabirthdayatthe Albion.Mr Crinionsaidthat“banter gotabit heated”inthe pubbut everything hadcalmeddown. It involved the used of afourletterracial slur directed againstthe traveller heritageofthe victim

He went outsidefor acigarette butcould not remember what happenedexceptthathehad “blood spurting outofhim andontothe pavement”

Thejudge heardthatthe victim hadsuffereddepression, panicattacksand hadnightmaresevery night.

He hadalsoreceivedcounselling andwas nowunabletoworkand living on benefits andstruggled to support five children.Hehad sufferedshakesand notbeenableto socialise sincethe attack

by partneragenciesreceivetheir emergencyparcels as quicklyas possible.”

Last year alone, thecharity’s dedicated teamofvolunteers andstaff provided 248,000 mealstolocal people acrossthe boroughsofTelford andWrekin.

Strivingtobemorethanafood andbabybank, thecharity provides awiderange of relatedsupport servicesincluding apre-lovedschool uniformschemeas well as help with home energy andre-homing.

Simonadded: “The demand for ourservicesinthe localcommunity increasedbyathird last year dueto thecost-of-livingcrisis, so thefundingraisedbythe players of People’s Postcode Lotterycouldn’thave come at abettertimefor us

“Telford Crisis Supportisaholistically focusedand volunteer-led charityand we areextremely passionateabout helpingindividuals andfamilieswho aremostinneed.”

Stuart Jones,mitigating, said his client hadpleaded guilty on thefull factsofthe case afterpleadingnot guilty to othercountsand couldbe given credit forthat.

Judge Lowe agreed that Davies hadhimself been attacked andhad beenreactingtothat.

Mr Jones said hisclienthad a drinking problemwhich hadbeen madeworse by theculture in the military

“Hegrewupin an environment of alcoholbeing the childofalicensee,”hesaid.

Davies had joined theforcesand hada “good career”but hadbeen “engrossed”inaculture of alcohol

During theincidenthe hadbeen intoxicatedbut hadbeensober for twoyears andwas nowina “betterplacethanhewas before”after seekinghelp.

Theprobation servicehad judged himtobea “low risk”ofreoffending.

Mr Jonesarguedfor asuspended sentence

Thejudge addedthatitwas only “a matterofluck” that Davies had nothit avital organ.

Judge Lowe said hismilitaryservice to hiscountry “had to countfor something” andput it into hislegal balancingact

Davies washandeda12-month prisonsentence, suspended for18 months.

He wasalso putona120-day 7pm to 6amcurfewtokeephim outof pubs.

ningsafter forgetting to cancel one of hertickets bought in error, bagging her£250k Linda at TCS, packing afood parcel,which is supported by thelottery

Michaela Poulterand Warren McCarthy will take theirsons to Disney World

Rose Doylewih husbandTony

HowWhatsApp played arole in thehorrific killingofvictim

Themurder of DPDworkerAurmanSingh last year is thelatestin alistofkillingswhere socialmedia apps have played arole.

The23-year-old wasambushed by BlackCountry menArshdeep Singh,ShivdeepSingh, andManjotSingh, andJagdeep Singh,who were yesterday jailed for life for the killing,witheachtoldtheymust serveaminimum of 28 yearsunder lock andkey.

Thefourmen were able to locate andattackAurmanSingh after they were sent detailsofhis location andapicture of hisDPD deliveryvan,completewithits registration number

They were sent by aco-worker of his, SukhmandeepSingh of Peterborough, whohas been jailed for10 yearsfor manslaughter forhis role in thekilling

He hadusedthe messaging app WhatsApp to send thearmed gang –who travelledinconvoyin two cars, aMercedesand an Audi –informationabout theDPD van’s movements

Co-ordinate

Stafford CrownCourt heardduringthe trialthatthe men in thetwo cars also usedthe messaging appto co-ordinate theirattackinBerwick Avenue as they laid in wait forthe DPDvan to pass

Thejury, whichconvicted the five men, hadheard how when arrested, thekillers hadrefused to divulge their phone passwords to police, hamperingefforts by detectivesto access themessages on theencrypted app.

Both JagdeepSingh andManjot Singh, whohad bludgeoned AurmanSingh to deathusing an axe andawooden stave, hadalsorecorded themselves holding up their bloodiedweapons in thecar just aftertheir crime.

As shejailedthemfor lifeatStafford CrownCourt yesterday, Judge Kristina Montgomery KC said the menwereclearly “celebrating the demise of Aurman Singh”and she had“no doubt”the videowould have been shared,possiblyonsocial media.

It comesafter last month it was revealed that themurderersoffootballer Cody Fisher in aBirminghamnightclub used socialmedia appSnapchattoescalatean“insignificant”altercation on adance floorintoamurderous attack 48 hourslater.

TheformerStourbridge footballer innocentlybumpedintoRemy Gordon in Popworld,Solihull, on Christmas Eve2022.

Gordon used Snapchat to first identify Cody andthentrack him down to enactrevenge

Theapp is popularwithyoungstersasmessagesare automatically deletedand groups arecreated around certaininterests –Cody Fisher’s killerswerepartofa ‘ravers’ group.

Earlierthisweek, Gordon was jailed forlifewithaminimum of 26 years, alongsideco-defendant Kami Carpenterwho received aminimum of 25 years.

‘The investigationisnot over’pledgesdetective

Thedetective in charge of the murder investigationafter aDPD workerwas killed hassaid“the investigationisnot over” andhas vowedtocatch theremaining suspects.

Judge Kristina Montgomery KC jailed four BlackCountry menfor life yesterdayfollowing themurderofAurmanSingh on August 21 last year.A fifthman wasjailed formanslaughter.

TheDPD driver hadbeenbrutallyattackedbytwo gangsofmen while delivering parcels in Berwick Avenue,Shrewsbury.

Arshdeep Singh,24, of Shaw Road in Tipton;ShivdeepSingh, 27,ofGreenfieldRoadinSmethwick; Manjot Singh,25, also of GreenfieldRoadand JagdeepSingh,22, of Dudley areall nowservinglifein prison.

They were captured less than threehours afterthe murder of Aurman Singh while fleeingback to theBlack Country.

DCIMarkBellamy wholed the investigationintothe murder,said officers beganmobilisingjusttwo

minutes afterthe BerwickAvenue attack followingcalls from concerned membersofthe public

He told theStar: “Itwas in a residentialarea, therewerealarge number of people about as it was summer andthe school holidays, whichhelpedus.”

He said theoperationtocatch thekillers as they were fleeingthe sceneinvolvedthree police forc-

es –WestMercia, Staffordshire andWestMidlandsPolice–and he praisedthe workofone officer from StaffordshirePoliceinparticular.

DCIBellamy said:“We believed thecarswereheading from Shropshiretothe West Midlands,sohe took it on himself to checkthe rabbitrunsbetween thetwo counties wherehe came acrossthe Audi and beganfollowing it

“Thatcop wasexcellent on the day. He wassingle-crewed and knowingthata murder offence hadoccurred, took it on himself to follow that car, coordinate theresourcesand it ultimately resulted in thearrest.”

He said thethree forces,were assisted by theNationalPoliceAir Servicehelicopter.

West Midlands Officers were then able to arrest thefourmen aftertheyhad madethe “operational decision”toobserve them –which resulted in them getting footageof them dumpingone of themurder weapons in awheelie bin.

He said whiletheyhad quickly

caught thefourmen in Tipton they knew others were involved

He said:“We hadbeentoldthere were seven to eightmen in the streetsinvolvedinthe attack –and thanks to theintervention of the Staffordshireofficerwehad four offendersincustody andrecovered an axe, butthatwas just thestartingpoint

He said Harpreet Singh, MehakdeepSingh, Harwinder Singh Turnaand Sehajpal Singhwereall identified by officers scouring socialmedia andcheckingthe phone contacts of themen in detention.

Thefourmen were neverarrested aftertheydumpedthe Mercedes they hadtravelled to Shrewsbury in at thetown’strain station. But DCIBellamy said officers were still pursuing thesuspects.

“Withany murder investigation, you arealwaysfaced with getting justicefor thefamily. I’ve said to my team, we areathalftimeand we have thesecondhalftodo.

“The investigationisnot over UntilIget theothers, Iwon’t be satisfied.”

Heartbrokenmotherspeaksof family’sdevastation overloss

Themotherofthe DPD worker whowas brutally killed hasspokenofthe ‘unforgettable personality’ of hermurderedson.

In an impact statementreadto Stafford CrownCourt aheadofthe sentencing of the five menconvicted of hiskilling in Shrewsbury on August 21 last year,she said Aurman Singh wasa“beaconoflove,kindness andselflessness”

Kuljit Kaur said:“I find myself struggling to putintowords the depthofpainand devastationthat hasconsumedmesince thelossof my belovedson

“The news of hisdemise shatteredmyworld,leaving me astate of disbeliefand denial. Iclung to hope,praying that it wasall aterriblemistake untilthe moment Ilaid eyes on hislifelessform. In that agonisinginstant Ifeltthatmy very soul hadbeentornfrommy body replaced only be an unending ache

RICHARD WILLIAMS

of sorrow.” Sheaddedthathis death hadlefta “void” in both herand her daughter’s lives.

“The pain of knowingthathis brightfuturewas stolen by the handsofstrangersisa realityIcannotfaceand aburden Icannot bear alone,”she said.“No mother should ever endure theanguish of attendingher ownchild’sfuneral.”

Thecourt heardthe four men whodrove from Smethwickto Shrewsbury to carryout themurderwereall in theUK illegally and they couldnow face deportation.

DCIMarkBellamy,who led the investigationintothe murder of Mr Singh,saidthe four menwere“illegalimmigrants” whohad outstayed theirvisas

Stafford CrownCourt heardduringthe six-week trialthatthe four BlackCountry menhad allarrived in theUKin2020onstudentvisas.

Allfourhad droppedout of their studentcourses shortlyafterarrival in theUKand hadbeenworking andlivinginthe BlackCountry unlawfully.

Accordingtothe HomeOffice,the UK hasstatutory duties to deport thosewho have been sentenced to at least12months’ imprisonment, unless very specificexemptionsapply. Thefourmen arenot scheduled forrelease from prisonuntil at least 2052.

Judge Kristina Montgomery told Arshdeep Singh,ManjotSingh, JagdeepSingh andgetaway driver Shivdeep Singh–who shesaid “boreequal responsibility”for the murder –thattheymustserve 28 yearsinprisoneachbeforetheyare eligible forrelease

ShetoldSukhmandeep Singh withouthis “contributionthe plan couldnot have been carriedout with such predictedefficacy”and jailed himfor 10 yearsfor themanslaughterofAurmanSingh

Thejudge said themurderhad

been an “act of horrifyingbrutality”. Shesaidthe four BlackCountry mengatheredwithfourother men and“finalised” theplanand that theweapons have been “carefully curated” to cause themaximum damage when “wielded with fervent aggression”.

Theguilty menwho have nowbeen jailed,picturedfromleft: ArshdeepSingh,Sukhmandeep Singh,Jagdeep Singh,ManjotSingh andShivdeep Singh

DetectiveInspectorMark Bellamy

Parentsask forhelp aftershock at wait time fortonsils op

RICHARD WILLIAMS

Shropshire’shealth bosses have said no childiswaiting two andhalfyears fora tonsillectomy,after acoupleturned to crowdfunding to take theirdaughterprivate afterbeing told that’s howlongtheycould have to wait.

ClariceMcKenzieand herpartnerScott noticed daughter Billie hadbegan developing problems with hertonsils when shewas just sixmonthsold

Shesaidthe symptoms included repeat tonsillitisrequiring hospitalisation, choking episodes resultinginvomitingand their daughter wasoften “gasping for breath”.

Billiewas takentosee an ear, nose andthroatspecialist, andat theage of threewho diagnosed with bilateraltonsilenlargement Herparents were told that their daughter wouldneedher adenoidsand tonsilsremoved.

Butthe pair said they were horrified to be told by theirGPthat they were lookingatleast ayear’s wait anditcould be as long as two-and-a-half yearsfor therelatively simpleoperation

Telfordmum ClaricesaidBillie, whoisnow four,sleepsnext to asickbowlevery nightbecause herchoking episodes cause herto gagand vomitand displays other symptoms

Shesaid: “She is duetostart school in September anddue to herrestlesssleep is still napping at nursery forup to an hour anda half everyday

“Her restless anddisturbed sleepalongside poorhearing is causing poor concentration and poor behaviour. We were concerned this will begin to have

Burglary accused to appear in court

Aman will appear in courttoface anumberofcharges –including burglary

Gary Milner, 43,ofOrchid Meadow,Shrewsbury, was charged with burglary,two counts of false imprisonmentand assaulting an emergencyservice workerinPrees,Whitchurch Milner appearedatKidderminster Magistrates’ CourtonApril 6and is duetoappearatShrewsbury CrownCourt on Tuesday, May7

effectsonher education, development andconfidence.

“Our GP told us thatofficially it wasabout ayear’swaittohave hertonsils removed, buthewas brutally frankand said in reality we’d be lookingat twoand ahalf yearsdue to thebacklog andwe’d be better offgoing private.

“Wewanttowatch herenjoy beingayoung childand feel her medicalissuesare holdingher back.Weare both very proudbut we wanted to gether treated but knew we couldn’t afford it on our own.”

Shesaidafteralongdiscussion, thepairappealedtocharity fundraisingwebsite Gofundme and were stunned when friends, familyand complete strangershelped them raise the£4,700needed to take theirdaughterprivate

“Weevenhad one of Billie’s nursery teachersatStGeorge’s donate.Wewerespeechlessby

City wasideal place forsporting meeting

ThepresidentofSportAccord 2024 says Birmingham proved theideal platform forpromoting internationalsport

Theworld sportand business summit wasstaged at theInternational Convention Centre from SundaytoThursdayand wasattended by more than 1,700people from 65 differentcountries

SportAccord presidentUgur Erdenersaid: “Birmingham and theWestMidlandshavegiven sportanideal platform.”

Businesses

Historic race nowexpanded

AhistoricracearoundaShropshire

town will take on anew twistthis year

TheBayleyMileisa traditional road racefor pupils of Wellington schoolswhich startedinthe 1930s andwas revived27years ago.

This year,inanew twist,the

town’s businesses have been invited to competeinthe race on May8 andthere hasbeenanenthusiastic response

Thepupils’ race will startat 1pm andthe race forbusinesseswill start at 2.45pm from the‘swimmingpool east’car park

people’sgenerosity,” said Clarice, butshe addedthatparents should not be forced face thechoiceof raisingmoneytohavetheir children treated privatelyorleave them in pain foryears

Billieisnow settosee aprivate consultant in May.

TheShrewsburyand Telford HospitalNHS Trust(SaTH)said they couldnot commentonindividual cases, butSaraBiffen, Acting ChiefOperating Officer said:“Ican advise that no child is currentlywaiting fortwo-anda-half yearsfor atonsillectomy

We aresorry that some patients arewaitinglongerthanwewould likefor treatment,but canassure patients that they areprioritised fortreatment basedonclinical urgencyinorder of time waited

“Our newPlanned care Hub opensatPrincess RoyalHospital in June andthiswill help reduce waitingtimes forour patients.”

Artisanshowcase at shoppingcentre

TheDarwin Shopping Centre in Shrewsbury will hold itsartisan showcasefromMonday.

Theeventisinpartnership with theShropshireGrowthHub andBuy-Fromand takesplace from April15-20

Featured businesses include CallunaUpcycling,Coppermoss Jewellery, Gisela RobinsonArt, SarahCorkhill,IsabelBradley Designs, Mustardand Gray,The PerfumeLaboratoryand Peg Boarders

aregetting readytotakepartinthe runaround Wellington

BillieMcKenzie, agedfour,needs her tonsilsremoving urgently

Storethief,36, jailed yetagain

Aprolificshoplifterhas been jailed forthe thirdtimethisyearafter targetingTescoyet again.

ShaneChick,aged36, wasjailed forafortnight shortlyafter stealing £80worth of meat from asupermarket in TelfordonMarch 19

It didnot take himlongtoreturn to crime, stealing £100 worth of itemsfromTescolastFriday, April 5.

He waspreviouslyjailedfor 14 weeksonFebruary23thisyear afterlifting£293worth of Tesco stockinaspate of thefts.Hewas let outearly Chick, of Chepstow Drive, Leegomery,Telford, pleadedguiltyat Kidderminster MagistratesCourt to this latestcount of theft.

Deputy District Judge Vijaya MonrojailedChick forsix weeks andordered himtopay £100 in compensation

Shemadenofurther orders for prosecutioncosts

Bianca named award finalist

Abusinesswoman hasreceived national recognitionfor her work in thebeautyindustryand is nowgearing up forared carpetevent.

Bianca Perrett, ownerofthe mobile business Enchanting AestheticsinShrewsbury, has been namedasa finalist in the UK Hair andBeautyAwards.

Shehas been shortlisted in thecategoryofBestfor Aestheticsand said:“Iamsoproud to be recognized as aleading figureinthe hair andbeautyindustry.Itissucha huge boost andendorsement of my work.

“Afteryears of hard workand dedication,itisarealhonour to be nominatedasone of the topaestheticians in theregion, providingexceptional services whilepushing boundaries in the fieldofaesthetics.”

The finals areonJune1

Shoplifter must do drug sessions

Athief whostole meat andother itemsworth atotal of £270 in aspate of shop thefts hasbeenorderedtoattenda drugsrehabilitation programmeaspartofhis court sentence

Elliot Bigland,aged33, stole twicefromthe RedLionservice stationinWellingtonand oncefrom aOne Stop storein Telfordlast month.

Bigland,ofTalbotFields, High Ercall,Telford, pleadedguiltyat Kidderminster MagistratesCourt to threecountsoftheft

Deputy District Judge Vijaya Monrohandedhim a12-month communityorder,which includes asix-monthdrugrehabilitation requirementinvolving regulartests fordrugtaking.

Bigland wasalsoordered to do 20 rehabilitation activity days andto pay£40 in compensation No furtherordersfor prosecution costsweremade.

Galleryowner is teaming up with sculptor

AShropshiregallery ownerhas teamed up with aWolverhampton sculptor to bringnew an exhibition of both theirworks

AnnFraserwho runs theAngel Galleryin Broseley is displaying herwildbirdcollectionalongside theworks of Vivian Russell, who specialises in sculptures of thenatural world.

RICHARD WILLIAMS

Shesaidthe gallerywas the first to accept herwork.

“I wassoovercome by what she wasdoing,” said Ann. “It’ssodetailed andthe wayshe does it

“Her workreflects theloveofthe

naturalworld andthe fascination of thepastextinctions andthe destructiveimpacthumans arehavingonthe world now.”

Shesaidthe works canbeseen alongsidearange of artist’sworkat theAngel Gallery, 17 High Street, Broseley from Wednesday to Saturdaybetween 11am and5pm.

Manwas caught reading thepaper whilenaked at asupermarket

Aman wascaughtreading anewspaperwhilenudeoutside aCo-op, a courtheard

KennyChurch, aged 36, carried outthe “bizarre”behaviour by the supermarket in Telford.

Shrewsbury CrownCourt heard how,ataround5am on September 23 last year,officers were at the Co-opinStGeorges,Telford where they sawChurch wasnaked,reading anewspaper

That incidentcameabout six months afterChurchdrove away from police on theA442Queensway in TelfordonMarch 20 last year.He reachedspeeds of 90mph.

Church wasalsoincourt to be sentenced forstealing £140 worth of powertools from B&QatTelford Bridge Retail Park on July 20 last year,aswellasmakingoff without paying forpetroltwice

Church,ofStaffordStreet, St Georges,Telford,pleaded guilty to dangerousdriving,outraging publicdecency,two counts of making offwithout payment, theftand failingtosurrender to bail.

AlexaCarrier,mitigating, conceded that Church haddisplayed “bizarre”behaviour.“He said he gotinwiththe wrongcrowd and does regret hisactions,” shesaid.

Judge AnthonyLowehanded Church a13-month jail sentence, suspended fortwo years, anddisqualified himfromdriving for18 months.Churchmustalso do a nine-month drug rehabilitation programme.

Averagecar insurancequote up by over 61pc in theregion

Theaverage quoted priceofcar insurance in theWestMidlandshas jumped by morethan60 percentinthe last year, accordingtonew figures released today.

Therise,of61.2per cent,issignificantly higher than thenational averageof56.4per cent

Andpremiumsinthe West Midlandsare rising more quicklythan in allareas of theUK apart from London andScotland.

In February,UKdriversmost commonly received aquote between £500 and£749, insights firm ConsumerIntelligencesaid.

Thelatestannualrise in the12 months to February is lowerthan the67.2per cent recorded in the year to theend of November,itadded

However,itisstill thethird-highestannualincreaserecordedby ConsumerIntelligencesince it startedtrackingdatainOctober

sawquotesincreaseonaveragein theUKby0.5 percent, marking thelowestquarterly increasesince November2021. Some partsofthe UK,including Wales, theNorth East andNorth West of England, andYorkshire andthe Humber, sawquoted premiums fall over the quarter–but they arecontinuingto rise in theWestMidlands.

Theresearchlooks at theaverageofthe five cheapestpremiums returned on pricecomparisonwebsites.

Researcherssaidtelematicsproviders accounted for15per cent of thetop five quotes,downfrom18 percentin thethree monthstothe endofNovember.

Telematics policies usetechnology to measurehow avehicle is being driven.The policies help insurers to offerpremiumsthatare more tailored to theusers of avehicle

Amongthe under-25s,the proportionoftop five quotes from telematics providers droppedto36per

cent,marking thelowestsinceMay 2016,ConsumerIntelligencesaid.

JonathanFong, managerofgeneral insurancepolicyatthe AssociationofBritish Insurers (ABI)said:

“Insurersare awareofthe financial challenges customers arefacing andare determined to keep motor insuranceascompetitively priced as possible

“Our motorpremium tracker is theonlycollectionbased on the pricecustomers payfor theirpolicy, rather than quotes,and shows that theaveragemotor premium increasedby25per cent last year to £543

“Thiswas largelydriven by above-inflationincreases in thecost of repairs, thefts andreplacement cars, whichcontributed to insurers paying outa record £9.9 billion in claims forthe same period –anaverageof£1.13 million perhour.

“Asanindustry, we’recommittedtosupportingcustomers and findingwaystohelptacklethe cost of providingmotor insurance. Our 10-point roadmaptocombatthe risingcosts encourages greatercollaborationwithgovernment andrele-

vant stakeholders.” TheABI also said it hadcalledfor acut to theinsurancepremium tax, acostwhich is levied on insurers butispassed on to consumers throughthe cost of theirpolicies.

It haspreviouslysaidthat, adjustingfor inflation, theaverage totalcostofasettled carclaim hasincreasedby23per cent from £3,500 in 2014 to £4,300in2023. Over the same period, also adjusted forinflation,the averagepremium roseby eightper cent,from£505to£543, accordingtothe ABI’s figures.

ANNUAL INCREASESINPREMIUMS

AnnFraserfromThe AngelArt GalleryinBroseleywhere they have alarge selection of newwork on display

Fed-up residents waitingfor repairs to ‘danger’ road

Alaneconnectingtoa busy Shropshire A-roadisso rutted anddamaged that it is a‘danger’, according to fed-up residents.

Locals in theAffcotareanearCraven Arms in southShropshirehave been campaigningfor twoyears to get repairstothe busy lane completedbut it stillhasn’tbeendone.

Theauthoritiessay that thebad weathercausedthe worktobedelayed last month butinsisttheywill be back

Resident Nicola Apperley said: “There aresomanypotholesatthe junction that you have to go onto the othersideofthe road to avoidthem, whichisadangerifsomeone turnsin at thesametime.”

Sheaddedthatitwas also dangerousbecause of thelackofgripinthe road surface, andhavingtopull out onto theA49.The road is usedbylorries to localbusinesses.

“Itisdefinitely dangerousand needs to be done as soonaspossible. People have been complaining everyday for acoupleofyears.Theyweregetting complaints on adaily basis.”

MrsApperleysaidshe persuaded thecouncil to agreetoameeting with National Highways, whichwas held last autumn.Residents in thearea were keen to seea nice,smoothsurface once again.

In Marchthisyearand roadworks teamsarrived anddid some remedial workonthe busy A49.

Butresidents’excitementturned to despairwhenthe teamswentaway leavingthe side road completely untouchedand theA49 still in need of some work.

“The background storyisthatNational Highways said it wasn’t their responsibility andthe council said the same,sotheybothhad ameetingand agreed forthe highwayagencytodo it so we areexpecting the highwayagency to do it,” said MrsApperley.

National Highways,normallyonly

Fire servicewon’t attend automaticcalls

Midand West WalesFireService won’tattendautomatic fire alarmcall-outs from commercial andpublicsectorbuildingsfrom July onwardsunlessanactual fire hasbeenreported,ithas been confirmed

Fire chiefs said thechange will free up resourcesand they hadtaken stepstocommunicate it to organisationswhich would be affected

Some premises have fire alarms whichdon’t triggeraresponse from the fire service. But many premises have automatic

responsiblefor majortrunk roads, had agreed to carryout allofthe work. ShropshireCouncilwould then payfor thepartofthe workonthe lane that wouldnormallybeits responsibility

AShropshireCouncil spokesperson said:“Shropshire Councilofficers met with National Highways officers in autumn 2023 anditwas agreedthatNational Highways is responsiblefor the first10metresorsoofthe junction

“Itwas also agreed that National Highways wouldcarry outworkonall 24 metresorsoofthe junction with ShropshireCouncil paying them for theirworkonthe additional 14 metresfor whichShropshirecouncil is responsible. As faras we’reaware this is stillthe arrangement.”

Accordingtoaspokesman forNational Highways themanager who approvedthe workleftNational Highways,but theworkhad allbeen agreed

Butappalling wetweather stopped thecontractorsintheir tracksand it allgot delayed However National Highways has said it will be coming back to finish thework.

Joseph Walmsley,NationalHighways RouteManager,said: “Thisroad is theresponsibility of thelocal authorityand we were askedbyShropshireCouncil to carryout therepairs when we areinthe area resurfacing theA49.

“Our schemegot underway at the endofMarch butwewerenot able to complete allofthe workatthattime duetothe severeweather.Weare returninglater this month when we will also resurface thesideroadas requested.”

MrsApperleysaid: “It’sgood news really as long as it does nottaketoo long.It is notaquiet road, there are lorries goinginand outall daytothe businesses there.”

fire alarms whichdotrigger a fire serviceresponse viaareceivingcentre

Midand West WalesFireService said statistics showed that themajorityofsignals from these systemswerefalse alarms triggeredbythingssuchascookingfumes,dust, or inadequate maintenance.

Area managerand head of corporaterisk, PeterGreenslade, said:“It is importantthat commercialpremises take ownership of false fire alarms within theirpremises as is theirlegisla-

tive duty.Wewillofcoursealways respondto999 callswhen peoplehaveidentified that there is a fire.”

Mr Greenslade addedthatthe serviceattends in excess of 2,000 alarmactuationsincommercial buildingseveryyearwithover 99 percentofthese callsbeing false alarms

“Thisdisruptsthe community safety workthatthe servicecan deliver,operationaltrainingfor crews, andintroducesenvironmental androadrisksthatare unnecessary.”

Locals in Affcot near CravenArms have been campaigningfor twoyears

1668: John Dryden wasappointed the firstPoetLaureate.

1732: BirthofFrederick, Lord North,who as PrimeMinisterlevied thetax on teathatincensedthe American colonists andprovoked theBoston TeaParty

1742: The firstpublicperformance of Handel’s MessiahinDublin.

1852: FrankWinfieldWoolworth, merchantand founderofthe chain store, wasborninNew York

1882: TheAnti-SemiticLeague wasfoundedinPrussia

1912: TheRoyal Flying Corpswas institutedbyRoyal Charter.

1936: JoePayne scored10goals for Luton Town againstBristol Rovers on hisdebut as centre forward –arecordfor oneman in one game

1964: SidneyPoitier became the firstblack mantowin an Oscar for bestactor,inThe Lilies Of The Field

1980: Four days afterhis 23rd birthday, Severiano Ballesteros wonthe US Masters, theevent’s youngest winner

1990: TheSovietUnionadmitted themassacreofupto15,000 Polish officers at Katyninthe SovietUnionin1940.

ON THIS DAYLASTYEAR:

Britishmilliner Justin SmithofJ SmithEsquire madeareplicaof St Edward’s Crownmadeusing 319Scrabblepieces, in homage to theupcomingCoronationand thepopular word game’s 75th anniversary.

BIRTHDAYS: Edward Fox, actor, 87 (Pictured);Marjorie Yates, actress, 83;AlGreen,soulsinger, 78;Peabo Bryson,singer,73; PeterDavison, actor, 73;Stephen Byers, former Labour MP,71; Garry Kasparov,former chess champion, 61;RickSchroder,actor,54; Lou Bega,singer,49.

Hillsboroughcampaigners

MARK ANDREWS

Themotherofmurderedfootballer Cody Fisher,cut down in hisprime becausehe brushed up againstthe wrongpeoplein abar,has brandedher son’skillersweak, pathetic cowards.

Can’targue with that.But they arealso symptomaticofa widerproblem in society, of the fragileegosand hair-trigger sensitivitytoeventhe mildest perceivedslight.There have always been minor altercations in public places But generations ago they would have been settled with a bit of salty language andthenforgotten

Runner’saction call forHillsborough Law

Campaignersare urging politicalparties to put an endtothe “criminal abuse of power” by enacting alaw to help victims of majorscandals.

Thecallcomesasa runner starts atrekfromLiverpool to London for charity, as the35thanniversary of theHillsborough disaster approaches andjusttwo months aheadofthe seventh anniversary of theGrenfell Tower fire

MichaelParkin, knownasMik, said whilenot directly affected by either disaster,hewas movedto take action afterhearing aboutthe Hillsborough Lawcampaignand thedifferencemanyfeelitcould make

His227-milecharity effort –averaging30miles aday acrosseight days –started todayinLiverpool, andwill take in Manchesterand Sheffieldbefore finishingatGrenfell TowerinLondononApril 20

The52-year-old avid Liverpool football fansaidhebelievesanew law“couldmakeamassive change”, citing thelong-running fights for justicevictims have enduredincludingthose of theManchesterArena bombings,and theInfected Blood andPostOffice Horizon scandals

TheHillsborough Law, or PublicAuthority(Accountability)Bill, wouldinclude alegal duty of candouronpublicauthoritiesand officials to tell thetruth andproactively co-operate with officialinvestigations andinquiries.

In December,the Government stoppedshortofintroducing the legislation, saying it was“not aware” of anygapsorclarifications needed that wouldfurther encouragea cultureofcandour among publicservantsinlaw

It hassigneduptoa Hillsborough Charter, pledging to placethe

publicinterestabove itsown reputation

Butcampaigners said moreis needed “tostopthe patternofcover-ups”.

Mr Parkin,originallyfromDurham but now based in Leeds, said thelaw couldhelpprotectanyone caught up in adisasterthrough whichtheywereatnofault

He said:“Everybodywho’s been affected by this, none of them were doinganythingrisky at all.

“The Grenfell guys went to bed, the Post Office families went to workand were selling stamps.People went to afootballmatch,people went to amusic concert.

“You don’texpectanythinglike this to happen andyourlifeturns upside down.

“Sonot only will it reduce that anguishofgetting thetruth, it also meanswhenyou have thetruth, you canchange.

“And it meansbuildingsbecome safer, goingtoeventsbecomessafer, themachine that is bringing up the wrongnumbers gets outofthe Post Office yearsand yearsearlier,rath-

erthangoing throughthe decades ofanguish.”

Mr Parkin,who works forthe BritishHeart Foundation,isencouragingthe public to writeto theirMPs urging them to enactthe HillsboroughLaw

Donationsfromhis runwill go to thementalhealthcharity Mind and theGrenfellFoundation, with an aimtoraise £10per,miletotalling £2,270

Forthose whocannotgivemoney,MrParkinhas asked that peopledropitems to theirlocal British HeartFoundationcharity shopwith theaim of meetingatargetof 2,270bagsofdonations

Acknowledginghow challengingthe runwillbe, he thankedhis wife Claire andall thosewho have helped in preparation.

Aspokespersonfor theHillsborough Lawcampaign, wishingMr Parkin good luck forhis run, said it “servesasatimelyreminderin an election year of theneed to bringin aHillsborough law”

They added: “Sir Keir Starmer haspledged to make this lawarealityifthe Labour Partycomesto power, we hope otherparties will follow suit andstopthiscriminal abuseofpower.”

Mr Parkin said thereisa “huge amount of connection felt between theGrenfellcommunity andthe Hillsboroughcommunity”and he was“thankful” to be part of the campaign to help both Grenfell United,representing bereaved andsurvivors of the fire, said:“Mik’srun,passing through Hillsboroughonthe 35th anniversary and finishingat Grenfell Tower weeksawayfromthe seventhanniversary of the fire,isapowerful waytoraise awarenessofthe Hillsborough Law– acampaign fighting foranew legaldutyofcandouron public authoritiesand officials to tell thetruth.”

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves reckonsthatbetterenforcementoftax lawand closinga fewloopholeswill raise an extra £5 billion ayearfor the NHS, enoughtomakea serious dentinthe Covidbacklog What’s nottolike? I’msure that will be verypopular with voters, as long as it’s publicised effectively. Isuggest thesideof abus wouldbeaprettygood placetostart

I’mnot normallyafan of spoof April Fool’s news stories, mainly because of thedangers they pose to innocentfolkwho might take them at face valueand then writewithering newspapercolumnsexpressingtheir outrage

However,hatsoff to Roger Protzofthe Campaign forReal Alefor hishilarious claimthat Watney’s RedBarrelwas being revived, saying thatit’sunique flavourwould be replicated by sourcing thewater from the sewage-infestedRiver Thames

To be honest,I’m surprised some marketingwhizzkidhasn’t alreadygiven it ago. Afterall, some brightspark decidedHofmeisterwas abrand worthyofa comeback

Given thedisgustingstate of our effluent-filled rivers, it is hardly surprising people arecalling for the‘re-nationalisation’ofwater companies.

Theonlyproblem is, they were never nationalisedin the firstplace

It’s true that themajority of ourwater companieswere once municipallyowned,but notSouth StaffordshireWater, thecompany whichsuppliesthe majority of this area.Thathas been aprivate companysince itsinception,and generallyhas aprettygood record on looking afterthe environment.

Theproblem is, of course, that many areasofthe UK are still dependentonaVictorian sewage system that cannot cope with theneedsofthe 21st century.Theyare reapingthe consequencesofmorethana century of underinvestment– particularlyduringthe yearswhen most of them were publicly owned. IncludingSevern-Trent in Shropshire.

AINE FOX Social AffairsCorrespondent

RunnerMik Parkin with wife Claire

QUOTES OF THEDAY

“We’re turningsewageinto jetfuel. Ican’t really think of many things that are cooler than that” –James Hygate,chief executive of biofuel firm Firefly.

“OnNew Year’s Eve2022, at theclose of themostturbulent year in recent politicalhistory,asIasbringing my familytowatch the fireworks from theCommons Terrace, thesecurityguard greeted me with thewords, ‘Ah, theKingmaker!’” –SirGrahamBrady,the chairman of theTory committeeinvolvedin deciding thefates of successive primeministers hasannounced the releaseofa tell-all book.

“David is hugely missed andasafamilyweare devastated by hislossbut events liketoday make us feel that he is with us forever andthathis lightremains” –the familyofSir DavidAmess paytribute as astatueofthe murderedMPisunveiledon Southend seafront

“Mygod I’mgoing to miss this, I’mgoing to miss you, butrestassured Iremain wholly committed andtotallyconvinced of theneed forawoman’s lens on the world andI’m taking that with me andthensome” –Emma Barnettsaidshe will miss beingthe host of BBCRadio 4’sWoman’s Hour as shepresented her finalshow.

“OnApril 10th, ourfather, Orenthal JamesSimpson, succumbed to hisbattle with cancer.Hewas surroundedbyhis children andgrandchildren.Duringthistimeoftransition, hisfamilyasksthatyou please respecttheir wishes forprivacy andgrace” –TheSimpsonfamilyannounce thedeath of OJ Simpsonatthe ageof76.

CONTACTUS

Newsdesk: 01952242424 newsroom@shropshirestar.co.uk

PICTURE FROMTHE ARCHIVE

GPsshould not shut forso long

WhyisitGPsurgeries,once again, were closedfor four days becauseit’sEaster? Good Fridayisn’t officiallyabankholiday.Ihavespokenabout this in past.WithA&E overflowing at present, it wouldsurely take some pressure offA&E and Shropdoc at present,ifthey were open

GPsare apublicsectoroperator andyet they workoffice hours.

They made theirown agenda,nogovernment– andlook wherethathas gotus. This needs sorting. Also thegovernment sayuse apharmacy, can somebody tell me wherethey arein southShropshire?

They also workjusttoserve GP’s prescriptionservice.Unless you areabletodrive to Shrewsbury or Hereford fora pharmacyinasupermarket

Ihaveonseveral occasions spoken to apersonput on Salop Counciltosortrural pharmacy

Sport: 01902319452 sportsdesk@shropshirestar.co.uk

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access,and guesswhat–when IsaidwehavetogotoShrewsbury or Hereford if we areable to,theyreplied it’s alarger population–sowhatabout us? This is acoupleofyears ago nowand still no movement. They didn’t even know where Clun,Knightonetc.wereas they were from down south. Greatisn’t it!

CarolPrince, CravenArms

Councilhas a nerveasking formorecash

Iwould liketoask how ShropshireCouncilhavethe nerveto increase therates to themaximumtheycan then asktoanother£52 perannum to collect theGreen Bins?

If they spenttheir budget wisely insteadofspending£15 million on shopping centres

TheShropshire Star home delivery team is available freephone on 0800174 064 or viaemail at operations@mnamedia.co.uk

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• Back pain and sciatica

• Neck and shoulder pain

• Hip and knee pain

that theownerssoldasthey were notinprofit, andthousandsmoreonwokeissuesthey wouldnot be in theposition they areinnow They need to review contracts they have to ensurethat they getvalue formoney.

Confused over travellersite

I’mconfused. Apparently our councilissostrapped forcash we’rebeing askedtopay for greenwaste collection andat thesametimeexpected to travel about in orderdepositrecyclingmaterialifanumberof centresclosed.

Strangely though moneycan be foundfor travellerstohavea site complete with hard standing, showersand toilets.

WIHuxley, Reabrook

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TheShropshireStar’spolicy is to correct errors as soon as we can. Please contact us if youare unhappywiththe accuracy of anystory.The Star adherestothe Editors’ Code of Practice,which canbe seen at www.ipso.co.ukWeare regulated by theIndependent PressStandards Organisation(IPSO). Complaintsabout storiesshould be referred firstly to us at editorial.support@shropshirestar.co.uk or by posttoThe Editor,Midland News Association,Grosvenor House, Suite3.04, Central Park,Hollinswood Road,Telford TF29TW.Ifwecannotreach aresolution contactIPSO at complaints@ ipso.co.ukorbypost at IPSO,c/o Gate House, 1FarringdonStreet,London EC4M 7LG

Theindustrial units of SoultonRoad in WempicturedinNovember, 1993

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Record-breaking rain hitting farmershard

Farming Editor

Record-breakingrain is puttingserious financialand mental health pressure on food producersinthe county,aseniorfarmingleaderhas said.

Edward Garrattspoke of his concerns forfarmers as theNFU warned of abuildingcrisisinthe agricultural sector duetothe ongoingbad weatherwhich has battered thecountry with heavy rain,winds and flooding.

Mr Garratt, aShropshireCounty Adviserfor theNFU,said: “I am really,reallyconcerned about farminginthe county at theminute.

“Itdoesn’t feel likeithas stoppedraining sinceSeptember Iamworried aboutboththe economics andthe mental well-being of thoseonfamilyfarms in the county.

“Weare in asituation where half to threequartersofthe winter cropsdidn’tget planted Thereare hardly anyspringcrops that have been plantedsince.

“Potatoes areprobablyamonth behind wheretheyshouldbesoI am really concerned.

“And,fromalivestock pointof view,the peopleare runningout of feed becausetheycan’t turn thecowsout,the grassisn’t growingso, yes,it’sa really serioussituation

“I have never knownitasbad as this.There arefarms that couldgoout of business because of this butevenmoreconcerning, forme, is theirmentalwell-being because some will be at theend of theirtether.

“Thinkingabout how much furtherahead Iwas last year on my own, smallfarm, it’s frighten-

ing, andwhenyou look at some of thebiggerfarms,it’sverytough rightnow.”

Arable farmer Andrew Williamson, from near Bridgnorth, said wheatishis main crop and therewillbeabout athird of what he wouldnormallyharvest this year compared to last year

“The danger is that issues start to impact on yournextyear’s crop,”hesaid. “Lastyear’sharvest wasn’t great, autumn wasn’t brillianteitherand nowwehave apoor, wetwinter to late spring andsoit’sone thingafter another anditkeeps on snowballing

“It’snot justa fewfarmers,it’s nationwide andthat’sgoing to have abig impact on food security.There maynot be shortages unless somethinghappens globally,asproductswillbeimported butitisgoing to have an effect

“I’d urge people to support farmersasmuchastheycan by keep buying British, lookingout forBritish products when in the supermarkets.”

This week,The Shropshire Star reported how thegovernment wasfacingcalls to expand a

fund setuptosupport farmersaffected by floodingtothose based in Shropshire

TheDepartment forEnvironment,Food andRural Affairs (DEFRA)announced that applicationsfor itsFarming Recovery Fund hasopened.

Thefundhas been designed to supportfarmers whosuffered uninsurable damage to theirland dueto floodingthiswinter

Underthe scheme,eligible farmerscan access grants of between£500and £25,000 to return theirlandtothe conditionit wasinbeforeexceptional flooding duetoStorm Henk

But, thefundhas been allocatedtofarmers in anumberof counties –not includingShropshire.

NFUShropshirechair Graham Price, whofarms near Ludlow, said he andmembersacrossthe county wouldcontinuetopress theirMPs.

He said:“We will getonwith ourjob of producingfood forpeople’stablesbut we aredealing with relentless rainfall andvery difficultconditionsacrossall of ourfarming sectors.

“Farmland floodingand current difficultiesfor ourfarms must be at thetop of theagenda. Thereare multipleprioritiesand challenges andthe NFU’srecently launched manifesto, as we gear up forageneral election,shows that food security must be apriority, with ourfarmbusinesses supportedtoinvestand grow for thebenefitofeveryone.

“Thatincludessupport at times when we arefacingextreme weatheronthe back of spiralling costsand otherserious business challenges

“Weare resilient, butthatonly goes so farand it is exceptionally toughfor us allatthe moment

“Weneedtosee practicaland progressivepolicies.”

MATTHEWPANTER

Edward Garrattfromthe NFU

Saturated fields mean farmershave been unabletoplant theircrops.Photo:Graham Mitchell

MARKET DRAYTONTG

HelenKay took membersona fascinating tour of Chinaatthe latest meetingin Market Drayton.

As achild, Helen’sparents took heronmanyforeign tours, which instilled in heranongoinglove of travelabroad

In Chinashe visitedthe Forbidden City in Beijingand theTerracottaArmyinXian, an experience shesharedduringher talk

Thelife-size soldiers hadbeen painted in bright colourswhich fadedina fewminutes afterbeing broughtintothe daylight.

Helenclimbed part of theGreat Wall,which is no easy task,but enjoyedthe luxury of coming back by cablecar

Shealso visitedseveral othervenuesduringher Chineseadventure, includingthe FluteCaves anda silkwormfactory Membersattending thelatest meetingwereasked forthrifty, quickand easy recipes alongwith anyanecdotes that couldbeassociated with cookery.

They will be to be included in a newTGrecipe book,which is setto be published.

Thegroup wasdue to hold its next meetingatthe endofMarch, andthiswas theAGM,whenmembers were duetoreceive thenew programmefor 2024/25.

Thecup forthe most points for themonthly competitions wasbeing presentedtothisyear’swinner Andthismonth’s competitionis foratreasured memento.

Famous bomber settotake flight at KrazyKartRaces

SHREWSBURYSEVERN ROTARY CLUB

Themostfamousand successful RAFheavy bomber,the Avro Lancaster,one of only twoairworthy Lancasters left in theworld,isto fly lowoverShrewsbury at aforthcomingevent,Rotarians were told at a recent meeting.

Weatherpermittingat1.45pm on May26the ex-SecondWorld War bomber will be in full view of spectators at theKrazy Kart Racesin Shrewsbury Quarry

Theannouncement wasmadeby racesorganiserSarah Belcher who will providestewardsfor theevent, setupin2018and re-launchedin 2022 followingthe pandemic.She told Rotarians22teams will take part in theQuarryevent,which last year raised£120,000 forcharities

Afurther highlightwill be Ferrarisand Lamborghinis on show alongthe bottom of theQuarry. EverytypeofItalian vehicle is beinginvited to thedisplay,being promotedbythe FerrariOwnersClub andthe LamborghiniClubUK.

Interested partiesshouldcontact DavidMorrison07773537564orat djmfastforward@hotmail.co.uk

Memories aresharedfollowing long-standingmember’sdeath

ELLERDINE WI

TheAGM meetingwas held in EllerdineVillageHall.

Minuteswerereadand signed, resolutionsdiscussed,and Mrs Hamptonagreedtobedelegatefor theLondonmeeting.

Usualbusinessfor theAGM was completedand MrsAnn Dayread thereportfor theactivitiesfor the 12 months.

Although we areonlyasmall group, we have hadaveryactive year

Cheerful

Theentertainment wasaword search andbeetlegamewithlotsof chat andlaughtermakingitanvery cheerful afternoonwhich everyone enjoyed.

Next meetingistobeheldat EllerdineChapelat2pm,the speaker is DonnaDavid andher talk entitled‘Writingfor Children’.

Therafflewas wonbyMaryIngham;DoreenHampton andMargaretProbert served refreshments

PANT WI

TheMarch meetingopenedwith thesad news of adearfriend’sloss.

RosalieKynastonwas a long-standingmember andapillar of thePantand Llanymynechcommunity,involvedinmanyclubs and committees. Many memorieswere shared andcondolencespassedon to herfamily.

Thespeaker wasNatalie Bainbridge,chair of Oswestry in Bloom, whichhas wonfor thelasttwo yearsinthe ‘Large Town’category at theHeart of EnglandinBloom awards andwon ‘Gold’ andbest ‘Large Town’atBritain In Bloom

Judges RogerBurnett andRae Beck in Oswestry with NatalieBainbridge

Boys accused of murdering Isaacbeforethe court

Thetwo children accusedofmurdering 15-year-oldIsaac Brown have appeared at CrownCourt The13-year-old boyand 17-yearoldteenagerattendedthe hearing viaseparatevideolinks from secure youth detentionaccommodation in Manchester.

Each of theyoung defendants arecharged with murder,robbery andpossession of abladedarticle Theyounger boyalso facesasec-

ondcount of possession of abladed article in relation to arobbery earlieronSundaywhich is being investigated in connection with thedeath on Sundaynight at New Square,WestBromwich.

Both defendants, whoare from Smethwick, cannot be namedbecauseoftheir ageand the13-yearoldboy’s parentswereinthe public gallerytowatch proceedings.

Judge MichaelChambersKC

told thepair: “Yourcaseisbeing adjournedand thenexthearing will be on June 14,whenyou will be askedifyou pleadguiltyordeny theoffencescharged “Inthe meantimeyou must remain in custody, whichin each of yourcases is youth detentionaccommodation.”

Athird boy,aged 16,arrested on suspicion of violent disorder has been released on bail IsaacBrown whodied

Campaignersmust‘keep on fighting’overair ambulance

DOMINIC ROBERTSON newsroomairam@mnamedia.co.uk

Campaignersand politiciansmustkeepthe pressure up in theefforts to retain MidWales’air ambulancebase, an MP hassaid.

CraigWilliams, ConservativeMP forMontgomeryshire, wasspeaking afterPowys Teaching Health Board (PTHB)decideditwas unableto back proposalsthatwould seethe closure of theWelshpool airambulancebase.

TheNHS WalesEmergency Medical Retrievaland Transfer Service hasrecommendedthe closure of the Powysbase, as well as theCaernarfon site,withanew base being createdinNorth Walestoreplace them

Arecommendationwas addedto provideMid Waleswithaspecial emergencyroadservice providing critical care –but membersofthe theboard on PTHB decidedatan extraordinary meetingonThursdaythattheyneeded more information aboutthe critical carplanbefore they were prepared to support theoverallproposals

A finaldecision is expected at thenextmeetingofthe NHSWales Joint CommissioningCommittee on April23, butithas emergedthat

theBetsi CadwaladrHealthBoard wasalso notpreparedtosupport theplans

NowMrWilliamssaiditisvital campaignerskeepthe pressure up aheadofthe finaldecision.

Writingonsocialmedia he said:

“Bravo BwrddIechydAddysgu Powys/Powys Teaching Health Boardwho mettoday to discussand consider updatedrecommendations

from theNHS WalesEmergency MedicalRetrievaland Transfer Service(EMRTS) Review re theAir Ambulancechanges

“The Boardagreed that further detail wasneeded in relation to Recommendation 4and that they were notcurrently in aposition to supportthe recommendations. Whichmeans they arecurrently againstthe removalofthe helicop-

terfromWelshpool.Thisalongside BetsiCadwaladr meanstwo health boards areagainst theclosuresat thenextmeetinginpublicofthe NHSWales Joint Commissioning Committeeon23April 2024.

“Alongside RussellGeorgeMS, ElwynVaughanand theSAVE WalesAir Ambulance–Welshpool Base campaignerswemustkeepthe pressure up.”

PowysCountyCouncil’s Plaid Cymrugroup leader,Councillor ElwynVaughan,saidtheywould continue to pressfor theplanstobe dropped.

He said:“I’mpleased to seethat BwrddIechydAddysgu Powys/ PowysTeachingHealthBoard want furtherclarification especially with Recommendation 4.

“Likewise BetsiCadwallader have voiced similar concerns.They have thankedLlais forits support andadvice.

“Theyhavedecidedthattheyare notconvinced that theproposals putforward by EMRTSrepresent that best that canbeachievedand they want to awaitthe workofthe task groupand they also want to seefurther workonengagement andreassuringrural communities

“Theydonot thinkthe road based services wouldbesufficientfor the challenges that rurality andisolation will present in NorthWales

“Wemustcontinuetoworktogether.”

Trustnow setup forCadetForce

TheShropshireArmyCadet Force Trusthas been establishedtoraise fundstosupport ShropshireArmy CadetForce activities

As acharitableorganisation, TheShropshireArmyCadet Force Trustaimstoshape thebestopportunitiesfor young Shropshire Army Cadets andadult volunteers to flourish.

Chairofthe organisation is Shropshirebornand bred business man, Graham Wynn OBE, who said:“Iamsopleased to be chair forthisorganisation. Access to an establishmentsuchas thecadets canbea greatstart in lifefor young people. It canhelpthemtodevelop transferrable socialand interpersonal skills,self-disciplineand citizenshipskills, that will benefit them in theirfutureworklife.

“These areskillsthatcould give them theedgeduringrecruitment processes. Cadets will participatein training such as firstaid andhealth andsafety.”

Manarrested overtobacco

Aman hasbeenarrested on suspicionofpossessionwithintent to supply cannabis after police raided ashop.

West Mercia Police carried outawarrant at Smokey Joe’s, aspecialistsmokeshop, in the Swan Centre,Kidderminster, on Thursday

Officers were acting on intelligencefollowing community concerns around theillegal use andsaleofcannabisatthe tobacco andvapestore whichhas also advertiseditself as a‘medicinalcannabisconsumption lounge’.

Containers full of cannabis andcannabisproductswere seized,togetherwithweapons whichare currentlybeing forensicallyexamined.

A31-year-old manwas arrested followingthe warrant.

He hassince been released underinvestigation.

Olympiccanoeistwill reopen park following£1.5m revamp

Olympic canoeist Adam Burgesswill be guestofhonour at theopening of a revamped park in Staffordshire.

Thelocal paddler, whocamefourth forTeamGBatTokyo in 2020,will open WestfieldParkinStone Burgessisamemberofthe Stafford andStone CanoeClub, which will finish its‘Paddle to Paris’ at the event. This involves paddling 619km, whichisthe distance from theclubto thecanoe slalom venue in Paris.

Thepublicwill be abletohelp them reachtheir goal with canoeslalom rowing machines available.

Therewillbea rangeofentertainment on theday,withavariety of stalls as well as a‘skatejam’onthe wheeledsportsbowland some sports taster sessions. Development of the

park finished in December,but it will officiallyopenonApril 27 at 10am, with events runninguntil 2pm.

The£1.5million refurbishment will seea rangeofequipmentfor all ages –including atower andtube slide, integrated mini-trampoline, boulderscramble, tyre swing, and climbing blocks. Thedoublezip wire runs formorethan30metres.

Theparknow hasamulti-use gamesareaand features an extensive newpathway networkwith routes of varyinglengths around the park,new signageand street furniture,picnicareas andon-site toilets.

Burgesswill be joined by fellow paddlerChris Bowers whowon a gold medalat theICF Canoe Slalom

WorldChampionships in 2018

Craig Williams MP andRussell George, Member of theSenedd

Pupils to design newroadsafety superherostar

MEGANJONES megan.jones@mnamedia.co.uk

Primaryschoolchildren

arebeing invitedtodesign asuperhero to featurein Shropshire Council’snew schools’ road safety programme.

Shropshire Council’ssustainable travel team will soonbeaskingchildren to create anew ‘superhero squad’ to supportchildren with theirlearning.

The‘OurJourney’programme will be aimedatstudentsinprimary schoolsand will launch in September 2024

Students at Woodside Primary School in Oswestry have alreadydesigned ‘Super Zeb’ theroadsafetyZebrawho will be turned into an animated characterlater this term

Next week,other schoolswillbeinvitedtocome up with theirown characters

Schoolswillbecontacted on Mondaywithdetails on how to enterthe competition. Thedeadline forentries is Friday,May 24

Teachers will be askedtoselectthe best entriesfromtheir schools, which will then be judgedbythe council’s sustainable travelteam, alongwith ShropshireCouncil’s Cabinet member forchildrenand education, Kirstie Hurst-Knight.

Prizes will be awardedtothe winning children andschools Councillor Hurst-Knight, said:

“WeloveSuper Zeband nowwewant to give children at allthe primary schoolsinour area thechancetodesign theirown superherotoo.Ihopeas many schoolsand children as possible will take up ourinvitation.

“Yourdesigns couldbeanything you want,but you mightliketodesign asuperhero basedaroundthe names of road crossings–apelicans, toucan, puffin, tigerorevenaPegasus

“Three winningdesigns will be selected from acrossthe countyand will be turned into animated characters andusedinanew series of road safety education filmsin theyearahead.”

Breweryhosting festival weekends

Joule’sBrewery hasannounced a two-weekendfestivalshowcasingthe best live music.

BrewFest will be sponsoredbythe iconic Joules BreweryGreen Monkey Lager andhosted at theRed Lion in Market Drayton. Thefestivalwill kick offwitha ‘WarmUpWeekend’onMay 4and 5, followed by themainevent on May25 and26.

The‘Warm Up Weekend’ will feature performances by TNT,Sam Morgan, TheUnlawfulMen,and The Ronaldos

BrewFest Weekendwill seeperformances by DeltaAces,Lotus Motion, JMD, Si Alton, Doctor’s Orders, The Jooks, Nibbs& Chrisbee,and The June Collins Band,withmoreacts still to be announced

Trevor Dawson,manager at The RedLion, said:“Thereisapassion andprecedentfor live musicinMarket Drayton, formerly thehome of the Rock &Bowlfestivalwhich wassponsoredby Joules Brewery. Andsothis year we’reproud to be hostingour very ownfreetoattendmusic festival in thegrounds of TheRed Lion.”

MP impressed by town’s vibrantmarket

Theteamata market have received praise during avisit by aShropshire MP

NorthShropshireMPHelen Morganvisited a‘vibrant’ Ellesmereon Market Daytohearfromstallholders aboutthe challenges andopportunities facing the border town andits visitor economy.

Joinedbythe team from Project SY12,she spoketoanumberofbusinesses abouttrade in themarket town,and changes such as themerger of theChamber of Commerce andthe Launch of EllesmerePulse (Digital Town Hub) scheme

PoundstretcherboughtbyUSinvestors

Thediscountretailchain Poundstretcher, whichhas shops acrossthe West Midlands,isset to be boughtbyaUnitedStates investment firm foranundisclosedsum

Poundstretcherhas 322stores acrossthe UK,including in Bloxwich,BrierleyHill,Cannock, Hednesford,Kidderminster, Newport, Shrewsbury andTelford.Itincludes60Bargain Buys shopsincluding at Walsalland Wolverhampton.

Fortress Investment Group, theinvestment firm behind Majestic Wine hasagreed to acquire Leicester-basedPoundstretcher

followingoutgoingowner Aziz Tayub’sretirement.

Theacquisition of Poundstretcher, whichemploysabout 4,000,willbeentirelyfundedby equity

Fortress says that theretailer’s nationwide national footprint, strong brandand focus on valueoffer an attractiveopportunityfor investmentand growth

Andy Atkinson, theformer groupcommercialdirectorat Morrisons, is joiningPoundstretcheraschief executive.

AhsanAijaz,managingdirectorand co-headofprivate equity

at Fortress Investment Group, said:“Poundstretcher is an exciting business in acriticalpart of theUKretailsector, andwe recognise itsimportancetoconsumers across thecountry.

“Wehavelongbelievedinthe UK,and theconsumersector, as evidenced by ourinvestments We have ademonstratedhistory of investinginsponsoredcompanies to drivegrowth, increase profitability andjob creation –ourplans forPoundstretcherare no different. Fortress believes in empowering management teams andwelookforward to working with theteam.”

Manufacturer McConnel settoexpandfactory site

Asouth Shropshiremanufacturing firm is settoextendits works building afterbeing given the greenlight by councilplanners.

Agricultural machinery business McConnel is set to expand and refurbish its Temeside Works base on WeepingCrossLane, Ludlow, in ordertomeetthe company’s “expanding business needs”, afterplanningpermissionwas grantedbyShropshireCouncil this week

Theplanwill seemanufacturing floorspace extended by 1532 sq metreswitha newstaff entrance adding around 125sqmetres to thebuilding’s footprint. The main office carparkwill also be expandedand repainted andnew

entrancecladdingwill modernise thebuilding’s look,the company’s applicationsays.

“The applicationfor thenew extensionarises from theapplicant’sdesiretoimprove the building’s currentstaff facilities, provideadditionalmanufacturing space to accountfor expanding business needs andtocreatea cohesive contemporary aestheticfor thesite,”readaplanningstatement submitted with the firm’s application.

“The refurbishmentofthe building will improve thestreet qualitybyupdatingthe existingsiteand buildingstoaquality,contemporaryaesthetic with complementaryhardand soft

Thegroup have been putting forward newideas to create acommunity hubatEllesmere Market sincetaking over thelease in Marchlastyear.

TheMPpraised theworkdoneby entrepreneurs andProject SY12 in keepingthe traditionofmarket tradinginEllesmere aliveand thriving,as it hasbeenfor hundreds of years.

Shesaid: “Meeting localresidents andbusinessesisone of thebestparts of thejob

“Itwas really useful to getinsight from people in Ellesmereabout the town economy, andtospeakwith stallholders on avibrant market day.”

landscapingbefitting aheadoffice foranationwidecompany.”

The firm hasbeenbased in Ludlow since1950, having launched in 1935 from ashedinWorcestershirebyfounder FreddieMcConnel.The business expanded it’s Ludlow works in 1974,where it designsand produces arange of hedge cuttersand cultivationmachinery.

Theplanreceivedone objection from Ludlow CivicSociety, whosaidthe plannedfelling of a number of trees on thesitewould reduce thescreening effect on the “unsightly”building.

Approvingthe scheme,ShropshireCouncil said it wouldsecure thefutureofthe factory.

10am-5pm

• Plus watchthe 6,000-strong motorcyle ride outarrive!

SuperZeb hasbeen created

Communityquizzed over useofcentre

Residentsare beingasked how importantacommunity centre is to them andtheir experiencesof thecurrent facility.

Telford&WrekinCouncil is asking Sutton Hillresidents andrelevantorganisations as it works with MadeleyTownCouncilto‘demonstrate to potential funders’ itsimportance.

Hubonthe HillCommunity Centre hasrecentlybeentaken over by thetowncouncil after thecharity runningthe building ‘decided to step down’.

“Existinggroupsthatuse the facilities will continue to be supported,the communitycaféwill

remain open andthe Hubwill still be asafespace forlocal residents to visitand getsupport,” thetowncouncil posted

“Wewanttoengagewithlocalresidents andpartnersto gain feedback on what you think about thefacility.Yourfeedback will be used to help supportany decision-makingabout itsfuture use.

“However,inorder to keep thebuildingopenlong-term it requires significant fundingto make essentialrenovations

“Weneedtodemonstrate to fundersthe importance of the Hubonthe Hillfor thecommu-

nity.” Telford&WrekinCouncil states thereisan opportunityto applyfor fundingtocompleterequired works throughthe Community OwnershipFund.

Thesurveyasksresidents if andwhy they have previously used thefacility,how impressed they were andtheir overallexperience.Italsoaskshow satisfied they arewiththe services providedand if thereare anyservices they would find helpful.

Thesurveycan be accessed on MadeleyTownCouncil’s Facebook page or online at Hubon theHillSurvey(snapsurveys. com)

Airambulance welcomes newgiftcardpartnership

TheMidlandsAir Ambulance Charityhas voiced excitement at anew partnershipwithThe CharityShopGift Card

It said that thepartnership wouldmakeiteasierfor thrifty shoppers to supportthe charityin itsshops in Shrewsbury andWellington.

TheCharity Shop Gift Card is theUK’s firstmulti-retailer gift card exclusively forcharity shops, andMidlandsAir AmbulanceCharity is thelatestorganisationtojoinforcesinbolstering sustainable fashiontothe high street TheMidlandsAir Ambulance Charityisnow selling andaccept-

ingthe cardsinall of itsshops Eachpayment madeusing thegift cardswillgodirectlytowards the advanced pre-hospital emergency service’slifesavingdaily missions, ensuring thecharity cancontinue to reachand treat thoseincritical need in Shropshire

Website

Thegiftcards,which areboth recyclable andcompostable,can also be purchased from TheCharityShopGift Card website or from majorsupermarkets.

RachaelAbi Rached,headof retail at Midlands AirAmbulance Charity, said:“We arethrilled to be joiningforceswithThe Charity

Shop Gift Card alongsideanarray of otherfantastic charities.

“The scheme offers aconvenient andmeaningfulway forindividualstonot only supporta worthycause,but also promotes environmentallyfriendlyshopping practices.

“Wehopetosee high street shoppers enjoythe thrill of bargain huntingwhilehelping to make vitalmissionspossible.”

People can find theirnearest Midlands AirAmbulance Charity shop by visitingmidlandsairambulance.com/charityshops.

To purchase aCharity Shop Gift Card online,visit thecharityshopgiftcard.co.uk.

MumbaiMaskaat HenlleHeights

HenlleHeightsWelcomestheOriginal

MumbaiMaskaChefBharatSinghRawat

ChefBharat’sinterestinspices,herbsandcookingbeganwhenhewasonly16–inthe streetsofLucknowandMumbai.Followinghismother’sauthenticrecipes,andwithhis loveofIndiancuisinehemasteredtheartofcreatingfabulous,vibrant,deliciousdishes BharatjoinedHenlleHeightsinFebruarythisyearwhenanewkitchenandserviceteam wasformed,thedevotionheandhisteamhaveforpreparing,cooking,andpresenting thesefabulousdishesisunrivalled.TheChefsappreciatetheimportanceofusinglocal produce,anddi�erentfoodstogethertocreatee�citing,delicious,andvarieddishes Wineshavebeencarefullypairedtocomplimentthefragrantandspicydishes.Cocktails aremi�edtorepresenttherestaurantanditssetting.

MumbaiMaskafeaturesfreshandinnovativeclassicandcontemporaryIndiancuisine,an e�citingcocktaillist,andawinemenu.��oticcurriesandotherspecialtiesareprepared, based on time-honoured traditional cooking methods and ingredients.Gather with friendsandfamilytosavorthetruetasteofIndiaforanunforgettabledininge�perience

Foropeningtimesandtablereservationpleasevisitourwebsitehenlleheights.com emailusateat@henlleheights.comortelephone01691662000 HenlleHeightsatHenlleHall,NearGobowen,SY107AX

Memorial unveiled to honour wartime role of lost airfield

TOBY NEAL

About30peoplegathered at theunveiling of amemorial erectedtohonour theservice andsacrifice of thosewho served at a wartimeShropshire fighter airfield.

Thegranite memorial at thesiteof RAFAtchamwas the firstput up in thecountyaspartofarolling nationwide programmebyacharity,the Airfields of BritainConservationTrust Sitedatthe entrancetoAtcham Business Park,which todayoccupies theheart of theold airfield, it wasunveiled by KennethBannerman,who headsthe trust, andCouncillor Colin Wildblood, thechairmanofAtcham Parish Council.

Atcham airfieldwas abasefor operationalSpitfire squadrons in theearly part of thewar butisperhaps bestnow remembered as an American fighter trainingbaseoperating in particular theP-47Thunderbolt fighter.

“Thisisall part of ournationwide campaign to honour Britain’sdisused airfields with ourstandardisedmemorials,”saidMrBannerman,who is from Glasgow, andwas at thestart of abusythree days forhim in the region,withthe unveiling of another memorialat thesiteofRAF High Ercall on Friday,and at theformerSeighford airfieldnearStaffordonSaturday13th.

“Atchamwas atremendouslybusy airfieldwhich playedamassive part in winningWorld WarTwo,” said Mr Bannerman.

“Wecannot afford to lose Britain’s airfields from oureveryday lives. They areincrediblyimportant.”

Amongthose at theceremonywas BarbaraMaund,who turns95next month.Livingnow in MeoleBrace, sheusedtolive at Betton Strange and remembered seeing Atcham’s aircraft in theair,including witnessing one tragedy

“There wasacrashat Betton Abbots, andIthought Iwould liketo come in memory of that young American whogavehis life,” Miss Maund said

“I sawwhatwas happening. Pre-

sumablytheygot tooclose,and they clipped. Oneofthemlandedbut the othercrashedatBettonAbbots.”

Sherecalledtoo twoAmerican officers coming to herhomelooking for accommodation.

“I heardthemtalking to my parents, butwehad ahouse full of evacueessoitwas outofthe question.”

Mr WildbloodsaidMrBannerman hadcontacted theparishcouncil clerk about thememorialand hadasked herifshe knew anybodywho mightbe connectedwiththe airfield.

“She rang me to relaywhathehad askedher,and IsaidIhad alittlebit of connectivity in that my fatherwas stationedhereand wasonthe base when my brotherwas born in January1942. He cycled from here to Berrington to seehim.How many timeshedid that, Idon’t know.”

He said hisfatherReg Wildblood also served at Stornoway andLossiemouthand forpartofthe time wasan armourer on bombers, andhe didnot know how longhewas at Atcham

“Henever wanted to talk to us much about hisRAF career to be honest.”

Also amongthe gatheringwas Malcolm Preston, an aviation enthusiast from Cressage, whohas visitedmemorialsupand down thecountry

“Havingthe unveiling of one on the doorstep is brilliant,”hesaid.

Others watching proceedingsincluded membersofthe Shropshire Border Counties Area Military Vehicle Trust

Mr BannermansaidAtchamwas still hugely relevant today.

Kenneth Bannerman andCouncillor Colin Wildbloodatthe unveiling

Howthe site of Atcham BusinessPark looked 80 yearsago

Butchershop ‘thrilled’ with awardnomination

An award-winningShropshire butcher’sshophas said they are “thrilled”tohavebeennominated foraleading national business award.

Alderson’s Butchers PieHouse &Kitchen in Bridgnorth is no stranger to awards having won “beststeak” at leastyear’sGolden Cleaver Awards beatingoff competition from 400other butchers shops.

Nowthe Sydney CottageDrive shop hasbeennominated as “Best Butcher” at the2024Englands Business Awards

Pride

Theaward will thebutchersgo up againstbusinessesacrossEngland andbeput to apublicvote.

JuliaSpencer,who runs the family shop with husbandCharliesaid: “The teamhas worked so hard andwepride ourselves on ourcustomerservice,soweare really thrilled to have been nominated Theawardswill seeAlderson’s competewithother businesses in aregional finaland if successful take part in agrand finalevent in London at theend of theyear.

People canvotefor Alderson’s Butchers PieHouse &Kitchen at TheEnglishBusiness Awards, visittheir website at:englandsbusinessawards.co.uk/vote/

Jobs on offeras

attraction sees its first10,000

Anew familyattraction haswelcomedmorethan10,000visitors in its firstmonth of opening– and nowhas anumberofjobsonoffer Hockerhill AdventurePlaybarnin Brewood, Staffordshire, opened on March 11

Ownedand managedbythe ChillingtonHallestate, theplaybarnis inspired by localhistory –youngstershavethe chance to hide inside andclimb to thetop of thehistoric centrepieceinthe form of amock oaktreeinspiredbythe one that King CharlesIIissaidtohavehiddeninsideat Boscobel House,ashe fled Oliver Cromwell at theBattleof Worcester.

Andthe attractionisnow looking formorehospitality andcatering workers,withpeoplebeing urged to apply.

Underthe stewardshipofgeneral manager, Sophie Galantini, who hasmorethan15years’experience in hospitality, theteamisoff to a goodstart having alreadyhired 24 memberswho live locally.

Sophie said:“Ilove thebuzzofa busy restaurant,nothing is more importantthanmakingsureour customers areenjoyingthemselves, andwethink it’s importantour visitorsenjoy amealthatis tastyand nutritious.” EmailCVs to info@ hockerhill.com

Alderson’s Butchers in Bridgnorthafter winningthe Golden Cleaver award forthe UK’s Best Steak last year

Murder accused admits danger drivingcharge

A24-year-old manhas deniedmurdering a“Good Samaritan”,who died afterbeing hitbya carwhile trying to help astranger,but has admitted causinghis deathbydangerous driving.

Father-of-twoChris Marriott,46, died in December afterhewentto theaid of awoman he sawunconscious in thestreetduringadisturbance in theBurngreave area of Sheffield, police havesaid.

As he tended to thewoman on CollegeClose on December 27,a car hitthe crowd, leavinganumberof peopleinjured

HassanJhangur,ofWhiteways Road,Sheffield, appeared before a judge at SheffieldCrown Courton Friday wherehedeniedthe murder andmanslaughterofMrMarriott, alongwithanumberofother charges

Buthepleaded guilty to causing Mr Marriott’s deathbydangerous driving

He also admitted causingserious injury to four otherpeoplebydangerous driving.

HassanJhangur also deniedattempting to murder HasanKhan andwoundinghim with intent

HassanJhangur satinthe dock with hisfatherMohammed Jhangur, 56, of WhitewaysRoad, Sheffield, whodeniedattemptingto pervertthe course of public justice.

Thepairweretoldtoappearfor a pre-trialreviewhearing on June 3.

Murder trialtold accused‘turned down forasylum’

AMoroccanaccused of knifing a pensionertodeath in thestreet apparently in “revenge”for theIsrael-Palestine conflictwas turned down forasyluminGermany,his housematetoldinvestigators.

AhmedAlid, 45,attackedsleepingChristian convertJaved Nouri at theirsharedaccommodation in WhartonTerrace,Hartlepool, days afterthe Hamasattacks last October, Teesside CrownCourt has heard.

Mr Nouri, 31,managed to fight himoff despitebeing stabbedsix times, andAhmed fled into thetown centre wherehefatally stabbedTerence Carney,70, jurors have heard.

Theprosecutionhas said he was to tell police he stabbedthe twomen “inrevenge forwhathebelievedto be thekilling of children by Israel”

Mr Nouri, viaa farsiinterpreter, told police he hadmoved into the Home Office-approvedaccommodation around threemonthsbefore theattack.

Mr Nourichallenged himabout whyAlidcametothe UK andnot to aMuslimcountry if he didnot like how people lived.

Mr Nouritoldpolice: “Hewould tell me hisfamilyisinGermany andtheydid notgive me asylum there-‘that’swhy Icamehere’ Alid deniesmurderingMrCarney, attempted murder andtwo counts of assaulting detectives after hisarrest. Thetrial continues.

Ex-bosswas unawarePostOffice couldprosecute

Aformermanagingdirectorofthe Post Office hastoldapublicinquiryhedid notrealise formore than threeyears that he wasthe head of aprosecutingauthority

Alan Cook said he hadnot heard anything “sufficientlycategoric” to suggestthatthe Post Office made prosecutorialdecisionsand said he blamed himself for“not picking up on it”.

Mr Cook,who wasmanagingdirector of thePostOffice from 20062010,describedhis lack of knowledge on thesubject as a“regret”, saying he had“never come across asituation before that atrading entity couldinitiatecriminalpros-

ecutions themselves.” He told the inquiryhedid notask questionson thematteruntil he sawanarticle in Computer Weekly in May2009.

Mr Cook also deniedaskingfor a “morerobust defenceofHorizon” despiteanemail from aPostOffice investigator saying that is what he hadasked for.

Quetsioned on theemail,from Dave Posnetttoheadofinformation security SueLowther andsecurity architectDaveKingfrom October2009, Mr Cook said:“Definitely not lookingfor arobust defence, justlooking foranswers

“One of theperilsofbeing the boss is people use yournametoget

things done andIwould have respondedtothatifI’d been copied to saythatisnot what we’reafter.”

During Mr Cook’s time in the witnessbox on Friday,counselto theinquirySam Stevensasked: “Yourevidenceisstill that in no pointinthe yearsthatyou were themanagingdirector, (nobody) in thesecurityorinvestigationsteam raisedthe fact that they madedecisionstoprosecute?”

Mr Cook said:“That is my position,definitely

“I’m not blamingthemfor not spelling it outenough, to be frank I’mblaming me fornot pickingup on it.”

UK hastaken anothersmall step away from arecession

AUGUSTGRAHAM Business Correspondent

TheUKtookanother step away from therecessionwhich plaguedit at theend of last year.

Thecountry’s grossdomestic productgrewagain in February, theOffice forNationalStatistics said.Itwas,up0.1 percentinFebruary, accordingtothe officialstatisticians whoalsorevisedthe previousestimatefor Januaryfrom0.2 percentto0.3 percentgrowth.

Theproductionsideofthe economywas strong,contributingthe most to theUK’soverall growth as output from thesectorrose1.1 per cent in February,comparedtoa 0.3 percentfallinJanuary.Construction sector output fell by 1.9per cent,hit in part by poorweather weatherduringthe month. It was thewettest February in thesouth of Englandsinceatleast 1836

“The economygrewslightlyin February with widespread growth acrossmanufacturing,particularlyinthe carsector,”saidLiz McKeownofthe ONS. “Services also grew alittlewithpublictransport andhaulage,and telecommunicationshavingstrong months. Partiallyoffsettingthisthere were notable fallsacrossconstruction duetothe wetweather.”

Theeconomyappears to be putting the2023recession behind it.A recessionisdefinedbyat leasttwo quarters in arow wherethe economy contracts.

Banquethalldiscovery in Pompeii

Archaeologists excavating new sitesinPompeii have uncovered a stunningbanquet hall decorated with intricatelyfrescoed mythologicalcharactersinspiredbythe Trojan War, officials said.

Thehall, whichfeaturesamosaic floor, wasuncovered as part of aproject to shoreupthe areas dividing theexcavated andunexcavatedparts of Pompeii, the

ancientcitythatwas destroyed in AD 79 when Mount Vesuvius erupted. Thebanquet hall was used forrefinedentertainingand features blackwalls, atechnique that preventedthe smokefromoil lampsfrombeing seen,saidGabrielZuchtriegel,directorofthe Pompeiiarchaeologicalpark. The figurespainted againstthatblack backdrop includeHelen of Troy

Shoe buckle is among artefact finds

Archaeologists have uncovered artefactsincluding ashoebuckle thoughttohavebelongedtoaclan chiefwounded in battle at Culloden Alarge number of musket balls andgrapeshothavealsobeendiscovered in a60square-metre area close to what wasthe Government frontlineatCulloden Battlefield.

TheNationalTrust forScotland (NTS)has revealed the findings aheadofthe 278thanniversary of

thebattleonApril 16 1746 which sawabout 1600 menkilledinless than an hour andmarkedthe endof the1745Jacobiterising.

Twoitems foundinclose proximity: asinglepiece of heavy,lead, grapeshotand abroken, copper alloybuckle- were of particular interesttoarchaeologists.It is thought thebucklemay have belonged to Donald CameronofLochiel,the hereditary chiefofClanCameron

Alan Cook

Friends catchingaselfieasLadiesDay washeldatthe RandoxGrandNational Festival at Aintree Racecourse

Missile anddrone attack destroys powerplant

Amassive missileand droneattack hasdestroyed oneofUkraine’s largestpower plants anddamaged others, officials have said

TheTrypilska plant, whichwas thebiggest energy supplier forthe Kyiv,Cherkasyand Zhytomyr regions, wasstrucknumeroustimes, destroying thetransformer,turbinesand generators andleaving theplant ablaze.

As the firstdrone approached, workers hidinashelter which savedtheir lives, said Andrii Gota, chairman of thesupervisory board of thestate companythatrunsthe plant, Centrenergo.

They watched theplant burn, surrounded by dense smokeand engulfed in flames.

Terrifying

“It’sterrifying,”saidMrGota. Hourslater,rescuers were still dismantling therubble.

Speaking in Moscow,Russian PresidentVladimir Putincastthe attacksonUkrainian energy facilities as aresponse to Ukrainian strikesthattargetedRussian oil refineries.

TheTrypilska plantsupplied electricitytothree million customers-but none lost powerbecause thegridwas able to compensate sincedemands arelow at this time of year

Still,the consequences of the strikescould be felt in thecoming months, as airconditioninguse rampsupduringthe summer

At least10other strikesovernightdamaged energy infrastructure in Kharkiv, Ukraine’ssecond-largestcity.

ForeignMinisterDmytroKuleba said more than 200,000peoplein

theregion, whichhas been struck repeatedly,has been left without power.

Ukraine’slargestprivate energy operator,DTEK, describedthe slew of strikesasone of themostpowerfulattacks this year

WhileEnergyMinisterHerman Halushchenko told reportersitwas a“largescale,enormous,missile attack that affected ourenergysectorverybadly”.

Darkness

Andattacks last month blacked outlarge partsofthe country–a levelofdarknessnot seen sincethe firstdaysofthe full-scale invasion in 2022

Thevolumeand accuracy of the

attackshavealarmed thecountry’s defendersand leftofficials scramblingfor better ways to protectenergy assets

Thestrikes have also tested Ukraine’sability to make quickrepairs.

Ukraine’sleadershavebeen pleading formoreair defencesystems to ward offsuchattacks,but thosesupplieshavebeenslowin coming

Starmercommits to increase defencespendingto2.5pc

SirKeirStarmer said theUK’snuclear deterrent is the“bedrock” of hisplantokeepBritain safe as he confirmshis ambition to boost thedefencebudgetto2.5 per centofGDP.

TheLabourleaderisproposing to useprocurement to strengthen UK security andeconomicgrowth by directinginvestmenttoBritish businesses first.

SirKeir’sbudgetcommitment

matchesthatofChancellor Jeremy Hunt’s andindicates asignificant shiftfromthe Jeremy Corbyn years.

Theriseto2.5 percentwill depend on whether it fits with Labour’s fiscal rules, SirKeirtoldthe inewspaper He also promisedtoput in place anuclear deterrenttriplelock, if elected in thenextgeneral election. In a“landmark”interview with

RHIANNON JAMES Politicalreporter

theDaily Mail,Sir Keirsaidhis partyhas changed,addingitis“utterlycommitted”tothe nation’s defenceand armedforces.

SirKeircontinued:“Make no mistake, this is agenerational, multi-decadecommitment.

“Not only is this aboutdefending ourlandand ourNatoallies, it’s also defendingour economy-prioritisingBritishjobs, Britishskills andmuch-needed economicgrowth here on ourshores

“I want to seemorehomegrown involvementinthe nuclearsubmarine supply chain-and ourwider defencemanufacturing.WithLabour,the defenceindustrywill be hardwiredintomynationalmission to driveeconomicgrowthacrossthe UK.”

On Friday,Sir Keir is visiting Barrow-in-Furness shipyard in Cumbriawhere theparty hassaid

wouldbuildall four newDreadnought nuclear submarines

He is the firstLabour leader to visitthe shipyard in more than 30 years, andwill speaktoworkers, unionmembersand apprentices about increasing jobs andskillsat thesiteand in thewider defenceindustry Shadow defenceministerJohn Healey andAustralianhigh commissionertothe UK StephenSmith will also be in attendance

Ex-Navyships giventoUkraine arrive in port

TwoformerRoyal Navy minehunter shipswhich have been handed over to theUkrainian navy have arrivedinPortsmouth as thecrews undergo trainingto preparethemfor missions in the BlackSea.

TheSandown-class warships, HMSGrimsby andHMS Shoreham, were decommissioned from theRoyal Navy to be transferred to theUkrainian military where they will operateunder thenames Chernihivand Cherkasy.

Theships, whicheachserved more than 20 yearsinthe Royal Navy,arrived at Portsmouth NavalBasehavingsailedfromScotland

They will remain basedin Portsmouth whilecrewmembers undergotrainingtopreparethem to hunt formines in theBlack Sea.

AMinistryofDefencespokesmansaid: “The shipsare currently notabletoenter theBlack Sea duetothe termsofthe Montreux Convention,which restrictspassage of military vesselsthrough theBosporusStraitat timesof war.

“However, they will form a criticalcapability forUkraine in itsfuture defence of itscoastlinesasthe UK lookstosupport thelongerterm capabilities of theUkrainian navy,whiletheylooktoprotect commercialshippingbydetecting anddisabling seamines.”

Charge d’affaires of Ukraine Eduard Feskosaidthe minehunterswould be essentialinreopeningtraderoutesoncethe waris over.

He said:“Ithink it’s very importantthatwehavethese ships here.”

Police probeinto claimonRayner

Police areinvestigatingclaimsthat Angela Rayner mayhavebroken electorallaw overinformation she gave abouther living situationa decade ago.

SirKeirsaid: “The changed Labour PartyIleadknows that our nation’s defence must always come first. Labour’s commitment to our nucleardeterrent is total.

“Inthe face of rising global threatsand growingRussian aggression,the UK’s nucleardeterrent is the bedrockofLabour’splan to keepBritain safe.Itwill ensure vitalprotectionfor theUKand ourNatoallies in theyears ahead, as well as supporting thousandsof high paying jobs acrossthe UK.

“Countless families in Barrow andacrossBritain havebuilt asecure future over decades of hard workbuildingour defences.Iwant that to continue forthe decadesto come

“That’swhy we arefullybacking Aukussubmarinestobebuiltin Barrow,too.And it’s whyLabour will ensurethatnew UK leadership within Aukushelps make this national endeavourasuccess forBritain.”

It comesafterJames Daly,deputy chairman of theConservativeParty,madeGreater Manchester Police (GMP)aware of neighbourscontradictingMsRayner’sstatement that herproperty, separate from her husband’s, washer main residence.

GMPpreviouslysaiditwould not be investigatingthe allegations, but followingacomplaint from Mr Daly, thepoliceconfirmed it hadopened an investigation.

TheLabourParty said it remains confidentMsRaynerhas complied with therules,and theAshton-under-Lyne MP “welcomesthe chance to setout thefacts with thepolice”

Aspokespersonfor theforce said: “We’re investigatingwhether any offences have been committed.This followsareassessmentofthe information provided to us by Mr Daly.”

Ms Rayner hasfaced scrutiny about whethershe paid theright amount of taxonthe 2015 sale of her council housebecause of confusion overwhether it washer principalresidence. Ms Rayner hasrejected theallegation.

Russia hasrecentlyrenewed strikesonUkrainian energy facilities.

HANNA ARHIROVA

Associated Press

AhelicoptergunshipofRussian airforces firesrockets at atargetinUkraine

SirKeirStarmer

PHARMACY OPENINGTIMES

TELFORD

ASDA PHARMACY,Malinsgate, Monday to Saturday9am to 9pm(closed 12.30pmto1pm and4.30pmto5pm), Sunday10am to 4pm.

ASDA PHARMACY,StGeorges Road, Donnington Wood MondaytoSaturday9am to 9pm(closed 12.30pmto1pm and4.30pmto5pm), Sunday11amto5pm

BOOTS,Forge Retail Park, Monday to Saturday,9am to 5.30pm

BOOTS,4-10North Sherwood Street, Monday to Saturday

9amto5.30pm, openSunday10.30am to 4.30pm

BOOTS,21New Street, Wellington,MondaytoSaturday

9amto5.30pm

CHAPEL LANE PHARMACY,Chapel Lane,Wellington Monday to Friday 9amto6pm

DONNINGTONPHARMACY,Donnington Medical Practice, Wrekin Drive, Monday to Friday 7amto10pm, Saturday 7amto9pm,Sunday9am to 8pm.

JHOOTS PHARMACY,32MarketStreet, Oakengates, MondaytoFriday9am to 6pm,Saturday, 9amto1.15pm.

KITCHING’SCHEMIST,Limes Walk,Oakengates, MondaytoFriday8.30amto5.30pm, Saturday,8.30am to 2.30pm.

PARADE PHARMACY,6 TheParade, Donnington, MondaytoFriday9am to 5.30pm,Saturday9am to 2pm.

OAKENGATES PHARMACY,Lion Street, Oakengates, MondaytoFriday9am to 6pm

MUXTON PHARMACY,9CFieldhouseDrive, Monday to Friday 8.45am to 6pm (Fridayclosed12.45pm to 2.15pm), Saturday,9am to 1pm.

MORRISONSPHARMACY,Springhill,Wellington,Monday to Friday 9amto7pm,Saturday9am to 5pm, Sunday 10am to 4pm

SHIREPHARMACY,The Shops, TeaguesCrescent, Trench, Monday to Friday,9am to 5.30pm TESCO INSTORE PHARMACY,WrekinRetailPark, MondaytoSaturday8am to 8pm, Sunday10am to 4pm.

WELLINGTONPHARMACY,Well ngton Medical Centre, Chapel Lane,MondaytoFriday8am to 11pm,Saturday 8am to 10pm,Sunday9am to 8pm.

NEWPORT

BOOTS,52High Street, Monday to Friday 9amto6pm, Saturday 9amto5.30pm.

PEAK PHARMACY,76UpperBar,Monday to Friday 9am to 5.30pm,Saturday9am to 1pm.

SHREWSBURY

ASDA PHARMACY,Old PottsWay,Monday to Saturday 9amto8pm,Sunday10am to 4pm.

BOOTS,7-9 Pride Hill, Monday to Saturday 9amto5pm

BOOTS,Meole Brace Retail Park, Monday to Saturday

9amto5.30pm,Sunday10.30am to4.30pm

WELL,101 MountPleasant Road,Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm,Saturday9am to 1pm.

CONWAYPHARMACY,238 Monkmoor Road,Monday to Friday 9amto6pm,Saturday9am to 1pm.

LUNTS PHARMACY,1-3 HerefordRoad,Monday to Friday 9amto6pm,Saturday9am to 12 noon

LUNTS PHARMACY,The Tannery, Barker Street, Monday to Friday 9amto6pm,Saturday9am to 1pm.

RADBROOK GREEN PHARMACY,BankFarmRoad, Radbrook,MondaytoFriday9am to 6pm, Saturday 9am to 1pm.

ROWLANDS PHARMACY,SevernFieldsHealth Village, SundorneRoad,Monday to Friday 9amto6pm,Saturday, 9amto12noon

ROWLANDS PHARMACY,Marden Medical Practice, 25 Sutton Road,Monday to Friday 9amto5.30pm, Saturday, 9amto12noon

RHODES,28Claremont Hill,Monday to Friday 9amto 5.30pm

TESCO PHARMACY,CattleMarket, Battlefield Road, MondaytoSaturday9am to 9pm, Sunday10am to 4pm.

BOOTS,37Mytton OakRoad, MondaytoFriday9am to 6pm, Saturday,9am to 1pm.

BRIDGNORTH

BOOTS,30-31 High Street, Monday to Saturday9am to 5.30pm

BRIDGNORTH PHARMACY,2 Mill Street, Monday to Friday 9amto6pm,Saturday9am to 1pm.

PEAK PHARMACY,Northgate Health Centre, Northgate, MondaytoFriday9am to 6pm,Saturday9am to1pm

OSWESTRY

BOOTS,5-7 Church Street, Monday to Friday 9.30am to 6pm, Saturday 9amto5pm,Sunday10am to 3pm

CAMBRIAN PHARMACY,Cambrian Health Centre, MondaytoFriday8.30amto7pm

DAYLEWIS PHARMACY,Oswald Road,Monday to Friday 8.30amto6pm (closed 1pmto2pm), Saturday 8.30am to 12pm

WHITCHURCH BOOTS,10-14 Watergate Street, Monday to Friday 9amto 5pm, Saturday 9amto5.30pm GREEN ENDPHARMACY,11-13 Green End, Mondayto Friday 8.45am to 5.30pm,Saturday8.45amto5pm

ROWLANDS PHARMACY,11HighStreet, Monday to Friday 9amto5.30pm,Saturday9am to 12 noon

LUDLOW

BOOTS,34BullRing,MondaytoSaturday9am to 5.30pm LUNTS PHARMACY,116-119Lower Galdeford,Monday to Friday 9amto6.30pm, Saturday 9amto5.30pm.

PEAK PHARMACY,49BullRing, Monday to Friday 9amto 5.30pm,Saturday9am to 5pm.

CHURCH STRETTON

HILLSIDEPHARMACY,18SandfordAvenue,Monday to Friday 9amto5.30pm,Saturday9am to 1pm.

ROWLANDS PHARMACY,40SandfordAvenue, Monday to Friday 9amto5.30pm, Saturday 9amto12noon.

MARKETDRAYTON BOOTS,48-50 CheshireStreet, Monday to Friday 9amto 5.30pm,Saturday10am to 5pm.

LOGGERHEADS PHARMACY,9 Eccleshall Road, Loggerheads, Monday to Friday 9amto6pm,Saturday 9amto1pm PEAK PHARMACY,Medical Centre,MaerLane, Monday to Friday 8.30am to 6pm(closed 1.30pmto2pm), Saturday

Neds areback to give town a‘shot in arm’

Ned’sAtomicDustbin’s Jonn Penneyexplainswhy hisband hopestoboost town’s musicscene with aone-day festival

It’seasytosee why Jonn Penney was thelyrical creative forceofNed’s Atomic Dustbin.

In awhirlwind40-minute chat he keepscomingupwith memorable quotes,like: ‘It wasasafehaven andapotboiler of artistic people.’

‘Hardtimes make people supercreative.’

‘Peopleenjoy belongingtoa tribe– they area tribal species.’

TheNeds,aseveryone callsthem, were partofthe ‘Stourbridge scene’

that shone brightlyinthe early 1990s. Centredaroundthe legendaryMitre musicvenue,the fivepiece cuttheir teethsupportingthe likes of PopWill EatItself andthe WonderStuffbeforegoing on to establish themselves in theirown right as aformidableliveact

Nowtheyare back whereitall beganfor them andready to perform next monthaspartofaseries of events designed,as Penney says, “togivethe town ashotinthe arm”

Last month Penney andAdam Mole from PopWill EatItselfhost-

ed an eventcalledNeds andPoppiesatStourbridge Town Hall’s WollastonStudio, featuringspecial screenings of twolong-form videos from thebands

Next month’s event, on Saturday, May25, will featuretalks andperformances, as well as record fairsto be held around thetowncentre at venueslikeClaptrapand TheDuke William as well as at Record Culture in Market Street.

It will culminatewithanexpected sell-out eveningshow forthe Neds at Stourbridge Town Hall,a venue they last played in 2021

Penney hasbeenbusycurating thewhole event, as well as writing abookdue forpublication laterthis year.Self-Ishisbased on storiesbehind the56songs he provided the lyrics forasfrontmanofthe Neds

Idid sayearlier that it wasa whirlwindchat, butPenneyisas unassumingarockstarasyou couldmeet, talkingquietly over aconvivial coffee at anew café on CoventryStreetinthe town

He told of howthe aspiring music studentwho didn’t getgood enough A-levelresults fordrama school formed thebandatHalesowen College afterplacing an advert on the noticeboard.

As collegestudents.theybecame part of the‘Stourbridge scene’ whichcentredlargely around town centre pubsthe Mitre andthe Swan

He said:“We went therealot becausetheywerejustgreat places to meet anddrink andthen, when the Wonder Stuffand thePoppies hit it bigand were on Topofthe Pops andthingslikethat, it encouraged us.Wewerealwaysserious about ourmusic whichiswhy Iplacedthe

advert when apreviousbandhad brokeup. Irememberthingslike when we needed apiece of equipment –Ithink it wasa lighting rig or something– andone of thePoppiesdrove us from theMitre to go andget it,webecamefriends with Clint(Mansell)and allofthemvery quickly.

“There were no pretensions, everybodytried to help each other andIthink that is how thescene snowballed as well as themusic We didour firstgig upstairs in the Mitre as supporttothe Poppies,so you couldsay we were hangingon theircoat-tailstoanextent–they certainlygaveusaboost andastart if youlike.”

Penney talksof‘coming alive’

Half in Midlands have cutnon-essential spendingin2024

Half of people in theMidlandssay they have cutnon-essential spendinginthe firstthree monthsofthis year

JOHN CORSER

said increase non-essentialspending

When askedwhattheywould most likely do should prices of goods andservicesdrop, 46 percent said putthe moneyintosavings,19 percentsaidput themoneytoward essentialcosts likemortgage/rent, energy,fuel, food and10per cent

Aconsumersurveyfromaccountancygroup KPMG also found peopleinthe region arefourtimes more likelytosavethanspend TheConsumerPulse survey tracksthe quarterlyconfidenceand spending behaviour of consumers acrossage andincome groups and UK regions, including470 in the Midlands

When askedabout theirspendingsofar in 2024, half said that theiressential cost levels have meantthattheyhavehad to cut theirnon-essential spendinthe firstquarter of theyear. Eating out, clothing andtakeaways were thethree most common non-essential cutbacks reported

Andrew Bostock, Birmingham

office senior partneratKPMGUK, said:“Essential costsremainata levelwhere anumberofconsumerswesurveyed said they have cut theirnon-essential spendinthe firstquarter of theyear.

“Shouldmacroeconomicconditionsleadtoaneasingofpressure on householdbudgets,thenmore consumerssay they wouldboostor replenishtheir savings, ratherthan spendmoreonnon-essentials.”

Ned’sAtomic Dustbin at Stourbridge Town Hall in 2020.Photo:DaveCox

Hello and welcome to another packed Weekend edition. We hope you’ve survived this week’s rain and gales –let’s keep our fingers crossed that the weather brings us some sunshine soon.

This week, Andy Richardson talks to TimBooth, lead singer of indie rock band James, who have released their 18th studio album.

ACats Protection volunteer provides an insight into what it’s like to foster rescue cats and kittens while they wait to find their forever home.

As we continue to celebrateour region’s independent traders, we also meet abridal shop owner who is helping customers find their dream dress within their budget.

We also chat to best-selling author Mark Edwards about the inspiration behind his latest thriller,The Darkest Water

On the TV pages, Sir Michael Palin is talking about his latest documentary which follows his travels in Nigeria. Youcan also find full listings so you can plan your viewing for the week ahead.

If you’re looking for travel inspiration, we’ve got all the informationyou need for planning afamily cruise, aguide to the Swedish city of Stockholm and a travel review of Madeira.

We would love to hear from you, our readers, about what you would like to see featured in Weekend, from favourite restaurants and pubs that you think our reviewers should visit to your suggestions of interesting people to speak to for the What It’s Like To... page. Or would you like us to celebrate your favourite independent high street business?

Please email your ideas to heather large@mnamedia.co.uk

Songsintune with joyoflife

AndyRichardson chats to Tim Booth, lead singer of James, about the band’s new album, Yummy, and their 42-year career in music

Love is acyclone, age a sham, the world in freefall. The planet is in the hands of poisonous profiteers, conspiracies abound and we’re working for our phones now.

Such is life in 2024 according to James’ 18th studio album Yummy; 12 astute melodic dispatches from an era of global overwhelm, stalked by death but blessed by love and companionship. And it is –bythe record’s own admission –amiracle.

“This record is really uplifting and joyful, but alot of that comes from the music,” says singer TimBooth of acareer-high album that confronts ageism, conspiracy theory,AIcontrol, the mental health pandemic, ecological apocalypse, mortality and modern love in all its shades. “Some of the lyrics are pretty hard-nosed.”

James’ longevity –with over 25 million albums sold over their 42-year career and their celebrated reunion period since 2007 earning them more Top20album placings and faster ticket sales than their whirlwind initial run from 1982 to 2001 –is miraculous itself,but with simple cause. James, you see, are more than aband; they’rea sonic belonging. From their earliest days, gathering a cult following around compulsive alt-rock gallops like ‘Johnny Yen’ or uniting the early Nineties with ‘Sit Down’, ‘Sometimes ’and ‘Laid’, they were a hand from the darkness, dispensing euphoric, anthemic comfort at atouch. More recent albums

such as the critically acclaimed La Petite Mort (2014), the Number Twohit Girl at the End of the World (2016), Living in Extraordinary Times (2018) and All the Colours of You(2021) dealt with politics, grief and adoomed world spinning out of control, but the band’s inclusive, love laden heart still glowed like abeacon.

There were afair few hurdles to jump in the making of this record. Writing sessions began in September 2021 but two sessions were stymied by Covid outbreaks amongst the writers. In the traditional James fashion, the band would record lengthy jams from which members would later pluck sections to develop into songs. James would reconvene for three more sessions between November 2021 and June2022 at the windswept Broughton Hall Estate in Yorkshire –“A real Heathcliff kind of thing,” says bassist Jim Glennie. 86 jams were recorded over three weeks.

Chaotic

“We’ve had to beg, steal and borrow parts from all the band members in between live performances that we were doing,” Saul explains. “It was sometimes chaotic, but Idon’t think it’s suffered from that approach.”

Chloe Alper’s wicked backing vocals are acase in point. Her layered arrangements might be the most striking sonic difference marking this album from its predecessors. “Chloe and Debbie (KnoxHewson) have been in the band for five years now,” says Tim. “Their presence has helped shift us into anew phase. We are simply having alot more fun. It’s reflected in the album title.”

Yummy is aquintessential James album: comforting yet adventurous, electronic yet human, dark yet life-affirming, experimental yet familiar,

heart-warming yet deeply introspective on both the personal and human scale. “You’d think I’d be wise from all these lives,” Timjokes on ‘Rogue’ (referencing his experiences with past life regression therapy) but Yummy is as sage and worldly as modern rock gets. Its string-swept opener and calling card, ‘Is This Love’, for instance –a fine example of the album’s ability to subtly blend cutting edge synthetics into organic James anthems –isascomplex adissection of love in all its forms as has ever been put to tape.

“Can you love more than one equally? Is love shaped by ascreen, films that you’ve seen, peace of mind?” Timsings, poring over the pain, heat, battle, distance, fear,release and endurance of this mercurial emotion, in pursuit of its point and purpose. “It’s about Eros,” he explains, “when love is like abrick through awindow and you’re terrified because it could bring the house down. A frighteningly alive state.”

“Our world isn’t your world, you just stole the world,” Timsings, “fake democracies come cheap, profittoday from our children’s tomorrow,get rich quick in Eldorado”.

“Greed and power and money have control of the issue,” he says. “People want change, but our Governments have been bought by the profiteers. It’s mind-blowingly stupid, mind-blowingly ignorant and short sighted, but that is the flaw in human nature. That if there’s aprofittobemade, everything else goes out the window.”

Also undermining our psychic stability,Yummy attests,istechnology and its insidious effects. The spectacular,Afro-tronic ‘Mobile God’ is written from the perspective of asmartphone –the PA, babysitter,loan shark, plaything, spy and parasite ruling over us from our pockets. “I’m thelast thing you stroke in theevening before bed, I’m the

lover you touch in the morning,” it boasts, “your life belongs to me”. Don’t fear the AI takeover, the moral goes, we already work for them. “It’s shocking the way we’ve given up ourresponsibility to AI,” Timsays. “Weare already cyborgs.” ‘Hey’ –ahallucinogenic piece of gospel pop –meanwhile, addresses the media fears and online conspiracy theories that help keep us docile, noting that “belief is stronger than proof”in 2024 but stopping short of condemning online conspiracists. “Everybody has conspiracy theories,” says Tim, “ideas about the world that are unproven, but are quite likely to be true. That’s how we build up our picture of the world. And to believe there is aconspiracy by government is atotally appropriate response, because we’ve found again and again there have been.” Hence he plays reporter rather than judge in the song; after all, he’ll whole-heartedly endorse the conspiracy theory that alleged that “the CIA killed the Kennedys, there was acoupinAmerica in the Sixties”, and when he sings “my UFO’s landing soon” he means it.

When the modern world gets too much,Yummy advocates heading off-grid. The protagonist of the serene and majestic chorale, beautifully arranged by Mark Hunter,‘WayOver Your Head’, driven to alcoholism by the rat race, yearns for “a simpler life, aspit of land, community”. And the album’s centrepiece ‘Shadow of the Giant’, swelling from a mystical quasi-classical opening into an orchestral gospel groove and featuring piano from John Hopkins, applies the same mentality to the life of the jet-set rock star.“My whole life is in lock-ups and hard-drives, checks-ins and goodbyes, diaries, dates and EasyJet flights,” Timsings, admitting “I am most happy in these oceanic spaces”.

The giant in question here is left open to interpretation –itmay represent our parents, our spirituality or agrander scheme that most of us only brieflyglimpse. If there’s ashadow cast over Yummy though, it’s scythe-shaped, but not fearful.

Forsuch an eternally youthful band ahypercharged, ‘Laid’-like banger the ebullient ‘Rogue’ could be adefinitive anti-ageism statement that the body may wither but the mind remains forever young. “I’ve been apunk, asaint, afool, Vishnu,” Timdeclares, still full of the vitality of all of his previous lives, and this one; “I’m still mesmerised by cleavage. Iwon’t come to Jesus’” he admits, and vows “some of us still have work to do”.

Stereotype

“No one really talks about ageism,” Timargues. “Old people aren’t valued or treated with respect like they would often be as elders in indigenous tribes. When Iwrote that lyric, Iwas imagining someone in their seventies and the anger they must feel in wanting to go rogue andtobreak out. We know the stereotype of what we should be as we get old and we’re not taking this s***. I’m 63, I stage dive. Idance. Let’s buck thepsychology of getting old.”

And, indeed, of drawing back the final curtain. James have writtenfrank, confrontational and often euphoric songs about embracing death before –‘ZERO’ and ‘Recover’ from All the Colours of You; much of La Petite Mort. But Yummy’s closer ‘Folks’ is undoubtedly their most intriguing of the genre. Puttogether from the jam by Jim andhis half-brother Peter,it’s awarping avant-garde blueeyed ballad which they imagined being broadcast at us from outer space. “Wewanted it to sound like it kept tuning into other songs,” Jim says, “that there was disruption from wherever coming in, but all wrapped up in the warmth and familiarity of a1950s crooner ballad trying to find itsway uninterrupted from the heavens to whoever was listening to it”.

Timuses this otherworldly backdrop for a tongue-in-cheek slow-dance with the reaper,his answer to Leonard Cohen’s deathbed farewell tune ‘Thanks for the Dance’. “Death’s a fixture, go and kiss her,wear your stories with pride,” he sings, “I’m too old to lie, see you on the otherside, Iwon’t cling on to thislife”. “I think most people, even younger people, are aware of their mortality right now in away that we weren’t 30 years ago,” he says. “The world didn’t look as precariously balanced as it does now.Sowe’d better start making friends with death because it’s areality.” Alongside Yummy,Tim hasbeen turning his lyrical skills to the benefitofliterature too. His debut novel When IDied ForThe First Time –“A dark comedy musing on the music industry, addiction, racism, altered states, creativity and love, written from the point of view of amessed-up singer coming back from rehab” –was published on March 28. After all of those lives, he’s finding new ways to be wise.

James headtothe West Midlands on June 12 to headline Birmingham Utilita Arena.

“Thisrecordis really joyful buta lotofthatcomes from themusic”

After monthsofshivering, we’vegot awarmhouse

Aroundabout now, people arehavingconversations aboutwhether to turn off theheating.After all, it’s finally gettingwarmer,after three monthsofrainthe sunmay begin to shineand thedays areverydefinitely longerand brighter.

Whoneeds expensive heating when there’san ever-warmingsun?

Me.That’s who. While everyone else is turning offtheir heating, we’re finallyturningour heating on Forthe firsttime.Since last November.Damn.

Let’sgobacktothe beginningofthistaleof woe, beforewesharea champagnemoment as we dancearoundahomewithwarm air that doesn’tleadtosniffles everytimethe temperaturedrops.

We decidedtoget some work done,whichis notsounusualwhenyou live in adraughtyold houselikes our’s

Theelectrics hadn’t been done for morethan 50 years. Cableswerestartingtomelt. Lights were glowing at unusualtimes.Someplugsdidn’t even have switches

Theplumbingwas just as bad. It was Frankenstein –or, moreaccurately, Frankenplumb –as oneworkmancalledit.

So we called aplumberguy whopersuaded us he wasthe manfor thejob

He uppedhis dayrate, aweekafter starting, switchedthe heating offin November,and we grew so tiredofhis musing that we couldn’t bring ourselves to askhim backround

ANDY RICHAR

He’d spent to notmuchatall,c what he’d done clientswhile disap needed him mos

We movedon. Though findin provedimpossi world’s best bu away– badnew commute–but hours that I’ve alw starting early an late On one day, we tell him to go home partner: it was8 evening

We told hima our plumber wo so he found us whileperusing theaisleofa hardware store buying stuffhe needed to fix up another room

He gave them our (genuine) hard luck

It’s time to hitthe road again. As Iwrite,Papa Morrisison theway to SouthWales to retrieve our funbus from itswinterhideaway.

Aseriesofmodifications have brought our faithful camper vanuptospec, with thestars of theshowbeing some rather trendy ‘shadow glass’ windows.There’s no doubt aboutit, she’s looking good,and party/touring season is sure to be atreat this year

Firststopfor 2024(or at least the first scheduled stop)will be Portsmouth for thebig D-Day80thanniversarycelebrations

I’veonlyvisited fair old Pompey once before –also withdad butbackmanymoons agowhenI wasonlya nipper. Irememberhim remarking that he really lovedHMS Victory (Nelson’s fabled flagship) as it wasthe only place that,at5ft 7”,hecouldlegitimately bang hishead.

To be up-close andpersonal withthe collectiveprideofthe RoyalNavythisJune, andhonour those whofoughtfor freedom and liberty during theSecond WorldWar,will be an immenseprivilege,and I’mthoroughlylooking forward to it.Beforethisparticularly poignant occasion though, ‘road tripping lite’isaboutto kick offwitha momentous event.

Today, my daughterand Iwill be darkening thehalls of ashoppingcentrenot farfromour fair region,as Itakeher to enjoyher firstStar

story, vetted theplumberfor us,and persuaded him to come round

It wasaneas fi Bleed the

entire winter living in it –and trying to explain to people whyI’m dressed like an Inuit while I’m sittinginmyown office

“Why don’tyou just putthe heatingon?” people have said, from London to Womborne, from LosAngeles to NewZealand.

AndI’vestarted atoo-longstory abouta plumber,adecisionnot to bleedsomeradiators, andour shiveringthree months of being cold and damp

Iwon’t be sadtosee thebackofthosedays. AndI’m alreadyreallylooking forward to winter Forget theimpending heatwave andthe glory of spring and summer.

I’mreally lookingforward to winter –soIcan turn theheating backonand get really,really warm

Wars convention.Atthe tender ageofone-anda-half,she is admittedly young to be inducted as aJedi-in-training.But, as shouldbethe case consideringher blood,Ican tell that theForce is alreadystronginthisone,and so there’sno time likethe presenttosee what those midichlorianscan do

As an absolutedork (and nowanabsolute dorkofa dad), Ihavetoconfess that Ihave been lookingforward to this occasion with almost-unparalleledexcitementsince theday my delightful little Jawa wasborn.

Iwon’t, Iknow, be the firstparent who hastaken theopportunity to force-feed their bambinawith theirown interestsbeforethey areold enoughtodevelop truepassions of their own.

Andwhile I’mhopeful,I’m alsoarealist–it’s highlyunlikely she’sgoingtowant to joinme in dressingupas aStormtrooperwhenshe’s 18.Still,providing that todayyields enough embarrassing photostomakea propershow of herwhenshe is such an age, abig and

deliciouspartofmywork as adad will be done

Ionceheard it said that embarrassingyour kidsisjustaboutthe best thing aboutbeing aparent, and thedevil in me is very much looking forward to when Ican getthisstarted in earnest.

However, IthinkI’llbewaiting for awhile With acheekynot-so-much-a-cherubrunning around whodelights in few thingsmorethan rubbingcream cheese in herhairwhile topless, clearly shehas already developed averythick skin, andit’ll be alongtimebeforeshe shedsit by caring aboutwhatothersthink.

In thecontextofthe upcoming D-Day anniversary, Iwatch my daughterhappily messing around in thewonderful worldshe inhabits withouta care,and Ithinkabout the sacrifices it hastaken forthat world to exist.

Forall thehappiness my daughter experiences,and for allthat is yettocomefor her, Iowe those menand womenof80years agoadebtthat cannever trulyberepaid. Andfor being able to spend my private life indulginginsuchfrivolousthings as science fiction (indeed,for beingable to live free anddo whatever Iwant)I owe them my world as well

So beforethe anniversarymonth hits and Istand with pridealongsidemanyothersin Pompey,Iwant to getin thereearly andsay a very personalthank you.

It willsoonbetimetosay thankyou

Thankyou to allofthosewho were there andstood together for what wasright.Thank youtothose whogavesothat we mightthrive. Thankyou for acting with consequence, so that we cannow occasionallyenjoy the inconsequential.Thank youfor protecting our future andthat of our children. Thankyou for nevergiving up.Wewill always remember,and so,indeed, we allshould.

We’re finallyfeeling toasty

AApurr-fect host

safosterer Angela Hulley provides rescue cats andkittens in need of a little extraTLC with thesafe andlovingenvironmentthey deserve.

Foraslongas they need it, sheensures they arehealthy andhappywhile they wait to find their forever home. Angela hasbeen avolunteer for Wolverhampton CatsProtection since2017and is oneofnine fosterers forthe branch

“I just love cats,that’s whyIdoit,”saysAngela “I love theirindependenceand Ijustlook at them andthink: ‘whata lifestyle’

“I feel sadfor allthosecatsthat don’thave that nice lifestyleand Iwant to help them.”

Sinceshe startedfostering,Angela hascared for more than 40 cats andkittens at herhome. Her spareroomisdedicated to hercharges andfull of everythingtheymight need during theirstayfromlitterboxes and scratchingposts to aplentiful supplyoftoys.

Angela takescareofall theirday-to-day needs, includingfeeding them,cleaning their living space,makingsuretheyhavefresh water, socialising them andgroomingthem.

Shealsotakes themtoany vetappointments they need andmakes sure they getplentyoffuss andattention

Her most recent visitors have been an eightmonth-old blackfemalecat –Dolly Purrtonand hertwo greykittens –Sir IsaacMewtonand Kitty Purry. Cats Protection were called into help after Dollywas found heavilypregnantinagarden.

“She came in on theWednesdayand gave birthonthe Thursday.She gave birthtothree

kittensbut onesadly didn’t survive. Ihatetothink what would have happenedifDolly hadn’tbeen found.Idon’t think anyofthe kittenswouldhave survived and Idon’t know howDolly wouldhave managedwiththat.She is onlya very youngcat herself,” explainsAngela Theyoung familyare nowdoingwellthanksto theongoingloveand care provided at theirfoster home

“Dollyisabsolutely gorgeousand very friendly Thekittens arelovely andveryactive. We believe Isaachas wobblycat syndrome,whichaffects hiscoordination.Hewon’t getany better but he won’tget anyworse.He’sstill acts like every otherkitten,”saysAngela.The charityalways needsmorefosterers to come forward to help cats like Dollyuntil they canberehomed

“Wedesperatelyneedmorefosterers because

themorefosterers we have, themorecatswec save. We arealso seeing alot more kittensthan usual. Thereusedtobeakittenseason in spring andsummer butit’sall thetimenow.We’ve had tter afterlitterbrought in,” says Angela

To become afosterer, volunteerswill need to have aspareroomintheir house or agarden whereone or moreoutdoorcat pens canbe installed.Fostercatsmustbekeptseparate from anyother pets in theirhome.

If someonedoesn’t have anypets, they can become awhole-house fostererwhere cats have more space to roam.Everything afostererneed to care for theirfurryguests, from catbedsto food,isprovidedbyCatsProtection

Oneaspect of therolethat canbedifficult is learning to love andlet go when thefostering period comestoanand.But Angela says while shestill finds saying goodbye sad, shesees it as an opportunitytohelpother cats in need

“WhenI firststarted,itwas very hard becauseyou do absolutely fall in love with them.I’vegrown abit of thickerskinwith it butI still cryevery time onegoes.

“The positivethingisthata lotoftimepeople send photographs of them settling into their forever homeand that’s lovely

“Italsomeans that Ihaveroom to bring in the next catlikeDolly whoneeds help andthat gives me alot of pleasure.

“I’ve seen tiny kittensgrowand develop into lovely animals that aregoingtomakesomebody very happy,” shesays.

Formoreinformationabout volunteering as a fostereroradoptingacat,contactvolunteering@ wolverhampton.cats.org.uk or call 01902651173. Furtherdetails canbefound at www.cats.org.uk

Heather Large

Angela enjoys playing with Dolly Purrton

SirIsaac Mewton

CatfostererAngelaHulley from Wolverhampton

KittyPurry

DRINKS CUPBOARD

Sit back and sip wines from grapes grown at high altitude

Howabout climbing theheightsfor wines made at altitudefromFrance, Portugal and SouthAmerica?

Andnoneofitneeding youtodon your walking boots to reach, writes SharonWalters Here area fewsuggestions… and if you really like them,why notindeedtakea trip and pull on thoseboots?

EsporãoMonte VelhoRed Alentejo 2022 from Portugal,£8.95 from theWineSociety

Smooth,supple andsuper-reliable red–one of Portugal’s favourites –fromthe experienced team at Esporãointhe sun-soakedAlentejo region whichisupto600ft.The wine hasgood sustainabilitycredentials as well,makingno useofchemicalpesticidesand herbicides.

ErrazurizEstateReserva PinotNoir2022from Chile, RRP£11.90fromAsda, Majestic,Spar, Tesco-£9.00,Waitrosecellar–£8.99 Aconcagua is situated at over300m. Aromas of freshstrawberries and cherriescomplemented by atouch of violetsand damp earth.Lightbodied andcrisp,withsofttanninsand a pleasing,well-rounded finish

ErrazurizAconcagua CostaSauvignon Blanc

2022 RRP- £13.75 from Waitrose Thegrapesfor this SauvignonBlanc come from theAconcagua Costavineyard,located in theAconcagua Valley just 12 km (7.5 miles) from thePacificOcean, wherethe maritime influencecreates ideal conditions for coolclimate varieties. Character:Delightful passion fruitand herbalnotescombinedwith bright acidityand crispmineral flavoursleadtoa pleasant, long finish

Zuccardi Valles Torrontes2021fromArgentina

RRP£16.80fromBon Coeur, CambridgeWine Merchants, £14.00 –Hic!, HopCellar–£16.80

TheZuccardiVallesTorrontés is abrilliant exampleofthisclassic Argentinian grape variety.Sourced from vineyardsgrown in Salta, -1800masl/5905ft, this whitewine hasenticing aromas of white flowers,pears, orangesand passion fruit. Thepalateis fragrant,crisp andzingy with flavoursoflychée, orange peel and gentle spices

LouisJadotMâcon BlancVillages2022 from France RRP–£17.35–£13 from TescoOcado, Nisa,Wholefoods, Booths

Showcasingthe lovely ripe fruitofthe region,a balanced andcrisp Chardonnay whichismore popularthanever. Bright andbalanced with refreshing notes of citrus andcrisp green apple flavours. Wine sourced from thesteep slopes of theMaconnaisrangesfrom 208mt. to 530mt, with vineyardsoften over400min altitude.

Tastyfoodand

dishes that tick allthe boxes

Ihadnointentionofvisiting Raza’s Pizzaand Curry House. Springishere and I’dintended to eat seasonal stuff, likelocal asparagus, somewhere else.

AndsoItried calling therestaurantin question,but couldn’t getthrough.So instead, Ipoppedinand askedifthey’d gotatable forone

Thediningroomhad seated twoguestsand therewerethree front of house staff– Iwas pretty sure my luck wouldbein.

“We’ll just have alook,” saidthe youthful waiter, thoughhaving‘looked’ at an emptydiningroom, Iwas pretty sure that unlessthey’dgot atableof 50 duein thenext60minutes, I’dbeokay.

Awaitress took over, beckoned me to thedesk –as thoughIwas checkingintoa hotel, rather than hopingtoeat asparagus–and ledmetothe dining room

“There’s atable there,”she said, pointing beyond theonly othercoupleinthe diningroom, before turning on herheelsand retreating to the

desk wherethe machine featured asea of empty tables

Firstimpressions count–and theone at the firstrestaurant could have been alot better They broughtamenu, butoffered no drinks AndsoI waited.Ten minutespassed.Icounted them.And Istarted to feel alittleuncomfortable Threestaff were just around thecorner, nattering,while ashould-be-paying guestwas treatedtoalackofhospitality

As theclock tickeddown, Iweighedupthe options:leaving wasthe best

So thewalk-in became awalk-out. I’d satunattendedfor 18 minutes, and, eating somewhereelse, wherethe staffactuallytalk to theirguests, seemed amoreappealing proposition Raza’s,atCravenArms, couldn’thavebeen more different.

Asalt-of-the-earth restaurant with staffwho were engaged, friendly,and infinitely more welcoming

Andwhile the firstplace hadtwo remaining guestswhenI left,Raza’s, on awet Wednesday evening,had 17.Now,I wonder whythat might be?

Thedécor wasminimal. It looked likesomeone had climbed on aset of stairladders and plastered floor tilesonthe ceiling.There waslittle in theway of furtherornamentation

Butthere wassomething farmorevaluable than allofthe whistles andbells that restaurateurs wronglyimagine areimportant –it wasthis: soul.

Thetwo guys working the floorweregenuinely engaged.

‘Was everythingokay?’, ‘Would youlikeachat aboutthis?’, ‘Shall Iget youatakeout boxfor that?’,‘This tastesabit hotand spicy’…

Eagertoplease– andable to do so –they provided aquality diningexperiencebydoing the most important thing of all: just being nice

Mind you, it wasn’t just thewarmth and humanity that provedendearing

Thefood wasdecent, too. Istarted with the obligatorypoppadoms whichwerestill warm,

Istarted with poppadomsand dips

Interestingdecor at therestaurant

TheChicken currywithpilau rice

qualityservice

The roti wasstill hotand soft,the chickenchaat wasdeliciously spiced

Three staffwere just aroundthe corner, nattering, whileashouldbe-payingguest wastreated to alackofhospitality.

The youthful waiter appeared.Heferried fish andchips to thetable next to me.

‘Great,’Ithought. ‘I’ll be able to getadrinkand place an order.’Ididn’t. He walked off. Another five minutes passed. He reappeared.‘Is everythingokaywithyour fish andchips?’ He asked the neighbouringtable.

And then he disappeared as thewoman nearby told herhusband how attentivethe nice youngchap was.

Except,ofcourse, he wasn’t,and aAsthe clock ticked down, Iweighed up theoptions:leaving was thebest.

Sothe walk-inbecame awalk-out. I’dsat unattended for18 minutes, and, eating somewhere else,where the

SAMPLE MENU STARTERS

Samosa £2.50

Chickenpakora£4

BBQ ChickenWings £4

MAIN COURSES

Chickentikka masala £7.50

PAssanda£7.50

Garlic chillichicken £7.50

PIZZA MENU

Seafood£10

Mega meat £10

SheeshCrust Special£10

Ancient grape is back on the vineyard map

Formealarge part of whyIenjoy writingthis column is exploring anddiscovering new drinks, andIhopeit’sone ofthe reasonsyou like reading it.Searchingout new flavours, a newgrape variety,anew tippleiswhat makesit allsoexciting andinteresting

Over the next few weeks, Iamgoing to see how far off the beaten track we can get. This week Iamstarting with atotally new grape variety for me, but an ancient one, Manseng Noir

Originating in the Basque country,this variety was thought to be extinct until agroup of innovative winemakers from Gascony ventured out to put it back on the map having found it growing wild.

Following research, cultivation and nurturing over almost ten years, new vineyards were planted and this wine is the fruits of the labours of the young vines.

Manseng Noir is lower in alcohol than other southern French reds and ends up adeeply coloured but easy drinking glass of plummy spiciness. Itried it at room temperature but Iamreliably informed that you can chill down afew degrees –yes, I’m suggesting you chill ared wine, not as much as awhite wine, but lower than room temperature –and it will be even more refreshing. It’salso another way for us to explore new tipples. Cheers everyone.

Manseng Noir,£10.95atThe Wine Society

Findmore of Ed’s recommendations on Instagram @drinkswithed

Sweet, fruity whisky with subtle spices

Just 15 miles south of theScottish border, sits Ad Gefrin,England’snorthernmost distillery Tácnbora blended whisky is Ad Gefrin’s Standard-Bearer (translation of Tácnbora) in every sense.

As the first spirit from Ad Gefrin, they wanted to tell the story of who they are and embody their inspirations in one blend.

It is light and subtle, ablend of Scottish and Irish malt and grain whiskies that have been aged in acombination of exbourbon, virgin American oak and oloroso casks.

This blend gives sweet, fruity characteristics on the nose along with hints of vanilla, candied citrus peels and subtle spices.

On the palate, at first, there is asmooth honey and vanillalike character to thewhisky, along with notes of nutmeg, sultanas and cream soda.

The finish, lasting flavours of honey and vanilla that are complemented with the taste of sweet citrus. Asubtle yet complex whisky

Ad Gefrin,Tácnbora, £42.50, adgefrin.co.uk

Ginger chickenwithstrands of cucumber Chickenchaatand roti

Raza’s covers both Indian andBangladeshifood,aswellaspizzas

5THINGS WE LOVE THIS WEEK ANDY RICHARDSON

Ahh, rhubarb. It means spring is here andwecan putawaythe diet of hardy root vegand enjoysomenice stuff, instead, like rhubarb andcustard,rhubarbripple icecream –yes,in April–or rhubarb withduckorpork,because whoneeds plumsauce,orapple sauce, when rhubarbistwice as nice If you’ve missed outonthisyear’s harvest, fearnot.The RHS– that’s the RoyalHorticultural Society, to youand I– says you canplant afew seedsnow and look forward to abumper crop next year.And then all youneed to do is sit back and letitdoits thing,before makingahuge panofcustard enjoyitwith

We’re remindedthat politiciansare human beings.Someare motivatedbya desire to do good,toserve their localcommunities,and to rightthe many wrongs that arepartofmodern Britain. Others aren’t.And so it’s curious to seetensions rise as advanced polling aheadofthe impending General Election effectivelyserves them with theirP45.The ballots omingand somemight ve to go back to managing eirextensive portfolio of investments, rather than making speeches from theHouse of Commons Whilepolls were once conductedevery other month, nowthey’re a weekly affair andthe data is increasingly accurate Allthe usualcaveats are attached of course –but ere’sanunmistakeable joyin ng multiplePortilloMoments foretold by pollsters.

Whoamong us didn’t growupwith an errant uncle, grandfather,or friend-of-a-friend whose party trickwas to blow smokerings?From the playgroundsoflocal HighSchools to NewYear’sEve gatherings, thereare many whose party piece wastofunnelsmoke across theirtongue and releaseit in small, circular,puffs of feathery, micro-cloud.Myfriends,let me tell you, they have nothingonMount Etna.MountEtnahas spent thepast week blowing smokerings thesize of villages farabove thehillsand mountains of Sicily.Europe’scraziest volcanohas decidedthat beingthe continent’s largestisnot enough –now,itwants to showoff.And so from deep within theearth’s crust, the volcanohas been puttingonashow. Airtrapped insidethe crater hasbeen exhaledingiant smokerings as Etna wins theprize for originality.The nearperfectcircles have been pumped intothe Sicilian sky, propelled by a circular vent in thevolcano

Didyou seethe solar eclipse?No, me neither.

Andunless you travelledwest, to Liverpool,or, better still, theisland of Ireland,you wouldn’t have done

Forall thehooplaabout this week’s solar eclipse,you basically had to be somewhereinthe Atlantic ocean to enjoyit.

Oh yes, andthat’s somewherein theAtlantic Oceanatanunfeasibly early hourofthe morning

Natureisgreat,though, unlike boxing andfootball, it doesn’t scheduledisplays to meet peak times.

So while AnthonyJoshuaand ManchesterCityare willing to move theirbouts andgames to meet the TV timetable, thesun andthe moon really can’tbefussed.

Youcan imagineaTVscheduler talking to theBig WeatherGod in the Sky.

Andthe WeatherGod smirking back, dismissively,witha firm and unmoveable: No

Golden retrieverTrigger celebrates his finallitter forcharity GuideDogs in Leamington Spaashe retiresfrom hispositionas topstuddog at theage of nine.Trigger is afatherto more than 300puppies.

We were goingtotalk aboutTaylor Swift. She’s abillionaire, she’sgot the outcomeofthe next USA Election in herpocket. Butasmuchas we love Tay-Tay, shedoesn’t rock our worldlikeseagulls. Whoneeds to worryabout big politicalissues when aseagullisstealing chipsfrom someone on aseafront? Don’t tell us that’s sad–it’sfunny. Andsowe salutethe wingedpirateswho grab our attention,and occasionally steal pastiesand eattheminone bite –a trickthatwe, humans,20times their size,haveyet to master.Squawk.

BLAZEOFCOLOURASGAMES UNDERWAY

It wasthe year that sawthe biggest sporting eventstagedinthiscountrysince the1948 Olympic GamesinLondon

TheXVIICommonwealth Games, held in Manchester,was alsothe largestinthe historyofthe eventinterms of participating nations with 72 countriestakingpartacross 14 individual and threeteam sports from July 25 to August 4.

TheGames kicked offin ablaze of colour, music andstunning choreographywithan openingceremonyfeaturing 5,000 athletes from 72 countries, watchedbyacapacity crowd of 38,000 spectators.

SirSteve Redgrave banged the Malaysian drum,atraditional gift from the last hosts, to introduce thetwo-and-a-halfhour ceremony,which waswatched by a globalaudienceofone billion Manchester-bornsprinter Darren Campbell,who carriedthe flag for England’s 650athletes, accompaniedCommonwealth 200m butterflychampion James Hickman whodeclared theoathonbehalfofall the competingathletes.

TheJubilee Batonwas handed to Wolverhampton’s Denise Lewis to startthe Batonrelay

TheOlympic, worldand European heptathlete champion jogged herway through the5,000 athletesbeforepassing theBaton in turn to yachtswomanEllen MacArthur, three-timesKenyanworld champion middle distance runnerMoses Kiptanui,10-timesgold medallist Australian swimmerSusie O’Neill,Redgrave,Canadian sprinter DonovanBaileyand finally, amid deafeningcheers, to DavidBeckham.

In amovingmoment, England’sWorld Cup captaindelivered theBaton to the Queen accompaniedbysix-year-old Kirsty Howard.Kirsty, from Manchester, captured thenation’sheartswhenshe wasgiven just sixweekstolivein February1999 afterbeing born with herheart back to front Englandprovidedits largesteverteam with adelegation of more than 650including 444

competitors, athirdlargerthanatthe Kuala Lumpur 1998 Commonwealth Gamesand twicethe size of theteam that competed in Canada eightyearsearlier.

Andthisbumperteam certainlydelivered by achieving arecord medalhaul of 165 medals –53gold,51silverand 60 bronze.

Furtherhistory wasmadewhenfor the first time medals wonbyPara athletescounted towardsthe overall medals table

Amongthe winners were swimmer ZoeBaker,who wongold in the50m breaststroke,Steve Backley, whowon gold in thejavelin throw, andBeth Tweddle, who wonabronze medalonthe unevenbars.

FANS SPELLBOUNDBYPOTTERMAGIC

HarryPottermania sweptthe countryasthe latestmag moviewas greeted with arapturous response from fa More than 5,000 followers of thefantasticaladventur of theschoolboywizardcrammed into London’sLeices Squaretowatch thecastofHarryPotterand the ChamberofSecrets arrivefor the film’s world premiere

The film wasset in theyoungwizard’ssecond year Hogwart’s wherea sinisterforce is terrorising thesch Harry, played by DanielRadcliffe,mustuse allhis powers to discoverthe sourceofthe evil,aided by friends RonWeasley(Rupert Grint) andHermione Granger(Emma Watson).

Dressedinwizards’hatsand wearing HarryPotterscarves,the Potter-mad crowd screamed andchanted Thelucky ones whowatched themovie saiditwas more action-packed, scarier andf film,HarryPotterand thePhilosopher’s Stone.

2002 TAKE ME BACKTO

TheCommonwealth Games were in Manchester,Will Youngwas crownedthe winner of PopIdoland Harry Potter magic wasinthe air

WILL AWINNERASREALITY SHOWSRULETHE SCHEDULES

Realityshows were astaple of early noughtiestelly andone of themost successfulwas PopIdol.

Created by Simon Fuller,the music competition ran on ITVfrom2001to2003 andspawned amultitudeofspin-offs such as thehugely popularlyAmericanIdol.

Morethan10,000 wannabe starsset outonthe road to popglory performingin front of theshow’sfour judges, Neil Fox, Nicki Chapman,Simon Cowell andPete Waterman at auditions around thecountry.

Once the firstround of auditions was completed, theseries, presentedbyAnt & Dec, movedtothe Criterion Theatre,where thehopefuls were whittled down to 50 Thecontestants were split into five groups of 10,eachperforming onesong for thejudges, accompaniedonlybya piano TV viewerscould then vote by phonefor theirfavouritesingerand theresults were revealed later that evening with thetop two

earning aplace in the finalten

Forthe finalstage,the show movedtoa TV studio,where allremainingcontestants sangonlivetelevision,accompaniedby eitherabackingtrack or live band Each week,the singerwiththe fewest voteswas eliminateduntil onlytwo remained –Will Young andGarethGates Forthe final, they were requiredtosing threesongs each before thepanel They performed thedoubleA-side single, Evergreen/Anything is Possible, which wastobereleasedbythe winner, butalsosangthe track thepanel thought wastheir strongestduringthe series.

Will performed TheDoors’LightMy Fire,while Gareth chose TheRighteous Brothers’UnchainedMelody

Atotal of 8.7million voteswerelogged with Will crownedthe winnerwith53.1per cent of thevote.

The23-year-old from Hungerford, Berkshire, whosecureda recording

contract with BMGrecords, look genuinelyshocked as theresul announced andput hisheadinh hands.

He then immediatelyhugged losing finalist Gareth Gates, wh scored 4.1million votes, andtoo to thestage to sing Evergreen, dedicating it to Gareth

Will eventually shed tearsash wastold: “You area PopIdol.”

He saidlater he wassure he lost when he heardhow thevot hadsplit.

“I thought ‘I am second and have lost by that much’. Ipromi Ijustthought,‘Oh well,that’s no bad’,” he revealed

“And then they saiditand I just,Idon’t know,Ifeltreally isolated.Isteppedbackwards.I couldnot believeit.”

Tributes were paid throughoutthe daytothe lateactor Richard Harriswho playedProfessor AlbusDumbledoreinthe movies

Author of thePotterbooks, JK Rowling,arrivedwith her husbandDrNeilMurrayand saidshe wasastoundedatthe size of thecrowds. “It’sinsane. Ithought it would be quieter tonightbut Ithinkit’sactuallymoremad,” shesaid.

At thecentreofattention was13-year-old Daniel,who said: “It’samazing so many peoplehaveactuallycome. It’s completely overwhelmingbut it’s still great.”

Aheadofthe film opening at cinemasaroundthe UK,it had conjuredupmorethan£3million in advancesales

Fans hadsnappedup700,000 tickets at Odeonand Warner Villagecinemasalone to seeHarryPotterand theChamber of Secrets.

Hundreds of spellbound youngsters flockedtothe cinema to watchadvancescreenings.

Excited wannabe boy andgirlwizards made thedashtosee the firstshowing at 4.15pm,straightfromschool,and were not disappointed claimingthe sequel exceeded theirexpectations Odeonbosseshad to treble call centre stafftocope with demand whileWarnersdescribedsales as “phenomenal”.Critics pronounced it even better than the firstand it wasexpectedto easily become thehighest-grossing film of theyear.

Butitwasn’tthe only highly-anticipatedmovie being shown on thebig screen with thesecond instalment in theLordofthe Ringssagaalsobeing released, alongwiththe Bond movieDie AnotherDay

DEBATE BIGTH E

Ourfavourite TV shows just wouldn’tthe same withouta good baddie. Butwho is the best TV villain? Matt Panter andVicki Jonesbattleitout...

JOFFREY IS KING OF BADDIES,

They canleave us raging at thetelevision screen at times. On otheroccasions,theycan terrify youand give youareason to root for a hero more.But let’sfaceit, atelevisiondrama withoutavillain–whether creepy,bitter, or just misunderstood –would be pretty dull.

Someofthe great tv villains aren’t human –think of DoctorWho’s fearsome foes–The Daleks,Cybermen andThe Master

Then youhavesoap villains who, forme, canoften strayintothe realms of pantomime baddie.Boo,hiss! Youhaveotherswho have acheekyglintin theireye or asmile,likeJR Ewing, whichmakes them more of ascoundrel.

So for me,there’s only onechoice for thebestTVvillain,although hisoriginsare in literature.JackGleeson’s portrayal of horrendousand truly hatefulJoffrey Baratheon in Game of Thrones, wassuperb, makingthe beastlyyoung kingtop of my list. Isay this becausehehas no redeemingqualities and pavedthe wayfor othertwistedcharactersin GeorgeR.R.Martin’sworld,suchas Ramsay Bolton,tofollow. I’ll neverforgive him for thebeheading of honourableNed Stark,the show’sleadcharacter played by SeanBean I’venever wanted a character to gethis comeuppancemore than Joffreyand,of course,hedid so in an unpleasant way. He’s just luckya vengeful Arya Stark didn’t gettohim first, or it could have been even worse!

SOAPS HAVE THEBESTVILLAINS, SAYS VICKI SAYS MATT

Whilethere are undoubtedlymemorable TV baddiesinthe likesofGameofThronesand Dr Who, youjustcan’t beat thesoapsfor some of themostdastardly!

Over theyears, thesoapshavegiven us an almost endless list of baddiesand what makes them allthe more memorable is that their reignsofterrorcan sometimeslastmonths, allthe whiletheyare seeminglylivingnormal livesalongsideunsuspecting friends and neighbours.

CoronationStreet’s PatPhelan hasto be oneofthe worstwithchargesheet that includesaccusations of attempted rape, fraud, blackmail,kidnap, falseimprisonment andseveral murders.And in trueTVbaddie tradition,hetrickedwifeEileen into believing he had drowned, before returningtothe street to seek hisrevenge andbeing stabbedto deathduringaviolent siege Emmerdale’sMeena Jutla wasperhaps more terrifying, seeming to positivelyrelish her campaign of crime whichleftthreevillagers dead.And EastEndershas hadits fair share from serial cheat DirtyDen and ‘Nasty’Nick Cotton to cold-bloodedkillerJanine Butcher, whopushedBarryEvans to hisdeath offacliff in Scotland.

What makessoap villains so great is that whilewelove to hatethemwhile they areon our screens, it really seemsthat something’s missingwhenthey finallyget theirjust desserts

Herecomes thebridal expert

Findingthe perfectwedding dresscan be an emotional moment that will be treasuredfor alifetime.

It can, however, alsocomewithahugeprice tagthat notevery bridecan affordorwantstopay for agowntheywill probablyonly wear once

ButClaireIngram, whoruns With Love Bridal in Hagley,helps visitors to herboutique find the dresses of theirdreamsatdowntoearth prices

Shesells newand ex-sampledesignerdresses as well as arange of accessoriessuchas veils andjewellery

With almost 16 yearsofexperienceinthe bridal industry, Clairepridesherself on providingbrides with arelaxedenvironmenttotry on dresses

Shestarted the business in 2009 in herspare room andtobegin with sold second-hand dresses inspiredbyher ownexperience.

“WhenIboughtmyown wedding dress,my mum hada£1,000 budget, whichwas alot of money26yearsago

“There wasnoeBay, your choiceswere between an expensive bridal shopand having onemade. Iboughtmydress second-handfrom aladywho sold designersecond-handdresses that shesourced from London.Inever thoughton theday that somebodyelsehad alreadyworn it,” recallsClaire, whoisatrainedmarketer

Theideaofproviding brides withmoreoptions withoutlosing outon amemorable dress shopping experiencestuck in Claire’s mind.

“After my daughterwas born, Iwas goingto back to work part-time and Isaidtomyhusband that it wasagoodopportunity to do it

“I startedasWorn With Love Bridal in the spareroom of our house in Kidderminster selling second-handdresses

“Veryquickly bridal shops were contacting me asking if Iwanted to buy theirold sampledresses –these arethe dresses youtry on at theshop.

“I startedbuyingsamples andmoreand more shops came to me untilhalf of thedresses Iwas selling were second hand andhalf were exsamples,”she explains.

Thirteen yearsago,Claire,her husband Matt andtheir twochildren, Joeand Emma,movedto Hagley.Theyfound ahouse with an idealspace for Claire to transformintoa bridal boutique.

Shortlyafter they moved, Claire was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwenttreatment

Afterreceiving thenewsshe wascancer-free,Claire knew her priorities hadchanged

Shelefther marketingjob and startedselling wedding dresses full-time.“Thecancer hasgiven me huge clarity on what wasimportant to me,” says Claire. Afterreturning to work,she chose to specialisein exsample dresses butalso offera range of new plus-size gownsthat arepriced at considerably less than they sell for in othershops around the country.

If youwould like to nominateatraderto feature onthispage, contact heather.large@mnamedia.co.uk

Claire, whochanged thebusiness nameto With Love Bridal,wanted to help womenwho might struggleto find gownstotry on because traditional boutiques don’talwaysstock plussizes.

“A lotofshopswill order in plus-sizes butdon’t have thesizes to tryon so brides can’tget an idea of what they will look like,” sheexplains.

“I went lookingfor designers that don’t have multi-million pound advertising campaigns butare everybit as goodqualityas those that spendafortune on advertising.Theycan sell

thedresses to me at amuchmore reasonableprice becausetheydon’t have such largeoverheads,” explains Claire Hercommitmenttoprices that don’t breakthe bankmeans that shedoesn’t sell anydresses formorethan£899. “EvenifIhad to increase my prices in thefuture, they wouldnever be morethan£999 –for alot of brides,that’s still alot of money,”she tellsWeekend Brides visiting With Love Bridal will be given theprivacy,timeand space to tryonas many weddingdresses as they like.

“Mytypicalbridedoesn’t exist,”saysClaire, whohas neverhad less than a five-starreview. “She’s notlikely to be a20-something,size 10 whose dress is beingbought for her by her parents. ButIdoget younggirlswho appreciate getting valuefor money. Ihad aladyinher 70swho washavinga blessing for her50th anniversary. Shenever hadawedding dress,she

wore ablue trousersuit. Shewanted awedding dress butwas worriedshe wastoo old.She came to seemeand found adress –there were happy tears. Ihavea lotofbrides whoare arealready living with theirpartnersand have mortgagesand otherbillstopay,brides that have children and brides that areontheir second or thirdwedding Isee alot of same sexcouples–sometimes they come together becausetheywant to makesure theirdresses will compliment each other.”

ForClaire, helping abride find thegownofher dreams is incredibly rewarding.“Ilove it when people come to me whoare nervousand anxious or think they’retoo old,too poorordon’t have the rightbody shapeto find adress –and they find a dress they absolutelylove. That givesmeahuge senseofsatisfaction,” shesays.

n Formoreinformation, visitwww withlovebridal.co.uk

Claire Ingram with her collection of wedding dresses at With LoveBridal in Hagley

Claire with her branded van Claire with some of the accessories

Gritty police dramaBlue Lights returns Intrepid Palin

When seriesone of Blue Lights releasedin 2023, it wasimmediatelyobvious that it wasnot your typical police show.

Set in Belfast, NorthernIreland,Blue Lights followsthreenew recruits to thePoliceService of Northern Ireland,includingyoungsters Annieand Tommyand 40-somethingmum Grace, whohas transferredfromsocial services to policing It took stockofthe incredibly complexworldof policing in Belfast,acitystill living in theshadows of theTroubles andwith communities divided by sectarianism,along with complexcharacter dramaand thrilling action scenes,making it one of themostexciting shows of theyear

Theresponse wassuchthat when seriestwo began filming in Belfastlastyear,the sights of camera crewsand police uniformsthroughout thecitycausedquite afuss, with excitedcrowds gatheringtosee thecastatwork

“Everywherewewent,wedefinitely hadawarm welcome, it wasgreat,” smiles Nathan Braniff, whoplays TommyFoster.

Returning fora second seriesare,among others,stars Good Omens’ andSherlock’sSian Brooke, whoplays probationerand former social worker Constable GraceEllis; Katherine Devlin as Constable AnnieConlon, aCatholic probationer, and, of course,Nathan Braniffas Constable TommyFoster, afast-trackprobationer

Each of theprotagonists arefacing new challenges,trying to strike abalancebetween theirwork andpersonal lives. “A year haspassed,

Nathan Braniffand KatherineDevlin

so she’snolongera recruit,”saysBrooke of wherewemeet Graceinthisseries.

“She’s much more experienced in thejob,but herhome life hasturnedupsidedown.

“Wesee herwhole foundation hasbeen rocked by nothaving(son)Cal at home withher anymore –she is alittleatsea,and Ilikethe fact that we portrayemptynestsyndrome Idon’t think it’s explored enoughon television,but it’s atangible thing that happens to parents, and they go throughagrieving process of sorts.”

“Thistimeround we find Anniesharing a flat with Grace,”addsKatherine Devlin,who plays Annie.

“Their’s is quiteasisterly relationship, but equally, they’reaware of each other’sinsecurities and flaws.

Tommyisstill reeling from theeventsofseries one, actorNathan Braniffsays, butthroughout thesecond serieswesee him developing as a copper.

“I mean,he’sdefinitely changed,”saysBraniff.

“He’shad to growupalittle, pull up hissocks Obviously Tommywentthrough something super difficult at theend of the firstseries, and Ithink that’s hadamassiveeffectonhim,and that effect will stay withhim for therestofhis policing career.”

Series twoofBlueLightswill be available in full on BBCiPlayer from6am on Mondayand airs on BBCOne at 9pm.

adventureat

MICHAEL PALIN IN NIGERIA Channel 5, Tuesday, 9pm

Sir MichaelPalin maybe an octogenarian,having turned 80 last year,but if hisadventures in Nigeriaare anythingtogoby, it is clearhe has no plans of slowing down anytimesoon.

He is back on screensinChannel 5’sMichael Palin In Nigeria,whichseeshim visitacountryhe hasnever been to before.

Given that thecomedian,writerand presenter hasbeen makingTVtravelogues for thebest part of 40 years, it is ararityto find acorner of theglobe he hasnot explored,resulting in atrip crammedwith firsts for SirMichael.

Thethree-partdocumentarysees theMonty Python star embarkona 1,300-mile journey across Nigeria,known as TheGiant of Africa, with estimates that within 50 yearsitwill be thethird most populated countryinthe worldafter India andChina

“I’minterestedin countriesthat have great potentialbut for somereason and in some particular ways,don’t seem to be fulfilling it at the moment,” he explains.

“That happens in lots of countriesincluding our own, butit’sofparticularinterestwhenyou’re atravellerand you’re curious,and it givesa documentaryanedgeinstead of looking around andjustsaying that everythingisabsolutely fine”. He wasalso“interested in findingout what is really goingonbeneath thesurface”and divesstraight in during the firstepisode, where viewerswill gettosee him visitMakoko, often characterised as thebiggestslum in Africa, as well as thecoastal townofBadagry, whichwas oncea slave port. He also gets aglimpse at Lagos’ bustlingnightlife, andmeets Yeni Kuti, thedaughteroflatemusicianFela Kuti –who is regardedasthe father of Afrobeat Theseriesfollows the2022seriesMichael Palin:IntoIraq andthe Bafta-nominatedMichael Palin In North Korea.

In addition,hehas alsobecomeknown for his globetrotting BBCtravelprogrammes, whichhave seen him visitlocationsincluding theHimalayas andNorth and SouthPoles. This tripthough, was welcomed by theTVveteran formanyreasons, notleast becauseitcomes following thelossof hiswifeof57years,Helen Gibbins,lastyear SirMichael metHelen while holidaying in the seasidetownofSouthwold,Suffolk, andlater fictionalised theencounterina1987TVdramafor theBBC titled East Of Ipswich.

“I wasactuallyverygladtogointhe end, becausesince Helendiedmylifeisvery, very different,”Sir Michaelsays.

“Itisabit like living in avacuumifyou’renot careful. We had57years of marriedlifetogether andthere areall those things youshare,justthe

“I felt alittlebit freersometimes in Nigeriathan elsewhere.”

twoofyou,the little moments. IfeelI’vegot to keep on working and Helenwouldwant me to do that”.

He alsowanted to “test” himself physically,he explains, “tosee if Icould still dothisat80years old –and Ifound that Icould”. Andthere wasanother upsidetoo

“I alsofound it wasverygoodfor me in terms of my mental capacity– you’re seeing something new, you’re trying to understand it andhopingto find outwhat’sreally happeninginacountry,”he says He hasalso writtenabook to go alongside theseries, he reveals,highlighting just oneofhis many career avenuesafter life as part of Monty Python

He wasknighted in 2019 forservices to travel,

culture andgeography,marking hispost-Python career in TV andwriting

Butduring histimeinMontyPython,hewas involved in classic television and film comedies includingMontyPython AndThe HolyGrail (1975),LifeOfBrian(1979)and TheMeaning Of Life (1983)

As well as TV showsand films, thesurrealist group–alsoconsistingofJohnCleese, Terry Gilliam,Eric Idle and thelateGrahamChapman andTerry Jones–produced plays,booksand musicalsthat became staplesofpopularculture

Describing his firstimpressions of Nigeria, after landinginLagos at 4.55am localtime, he says: “Fairly chaoticand noisy. Theairport is just full of people wanderingabout, everyone is largerthan life,and theatmosphereisquite overwhelming.”

MichaelPalin found Lagoschaotic

on aNigerian tthe ageof80

Butitisthat energy that alsoaddstothe unique experienceofvisiting Nigeria

As SirMichael discovers.

“Uptoacertain pointitisquite stimulating, andI realised later on that Ifeltalittlebit freer sometimesinNigeria than elsewhere,” he explains.

“There’sfar less interference on thepartof health andsafetyfor example,but at thesame time theelectricity doesn’t work reliably andthere areopensewers, allthat sort of stuff, whichis quite ashockat first.

“What wasrefreshing wasthat thepeople in Nigeriaare upfrontand will talk aboutanything–they’llsmile,shout and yell at you, andwithin 30 secondsthey’ll be your best mate.

“In thelastcouple of seriesI’vemadefor

Channel5inNorth Koreaand Iraq,people couldn’t talk to youinthat way, so it wasgreat to be able to engage withlocal people.”

Whileduring theirtravels they didnot getto have alot of home-cooked Nigerianfood, which SirMichael would likedtohave done,hedid encounterwhat he says were the“biggest snails” he hasevereaten

So much so,hehad to tell one of hisfellow globetrotting friends:naturalist andbroadcaster

SirDavid Attenborough

“I couldn’t believeit, they were thesizeof steaks,”hesays, adding:“Imentioned this to DavidAttenborough, whoI seeevery nowand then

“Hesaid, ‘The snailsare hugeinNigeria’and I said‘Yestheyare’. He askedmewhat they tasted

like, andtheydon’t really tasteofanything. So therewas theodd exotic thing like that to enjoy.”

Anotherescapade in Nigeria involved nearly losing oneofthe vans they were travelling in “Mostofthe infrastructureinthe countrywasn’t working terribly well,beitthe electricity or the roads, and nobody seemed to do agreat deal aboutit. They rely on huge trucks to transport most things andtheyoften getstuck,” he says.

“Weactuallylostone of ourvansatone point, becauseitgot stuckand we didn’t really have proper towing equipment

“Wetriedour best,and thelocal villagers heardabout the film crew gettingstuck,solotsof them helped push us outofthe puddlestogreat cheers, butthe vehiclenever really recovered.”

George faces hisdemonsat a boxing club

SPOILERALERT:Thiscolumn mayruin any twists in theplotofyourfavouritesoap.Ifyou don’t want that,giveitamiss.

Followingadifficult call withhis estrangedson anda viciousshowdown withEddie,George decidestobattlehis demons at theunderground boxing club

Phil begs him not to fightbut George refusesto listen –and ends up beingknocked out.

Cindy’s alsoinneedofsupport when the Beales mark the10thanniversaryofLucy’s death, makingher realisejusthow much of her daughter’s life shemissed, and it’s Georgeshe turns to for comfort.

Patrickreturns homeand is putout that Pastor Clayton seemsbetterinformed aboutwhat’s going on with theFox-Branningsthanheis.

However, Yolandelater sees thesinister sideof thePastorwhenhesexuallyassaults her.

Jayisshocked to learn that Nadine is pregnant, Jade andJean struggletomakesense of Dean’s actions,and Whitney ignoresLauren’s advice

Dee-Dee’sinvolvementin Roy’scasebrings her some nasty, unwanted emails,toJoel’shorror. Herefforts to keep thebelovedcafeowner outof prisonfailtoo when he’s denied bail

Bobby, meanwhile, informsDSSwain he saw someone runningfromLauren’s flat,and his description of theintruderinadvertentlyputs Danielinthe frame. Theteacher wondersifNicky andher friend Deana mayhaveinformation about themissing girl,but Maxspots him with thesex workersand immediately suspectsheishiding something

When Adam decidestospend an afternoon in aratherunprofessional clinch with apotential newclient, Alya is forced to take charge of ameeting and impresses so much,she’s headhunted.

Elsewhere, Sarah is horrified by thethought of Maria’s hiddencamera,and hopesGarycan delete anyincriminatingevidence.

Belle worriesaboutbeing on her ownwhenTom goesonawork trip, butitprobably wouldn’t reassureher to knowthat,evenwhile he’s away, herhusbandisstill monitoring herthrough the puppycam

When he sees Vinnyhas calledround,Tom furiously headshomeand eventually usesthe trackertotrace hiswifetothe scrapyard.Hesoon discoversshe’s notactuallythere –but herphone is,which shegave to Vinnyto fix. When Vinny walksin, Tompanics, hits him over theheadwith apaperweight, and then leaveshim bleedingon the floor –although he doeshavethe presence of mind to wipe his fingerprintsoff theweapon

Matty andAmy areexcited abouttheir upcoming wedding,blissfullyunaware that Kerry doesn’t have themoney to payfor it.She’s forced to come cleanonthe morningofthe big day, leaving Mattydevastatedthat it’s alloff,but could help be at hand?

Palinlooks across thebusywaterway

Seasoned travellerMichaelPalin meetsupwithlocal dignitariesonhis visittoNigeria

Palinstopfor achatataLagos bar

Hitsongs,aliens andCarrjokes

The latest movies to download and stream,plusDVD/Blu-ray releases

THE GREATEST HITS

(UK12/ROI12, 94 mins, streamingnow exclusively on Disney+,Romance/Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Drama/ Comedy)

Starring: Lucy Boynton, JustinHMin,David Corenswet, Austin Crute, Retta, AndieJu, TomYi, Jenne Kang

Twoyearsafter thetragiccar accident which killed herboyfriend Max(DavidCorenswet)and left herwith atraumatic head injury, LosAngelesbasedrecord producer Harriet Gibbons (Lucy Boynton)isahermit “haunted by music”

Hearing asongthat played during herfour-year romancewithMax magicallypropels Harrietback in time for thedurationofthe track to relive that golden moment from theirtimeline

Consequently,Harriet wearsear plugs and noise-cancelling headphonesand sheworksina library wheresilence is golden

At night, Harriet listensintentlytovinyls, looking for amusical cuethat will allowher to change thepast.

“You lost yourself when youlosthim,” best friend Morris (AustinCrute)warns her.

Harriet’scarefullyorderedroutine of tearyeyed reminiscenceisthrown into disarraywhen shemeetsJackson (JustinHMin)atagrief counselling session and aspark of romance promises to ignite if shestartsliving in the present rather than thepast

The Greatest Hits is afantasticaldrama comedy that confidently remixes genre tropes with atime-travelling premiseundone by warped logic

Harriet’sheadphonesblock outsunglyrics butmagically allowher to hear softlyspoken conversationsand shecould easilyapply thecar’semergency handbrake to change automotivedestiny

Corenswet’sdreamyloveinterestonly exists in flashback, reduced to aplotdevicetoblock Boynton andMin’s appealinglysweet pairing.

ARGYLLE

(UK12/ROI12, 139mins, available nowvia PremiumVideo On Demandrental,streaming nowexclusivelyonApple TV+,Action/Comedy/ Adventure/Thriller/Romance)

Starring: BryceDallasHoward,Sam Rockwell, Henry Cavill,Bryan Cranston, Catherine O’Hara, Samuel LJackson,JohnCena, DuaLipa, Ariana DeBose

Reclusivenovelist Elly Conway(BryceDallas Howard)has just completedthe manuscriptfor her fifthArgylle book

Sheisobsessed with herwork andoften daydreams about herglobe-trotting lead character (HenryCavill).

Elly elicitsfeedbackonthe next book from hermotherRuth (Catherine O’Hara), whobluntly suggests an in-person brainstormingsessionto remedy aproblematic finalchapter

During across-countrytrainjourneyhomewith petcat Alfie, fiction bleeds into Elly’sreality.

Scruffyspy Aidan(Sam Rockwell)rescues her from knife-wieldingassassins, whohavebeen orderedtokillthe writer becauseher bestsellers predictreal-lifeglobal espionage perpetrated by thediabolical Division

To stay alive, Elly placesher trust in Aidan

andformer CIAdeputydirector Alfred Solomon (SamuelLJackson).

Argylle is an action-packedspy caperset in a rumbustiousuniverseofdaredevil secret agents whowill eventually rubshoulders with director MatthewVaughn’s debonairKingsman

It’s unclear howtwo worlds mightcollide buta post-credits teaselaysthe narrativegroundwork.

Vaughndeliverstrademarkslam-bangthrills with gusto, evidenced by an outlandish opening sequencereplete with DuaLipa’sactingdebut and adiscofieddancesequence.

Forall itsswagger and strut, somethingdoesn’t clickinthe opening 90 minutesbeforethe slickest stunt sequence you’ll seeall year Ican’t quiteput my finger on that missing ingredient.It’slikebiting into themostdelicious doughnut andonly findingadollopofluscious jaminthe finalmouthfuls.

COMBAT WOMBAT:

DOUBLE TROUBLE

(UKU/ROI G, 81 mins, SignatureEntertainment, available from MondayonAmazon/BT TV Store/ iTunes/Sky Store/TalkTalk TV Storeand other platforms, Animation/Adventure/Action/Comedy/ Romance)

Featuring thevoices of: Deborah Mailman, Ed Oxenbould,David Wenham,Elizabeth Cullen,MarkColesSmith,Dan Brumm,Lorenzo Shakhovskoy.

MaggieDiggins(voiced by Deborah Mailman) andsugar gliderSweetie(Ed Oxenbould), aka Combat Wombat andsidekickGallant Glider, launch theHeroOnDemandapp so citizens of SanctuaryCitycan engage theirservices “anytime,anywhere, for anyreason”.

Thedynamicduo arerushedoff theirpaws uncloggingdrains, collecting fast food orders andretrievingfrisbeesfromrooftops

Thoughtsofretirementare putonhold when Police ChiefBurbank(Dan Brumm)arrests elderly echidna Reginald(Mark ColesSmith)and pals for orchestrating“afull-on geriatric crime spree”.

Maggiescentsfoul play andshe goes undercoverwithSweetieand community service teenager Skylar Bloodface(Elizabeth Cullen) to uncoveradiabolicalconspiracy behind the revolving doorsofChameleonline runbyLenny Glick(DavidWenham).

Combat Wombat:Double Troubleisagoodnatured computer-animatedsequel, whichstarts stronglywitharip-roaring distillationofevents sincethe first film,pepperedwith crispone-liners

Themajorityofgigglesare shoe-horned into theopening half butdirectorRicardCussoand co-directorTania Vincent’swalkonthe wild side doesn’toutstay itswelcome with arunning time comfortablyunder90minutes

Screenwriter Dominic Morrisdetours from expectationswith asurprisingly touchingulterior motivefor dastardlydeeds that ticks diversity, equity and inclusion boxeswithoutfeeling contrived.

Mailman’s heartfeltvocal performanceanchors thehigh-tempo hijinksand allows film-makersto lightlyaddress themes of grief, onlineprivacy and miscommunicationwithin acolourful andbroadly comedicframework

FEUD: CAPOTE VS THE SWANS

(8 episodes, streamingfromApril17exclusively on Disney+,Drama)

Anthologydocudrama Feudpremiered in2017 with aglossyrecreation of the fierce rivalry, on andoff screen,between actresses Joan Crawford andBette Davis, portrayed by JessicaLange and SusanSarandon

Thesecond seriessavoursthe refinement of 1960sNew York high societytodissect an escalating warofwords betweenwaspishwriter TrumanCapote(TomHollander)and apowerful groupoffemalefriends knownaffectionatelyas hisswans

Socialite Babe Paley(NaomiWatts)confidesto Trumanthat her husband Bill (Treat Williams)is having an affair andthe writer uses this titbit and otherconfidential informationas thescandalous framework of hisnextbook,AnsweredPrayers

Esquire publishes an excerptand members of Truman’sinnercircle aredeeply hurt by thethinly veiled accountoftheir lives.

Victimsvow revenge forTruman’sheadlinegrabbing indiscretions

OUR LIVING WORLD

(4 episodes,streamingfromApril18exclusively on Netflix, Documentary)

TheEmmyAward-winning team responsible for thenatural historyseriesOur GreatNational Parks, narratedbyBarack Obama,returnwith a four-partstudy of ecosystems that sustainour planet Academy Award-winnerCateBlanchett providesthe voiceoverfor fourepisodesthat travel from AngolatoNew Zealandtowitness the day-to-day livesofcreatures, many underserious threat becauseofhuman activity.

An array of film-makers, wildlife photographers andresearchers combine theirexpertise to showcasenature’sinterconnected wonders, includingreindeer in theArcticand hippos in Botswana

RESIDENT ALIEN –SEASON 3

(8 episodes, starts streamingfromApril17 exclusivelyonNow,Comedy/Sci-Fi/Romance)

Acrash-landedextra-terrestrialfaces the insidious threat of greyaliensinthe third series of thecomedydramabased on PeterHoganand SteveParkhouse’s comicbook

Episodes make firstcontactonSky Maxand stream exclusively on Now.

An otherworldly visitorcontinuestoposeas doctor HarryVanderspeigle (AlanTudyk) in thetownofPatience to better understand our species,supported at work by trustedassistant Asta Twelvetrees(SaraTomko).

Alongwithmayor’sson MaxHawthorne(Judah Prehn),Asta is one of thefew people to know Harry’strueidentity.

They joinforces to neutralisethe threat posed by greyalien/human hybrid Joseph Rainier (Enver Gjokaj), whoworks for GeneralEleanor McCallister (Linda Hamilton) and asecret organisation that hunts extra-terrestrials

WOODY WOODPECKER GOES TO CAMP

(UKPG/ROIPG, 99 mins, streamingnow exclusivelyonNetflix, Comedy/Adventure)

NoisyanimatedheroWoody Woodpecker, createdbyWalter Lantzand Ben Hardaway, first appearedin1940.

Mostrecently, aself-titled2017 film directed by Alex Zamm introduced a3Dcomputer-animated Woody (voiced by Eric Bauza) to alive-action adventure with astrongecologicalmessage aboutsavinggreen spaces.The sequel welcomes JonRosenbaum to thedirector’schair and finds Woody relocatedtoa newhome at Camp Woo Hoo.BuzzBuzzard (Kevin MichaelRichardson)is determinedtoshutdownthe camp by fair means or fowl.

ThevillainousbirdbelievesWoody is theweak linkbut the plucky woodpecker mightbethe camp’s secret weapontoovercomebullying rivals in this year’sWildernessGames

JIMMY CARR: NATURAL BORN KILLER

(UK18/ROI18, 59 mins, streamingfromApril16 exclusivelyonNetflix, Comedy)

JimmyCarr hasgleefullyadopted theroleof agentprovocateur with threepreviouscomedy specialsfor Netflix.Thisfourth outing, filmedlast year at Aylesbury WatersideTheatre in frontofa live audience,promisesmorenear-the-knuckle humour.Carrromps through hot-buttontopics includinggun control,religion, theinexorable rise of cancel culture, andconsent.

THE CIRCLE USA –SEASON 6

(13episodes series startstreamingfromApril 17 exclusivelyonNetflix, RealityTV/Competition) The first five seasonsofthe popularity contest,

whichallowscontestants to communicate exclusivelythrough an online profile –either as themselves or acatfish –were filmedin an apartmentblock on theedgeofSalfordcity centre

Forits sixthouting,the showmoves accross theAtlantic,toAtlanta, Georgia,but therules remain thesame, hosted by actressand comedian Michelle Buteau.

In atimely twistin thetail, oneofthe participantsisanAIchatbot, whoispretending to be a26-year-old veterinary intern called Maxfrom theMidwest.

This virtual housemateisa composite of profilesfrompreviousseasons andmustform genuine connections to humanrivalswithout exposingits true nature.

The firstfour episodesdebutthisweek. The next threeepisodes,episodes 5-8are available on April24, episodes 9-12 will be following on May1

The finale premiereson May8

GOING HOME WITH TYLER CAMERON

(8 episodes, streamingfromApril 18 exclusively on PrimeVideo,Reality TV)

Former TheBacheloretteheartthrob Tyler Cameronheadlineshis ownrealityseriesby launching hisconstruction and homerenovation company, ImageOne

Based in hishometownofJupiter,Florida,he relies on support from theclose-knitcommunity to realisehis dream alongwith theprofessional expertiseofinterior designerJessicaQuintero andhouse-flipping businessmanRobb Ritch

Theteam take on increasinglyambitious remodelling jobs,revealing theresults at theend ofeachepisode.

The firstseriesconcludeswithCameron transforming hislatemother’spropertyintothe warm andwelcoming familyhomeshe always dreamed of

FALLEN LEAVES

(UK15/ROI15, 81 mins, streamingnow exclusively on MUBI,availablefromMondayonAmazon/BT TV Store/iTunes/SkyStore/TalkTalk TV Storeand other downloadand streamingservices, Drama/ Romance)

Thepathtohappiness for twolonelysouls is littered with obstacles in aromantic tragi-comedy setin modern-dayHelsinki,written and directed by AkiKaurismaki.

Supermarket storeemployeeAnsa(Alma Poysti)worksunsociable hours stocking shelves andhas no-one to welcomeher home

At akaraokebar,she meetslonely construction worker Holappa(Jussi Vatanen),who is locked in along-term battle withalcohol addiction

Thestrangers clickand enjoyaglorious first dateatthe cinema

Burgeoning romanceinspiresHolappato confront hisdemons butcruel twists of fate repeatedly keep thelovers apart.

DuaLipamakes herdebut as Lagrange with HenryCavillasArgylle

Sara Tomkoand AlanTudyk star in thethird season of Resident Alien

OurLiving Worldfeaturesa pride of lions in theAfricannational park

Combat Wombat:DoubleTrouble GoingHome With TylerCameron

Lucy BoyntonasHarriet in TheGreatestHits

Editor’s Pick

KURT COBAIN: MOMENTS THATSHOOK MUSIC

BBC Two, 9.25pm

It may be difficult for anyone who was ateenager in the 1990s to believe, but this month marks the 30th anniversary of the death of Kurt Cobain.

The Nirvana frontman was just 27 when he took his own life. (Other rock stars who died at the same age include Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and, some 17 years later,Amy Winehouse. It’s what Cobain’s mother Wendy O’Connor was referring to when, following her son’s death, she said: “Now he’s gone and joined that stupid club, Itold him not to join that stupid club.”)

Following the success of Nirvana’s breakthrough album, Nevermind, Cobain was hailed as the voice of ageneration, atag he was clearly uncomfortable with. But while his music may have made ahugeimpact on ‘Gen X’, it is still picking up new fans –it’s not uncommon to see Nirvana t-shirts being worn by teens whose parents are probably too young to have bought Smells Like Teen Spirit.

So, it’s fitting that the BBCispaying tribute to Cobain this month. Radio 6Music has already had aKurtCobain Forever day on April 5, and BBCSounds has acollection of programmes dedicated to the singer-songwriter,including the 2021 documentary Deep Dive intoNevermind, in which Butch Vig, Bat for Lashes, Teenage Fanclub, Breeders, Wu Lu and many more share their memories of the seminal album.

Tonight, BBC2 adds its contribution with the new documentary Kurt Cobain: Moments That Shook Music, which explores the events surrounding his death.

Jonathan Rothery,Head of BBCPopular Music TV says: “Kurt Cobain’s life and death has turned into myth and legend since his passing. This documentary tries to demystify that moment in time by telling the story direct from the scene, via fly on the wall footage filmed by those that were there.”

Saturday’s Television

It takes us back to 1994, when Nirvana were one of the biggest bands on the planet –infact thatwere so popular,that then US President Bill Clinton evendiscussed whether he should give anational address following Cobain’s death.

That didn’t happen, but the documentary does capture the outpouring of grief,from the poignant reaction from the electrician who discovered Cobain’s body when installing asecurity system at his Seattle home, to arecording of an emotional Courtney Love, the singer’s widow,reading her late husband’s final letter

There’s also atouching interview with Cobain himself, recorded just months before he died.

It’s followed by another chance to see When Nirvana Came to Britain, which explores the special relationship between the band and the UK

Of course, Nirvana weren’t aone-man band –the trio also consisted of bassist Krist Novoselic and drummer Dave Grohl, who would go on to front the FooFighters.

There’s achance to see him in with FooFighters at Reading 2019, before the night concludes with FooFighters and More: Live Lounge Special.

Daytime

6.00 Breakfast (S). 10.00 Saturday Kitchen Live (S). 11.30

MaryBerry’s Simple Comforts (R) (S). 12.00 Football Focus (S). 1.00 BBC News; Weather (S). 1.15 Bargain Hunt (R) (S).

2.00 Live Women’s Six Nations Scotland vs England. Kick-off is at 2.15pm (S). 4.30 Final Score (S). 5.20 BBC News (S). 5.30

BBC Regional News; Weather (S). 5.40 Celebrity Bridge Of Lies (S).

7.05 Shaun The Sheep (R) (S). 7.15 Pokémon Horizons (R) (S).

7.35 The Next Step (R) (S). 8.00 The Next Step (R) (S). 8.25 Blue Peter (R) (S). 8.50 Newsround (S). 9.00 Gardeners’ World (R) (S). 10.00 Operation Grand Canyon With Dan Snow (R) (S). 11.00 Interior Design Masters With Alan Carr (R) (S). 12.00 Andi Oliver’s Fabulous Feasts (R) (S). 1.00 Shirley MacLaine: Talking Pictures (R) (S). 1.20

FILM: Sweet Charity (Bob Fosse 1969) Musical, starring Shirley MacLaine (S). 3.45 Race Across The World (R) (S). 4.45 Live Challenge Cup Rugby League Hull Kingston Rovers vs Leigh Leopards. Kick-off is at 5pm (S).

6.25 The Weakest Link Featuring Kirsty Wark, Nihal Arthanayake and John Barnes (R) (S).

7.10 Blankety Blank Bradley Walsh hosts (R) (S).

7.45 Pointless Celebrities Star-studded general knowledge quiz (S).

8.35 Casualty Avulnerable Teddy is horrified when confronted with an unwelcome visitor (S).

9.25 Traces The task facing McKinven is more daunting than ever (S).

7.00 Saving Lives At Sea The Queensferry RNLI crew drag abarely conscious man out of the water (R) (S).

8.00 Celebrity Antiques Road Trip With Rachel Riley and Pasha Kovalev (R)(S).

9.00 The North York Moors: AWild Year (R) (S).

9.25 Kurt Cobain: Moments That Shook Music (S).

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Late

10.10 BBC News; Weather (S).

10.30 Match Of The Day Highlights of the latest matches (S).

11.55 FILM: Ghost Stories (2017) Horror anthology,starring Andy Nyman and Martin Freeman (S).

1.30 BBC News (S).

10.10 When Nirvana Came To Britain The band’s visits to the UK (R) (S).

11.10 FooFighters At Reading 2019 Huw Stephens introduces highlights from the headline set (R) (S).

1.10 FooFighters And More: Live Lounge Special (R) (S). 2.10 FILM: Homeward (Nariman Aliev 2019) Drama, starring Akhtem Seitablaev (S). 3.40 This Is BBC Two (S).

Film Choices

FREE GUY

(Channel 4, 9pm)

Bachelor Guy (Ryan Reynolds, pictured) wakes every morning to the sound of helicopter gunfire in Free City, blissfullyunaware that he is anon-playercharacter(NPC)in avideo game. One morning, Buddy glimpsesMolotov Girl (Jodie Comer) andissmitten. He doesn’t know this vision of gun-toting beauty is the avatar of disgruntled programmer Millie, whohopes to unearthevidence buried in Free Citythat publishers Soonami stole computercode that she originated Guy’sworld spins off its axis when he realises he is an NPC andhejoins forces with Molotov Girl to bring downAntwan.

GHOST STORIES

(BBC One, 11.55pm)

Professor Philip Goodman, famous for debunking hoaxes and ghost sightings, is given adossier of three terrifying, unsolvablecases by his hero

6.00 Love Your Garden (R) (S).

Love Your Weekend With Alan Titchmarsh (R) (S). 8.25 Katie Piper’s Breakfast Show (S). 9.25 ITV News (S). 9.30 ITV Racing: The Opening Show (S).

James

6.00 Celebrity Catchphrase With Dianne Buswell, Ria Hebden and Neil Morrissey (R) (S).

7.00 Ant &Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway Girls Aloud are the Star Guest Announcers. Last in the series (S).

9.00 The 1% Club Quiz, hosted by Lee Mack (S).

10.05 The Jonathan Ross Show With Perrie Edwards, Frank Skinner, Hannah Waddingham, Johannes Radebe and Kasabian (S).

11.00 ITV News; Weather (S).

11.20 Olivia Attwood vs The Trolls The former Love Island star explores the world of online trolling (R) (S).

12.20 Shop On TV 3.00 The Larkins (R) (S). 3.50 The Twelve (R) (S). 4.45 Unwind With ITV (S).

and role model Charles Cameron, who has been missing, presumed dead, for years. Can Goodman explain what even Cameron could not? Horror anthology,starring Andy Nyman, Martin Freeman, Paul Whitehouse, Alex Lawther,Paul Warren, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith and Nicholas Burns.

6.55 3rd Rock From The Sun (R) (S). 7.20 The King Of Queens (R) (S). 7.45 The King Of Queens (R) (S). 8.10 The King Of Queens (R) (S). 8.40 Everybody Loves Raymond (R) (S). 9.10

Everybody Loves Raymond (R) (S). 9.40 Everybody Loves Raymond (R) (S). 10.10

Everybody Loves Raymond (R) (S). 10.40 The Simpsons (R) (S). 11.10 The Simpsons (R) (S). 1.40 Four In ABed (R) (S).

2.10 Four In ABed (R) (S). 2.40

Four In ABed (R) (S). 3.10 Four

In ABed (R) (S). 3.40 Four In A Bed (R) (S). 4.10 Worst House On The Street (R) (S). 5.15 The Great Celebrity Bake Off For Stand Up To Cancer (R) (S).

6.30 Channel 4News (S).

6.00 Milkshake! 8.50 SpongeBob SquarePants (R) (S). 9.05 Entertainment News On 5 (S).

9.15 The Yorkshire Vet (R) (S).

9.40 22 Kids &Counting (R) (S). 10.40 22 Kids &Counting (R) (S). 11.40 Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly (R) (S). 12.45

Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly (R) (S). 1.40 Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly (R) (S). 2.45 FILM: Richie Rich (Donald Petrie 1994) Family comedy,starring Macaulay Culkin (S). 4.35 FILM: Ocean’s Thirteen (Steven Soderbergh 2007) Comedy crime caper sequel, with George Clooney (S).

6.55 5News Weekend (S).

Sport

BOURNEMOUTH VMANCHESTER

7.00 Bettany Hughes’ Treasures Of The World The hidden treasures of Estonia, a blend of modernand ancient traditions (S).

8.00 Our Dream Farm With Matt Baker One pair of hopefuls are the first to spend anight in the farmhouse (S).

9.00 FILM: Free Guy (2021) Premiere. Adventure comedy,starring Ryan Reynolds (S).

7.00 Air Fryers: Batch Cooking Made Easy How the gadget can take the pain away of spending aday batch cooking (R) (S).

8.00 Secrets Of The Royal Palaces Behind-thescenes tales of palace retreats (S).

9.00 How ABBA Won Eurovision The story behind the Swedish band’s victoryinthe contest in 1974 (S).

10.00 1979: Most Shocking Moments Alook at key events in TV,film, showbusiness and politics in 1979 (R) (S).

11.15 FILM: Under Siege 2: Dark Territory (1995) Action adventure sequel, starring Steven Seagal (S).

1.05 Ramsay’s Kitchen

Nightmares USA (R) (S). 1.55

Couples Come Dine With Me (R) (S). 2.50 Car S.O.S (R) (S). 3.40

Hollyoaks Omnibus (R) (S). 5.45

Kirstie’s Fill Your House ForFree (R) (S). 5.55 The King Of Queens (R) (S).

BBCRADIO 1

11.55 Britain’s Favourite 70s Sitcoms Aspecial celebrating the funniest sitcoms of the 1970s (R) (S).

12.50 Entertainment News On 5 (S). 1.00 PlayOJO Live Casino Show (S). 3.00 FILM: Grease 2 (Patricia Birch 1982) Musical sequel, starring Michelle Pfeiffer (S). 4.50 Wildlife SOS (R) (S). 5.15 Wildlife SOS (R) (S). 5.40

Entertainment News On 5 (S). 5.50 Pip And Posy (R) (S).

6am Radio 1Happy 7.00 Radio1Weekend Breakfast. 10.00 Radio 1Anthems. 10.30 Newsbeat 10.32 Radio 1Anthems 11.02 Danny Beard. 1pm Matt And Mollie. 4.00 Radio 1’s Dance Anthems. 5.00 Radio 1’s Dance Anthems. 6.00 Radio 1’sDanceAnthems. 7.00 Radio 1’s Soundsystem. 9.00 Radio 1’s RapShow With Kenny Allstar 10.30 Radio 1’sRap Mixtape. 11.00 Radio 1’s Drum &BassShow. 12mdn’t Radio 1’s Drum &BassMix 12.30 Radio1’s Drum &Bass Mix 1.00 Radio 1’s Classic Essential Mix. 3.00 Future Dance Mix WithSarah Story 3.30 Pete Tong’s HotMix. 4.00 Radio1’s DanceAnthems. 5.00 Radio 1Relax

BBCRADIO 2

BBCRADIO 3

7.00 Rick Stein’s Long Weekends The chef visits Copenhagen, the home of New Nordic cuisine (S).

8.00 Amazon With Bruce Parry The hunt for the Amazon’s biggest fish, the pirarucu (S).

9.00 Wisting New series. Returnofthe Norwegian crime drama. In Norwegian (S).

9.45 Wisting (S).

10.30

6.00 Madagascar: ALittle Wild (R) (S). 6.25 Madagascar: ALittle Wild (R) (S). 6.50

Madagascar: ALittle Wild (R) (S). 7.15 Moominvalley (R) (S).

7.40 Moominvalley (R) (S).

8.05 Monkey Life (R) (S). 8.30

Orangutan Jungle School (R) (S).

9.30 Orangutan Jungle School (R) (S). 10.30 Saturday Social

Live An alternative insight into the beautiful game. 12.00 Extreme Snakes: Australia (R) (S). 1.00

Extreme Snakes: Africa (R) (S).

2.00 The Simpsons (R) (S).

2.30 The Simpsons (R) (S). 3.00 Gillette Labs Soccer Saturday

Up-to-the-minute scores (R). 5.00 Truthseekers (R) (S).

6.00 Secrets In The Sand Life-size sculptures of camels discovered in Saudi Arabia (R) (S).

7.00 The Simpsons Homer becomes aboxer (R) (S).

7.30 The Simpsons Mr Burns’ long-lost son reappears (R) (S).

8.00 Rob&Romesh vs CountryMusic The comedians meet Shania Twain (R).

9.00 FILM: The Girl On The Train (2016) Thriller, starring Emily Blunt.

6.00 CITV 9.00 Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records (S).

9.30 Secret Crush (S). 10.30

Dress To Impress (S). 11.30

Dress To Impress (S). 12.30

Dress To Impress (S). 1.30

Family Fortunes (S). 2.30 In ForAPenny (S). 3.00 FILM: The Mitchells vs The Machines (Michael Rianda, Jeff Rowe 2021) Animated comedy adventure, with the voice of Danny McBride (S).

5.10 FILM: How To Train Your Dragon (Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders 2010) Animated fantasy, with the voice of Jay Baruchel (S).

6.00 Bless This House (S). 6.30 Agatha Christie’s Marple (S).

8.35 Wycliffe (S). 9.45 Wycliffe (S). 10.55 Lewis (S). 12.50

Lewis (S). 2.50 Agatha Christie’s Poirot (S). 5.00 Midsomer Murders (S).

8.55 Food Unwrapped (S). 9.30 APlace In The Sun (S). 10.25 APlace In The Sun (S). 11.25 APlace In The Sun (S). 12.30 Location, Location, Location (S). 1.35 Location, Location, Location (S). 2.35 Come Dine With Me (S). 3.05 Come Dine With Me (S). 3.40 Come Dine With Me (S). 4.10 Come Dine With Me (S). 4.40 Come Dine With Me (S). 5.15 Four In ABed (S). 5.50 Four In ABed (S).

BBCRADIO 4

11.00 The ArtOfTommy Cooper (S).

11.30Parkinson: The Tommy Cooper And Frankie Howerd Interviews (S).

12.05 To The Manor Born (S).

12.35 No Place Like Home (S). 1.05 Rick Stein’s Long Weekends (S). 2.05 Amazon With Bruce Parry (S). 3.05 Close

6am Sounds Of The 60sWith Tony Blackburn. 8.00 Dermot O’Leary 10.00 Anita Rani. 1pm PickOfThe Pops. 2.00 Pick Of The Pops. 3.00 RylanOnSaturday 6.00 Liza Tarbuck. 8.00 Sounds Of The80s With Gary Davies. Gary playsaselectionofmusic from the decade. 10.00 Sounds Of The90s With Fearne Cotton. Anostalgia-drenched celebration of the best music and pop culture from the decade. 11.00 Sounds Of The90s WithFearne Cotton. Anostalgia-drenched celebrationofthe best music and pop culturefrom the decade 12mdn’t Eras:Abba 12.30 Eras: Abba. 1.00 DanceSounds Of The90s With Vernon Kay 2.00 Radio2Stories 3.00 Sounds Of The 70s With Steve Harley. 4.00 Radio2InConcert: GaryMoore. 5.00 Tracks Of My Years

11.10 RobBeckett’s Smart TV With Joel Dommett, Jason Fox, Nathaniel Curtis and Hermione Norris (R) (S).

11.55The Office (US) (R) (S).

The Office (US) (R) (S).

The Office (US) (R) (S).

The Office (US) (R) (S).

The Office (US) (R) (S). 2.00 The Office (US) (R) (S). 2.30 Road Wars (R) (S). 3.30

Nothing To Declare (R) (S). 4.00

Nothing To Declare (R) (S). 4.30

Nothing To Declare (R) (S).

Radio

7.00 FILM: Addams Family Values (1993) Comedy sequel, starring Anjelica Huston and Raul Julia (S).

6.20 Four In ABed Ann and Bill Clay play host at their four-star B&B in Cornwall (S).

6.55 Four In ABed (S).

7.00 Midsomer Murders A man is mauled to death by awild boar (S).

7.25 Four In ABed Diane and Max feel betrayed by the feedback they receive (S).

7.55 Lake District Rescue Documentary(S).

9.00 FILM: Bridesmaids (2011) Comedy, starring Kristen Wiig (S).

9.00 Midsomer Murders A reclusive couple are murdered (S).

9.00 24 Hours In A&E The stories of patients who are facing adversity head-on (S).

11.35 Family Guy Peter launches his own television channel (S).

12.00 Family Guy (S). 12.30 American Dad! (S). 12.55 American Dad! (S). 1.25 Iain Stirling’s CelebAbility (S). 2.10 All American (S). 2.55 Celebrity Karaoke Club (S). 3.45 Unwind With ITV (S). 5.30 Teleshopping

10.15 The Food Programme.Food issues 11.00 YouHeard It Here First.With Ninia Benjamin,Justin Moorehouse, Laura Smyth andMiltonJones. 11.30 Round Britain Quiz. 12mdn’t MidnightNews. 12.15 Bookclub. 12.48 ShippingForecast. 1.00 As BBCWorldService. 5.20 Shipping Forecast 5.30 NewsBriefing. 5.43 BellsOn Sunday 5.45 In Touch

11.05 Scott &Bailey The body count rises (S).

11.55 Scott &Bailey The duo investigate the death of acare home resident (S).

12.50 The Ruth Rendell Mysteries (S). 1.50 Vera (S). 3.35 Wycliffe (S). 4.30 Bless This House (S). 5.00 Unwind With ITV (S). 5.30 Teleshopping

BBCRADIO 4EXTRA

6am Behavioural Sciences. 7.30 CandideOmnibus 8.45 Singular Women. 9.00 NotInFront Of The Children. 9.30 Ray’sALaugh. 10.00 Michael Palin’s Radio Adventures 11.00 BehaviouralSciences 12.30pm Candide Omnibus 1.45 SingularWomen 2.00

Andrew Maxwell’sPublic

11.30 Comedy Club:Hut 33 12mdn’t

TheDolphinarium. 1.00 BehaviouralSciences. 2.30

Candide Omnibus. 3.45 SingularWomen 4.00 NotIn Front Of The Children. 4.30

11.05 8Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown With Lee Mack, Catherine Tate, Sean Lock and Miles Jupp (S).

10.00 24 Hours In A&E A nasty injurythreatens to leave aman without the use of his right hand (S). 12.10 8Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown (S). 1.15 24 Hours In A&E (S). 2.15 24 Hours In A&E (S). 3.20 Food Unwrapped (S). 3.50 Close

Tommy Cooper At The BBC Performances by the comedian (S).

Editor’s Pick

BIG ZUU GOES TO MECCA

BBC Two, 9pm

Rapper and TV chef Big Zuu (aka ZuhairHassan) is bestknown for shows like the award-winning Big Eats,his ITV1 Breakfast Showand his recentseries of culinary travelogues 12 Dishes in 12 Hours

But there’s achance to seedifferent side of himin his new one-off.

He explains: “Big ZuuGoes to Mecca is a documentary whereI learn about my faith and performa pilgrimage in Islamwhich is called Umrah during theholy monthofRamadan.”

The presenter,who wasborn in London, has Islam heritage through both hismum,who comesfrom Sierre Leone, and his Lebanese father,although they have differentoutlooks

Zuu says: “My dadcomes from avery religious background, whereas I’ve beenraised withmymum beingmore spiritual, moreintofaith than religion –so I’ve kind of beenraised with both spectrums.

“My mum always raised me to be God fearing, whereas my dad is more strict on what it means to be agood Muslim. Theyboth really had an impact on whereI’m at now–IthinkIhave alittleblend of both.”

The documentary gives hima chance to reflect on hisown beliefs. He says: “It wasatatime in my life wheremyrelationshipwith my faith wasvery up and down. So Ithink exploring that was something I wantedtobeable to do.

“You really seemechangeover the course of the documentary andthat was areal-life change,Istill carry that with me to thisday.”

One of the changes might seem superficial,but Zuu admits it had abig impact on him. He says: “Cutting my hairwas definitely the number one challenge in my mind. What it taught me was that vanity is such areal thing because Icared so much

TORQUAY,SOUTH DEVON

&DARTMOOR NATIONAL PARK

Departing Mon 8Jul ‘24

Torquayisthe perfect location to enjoyaseaside getawayinthe heart of theEnglishRiviera!Weexplore this lovely landscape with acruise on the River Dart, a scenic drivethrough the Dartmoor National Park and spend time in beautiful Dartmouth.

Your breakincludes

 Return coach travel from Wolverhampton

 4nights at aselected hotel in Torquay(JG2 rating or JG3 rating) with dinner &breakfast

 Entertainment some evenings

 Scenic drivethrough Dartmoor National Park

 Cruise on the River Dart

 Excursions to BuckfastAbbey, Princetown, Tavistock, Dartmouth &Totnes

Optional excursion to Brixham & Teignmouth (£14pp)

5Days by Coach only £449

Single Supplement £50

Sunday’s Television

about my Ihram (the spiritual clothing worn on pilgrimage)and cuttingmyhair. Thoseare thetwo thingsIshould careabout the least.”

He adds: “I’msoused to focusing on my image and how Ilook.I’m ahumble person, but Ilike to looknice.Soin that moment Iwas thinking ‘Is my towel going to falldown?’, ‘Is my headgoing to look mad when Icut my hair?’

“All of these things were going through my mind and when Igot there and those are themost minor things.”

Andwhile thedocumentarymay have beenlifechanging for Zuu, he’sthinks it couldalso prove inspiring to viewers. “I hope what people take away from the documentary is that there is no trueform of what it is to be religious,it’sjustabout who you are and what you care about.

“From the outside looking in,you wouldn’t think Iwas areligious guy, but Iperformedone the most religious things you could do in Islam. You’re never too manystepsawayfrombeing abletobe good within yourfaith,you just have to have that intention.”

CLASSIC COTSWOLDSVILLAGES

Departing Fri 26 Jul ‘24

Spend arelaxingtime in some of the country’s mostpeaceful spots as we soak up the ambience of the Cotswolds. Explorethe vibrant market towns Stow-on-the-Wold and Bourton-on-the-Water, as well as thebirthplaceofShakespeare,Stratford-upon-Avon.

Your breakincludes

 Return coach travel from Wolverhampton

 2nights at the 2-star RoyalCourt Hotel, Coventry with dinner &breakfast

 2for 1bar (6pm-9pm) on selected drinks

 Excursions to Stow-on-the-Wold &Bourton-on-the-Water

 En-routevisits to Leamington Spa&Stratford-upon-Avon

3Days by Coach only £169

Daytime

6.00 Breakfast (S). 7.35 Match Of The Day (R) (S). 9.00 Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg (S). 10.00 Politics England (S).

10.30 Animal Park Summer (R) (S). 11.15 Homes Under The Hammer (R) (S). 12.15 Bargain Hunt (R) (S). 1.00 BBC News; Weather (S). 1.15 Songs Of Praise (S). 1.50 Escape To The Country (R) (S). 2.20 MOTD Live:

Women’s FA Cup Manchester United vs Chelsea. Kick-off is at 2.35pm (S). 4.50 Garden Rescue (R) (S). 5.35 BBC News (S). 5.50 BBC Regional News; Weather (S).

6.40 Countryfile (R) (S). 7.35 Breakfast (S). 9.00 Beechgrove Garden (R) (S). 9.30 Landward (S). 10.00 Saturday Kitchen Best Bites (S). 11.30 MOTD Live:

Women’s FA Cup Tottenham Hotspur vs Leicester City.Kick-off is at 12pm (S). 2.15 Marcus Wareing’s Tales From AKitchen Garden (R) (S). 2.45 Lose Weight And Get Fit With TomKerridge (R)(S). 3.15 Mammals (R) (S). 4.15 Live Challenge Cup Rugby League St Helens vs Warrington Wolves. Kick-offisat4.30pm (S).

6.00 James Martin’s Great British Adventure (R) (S). 6.30 FILM: Charlie And The Chocolate Factory (Tim Burton 2005) Children’s fantasy,starring Johnny Depp (S). 8.25 Katie Piper’s Breakfast Show (S). 9.25 ITV News (S). 9.30 Love Your Weekend With Alan Titchmarsh (S). 11.20 Raymond Blanc’s Royal Kitchen Gardens (S). 12.25 ITV News; Weather (S). 12.35 FILM: 3Men And ALittle Lady (Emile Ardolino 1990) Comedy sequel, starring Tom Selleck (S). 2.30 Live Champions Cup Rugby Coverage of aquarterfinal. Kick-off is at TBA (S). 5.30 The Chase Celebrity Special (R) (S).

6pm 8pm 10pm

7pm 9pm 11pm Late

6.00 Countryfile Anita Rani and Matt Baker take a trip along the Hardknott and Wrynose passes (S).

7.00 Mammals How airbreathing mammals have adapted to alife in water (S).

8.00 Antiques Roadshow Fiona Bruce visits Powis Castle, one of the grandest houses in Wales (R) (S).

9.00 This Town Jeannie finds awarehouse where the band starttorehearse and forge an identity (S).

10.00 BBCNews; Weather(S).

10.25 BBC Regional News; Weather (S).

10.30 Match Of The Day 2 The day’s Premier League action (S).

11.35 FILM: The Duchess (2008) Fact-based period drama, starring Keira Knightley (S).

1.20 BBC News (S).

6.30 Flog It! Paul Martin and the team are at StockportTown Hall (R) (S).

6.30 ITV News; Weather (S).

6.45 ITV Regional News; Weather (S).

7.00 This Farming Life Carianne searches for the mother of an abandoned newborn calf (R) (S).

8.00 Burma With Simon Reeve Part two of two. Simon goes in search of arebel army (R) (S).

9.00 Big Zuu Goes To Mecca The chef and rapper makes a pilgrimage to Islam’s holiest city (S).

10.00 FILM: Free Solo (2018) Following Alex Honnold on his quest to climb El Capitan without ropes or safety gear (S).

11.40 FILM: SorryToBother You (2018) Comedy, starring LaKeith Stanfield (S).

1.25 Sign Zone: The Bradford Aunties (R) (S). 2.15 Sign Zone: Mandy (R) (S). 2.30 Sign Zone: Mandy (R) (S). 2.45 This Is BBC Two (S).

Film Choices

THE DUCHESS

(BBC One, 11.35pm)

Fact-based period drama chronicling the life of Georgiana Spencer,who became Duchess of Devonshire in 1774 at the age of 17. Adored by the public for her extravagant lifestyle, Spencer endured atroubled marriage and was eventually driven into the arms of Charles Grey,asenior Whig politician. Starring Keira Knightley (pictured), Ralph Fiennes, Dominic Cooper, Charlotte Rampling, Hayley Atwell, Simon McBurney, Aidan McArdle, John Shrapnel and Alistair Petrie.

SPARTACUS

(ITV4, 5.15pm)

Aslave trained to fight as agladiator turns against his masters and leads an army of rebels in afight for freedom against the Roman state. But as the

7.00 Tipping Point: Lucky Stars With Harry Judd, Patrick Grant and Angela Barnes (R) (S).

8.00 Midsomer Murders New series. A survivalist is found murdered in his bombproof shelter (S).

10.00 ITV News; Weather (S).

10.10 The Olivier Awards 2024 Highlights of the ceremony celebrating the best of British theatre (S).

12.10 English Football League Highlights (S). 1.30 Shop On TV 3.00

Fletchers’

rebellion gathers momentum, two senators do all they can to exploit the uprising for their own political ends. Stanley Kubrick’s epic, starring Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier and Peter Ustinov,who won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role as Roman businessman Lentulus Batiatus.

Raymond Blanc’s Royal Kitchen Gardens (R) (S). 3.50 Unwind With ITV (S). 5.05

6.20 The King Of Queens (R) (S).

6.45 Everybody Loves Raymond (R) (S). 7.10 Everybody Loves Raymond (R) (S). 7.35

Everybody Loves Raymond (R) (S). 8.00 The Simpsons (R) (S).

8.25 The Simpsons (R) (S). 9.00 The Simpsons (R) (S). 9.30 Sunday Brunch (S).

12.30 The Simpsons (R) (S).

1.00 The Simpsons (R) (S). 1.30

The Simpsons (R) (S). 1.55 The Simpsons (R) (S). 2.25 FILM:

TheGolden Child (Michael Ritchie 1986) Comedy fantasy adventure, starring Eddie Murphy (S). 4.10

APlace In The Sun (R) (S). 5.15

KeyToAFortune (S).

6.15 Channel 4News (S).

6.45 Inside The Superbrands Helen Skelton goes behind the scenes of Kellogg’s (R) (S).

7.40 The Great Celebrity Bake Off ForStand Up To Cancer With Joe Locke, Adam Hills and Sara Cox. Last in the series (S).

6.00 Milkshake! 8.50 SpongeBob SquarePants (R) (S). 9.05

Entertainment News On 5 (S). 9.10 The Yorkshire Vet (R) (S). 9.35 Holidaying With Jane McDonald (R) (S). 10.20 Holidaying With Jane McDonald (R) (S). 11.20 Holidaying With Jane McDonald (R) (S). 12.20 Inside The Tower Of London (R) (S). 1.20 Inside The Tower Of London (R) (S). 2.20 FILM: The Perfect Storm (Wolfgang Petersen 2000) Fact-based disaster drama, starring George Clooney (S).

4.55 FILM: Ocean’s 8 (Gary Ross 2018) Crime caper,starring Sandra Bullock (S).

6.55 5News Weekend (S).

Sport

ARSENAL VASTON

7.00 Air Fryers: Takeaways Made Easy Alexis Conran prepares some takeaway favourites using the kitchen gadget (S).

8.00 The Tube: Keep London Moving! Staff deal with an influx of visitors for Pride weekend (S).

9.00 Hunted Fugitives make adaring attempt to visit family on Father’s Day (S).

10.00 Gogglebox The households’ opinions on recent television (R) (S).

11.05 Gogglebox Reviews of Jamie’s £1 Wonders, Married at First Sight Australia and Only Connect (R) (S).

12.10 Walter Presents: Sweetheart (S). 1.05 FILM: American Gigolo (Paul Schrader 1980) Thriller,starring Richard Gere (S). 2.55 Car S.O.S (R) (S).

3.45 Grand Designs (R) (S). 4.40 Renovation Nation (R) (S). 5.30 Kirstie’s House Of Craft (R) (S).

5.45 The Perfect Pitch (R) (S).

BBC RADIO 1

9.00 Inside The Hilton: Park Lane The sales team prepares to welcome the ambassador of East Timor (S).

10.00 When Classic TV Goes Horribly Wrong Lessthan-perfect moments from the nation’s favourite shows (R) (S).

7.00 Britain’s Most Fragile Treasure The history of York Minster’s Great East Window (S).

8.00 Flying Scotsman From The Footplate Aguide to life on the footplate of the nation’s favourite steam engine (S).

9.00 Sir Neville Marriner At The Proms: Mendelssohn’s Italian Symphony (S).

9.55 Sir Neville Marriner: Schubert’s Symphony No 10 (S).

10.30 Richard Serra: Man Of Steel –Imagine.. The life and work of artist Richard Serra (S).

11.25 HenryMoore: Face To Face (S).

11.55 Antony Gormley: What Do Artists Do All Day? (S).

12.05 It’s ARoyal Knockout: The Untold Story (R) (S). 1.00 Entertainment News On 5 (S). 1.05 PlayOJO Live Casino Show (S). 3.05 World’s Most Scenic Railway Journeys (R) (S). 3.50 Scenic Railway Journeys (R) (S). 4.40 Great Artists (R) (S). 5.05 House Doctor (R) (S).

6am Radio 1’s ChilloutAnthems. 7.00 Radio 1 Weekend Breakfast. 10.00 Radio 1Anthems 10.30 Newsbeat. 10.32 Radio 1Anthems 11.02 Radio 100s With Nat O’Leary. 12noon Radio 110s. 1.00 Matt And Mollie. 4.00 Radio 1’s Life Hacks 6.00 The Official Chart: First Look On Radio 1. 7.00 Radio 1’s Chillest Show 9.00 Radio 1’s Indie Show With AlyxHolcombe. 11.00 BBCIntroducing On Radio 1. 12mdn’t Radio 1’s Future Soul With Victoria Jane 1.30 Radio 1’s UK R&B Mix. 2.00 Radio 1’s DecompressionSession. 3.00 Radio 1’s Chill Mix. 3.30 Radio 1’s ChillMix. 4.00 Radio 1Dance 5.00 Radio 1Early Breakfast With Sam And Danni

BBC RADIO 2

6am Good Morning Sunday 9.00 Sunday Love Songs. 11.00 The MichaelBallShow 1pm Beverley Knight. 3.00 SoundsOfThe 70s With Johnnie Walker 5.00 Judi Love. 7.00 Tony Blackburn’s Golden Hour. Popularmusic from the past 50 years. 8.00 The Paul Gambaccini Collection.The ’Professor of Pop’ celebrates great songwriters,producersand performers. 10.00 Radio 2Unwinds With Angela Griffin 11.00

7.40 Moominvalley (R) (S). 8.05 Monkey Life (R) (S). 8.30 Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips (R) (S). 10.00 The Office (US) (R) (S). 12.00 Micro Monsters With David Attenborough (R) (S). 12.30 Micro Monsters With David Attenborough (R) (S). 1.00 Micro Monsters With David Attenborough (R) (S).

1.30 Micro Monsters With David Attenborough (R) (S). 2.00 Micro Monsters With David Attenborough (R) (S). 2.30 Micro Monsters With David Attenborough (R) (S). 3.00 To End All War: Oppenheimer And The Atomic Bomb (R) (S). 5.00 The Simpsons (R) (S). 5.30 The Simpsons (R) (S).

6.00 The Simpsons Lisa becomes aprofessional go-kartracer (S).

6.30 Live WSL Arsenal vs Bristol City.Kick-off is at 6.45pm (R).

6.00 CITV 9.00 Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records (S). 9.30 Secret Crush (S). 10.25 Dress To Impress (S). 11.25 Dress To Impress (S). 12.25 In ForAPenny (S). 12.55 Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway (S). 2.55 FILM: Space Jam (Tony Cervone, Joe Pytka, Bruce WSmith 1996) Live action and animated comedy,with Michael Jordan (S). 4.35 FILM: Spy Kids (RobertRodriguez 2001) Family adventure, starring Antonio Banderas (S).

6.00 Bless This House (S). 6.30 Agatha Christie’s Marple (S).

8.35 ATouch Of Frost (S). 10.40

The Ruth Rendell Mysteries (S). 11.40 Lewis (S). 1.40 Lewis (S). 3.40 Agatha Christie’s Poirot (S). 5.50 Agatha Christie’s Poirot (S).

8.55 George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces (S). 9.55 Ugly House To Lovely House With George Clarke (S). 11.00 George Clarke’s Old House, New Home (S). 12.00 Come Dine With Me (S). 12.35 Come Dine With Me (S). 1.05 Come Dine With Me (S). 1.40 Come Dine With Me (S). 2.10 Come Dine With Me (S). 2.40 Four In ABed (S). 3.10 Four In ABed (S). 3.45 Four In ABed (S). 4.15 Four In ABed (S). 4.50 Four In ABed (S). 5.20 Come Dine With Me (S). 5.55 Come Dine With Me (S).

6.25 FILM: Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) Sci-fi adventure sequel, starring Chris Pine (S).

9.00 S.W.A.T The team hunts down aChilean arms dealer (S).

10.00 An Idiot Abroad 2 Karl Pilkington arrives back in the UK (R) (S).

11.00 Saturday Night Live American sketch show

9.00 Family Guy Brian gets ajob at The New Yorker (S).

9.30 Family Guy Lois tells Peter to bond with Stewie (S).

10.00 Family Guy Lois discovers that she has an estranged brother (S).

10.30 Family Guy Lois is sent to prison (S).

11.00 Family Guy Lois becomes amodel (S).

11.30 American Dad! Stan sets up adate for Deputy Director Bullock (S).

8.00 Long Lost Family An extraordinarysearch unveils one missing relative after another (S).

9.00 The Savoy Guests celebrate special occasions after the lockdowns (S).

10.00 Foyle’s War The detective is drawn into the world of corrupt Nazi businessmen (S).

11.55 Agatha Christie’s Poirot Amurder takes place in the detective’s apartment block (S).

6.25 Come Dine With Me Emma Reddin hosts the third dinnerparty in Warwickshire (S).

6.55 Come Dine With Me (S).

7.25 Come Dine With Me Driving instructor Alison Firth hosts the final dinner party in Warwickshire (S).

8.00 24 Hours In A&E A woman is airlifted to hospital after being involved in aroad traffic collision (S).

9.00 Lake District Rescue Aman suffers abroken leg on the Corridor Route to Scafell Pike (S).

10.00 The Emergency Ward Dr Mark assembles acrack team to save aman with lifethreatening gunshot wounds (S).

11.00 Emergency Helicopter Medics In Hartlepool, the heli-medics are tasked with treating a man hit by atrain (S).

12.25 Britain’s Most Fragile Treasure (S). 1.25 Flying Scotsman From The Footplate (S). 2.25 Sir Neville Marriner: Schubert’s Symphony No 10 (S). 3.00 Close

BBC RADIO 3

12.30 Brassic (R) (S). 1.30 The Force: North East (R) (S). 2.30 Road Wars (R) (S). 3.00 Road Wars (R) (S). 4.00 Nothing To Declare (R) (S). 4.30 Nothing To Declare (R) (S). 5.00 Nothing To Declare (R) (S). 5.30 Nothing To Declare (R) (S).

Radio

12.00 American Dad! (S). 12.30 Iain Stirling’s CelebAbility (S).

1.15 All American (S). 2.05 World’s Funniest Videos (S).

2.30 Celebrity Karaoke Club (S).

3.20 Unwind With ITV (S). 5.30 Teleshopping

12.55 Scott &Bailey (S). 1.50 Vera (S). 3.35 Wycliffe (S).

4.30 Bless This House (S).

5.00 Unwind With ITV (S). 5.30 Teleshopping

12.05 The Good Doctor (S). 1.00 Lake District Rescue (S). 2.05 24 Hours In A&E (S). 3.10 Food Unwrapped (S). 3.40 Close

BLUE LIGHTS

BBC One, 9pm

Another week, another crime drama.

Yes, British TV isn’t exactly short of such things, but while some entries in the genre are instantly forgettable, others prove hugely popular and we can’t wait for them to return.

Blue Lights certainly falls into the latter category Co-created and written by Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson, the first series launched with seven million viewers and introduced viewers to probationary police officers Grace Ellis, Annie Condon and Tommy Foster (played by Siân Brooke, Katherine Devlin and Nathan Braniff respectively), who faced abaptism of fire on the streets of Belfast.

Monday’s Television

Editor’s Pick Daytime

“Blue Lights has been abreakout hit and so many of our viewers have taken the rookies to their hearts which is down to the fantastic cast and Declan and Adam’s vision,” said Lindsay Salt, Director of Drama at the BBC, after the first run aired. “Wecan’t wait to haveit back on BBCOne and iPlayer for asecond series.”

Luckily for us, the waiting is over.The trio are set to reprise their roles, and they’re about to be joined by another very familiar face –thatofDerek Thompson, who’s tackling his first acting role since his alter ego Charlie’s recent departure from Casualty

“I loved the first series of Blue Lights and thought, as did the majority of my friends and colleagues, that it was the best new TV series of last year,” says the veteran actor,who spent 38 years playing the muchloved fictional nurse. “I was thrilled and excited when I got the invitation to take part in series two.

“I was born in Belfast and was equally excited to travel over to work on the show and pleased to report, having read the scripts, that I’m sure the fans will love the second series every bit as much as the first. Greatly looking forward to it myself as I’m one of them.”

Thompson will play retired police officer Robin Graham, whose past is about to catch up with him in dramatic style when an old case is reinvestigated

by atrainee solicitor.She has the best intentions, but stirs up something that has hugerepercussions in the present day

Meanwhile, Grace, Annie and Tommy now have a year’s experience as response officers, but the fall of the McIntyre family continues to impact on their lives –numerous other gangs have moved onto their turf and are making their presence felt as they battle for dominance. Another constable, ShaneBradley,is enlisted to help clean up thestreets, but is he on the side of the angels, or does he have an ulteriormotive?

If you enjoy the new six-part run, then you’re in luck –athird series is already on its way

“A two-series recommission is astaggering vote of confidence in Blue Lights,” claim TwoCities, the production team behind it. “A big thank you from everyone in the Blue Lights team for the faith and support given to our show; we are working with the best people.

“There are so many more stories to tell and we can’t wait to get going again with the Blue Lights squad in Belfast.”

6.00 Breakfast (S). 9.30 Morning Live (S). 10.45 Big Little Crimes (S). 11.15 Homes Under The Hammer (R) (S). 12.15 Bargain Hunt (S). 1.00 BBC News At One; Weather (S). 1.30 BBC Regional News; Weather (S). 1.45 Doctors (S). 2.15 Money ForNothing (R) (S). 3.00 Escape To The Country (S). 3.45 The Bidding Room (R) (S). 4.30 Bridge Of Lies (R) (S). 5.15 Pointless (S).

6.30 Bargain Hunt (R) (S). 7.15 Bridge Of Lies (R) (S). 8.00 Sign Zone: MasterChef (R) (S). 9.00 BBC News (S). 12.15 Politics Live (S). 1.00 Impossible (R) (S).

1.45 The Edge (R) (S). 2.30 The Edible Garden (R) (S). 3.00 Jay And Dom’s Home Fix (R) (S). 3.45 The Home That TwoBuilt (R) (S). 4.45 Chris And Meg’s Wild Summer (R) (S). 5.15 Flog It! (R) (S).

6.00 Good Morning Britain (S). 9.00 Lorraine (S). 10.00 This Morning (S). 12.30 Loose Women (S). 1.30 ITV News; Weather (S). 1.55 ITV Regional News; Weather (S). 2.00 Alan Titchmarsh’s Gardening Club (S). 3.00 Winning Combination (R) (S). 3.59 ITV Regional Weather (S). 4.00 Tipping Point (R) (S). 5.00 The Chase (R) (S).

7pm 9pm 11pm Late 6pm 8pm 10pm

6.00 BBC News At Six; Weather (S).

6.30 BBC Regional News; Weather (S).

6.55 PartyElection Broadcast (R) (S).

7.00 The One Show Alex Jones and Jermaine Jenas present (S).

7.30 EastEnders George struggles to contain his emotions (S).

8.00 DIY SOS Strictly Special Stars of Strictly Come Dancing join Nick Knowles and the team in Wallsend, Newcastle (R) (S).

9.00 Blue Lights New series. The team is faced with acrime wave that leads them into aloyalist estate (S).

10.00 BBC News At Ten (S).

10.30 BBC Regional News; Weather (S).

10.40 Have IGot ABit More News ForYou (R)(S).

11.25 Glow Up: Britain’s Next Make-Up Star Eight aspiringmake-up artists compete to be crowned Britain’s Next Make-Up Star (R) (S).

12.25 The Repair Shop (R) (S). 1.30 BBC News (S).

6.00 Richard Osman’s House Of Games With Diarmuid Gavin (R) (S).

6.30 Great Coastal Railway Journeys (S).

7.00 Your Home Made Perfect Twoarchitects compete to make over asemi-detached in north London (R) (S).

8.00 Rebuilding NotreDame: The Next Chapter Lucy Worsley examines the restoration of the cathedral (R) (S).

9.00 Pompeii: The New Dig New series. Following an archaeological excavation at the ancient Roman city (S).

10.00 Alma’s Not Normal Things between Lin and Joan are not going well. Last in the series (R) (S).

10.30 Newsnight (S).

11.15 FILM: Nowhere Special (2020) Drama, starring James Norton and Daniel Lamont (S).

6.00 ITV Regional News; Weather (S).

6.20 PartyElection Broadcast By the Labour Party(S).

6.30 ITV News; Weather (S).

7.30 Emmerdale Rhona hopes for custody of Ivy (S).

8.00 Coronation Street Dee-Dee’s efforts to keep Royout of prison amount to nothing (S).

9.00 Martin Clunes: Islands Of The Pacific New series. The actor explores Papua New Guinea (S).

10.00 ITV News At Ten; Weather (S).

10.30 ITV Regional News; Weather (S).

10.45 The 1% Club Quiz show (R) (S).

11.45 English Football League Highlights Action from the latest fixtures (R) (S).

12.45 Sign Zone: Countryfile (R) (S). 1.45 Sign Zone: Meet The Roman Emperor With MaryBeard (R) (S). 2.45 This Is BBC Two (S).

12.55 Shop On TV 3.00 Next Level Chef (R) (S). 3.50 Unwind With ITV (S). 5.05 Ainsley’s Fantastic Flavours (R) (S).

Film Choices

NOWHERE SPECIAL

(BBC Two, 11.15pm)

Italian filmmaker Uberto Pasolini draws inspiration from true events for aportrait of love and sacrifice between father and son. Thirty-five-year-old window cleaner John (James Norton, pictured) has dedicated himself to raising his four-year-old son Michael (Daniel Lamont) in the absence of amother.Fate deals John acruel blow and he is given just afew months to live. Without any family to turnto, he decides to conceal the harrowing truth from Michael and to spend his final weeks searching for anew family to cherish his boy when he is gone.

THE MIST

(Film4, 9pm)

Asmall town is cloaked in adeep mysterious cloud of mist, and anyone who ventures into its depths is attacked by vicious monsters. Agroup of survi-

vors seeks shelter in asupermarket, but internal conflicts soon drive them apartastwo factions formwith verydifferent ideas of how to survive the crisis.

Sci-fi horror,starring Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Laurie Holden, Andre Braugher,Toby Jones, William Sadler and Jeffrey DeMunn.

6.10 Countdown (R)(S). 6.50

3rdRock From TheSun (R)(S)

7.15 3rd Rock From TheSun

(R)(S) 7.40 3rd Rock From The Sun (R)(S). 8.05 Everybody

Loves Raymond (R) (S) 8.30

EverybodyLoves Raymond (R)(S) 9.00 EverybodyLoves Raymond (R)(S) 9.30 Frasier (R) (S). 10.00Frasier (R) (S).

10.30 Frasier (R)(S). 11.00

Work On TheWild Side (R)(S)

12.00 Channel 4NewsSummary (S). 12.05 Sun,Sea And Selling

Houses (R) (S) 1.05 Find It,

Fix It, Flog It (R)(S). 2.10

Countdown (S). 3.00A PlaceIn

The Sun (R)(S) 4.00 ANew Life

In The Sun (R)(S). 5.00 Chateau

DIY (R)(S)

6.00 Four In ABed (S).

6.30 The Simpsons A musician befriends Lisa (R) (S).

7.00 Channel 4News (S).

6.00 Milkshake! 9.15 Jeremy Vine (S). 11.15 Storm Huntley (S). 12.45 Friends (R)(S). 1.10

Friends (R)(S) 1.40 5News

At Lunchtime (S). 1.45Home

And Away (R)(S) 2.15 FILM:A

Sister’sGrudge (Nigel Thomas 2021)Thriller,starring Annika Foster (S). 4.00 Bargain-Loving Brits In TheSun (S). 5.00 5 NewsAt5 (S).

Sport

6.00 Sky News Breakfast (R).

6.30 Sky News Breakfast (R).

8.00 Jamie’s Air Fryer Meals Part one of two. Jamie Oliver showcases recipes designed for the air fryer (S).

9.00 Murder Case: The Digital Detectives New series. Ground-breaking digital techniques helping police to solve murders (S).

10.00 Rescue: Extreme Medics The air ambulance is dispatched to two serious road traffic collisions (R) (S).

11.05 Night Coppers Sergeants Sam and Ed are called to agas leak at apetrol station (R) (S).

12.10 Surviving RKelly (S). 1.05 Ramsay’s Hotel Hell (R) (S). 1.50 The Simpsons (R) (S). 2.20 The Simpsons (R) (S). 2.45 Big Mood (R) (S). 3.15 Big Mood (R) (S). 3.40 Couples Come Dine With Me (R) (S). 4.35 Renovation Nation (R) (S). 5.25 Kirstie’s Fill Your House ForFree (R) (S).

6.00 Robson Green’s Coastal Fishing The actor explores the nation’s love of seafood (R) (S).

6.55 5News Update (S).

7.00 Traffic Cops Atip-off leads to amajor drugs bust in North Yorkshire (R) (S).

7.55 5News Update (S).

8.00 Springtime On The Farm New series. Celebrating the work of farmers around the country(S).

9.00 Inside The Force Officers respond to areportofa man brandishing asword (S).

10.00 Accused: Did I Murder My Child? An Oklahoma woman accused of killing her child (S).

11.05 Police Code Zero: Officer Under Attack PC Mark Lee fights for his life after adriver deliberately runs him down (R) (S).

12.05 Traffic Cops (R) (S).

12.55 Entertainment News On 5 (S). 1.00 PlayOJO Live Casino Show (S). 3.00 Scenic Railway Journeys (R) (S). 3.50 The Cotswolds With PamAyres (R) (S). 4.35 Great Artists (R) (S).

5.05 House Doctor (R) (S). 5.30 Entertainment News On 5 (S).

BBC RADIO 1

6.57am Newsbeat 7.00 Radio 1Breakfast With Greg James. 10.30 Newsbeat 10.32 Rickie, Melvin And Charlie. 12.45pm Newsbeat. 1.00 Vicky And Nat. 3.30 Newsbeat. 3.32 Going Home With Vick, KatieAnd Jamie On Radio 1. 5.45 Newsbeat. 6.00 Radio 1’s New Music Show With JackSaunders. 8.00 Radio1’s Future Artists With Sian Eleri. 10.00 Radio1’s Power Down Playlist With Sian Eleri 11.00 Rock Show With Daniel PCarter 1am BBC Introducing Rock On Radio 1 WithAlyxHolcombe. 2.00 Radio 1’s Future Alternative. 3.00 Radio 1Relax In Love. 4.00 Radio 1Dance. 5.00 Radio 1Early Breakfast With Sam And Danni.

BBC RADIO 2

7.00 Great Australian Railway Journeys Michael Portillo venturesDown Under to explore Australia by train (S).

8.00 Britain In Focus: A Photographic History The explosion of colour to the digital revolution. Last in the series (S).

9.00 Britain’s Lost Masterpieces Dr Bendor Grosvenor finds two anonymous landscape paintings (S).

10.00 Pompeii: The Mystery Of The People Frozen In Time How the citizens’ bodies were preserved (S).

11.00 APicture Of Birmingham By Benjamin Zephaniah (S).

11.30 Victorian Sensations: Electric Dreams (S).

12.30 HenryVIII’s Enforcer: The Rise And Fall Of Thomas Cromwell (S). 1.30 Great Australian Railway Journeys (S). 2.30 Britain In Focus: A Photographic History (S). 3.30 Close

6.30am TheZoe BallBreakfast Show 9.30 Vernon Kay. 12noon Jeremy Vine 2.00 Scott Mills. 4.00 Sara Cox 6.30 Sara Cox’s HalfWower 7.00 Jo Whiley’s Shiny Happy Playlist. Jo plays her favourite album tracksand musical gems rarely heard on Radio 2. 7.30 Jo Whiley.Music and chat 9.00 The Blues Show With Huey Morgan.HueyMorgan sitsinfor Cerys Matthews. 10.00 Trevor Nelson’sMagnificent 7. 10.30 Trevor Nelson’s RhythmNation. The DJ introducesa mix of soulful tunes. 12mdn’t

7.00 KayBurley (R) 7.30 Kay Burley (R). 8.00 Stop, Search, Seize (R)(S). 9.00 NothingTo Declare (R)(S). 9.30 Nothing To Declare (R)(S). 10.00 Empire Builders (R). 11.00 GangsOf Baboon Falls (R) (S). 12.00 Supergirl (R)(S). 1.00MacGyver (R) (S) 2.00 MacGyver (R) (S). 3.00 Hawaii Five-0 (R)(S).

4.00 S.W.A.T (R) (S). 5.00 The Simpsons (R) (S) 5.30 The Simpsons (R)(S)

6.00 CITV9.00 World’s Funniest Videos (S). 9.30 Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records (S) 10.00 VeronicaMars (S). 11.00

Dawson’s Creek (S). 12.00

Secret Crush (S). 1.00 Dress To Impress (S). 2.00Family Fortunes (S). 3.00Veronica Mars (S). 4.00Dawson’sCreek (S) 5.00 Dress To Impress (S). 6.00 Classic Emmerdale (S) 6.30 ClassicEmmerdale (S) 7.00 ClassicCoronation Street (S). 7.35Classic Coronation Street (S). 8.05Wild At Heart (S). 9.10 Wild At Heart (S). 10.15 The Royal (S). 11.20Heartbeat (S). 12.25 Heartbeat (S). 1.30

Classic Emmerdale (S). 2.05

Classic Emmerdale (S). 2.35 Classic Coronation Street (S). 3.10 Classic Coronation Street (S). 3.45Agatha Christie’s Poirot (S). 5.55Heartbeat (S)

Food Unwrapped (S). 9.30 APlace

Four In

6.00 The Office (US) Deangelo’s management style causes chaos (R) (S).

6.30 The Office (US) (R) (S).

7.00 The Simpsons An overdose of spicy food causes Homer to experience hallucinations (R) (S).

7.30 The Simpsons (R) (S).

8.00 David Attenborough’s Wild City The veteran broadcaster examines the wildlife of Singapore (R) (S).

9.00 The Regime Elena negotiates adeal with Senator Holt (S).

10.00 JFK: Destiny Betrayed Oliver Stone’s fourpartdocumentary exploring the Kennedy assassination (R) (S).

11.05 RobBeckett’s Smart TV With Joel Dommett and Hermione Norris (R) (S).

11.50 Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (R).

12.35 Sex And The City (R) (S).

1.15 Sex And The City (R) (S).

1.55 Road Wars (R) (S). 3.00 Hawaii Five-0 (R) (S). 4.00 S.W.A.T (R) (S). 5.00 Motorway Patrol (R) (S). 5.30 Motorway Patrol (R) (S).

Radio

BBC RADIO

3

Breakfast. 9.30 EssentialClassics. 1pm Classical Live. 4.00 ComposerOfThe

BBC RADIO 4

6.00 Celebrity Catchphrase Dion Dublin, Rachel Riley and Tim Vine take part(S).

7.00 Family Fortunes The Quinns from Bournemouth go up against the Edwards family of Kent (S).

8.00 Superstore The employees are forced to address systemic racism in the store (S).

8.30 Superstore (S).

9.00 TikTok: Murder Gone Viral The case of women’s rights campaigner Sania Khan (S).

10.00 Family Guy Peter starts his own religion (S). 10.30 Family Guy Brian has a brush with death (S).

11.00 Family Guy Peter befriends actor James Woods (S). 11.30 American Dad! (S).

12.00 American Dad! (S). 12.30 Superstore (S). 12.55 Superstore (S). 1.25 The Emily Atack Show (S). 2.05 Celebrity Karaoke Club (S). 3.00 Unwind With ITV (S).

5.30 Teleshopping

6.55 Heartbeat David prompts apetrol crisis (S).

6.55 Car S.O.S Fuzz Townshend and Tim Shaw restore a1991 Range Rover (S).

7.55 Grand Designs A couple transform aderelict Victorian gatehouse in London (S).

8.00 Vera Twomurder victims are placed in water and surrounded by flowers (S).

10.00 Blue Murder Aman is killed while out celebrating his birthday (S).

11.30 Wild At Heart An old flame of Danny’s shows up unexpectedly (S).

12.25 Wild At Heart (S). 1.15 Upstairs, Downstairs (S). 2.15 Heartbeat (S). 3.10 Heartbeat (S). 4.05 The Royal (S). 5.00 Unwind With ITV (S). 5.30 Teleshopping

9.00 Car S.O.S Fuzz Townshend and Tim Shaw secretly restore classic vehicles (S).

10.00 Chernobyl: The New Evidence Part one of two. Documentary exploring the run-up to the nuclear disaster (S).

11.05 24 Hours In A&E An 89-year-old man is admitted with acute abdominal pain (S).

12.05 Emergency Helicopter Medics (S). 1.10 999: On The Front Line (S). 2.10 24 Hours In A&E (S). 3.15 Food Unwrapped (S). 3.45 Close

CHANGING ENDS

ITV1, 8.30pm

Sometimes factisstranger,morefascinating and hilarious thanfiction –that’s certainlythe case with Changing Ends.

The sitcom’sfirst series madeits debuton streaming service ITVXlast June,and was an instant hitwithfans, so much so asecondrun was immediately commissioned; it’s expected to drop onto the platform this summer

Aheadofthat, there’sanotherchance(or afirst one) to watch those opening episodes when they begin atraditionalTVrun this week

Tuesday’s Television

Editor’s Pick Daytime

Forthe uninitiated,the programme is inspired by the early life of Alan Carr,who grew up in 1980s Northamptonwithhis parents and younger brother

“If someone had told littleold me backin Northamptoninthe mid-80’sthat ITV would giveme my ownsitcom based on my lifeIwouldhave choked on my Flumps,” laughs the comedian. “Super proud that Ican share my story with you– expectlotsof giggles, pathosand nostalgia and believe it or not football–who knew?!”

It was notaninclusiveera, and Carr admits he was bullied, butnot necessarily forthe reasonsyou might think –itwas becausehis dad,Graham, wasthenthe manager of the town’s professionalfootball club

“I’d get bulliedbecauseofthe resultsonSaturday,” he sighs,remembering the unfairness of it all. “I never said Iwas agood footballer, but when I’dgo to school, they’d find out who my dad was, and they’d make me team captain. Iwas like, ‘No, no, there’sbeena terrible mistake’. AndofcourseI’d toe puntitover afence and then that was it. Iwas the substitute.”

Carr alsoco-wrote the scripts with TwoDoors Down creator SimonCarlyle, andpops up in theshow playing himself in thepresentday.Finding someone to tackle the roleofyoung Alan wasn’teasy,but 13-year-old Oliver Savell is arevelation.

“He wasn’t likea seagull operating afax machine… He wasspot on with the intelligence, the timing and everything,” explainsCarr

The series is, however,tinged with some sadness. Carlyle passed away lastyear,leaving everyone involvedinthe show devastated, including Carr,who describedhimself as “heartbroken” by the news, stating: “Asyou’d expect, likehis scripts he was so so funny, witty and clever.The writing room was always fulloflaughter when he was around. The worldofcomedy has lost atrue talent.”

Carr has written the entiresecond series himself, and he’s thrilled that both will receive aprewatershed time slot: “I wanted people to watch it with their mum and dad, if youare alittle bit differentand stuff.

“I was getting on reallywell untilIwent to secondary school… (suddenly) no-one wants to talk about Murder She Wrote or Golden Girls.”

He addsthat he’sproud of the finishedresult, calling it “amazing”. Carr should be proud too, he’s come up with aheartwarming, charming and often hilarious showthat may actasaninspiration to others–something young Alan could only have ever dreamedabout.

Travelinsurancethatgives youalittlebitextra!

When we sayyou’recovered,you’recovered! Youget belt &bracesprotectionfor youand your trip,bothbefore yougoawayaswellas whenyou’reonyourtrip. That’s goodtoknow, especiallyifyou’retravellingwithany pre-existing health conditions

That’sTravelReassurance!

6.00 Breakfast (S). 9.30 Morning Live (S). 10.45 Big Little Crimes (S). 11.15 Homes Under The Hammer (S). 12.15 Bargain Hunt (R) (S). 1.00 BBC News At One; Weather (S). 1.30 BBC Regional News; Weather (S). 1.45 Doctors (S). 2.15 Money ForNothing (S).

3.00 Escape To The Country (R) (S). 3.45 The Bidding Room (R) (S). 4.30 Bridge Of Lies (R) (S). 5.15 Pointless (S).

6.30 Money ForNothing (R) (S).

7.15 The Bidding Room (R) (S).

8.00 Sign Zone: MasterChef (R) (S). 9.00 BBC News (S). 12.15 Politics Live (S). 1.00 Impossible (R) (S). 1.45 The Edge (R) (S).

2.30 The Edible Garden (R) (S).

3.00 Jay And Dom’s Home Fix (R) (S). 3.45 The Home That TwoBuilt (R) (S). 4.45 Chris And Meg’s Wild Summer (R) (S). 5.15 Flog It! (R) (S).

6.00 Good Morning Britain (S). 9.00 Lorraine (S). 10.00 This Morning (S). 12.30 Loose Women (S). 1.30 ITV News; Weather (S). 1.55 ITV Regional News; Weather (S).

2.00 Riddiculous (R) (S). 3.00 Winning Combination (R) (S).

3.59 ITV Regional Weather (S).

4.00 Tipping Point (R) (S). 5.00 The Chase (R) (S).

7pm 9pm 11pm Late 6pm 8pm 10pm

6.00 BBC News At Six; Weather (S).

6.30 BBC Regional News; Weather (S).

6.55 PartyElection Broadcast (R) (S).

7.00 The One Show With Lauren Laverne and Jermaine Jenas (S).

7.30 EastEnders Cindy searches for answers (S).

8.00 Interior Design Masters With Alan Carr The designers transformshops in East Grinstead (S).

9.00 MasterChef Six new hopefuls compete for a MasterChef apron (S).

10.00 BBC News At Ten (S).

10.30 BBC Regional News; Weather (S).

10.40 Imagine... PetShop Boys: Then And Now (S).

6.00 Richard Osman’s House Of Games (R) (S).

6.30 Great Coastal Railway Journeys (S).

7.00 Your Home Made Perfect Acouple remodel their 1960s Southampton house (R) (S).

8.00 Saving Lives At Sea RNLI crew members work to pull off the risky evacuation of a fisherman (S).

9.00 QI XL Sandi Toksvig looks at the topic of upbringing(S).

9.45 Live At The Apollo (R) (S).

10.30 Newsnight (S).

6.00 ITV Regional News; Weather (S).

6.20 PartyElection Broadcast By the Conservative Party(S).

6.30 ITV News; Weather (S).

7.30 Emmerdale Kerryisin apanic about the cash (S).

8.00 ForThe Love Of Dogs With Alison Hammond (S).

8.30 Changing Ends (S).

9.00 It’s Showtime! The storyofa group of working-class men who got drunk one night and bought aracehorse (S).

10.20 ITV News; Weather (S).

10.50 ITV Regional News; Weather (S).

11.15 FILM: Dirty God (2019) Drama, starring Vicky Knight (S).

11.10 DNA Journey

examine their respective family histories (R) (S).

12.10 Celebrity Bridge Of Lies (R) (S). 1.00 BBC News (S).

12.55 Sign Zone: Interior Design Masters With Alan Carr(R) (S).

1.55 Sign Zone: Pilgrimage: The Road Through North Wales (R) (S). 2.55 This Is BBC Two (S).

12.15 Shop On TV 3.00 The Jonathan Ross Show (R) (S).

3.55 Unwind With ITV (S). 5.10 Celebrity Catchphrase (R) (S).

Film Choices

DIRTY GOD

(BBC Two, 11.15pm)

Single mother Jade (Vicky Knight, pictured) is the victimofanacid attack perpetrated by herex-boyfriend Her face, arms and torso are scarred, andthe hospital advises her to wear aclear face mask to protect tissue from further damage.When she is discharged, Jade recuperates at homewith hermother Lisa buther young daughter Raeisdisturbed by themask. Jade seeks comfortfrom best friend Shami and Shami’sboyfriend Naz. Anight out proves to be atrial by fire and Jade musters courage for theobstacles that lie ahead.

BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM

(Film4, 6.45pm)

An English schoolgirl tries to hide her passion for football from her strict Indian parents, knowing they disapprove of her tomboyish love of the game.

However,when asemi-professional player sees her in action, she is offered aplace on ateam, forcing her to come up with acomplex plan to keep her sporting career under wraps. Comedy,with Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley,Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Juliet Stevenson and Shaznay Lewis.

Comedians Joel Dommett and TomAllen

6.10 Countdown (R) (S). 6.50

3rd Rock From The Sun (R) (S).

7.15 3rd Rock From The Sun (R) (S). 7.40 3rd Rock From The Sun (R) (S). 8.05 Everybody

Loves Raymond (R) (S). 8.30

Everybody Loves Raymond (R) (S). 9.00 Everybody Loves

Raymond (R) (S). 9.30 Frasier

(R) (S). 10.00 Frasier (R) (S).

10.30 Frasier (R) (S). 11.00

Work On The Wild Side (R) (S).

12.00 Channel 4News Summary

(S). 12.05 Sun, Sea And Selling

Houses (R) (S). 1.05 Find It,

Fix It, Flog It (R) (S). 2.10

Countdown (S). 3.00 APlace In The Sun (R) (S). 4.00 ANew Life

In The Sun (R) (S). 5.00 Chateau DIY (R) (S).

6.00 Four In ABed Sarah hosts the second visit of the week at Lahtle Wood Glamping in North Yorkshire (S).

6.30 The Simpsons (R) (S).

7.00 Channel 4News (S).

6.00 Milkshake! 9.15 Jeremy Vine (S). 11.15 Storm Huntley (S). 12.45 Friends (R) (S). 1.10

Friends (R) (S). 1.40 5News At Lunchtime (S). 1.45 Home And Away (R) (S). 2.20 FILM: All Of You (Mike Hoy 2021) Thriller, starring Conner Floyd (S). 4.00 Bargain-Loving Brits In The Sun (S). 5.00 5News At 5 (S).

Sport

BARCELONA VPARIS

SAINT-GERMAIN

6.00 Sky News Breakfast (R).

6.30 Sky News Breakfast (R).

7.00 Kay Burley (R). 7.30 Kay

Burley (R). 8.00 Stop, Search, Seize (R) (S). 9.00 Nothing To Declare (R) (S). 9.30 Nothing

To Declare (R) (S). 10.00 Empire Builders (R) (S). 11.00

6.00 CITV 9.00 World’s Funniest Videos (S). 9.30 Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records (S). 10.00 Veronica Mars (S). 11.00

Dawson’s Creek (S). 12.00 Secret Crush (S). 1.00 Dress

6.00 Classic Emmerdale (S).

6.30 Classic Emmerdale (S).

8.00 Aldi’s Next Big Thing Food and drink producers pitch their party food products (S).

9.00 Night Coppers Officers chase someone using nitrous oxide behindthe wheel of avehicle (S).

10.00 Danny Dyer: How To Be AMan Exploring the subject of modern masculinity and what it means to be male in the 21st century(S).

11.05 Car Boot Kings The first in anew strand of documentaries by firsttime film-makers (R) (S).

12.10 Ramsay’s Hotel Hell (R) (S). 12.55 Taskmaster (R) (S).

1.50 Late Night Lycett (R) (S).

2.45 The Piano (R) (S). 3.40 Couples Come Dine With Me (R) (S). 4.30 Grand Designs New Zealand (R) (S). 5.20 Renovation Nation (R) (S).

6.00 Robson Green’s Coastal Fishing The actor travels to the west coast of Scotland (R) (S).

6.55 5News Update (S).

7.00 River Avon: Then & Now Following the course of the Avon (R) (S).

7.55 5News Update (S).

8.00 Springtime On The Farm Roband Dave Nicholson welcome the arrival of ashire foal to their mare Blossom (S).

9.00 Michael Palin In Nigeria New series. Michael Palin journeys across the West African country(S).

10.00 Accused Acase exploring the defence of insanity at the time of murder (S).

11.05 Inside The Force Officers respond to areportofa man brandishing asword (R) (S).

12.05 Coastguard: Search & Rescue SOS (R) (S). 12.55 Entertainment News On 5 (S). 1.00 PlayOJO Live Casino Show (S). 3.00 World’s Most Scenic Railway Journeys (R) (S). 3.50 The Cotswolds With PamAyres (R) (S). 4.40 Great Artists (R) (S). 5.05 House Doctor (R) (S).

BBC RADIO 1

6.57am Newsbeat 7.00 Radio 1Breakfast With Greg

James. 10.30 Newsbeat 10.32 Rickie, Melvin And Charlie. 12.45pm Newsbeat. 1.00 Vicky And Nat. 3.30 Newsbeat. 3.32 Going Home With Vick, KatieAnd Jamie On Radio 1. 5.45 Newsbeat. 6.00 Radio 1’s New Music Show With JackSaunders. 8.00 Radio1’s Future Artists With Sian Eleri. 10.00 Radio1’s Power Down Playlist With Sian Eleri 11.00 Martha. 1am Radio 1’s Drum &BassMix. 1.30 Radio 1’s Drum &Bass Mix. 2.00 Radio 1’s Workout Anthems. 3.00 Radio 1Relax 4.00 Radio1Dance. 5.00 Radio 1Early BreakfastWith Sam And Danni.

BBC RADIO 2

8.00 To The Manor Born Audrey pretends to be DeVere’s wife. First shown in 1981 (S).

8.30 No Place Like Home (S).

9.00 Secrets Of Size: Atoms To Supergalaxies Part two of two. Jim Al-Khalili explores the largest known cosmic structures (S).

10.00 MinistryOfEvil: The Twisted Cult Of Tony Alamo (S).

10.45 MinistryOfEvil: The Twisted Cult Of Tony Alamo (S).

11.30 The Cult Next Door The storyofa pseudoreligious cult that came to light in 2013 (S).

12.30 Pompeii: The MysteryOf The People Frozen In Time (S). 1.30 Great Australian Railway Journeys (S). 2.30 Britain’s Lost Masterpieces (S). 3.30 Close

6.30am TheZoe BallBreakfast Show 9.30 Vernon Kay. 12noon Jeremy Vine 2.00 Scott Mills. 4.00 Sara Cox. 6.30 Sara Cox’s HalfWower.Sara plays the biggest and best tunes to get listeners dancing. 7.00 Jo Whiley’s Shiny HappyPlaylist.Joplaysher favourite album tracks and musical gems rarely heard on Radio 2. 7.30 Jo Whiley.Music and chat 9.00 The Jazz Show With Jamie Cullum. The world of jazz. 10.00 Trevor Nelson’s Magnificent 7. 10.30 Trevor Nelson’s Rhythm Nation. 12mdn’t OJ Borg. 3.00 Pick Of The Pops. 4.00 OwainWyn Evans.

Chasing The Rains (R) (S). 12.00 Supergirl (R) (S). 1.00 MacGyver (R) (S). 2.00 MacGyver (R) (S). 3.00 Hawaii Five-0 (R) (S).

4.00 S.W.A.T (R) (S). 5.00 The Simpsons (R) (S). 5.30 The Simpsons (R) (S).

To Impress (S). 2.00 Family Fortunes (S). 3.00 Veronica Mars (S). 4.00 Dawson’s Creek (S). 5.00 Dress To Impress (S).

6.00 The Office (US) Part one of two. Deangelo’s new replacement is sought (R) (S).

6.30 The Office (US) (R) (S).

7.00 The Simpsons An avalanche traps Homer and Mr Burns (R) (S).

7.30 The Simpsons The family hires aMary Poppins-like nanny (R).

8.00 Shark With Steve Backshall The sharks of the Indian Ocean (R) (S).

9.00 Mary& George George and Charles embark on ahistoric trip to Spain. Last in the series (S).

10.05 Royal B**tards: Rise Of The Tudors Edward IV dies unexpectedly (R).

11.05 S.W.A.T The team hunts down aChilean arms dealer (R).

6.00 Celebrity Catchphrase With James Jordan, Fiona Wade and Louis Walsh (S).

7.00 Family Fortunes The Mohammeds go up against the Hayes family (S).

8.00 Superstore Cheyenne is forced to shadow Carol for the day (S).

8.30 Superstore Jonah finds himself in trouble with Sandra (S).

9.00 Hell’s Kitchen The contestants serve a brunch to new US citizens (S).

10.00 Plebs Grumio findsan abandoned baby (S).

10.30 Plebs Marcus refuses to pay for medical treatment when Grumio falls ill (S).

11.00 Family Guy Peter joins the New England Patriots American football team(S).

11.30 Family Guy (S).

12.00 The Force: North East (R) (S). 1.00 Brit Cops: Law& Disorder (R). 2.00 Road Wars (R) (S). 3.00 Hawaii Five-0 (R) (S). 4.00 S.W.A.T (R) (S). 5.00 Motorway Patrol (R) (S). 5.30 Motorway Patrol (R) (S).

Radio

BBC RADIO 3

6.30am Breakfast 9.30 Essential Classics. 1pm News.

BBC RADIO 4

7.00 Classic Coronation Street (S). 7.35 Classic Coronation Street (S). 8.05 Wild At Heart (S). 9.10 Wild At Heart (S). 10.15 The Royal (S). 11.20 Heartbeat (S). 12.25 Heartbeat (S). 1.30

Classic Emmerdale (S). 2.05 Classic Emmerdale (S). 2.35 Classic Coronation Street (S). 3.10 Classic Coronation Street (S). 3.45 Agatha Christie’s Poirot (S). 5.55 Heartbeat (S). 8.55

6.55 Heartbeat Ventress’s shady past threatens a CID stakeout (S).

6.55 Car S.O.S Fuzz Townshend and Tim Shaw restore aBMW 2002 Turbo (S).

7.55 Grand Designs Agiant family house of fun (S).

8.00 Midsomer Murders Barnaby and Nelson team up with apair of detectives in Copenhagen (S).

9.00 Julia Bradbury’s Irish Journey Julia takes a trip up the coastal Wild Atlantic Way(S).

10.00 Blue Murder Afamily doctor is shot dead (S).

11.30 Wild At Heart Sarah is determined to restart the animal hospital initiative (S).

12.00 American Dad! (S).

12.30 American Dad! (S). 1.00 Superstore (S). 1.25 Superstore (S). 1.50 Shopping With Keith Lemon (S). 2.20 Shopping With Keith Lemon (S). 2.45 Celebrity Karaoke Club (S). 3.35 Unwind With ITV (S). 5.30 Teleshopping

12.20 Wild At Heart (S). 1.15 Upstairs, Downstairs (S). 2.15 Heartbeat (S). 3.05 Heartbeat (S). 4.05 The Royal (S). 5.00 Unwind With ITV (S). 5.30 Teleshopping

10.00 Brain Surgeons: Between Life And Death Twopatients undergo brain surgery while remaining awake (S).

11.05 24 Hours In A&E A motorcyclist is airlifted to St George’s after crashing into abus (S).

12.10 Emergency Helicopter Medics (S). 1.15 Brain Surgeons: Between Life And Death (S). 2.15 24 Hours In A&E (S). 3.20 Food Unwrapped (S). 3.50 Close

7.00 Great Australian Railway Journeys Michael Portillo explores New South Wales by train (S).

RACE ACROSS THE WORLD

BBC One, 9pm

It’s not toohardto see whypeople wanttosign up for the realitychallenge RaceAcrossthe World

If you’ve watchedthe previous series (orlast week’s opening episode), then you’llknow thatthe teams can experiencedifficulties while trying to complete an epic journeywithout smartphones, internetaccess and bank cards. But it’sstillachancetosee the world and experienceother cultures,especially as thisyear, the aimistotravel 15,000 kilometresfrom northernmost Japan to in Lombok, an idyllic Indonesian island paradise, crosssix seas andeight borders alongthe way.

Wednesday’s Television

Editor’s Pick Daytime

Forsomeofthe younger contestants, it’salsoa chance to experienceearly 2000s technology

Best friends Owen (a traineepilot)and Alfie(afootball referee), who areboth 20,admitthat being withouta smartphone has been achallenge.

They’vebothbrought iPodsalong forthe ride,and their journey is being soundtracked by Alfie’s uncle’s playlist Alfieexplains: “Because we’vegot so used to just streaming, Ikindofforgot thatyou can’t download stuffforma streamingwebsite onto an iPod because you can’t prove youown it so it’s onlystuff that’s been purchased.

“Luckily,myunclewas around wheniTunes first came outsohebought alot of stuff.I just transferredhis entire library onto my accountand there’s justalot going on there.”

Fortunately,itseems hisuncle hasgoodtaste. Owen adds:“It’s agoodvariety at least. From the 90s till now, abit of everything.”

If thatdoesn’tmakeyou feel old, Owensays thatthe mostunusual item he’spacked is adigitalcamera. He says: “Obviouslywe don’thaveour phones, so I’ve had to bringanactual camera with me. Iwantour own pictures, notjust what they film,sowehavestuffto refer backto.

“It’s just weird having to haveanactual camera, not just havingitonyour phone on your pocket. It’s going to takea while to getused to, Iguess.”

Butthey arehoping that being too young to remember buying music on iTuneswill alsohaveits advantages

Alfiesays: “We’re bothquiteyoung so we’vestill got thatdriveinus, butwe’ll see how that looks in week six with no sleep.”

Hopefully that youthfuldetermination is still present andcorrect in thissecondepisode,asthe teamshead to Lombok –especially as less than fivehours separate the pairs.

After leaving Nara City, they mustcrosstheirfirst border into SouthKorea to reach the second checkpoint in the seasidetownofSokcho

It’s aleg of twohalves,the first of which takesthem through budget-busting Japanand presents them with adilemma about whether to go forspeed or take theopportunity to earn some cash for the rest of their journey

Thenthe second half will take them acrossthe length of South Korea,asthey getachance to lookbeyond the Kimchi andK-popand learn moreabout the country

6.00 Breakfast (S). 9.30 Morning Live (S). 10.45 Big Little Crimes (S). 11.15 Homes Under The Hammer (R) (S). 12.15 Bargain Hunt (R) (S). 1.00 BBC News At One; Weather (S). 1.30 BBC Regional News; Weather (S). 1.45 Doctors (S). 2.15 Money ForNothing (R) (S). 3.00 Escape To The Country (R) (S). 3.45 The Bidding Room (S). 4.30 Bridge Of Lies (R) (S). 5.15 Pointless (S).

6.30 Bargain Hunt (R) (S). 7.15 The Bidding Room (R) (S). 8.00 Sign Zone: MasterChef (R) (S).

8.30 Sign Zone: Robson Green’s Weekend Escapes (R) (S). 9.00

BBC News (S). 11.15 Politics Live (S). 1.00 Impossible (R) (S).

1.45 The Edge (R) (S). 2.30 The Edible Garden (R) (S). 3.00 Jay And Dom’s Home Fix (R) (S).

3.45 The Home That TwoBuilt (R) (S). 4.45 Chris And Meg’s Wild Summer (R) (S). 5.15 Flog It! (R) (S).

6.00 Good Morning Britain (S). 9.00 Lorraine (S). 10.00 This Morning (S). 12.30 Loose Women (S). 1.30 ITV News; Weather (S). 1.55 ITV Regional News; Weather (S).

2.00 Riddiculous (R) (S). 3.00 Winning Combination (R) (S). 3.59 ITV Regional Weather (S). 4.00 Tipping Point (R) (S). 5.00 The Chase (R) (S).

7pm 9pm 11pm Late 6pm 8pm 10pm

6.00 BBC News At Six; Weather (S).

6.30 BBC Regional News; Weather (S).

6.55 PartyElection Broadcast (R) (S).

7.00 The One Show With Alex Jones and Jermaine Jenas (S).

7.30EastEnders Patrick and Yolande clash on theday of the fundraiser (S).

8.30 The Repair Shop An antique skeleton clock, agiant teddy bear and atransistor radio are restored (R) (S).

9.00 Race Across The World The teams head to the second checkpoint in Sokcho, South Korea (S).

10.00 BBC News At Ten (S).

10.30 BBC Regional News; Weather (S).

10.40 FILM: Eddie The Eagle (2016) (S).

6.00 Richard Osman’s House Of Games With Diarmuid Gavin (R) (S).

6.30 Great Coastal Railway Journeys (S).

7.00 Your Home Made Perfect Twoarchitects compete to remodel actress Jill Halfpenny’s flat (R) (S).

8.00 Andi Oliver’s Fabulous Feasts Andi organises an arts festival in Stoke-on-Trent (S).

9.00 Surgeons: At The Edge Of Life Surgeons attempt to reconstruct a patient’s jaw (S).

10.00 Mammoth New series. Comedy,starring Mike Bubbins (S).

10.25 HarryHill’s Lonely Island (R) (S).

10.30 Newsnight (S).

11.15 Pilgrimage: The Road Through North Wales The travellers’ lastleg begins outside Eryri national park (R) (S).

12.20 Pointless Celebrities (R) (S). 1.15 BBC News (S).

12.15 Sign Zone: Bring The Drama (R) (S). 1.15 Sign Zone: Dragons’ Den (R) (S). 2.15 Sign Zone: The Darkest Days: IsraelGaza Six Months On (R) (S). 3.15 This Is BBC Two (S).

Film Choices

6.00 ITV Regional News; Weather (S).

6.30 ITV News; Weather (S).

7.30 Emmerdale Kerryhas an admission (S).

8.00 Coronation Street Bobby’s false story sends the police knocking on Daniel’s door (S).

9.00 Professor T Out of prison, the Professor is desperate to get back to his work at the university (S).

10.00 ITV News At Ten; Weather (S).

10.30 ITV Regional News; Weather (S).

10.45 Peston Political magazine show (S).

11.40 Heathrow: Britain’s Busiest Airport Border force dog Jessie sniffs out thousands of pounds (R) (S).

12.05 Shop On TV 3.00 Fly Tipping: Britain’s Rubbish Nightmare –Tonight (R) (S). 3.25 Ramadan: AJourney Across Britain (R) (S). 4.00 Unwind With ITV (S). 5.05 Alan Titchmarsh’s Gardening Club (R) (S).

EDDIE THE EAGLE

(BBC One, 10.40pm)

Since he was aboy,Eddie (Taron Egerton, pictured) has driven his father Terry(Keith Allen) to distraction witha burning desire to compete in the Olympics. He discovers aloophole in the rulebook that would allow him to become Britain’s first representative at the Winter Olympics in the ski jump since 1929. Aided and abetted by his mother Janette (Jo Hartley), Eddie heads to Germany to aski-jumping training centre runbyhard-drinking former competitor,Bronson Peary(Hugh Jackman), who was booted off the US team.

GLORY

(Film4, 9pm)

Fact-based historical drama chronicling the storyofthe first all-black regiment to fight in the American Civil War, and the inexperienced officer

given the job of training the men and leading them into battle. Starring Matthew Broderick, Cary Elwes, Morgan Freeman, Jihmi

Braugher,Donovan Leitch, John David Cullum and Denzel Washington, who received an Oscar for his performance.

Kennedy,Andre

6.10 Countdown (R) (S). 6.50

3rd Rock From The Sun (R) (S).

7.15 3rd Rock From The Sun (R) (S). 7.40 3rd Rock From The Sun (R) (S). 8.05 Everybody

Loves Raymond (R) (S). 8.30

Everybody Loves Raymond (R) (S). 9.00 Everybody Loves

Raymond (R) (S). 9.30 Frasier (R) (S). 10.00 Frasier (R) (S).

10.30 Frasier (R) (S). 11.00

Work On The Wild Side (R) (S).

12.00 Channel 4News Summary (S). 12.05 Sun, Sea And Selling Houses (R) (S). 1.05 Find It,

Fix It, Flog It (R) (S). 2.10

Countdown (S). 3.00 APlace In The Sun (R) (S). 4.00 ANew Life

In The Sun (R) (S). 5.00 Chateau

DIY (R) (S).

6.00 Four In ABed The third visit of the week is to the Cley Hall Hotel, Lincolnshire (S).

6.30 The Simpsons (R) (S).

7.00 Channel 4News (S).

6.00 Milkshake! 9.15 Jeremy Vine (S). 11.15 Storm Huntley (S). 12.45 Friends (R) (S). 1.10

Friends (R) (S). 1.40 5News At Lunchtime (S). 1.45 Home And Away (R) (S). 2.15 FILM: Dial...

ForMurder (Roxanne Boisvert 2023) Premiere. Thriller,starring Kirsten Comerford (S). 4.00

Bargain-Loving Brits In The Sun (S). 5.00 5News At 5 (S).

Sport

6.00 Sky News Breakfast (R).

6.30 Sky News Breakfast (R).

7.00 Kay Burley (R). 7.30 Kay

Burley (R). 8.00 Stop, Search,

Seize (R) (S). 9.00 Nothing To Declare (R) (S). 9.30 Nothing

To Declare (R) (S). 10.00

Empire Builders (R) (S). 11.00

Chasing The Rains (R) (S). 12.00

6.00 CITV 9.00 World’s Funniest Videos (S). 9.30 Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records (S). 10.00 Veronica Mars (S). 11.00

Dawson’s Creek (S). 12.00 Secret Crush (S). 1.00 Dress

8.00 George Clarke’s Remarkable Renovations (R) (S).

9.00 Stacey Solomon’s Renovation Rescue Stacey helps Jo and DarrylinDevon (S).

10.00 Danny Dyer: How To Be AMan Danny meets with psychologists to trytounderstand the male mental health crisis (S).

11.05 8Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown With Sean Lock, Danny Dyer,Joe Wilkinson and Gabby Logan (R) (S).

12.10 BTK: Confession Of A Serial Killer (S). 12.55 24 Hours In A&E (R) (S). 1.50 FILM: Monos (Alejandro Landes 2019) Adventure thriller,starring Sofia Buenaventura (S). 3.30 Couples Come Dine With Me (R) (S). 4.25 Grand Designs New Zealand (R) (S).

BBC RADIO 1

6.00 Robson Green’s Coastal Fishing The actor explores the Pembrokeshire coast (R) (S).

6.55 5News Update (S).

7.00 Shop Smart, Save Money The team test car-cleaning products, portable blenders and electric shavers (S).

7.55 5News Update (S).

8.00 Springtime On The Farm Helen Skelton and Jules Hudson keep an eye on apregnant miniature donkey (S).

9.00 The 1980s Supermarket: Posh Food Revolution (S).

10.00 Inheritance Wars: Who Gets The Money? A Ming vase collection that shattered the lives of alord’s children (R) (S).

11.05 999: Emergency Call Out Ateam responds to ahit-and-run (R) (S).

12.05 Motorway Cops: Catching Britain’s Speeders (R) (S). 1.00 PlayOJO Live Casino Show (S). 3.00 Entertainment News On 5 (S). 3.05 Nightmare Tenants, Slum Landlords (R) (S) 3.50 The Cotswolds With PamAyres (R) (S). 4.40 Great Artists (R) (S).

5.05 House Doctor (R) (S).

6.57am Newsbeat 7.00 Radio 1Breakfast With Greg James. 10.30 Newsbeat 10.32 Rickie, Melvin And Charlie. 12.45pm Newsbeat. 1.00 Vicky And Nat. 3.30 Newsbeat. 3.32 Going Home With Vick, KatieAnd Jamie On Radio 1. 5.45 Newsbeat. 6.00 Radio 1’s New Music Show With JackSaunders. 8.00 Radio1’s Future PopWith Mollie King. 10.00 Radio 1’s Power Down PlaylistWith Sian Eleri 11.00 Benji B. 1am Radio 1’s Dance Anthems. 2.00 The Radio 1Interview 2.15 Radio 1Playlists. 2.30 6Degrees From Jamie AndSpencer. 3.00 Radio 1Relax. 4.00 Radio 1Dance 5.00 Radio 1Early Breakfast With Sam And Danni.

BBC RADIO 2

6.30am TheZoe BallBreakfast Show 9.30 Vernon Kay. 12noon Jeremy Vine 2.00 Scott Mills. 4.00 Sara Cox 6.30 Sara Cox’s HalfWower 7.00 Jo Whiley’s Shiny Happy Playlist. Jo plays her favourite album tracksand musical gems rarely heard on Radio 2. 7.30 Jo Whiley.Music and chat 9.00 The Folk Show With Shaun Keaveny.Shaun Keaveny sits in for Mark Radcliffe. 10.00 Trevor Nelson’s Magnificent 7. 10.30 TrevorNelson’sRhythm Nation 12mdn’t

7.00 Great Australian Railway Journeys Michael Portillo rides the transcontinental Indian Pacific Railway (S).

8.00 Himalaya With Michael Palin Michael reaches the end of his journey.Last in the series (S).

9.00 Siân Phillips At 90 The actress reflects on her remarkable life and career (S).

10.00 Shoulder To Shoulder: Remembered By Sian Phillips, Waris Hussein And Moira Armstrong

10.20 Shoulder To Shoulder (S).

11.35 Shoulder To Shoulder Annie finds assistance for union funds and facilities (S).

12.50 Shoulder To Shoulder (S).

2.10 Himalaya With Michael Palin (S). 3.10 Close

Supergirl (R) (S). 1.00 MacGyver (R) (S). 2.00 MacGyver (R) (S). 3.00 Hawaii Five-0 (R) (S).

4.00 S.W.A.T (R) (S). 5.00 The Simpsons (R) (S). 5.30 The Simpsons (R) (S).

6.00 The Office (US) (R) (S).

6.30 Live WSL Chelsea vs Aston Villa. Kick-off is at 7pm (R).

To Impress (S). 2.00 Family Fortunes (S). 3.00 Veronica Mars (S). 4.00 Dawson’s Creek (S). 5.00 Dress To Impress (S).

6.00 Celebrity Catchphrase With Kelvin Fletcher, Chris Ramsey and Heather Small (S).

7.00 Family Fortunes The Ecclestons go up against the Burns family (S).

8.00 Superstore Zephra’s new store policies confuse Glenn (S).

8.30 Superstore (S).

9.30 Ted Comedy spin-off from the film, with the voice of Seth MacFarlane (R) (S).

10.00 Resident Alien Return of the sci-fi comedy drama, starring Alan Tudyk (S).

11.00 The Jinx: The Life And Deaths Of RobertDurst Kathie Durst’s family and friends search for the truth about her disappearance (R) (S).

12.00 The Jinx: The Life And Deaths Of RobertDurst (R) (S).

1.00 Brassic (R) (S). 2.00 The Force: North East (R) (S). 3.00 Hawaii Five-0 (R) (S). 4.00 S.W.A.T (R) (S). 5.00 Motorway Patrol (R) (S). 5.30 Motorway Patrol (R) (S).

Radio

9.00 Hell’s Kitchen The contestants face their third gruelling dinner service (S).

10.00 Family Guy Quagmire proposes to Peter’s housemaid (S).

10.30 Family Guy Chris runs away to South America (S).

11.00 Family Guy Peter launches his own television channel (S).

11.30 American Dad! (S).

11.55 American Dad! Roger makes anew friend (S).

12.25 Superstore (S). 12.50 Superstore (S). 1.20 Iain Stirling’s CelebAbility (S). 2.05 Celebrity Karaoke Club (S). 2.55 Unwind With ITV (S). 5.30 Teleshopping

6.00 Classic Emmerdale (S). 6.30 Classic Emmerdale (S). 7.00 Classic Coronation Street (S). 7.35 Classic Coronation Street (S). 8.05 Wild At Heart (S). 9.10 Wild At Heart (S). 10.15 The Royal (S). 11.20 Heartbeat (S). 12.25 Heartbeat (S). 1.30

Classic Emmerdale (S). 2.05

Classic Emmerdale (S). 2.35 Classic Coronation Street (S). 3.10 Classic Coronation Street (S). 3.45 Agatha Christie’s Poirot (S). 5.55 Heartbeat (S).

Food Unwrapped (S). 9.30 APlace In The

2.05 Come Dine With Me (S). 2.35 Come Dine With Me (S). 3.10 Four In ABed (S). 3.40 Four In A Bed (S). 4.15 Four In ABed (S). 4.50 Four In ABed (S).

6.55 Heartbeat An expensive Ming vase is stolen (S).

6.55 Car S.O.S Fuzz Townshend and Tim Shaw restore aVauxhall Astra (S).

7.55 The Dog House “Escape artist” Lily the beagle seeks anew home (S).

8.00 Midsomer Murders An artist is electrocuted by abooby-trapped roulette wheel (S).

9.00 24 Hours In Police Custody Amajor investigation into an allegation of police corruption (S).

10.00 Blue Murder An army battalion is rocked by a murder (S).

11.30 Wild At Heart Fire engulfs the animal hospital (S).

12.25 Wild At Heart (S). 1.20 Upstairs, Downstairs (S). 2.20 Heartbeat (S). 3.15 Heartbeat (S). 4.05 The Royal (S). 5.00 Unwind With ITV (S). 5.30 Teleshopping

10.00 999: On The Front Line Paramedics are called out to ayoung woman who has had aseizure on abus (R) (S).

11.05 24 Hours In A&E A 22-month-old girl is rushed to A&E after being kicked in the head by ahorse (S).

12.05 24 Hours In Police Custody (S). 1.15 999: On The Front Line (S). 2.15 24 Hours In A&E (S). 3.20 Food Unwrapped (S). 3.50 Close

BBC RADIO 3

Editor’s Pick

THE APPRENTICE

BBC One, 9pm

Throughout The Apprentice, we’re constantly reminded that certain things are “big business these days” and that we’re in “challenging times”.

Cynics would say that the fashionable products and services featured on the long-running show are on there to plug Lord Sugar’s latest ventures (there does seem to be alot of electric vehicles involved these days).

However,Lord Sugar is definitely right that we are in a difficult economic period, with businesses going to the wall on adaily basis and certain sectors on their knees.

But despite recessions, banking crashes, cost-of-living crises, Brexit and even licence-fee squeezes over the past two decades, the BBC’s flagship business show is still going strong.

While the format is clearly awinner,The Apprentice does rely on the charisma of the main man himself Thankfully,asthe 18th series winds up tonight, it doesn’t sound like Lord Sugar is going anywhere just yet.

“Well, Ilove it,” he insists. “I love doing it. If Ididn’t like doing it, Iwouldn’t do it.

“I can assure you I’ve got plenty of other things to do in my life, but Idoenjoy it.

“But bear in mind, it’s not my call, it’s the BBC’s call.

“I have acontract to do series 19, Idon’t have acontract to do series 20 yet, but I’m pretty damn sure that I’ll ask them to do it and we’ll do it.”

Sugar,who turned 77 last month, also believes his current Apprentice lieutenants, Baroness Brady and Tim Campbell, deserve some of the credit for the show’s ongoing success.

He says: “Karren is brilliant. Timisbrilliant. They’ve got it.

“They’re the ones that tell me what’s going on when they’re out in the field with the candidates. Iget emails, maybe 10 emails aday,asthey’re going on. ‘Fred’s just fallen over.Fred’s just dropped all the ice cream. Harry’s just screwed up in front of the buyer’. Iget it all.”

Eleven weeks ago, we were introduced to the latest

batch of budding entrepreneurs who were hoping to secure a£250,000 investment and become Lord Sugar’s new business partner

Now,after three monthsofwhittling them down, the tycoon has identified his final two.

Tonight, they are challenged to launch their businesses, create anew brand, produce adigital billboard, direct and edit aTVadvertisement and design ametaverse, before pitching to Lord Sugar and industry experts.

And, as usual, there will be afew familiar faces returning to aid them in their endeavours.

After the main show,The Apprentice: You’re Hired (10pm) sees TomAllen chat to the winner and runner-up.

He is also joined by some special guests –including Lord Sugar –to look back over the 18th season.

While one of the contestants’ lives will be changed by Lord Sugar’s investment, the man dishingout the dosh is hoping for awindfall of his own very soon.

“I think Bafta should give me aspecial award for 20 years of business,” he says.

“Simon Cowell got aspecial award for 10 years in music. I’ve got all the other gongs for everything else, the only one that Ihaven’t got is aBafta.”

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Daytime

6.00 Breakfast (S). 9.30 Morning Live (S). 10.45 Big Little Crimes (S). 11.15 Homes Under The Hammer (R) (S). 12.15 Bargain Hunt (R) (S). 1.00 BBC News At One; Weather (S). 1.30 BBC Regional News; Weather (S). 1.45 Doctors (S). 2.15 Money

ForNothing (S). 3.00 Escape To The Country (R) (S). 3.45 The Bidding Room (S). 4.30 Bridge Of Lies (R) (S). 5.15 Pointless (S).

6.30 Bargain Hunt (R) (S). 7.15 Escape To The Country (R) (S). 8.00 Sign Zone: Gardeners’ World (R) (S). 9.00 BBC News (S). 12.15 Politics Live (S). 1.00 Impossible (R) (S). 1.45 The Edge (R) (S). 2.30 The Edible Garden (R) (S). 3.00 Jay And Dom’s Home Fix (R) (S). 3.45 The Home That TwoBuilt (R) (S). 4.45 Chris And Meg’s Wild Summer (R) (S). 5.15 Flog It! (R) (S).

6.00 Good Morning Britain (S). 9.00 Lorraine (S). 10.00 This Morning (S). 12.30 Loose Women (S). 1.30 ITV News; Weather (S). 1.55 ITV Regional News; Weather (S). 2.00 Riddiculous (R) (S). 3.00 Winning Combination (R) (S). 3.59 ITV Regional Weather (S). 4.00 Tipping Point (R) (S). 5.00 The Chase (R) (S).

6.00 BBC News At Six; Weather (S).

7pm 9pm 11pm Late 6pm 8pm 10pm

6.30 BBC Regional News; Weather (S).

7.00 The One Show (S).

7.30 Garden Rescue Charlie Dimmock and Lee Burkhill come up with designs for agarden in Chorlton (R) (S).

8.00 MasterChef Four of the six contenders prepare asalad with Caesar dressing (S).

6.00 Richard Osman’s House Of Games With Diarmuid Gavin (R) (S).

6.30 Great Coastal Railway Journeys (S).

7.00 Your Home Made Perfect Acouple remodel their Croydon home, after choosing adesign using virtual reality (R) (S).

8.00 Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond The Lobby Monica Galetti and Rob Rinder travel to the highlands of central Sri Lanka (R) (S).

9.00 The Apprentice Two finalists take on their last challenge to win a £250,000 investment. Last in the series (S).

10.00 The Apprentice: You’re Hired TomAllen meets this year’s winner.Last in the series (S).

10.30 BBC News At Ten (S).

11.00 BBC Regional News; Weather (S).

11.10 Question Time Fiona Bruce hosts the political debate from Buxton, Derbyshire (S).

12.10 Newscast; Weather (S).

12.45 BBC News (S).

9.00 Nelson Mandela: A Life In TenPictures (S).

9.55 Penguin Post Office: Natural World (R) (S).

10.00 Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing (R) (S).

10.30 Newsnight (S).

11.15 Surgeons: At The Edge Of Life Surgeons attempt to reconstruct a patient’s jaw (R) (S).

12.15 Pompeii: The New Dig (R) (S). 1.15 Sign Zone: Saving Lives At Sea (R) (S). 2.15 Sign Zone: Beyond Paradise (R) (S). 3.15 This Is BBC Two (S).

Film Choices

SORRYTOBOTHER YOU

(BBC Three, 10pm)

Cash (LakeithStanfield, pictured) lives in the garageof his uncle Sergio(TerryCrews) with activist girlfriendDetroit (Tessa Thompson). Four months behindonthe rent, Cash hopes ajob as atelemarketer at RegalView will answer hisprayers. Hisfirstefforts to engagecustomers are dispiriting failures untilanexperienced co-worker (Danny Glover) imparts sage words. Sure enough,Cash (now voicedbyDavidCross)secures hisfirstsale then another.Inrecordtime, he is courting theattention of charismatic CEOSteve Lift(Armie Hammer).

SWEET CHARITY

(BBC Four,9pm)

Alonely but optimistic dancer in aseedy nightclub goes in search of true love, but finds instead asuccession of deceitful men who only let her

6.00 ITV Regional News; Weather (S).

6.30 ITV News; Weather (S).

7.30 Emmerdale Tomlashes out, and Victoria makes abig decision (S).

8.30 Claim Your Cash? Britain’s Hidden Fortune –Tonight Chris Choi investigates lost or dormant personal accounts (S).

9.00 The Twelve Claire’s father paints Kate as asexual predator who groomed Claire (S).

10.05 ITV News At Ten; Weather (S).

10.35 ITV Regional News; Weather (S).

10.50 Local Political Programmes (S).

11.20 The Olivier Awards 2024 Highlights of the ceremony celebrating the best of British theatre (R) (S).

1.15 Shop On TV 3.00 The Twelve (R) (S). 3.55 Unwind With ITV (S). 5.10 Katie Piper’s Breakfast Show (R) (S).

down. When she meets ashy,claustrophobic man in alift, she thinks he might be theone -but tries to keep her past asecret. Musical, with Shirley MacLaine, John McMartin, Ricardo Montalban and Sammy Davis Jr,and featuring songs including The Rhythm of Life and Big Spender

6.10 Countdown (R) (S). 6.50

3rd Rock From The Sun (R) (S)

7.15 3rdRock From The Sun

(R)(S) 7.40 3rd Rock From The Sun (R) (S). 8.05 Everybody

Loves Raymond (R) (S). 8.30

Everybody Loves Raymond (R) (S) 9.00 Everybody Loves

Raymond (R) (S). 9.30 Frasier

(R)(S) 10.00 Frasier (R)(S).

10.30 Frasier (R) (S). 11.00

Work On The WildSide (R)(S).

12.00 Channel4NewsSummary (S). 12.05 Sun, SeaAnd Selling Houses (R) (S). 1.05Find It,

Fix It, Flog It (R) (S). 2.10

Countdown (S). 3.00 APlace In The Sun (R) (S) 4.00 ANew Life

In The Sun (R)(S) 5.00 Chateau DIY (R) (S).

6.00 Four In ABed The last visit of the week is to Bumble BarnLuxury B&B in Norfolk (S).

6.30 The Simpsons (R) (S).

7.00 Channel 4News (S).

6.00 Milkshake! 9.05 Milkshake!

Secret LifeOfThe Forest (S).

9.15 JeremyVine (S). 11.15

Storm Huntley (S). 12.45 Friends (R) (S). 1.10 Friends (R) (S).

1.40 5News At Lunchtime (S).

1.45 Home And Away (R) (S).

2.15 FILM: Mother’sStolen Memories (PantaMosleh 2023) Thriller, starring Tammin Sursok (S). 4.00Bargain-Loving Brits In TheSun (S). 5.00 5News At 5 (S).

Sport

ATALANTAVLIVERPOOL

TNT Sports 1, 7pm

Coverage of the quarter-final second-leg tie from Gewiss Stadium. (Kick-off 8.00pm).

6.00 Sky News Breakfast (R).

6.30 Sky News Breakfast (R).

7.00 KayBurley (R) 7.30 Kay

Burley (R). 8.00 Stop, Search,

Seize (R)(S). 9.00 NothingTo Declare (R)(S). 9.30 Nothing

To Declare (R) (S). 10.00

Empire Builders (R) (S). 11.00

Chasing The Rains (R) (S) 12.00

6.00 CITV9.00 World’s Funniest Videos (S). 9.30 Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records (S). 10.00 Veronica Mars (S). 11.00

Dawson’s Creek (S). 12.00

Secret Crush (S). 1.00 Dress

To Impress (S). 2.00Family

Classic Emmerdale (S). 2.05

8.00 Wildlife Rescue New series. The work of the dedicated team at South Essex Wildlife Hospital (S).

9.00 Taskmaster The contenders are forced to wrangle wild animals –with unpleasant consequences (S).

10.00 8Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown Jon Richardson and Harriet Kemsley take on Lee Mack and Munya Chawawa (R) (S).

11.05 Gogglebox The households’ opinions on recent television (R) (S).

12.10 Murder Case: The Digital Detectives (R) (S). 1.00 Hunted (R) (S). 1.55 Ramsay’s Hotel Hell (R) (S). 2.45 FILM: Morgan (Luke Scott 2016) Sci-fi thriller starring Kate Mara (S). 4.15 Grand Designs New Zealand (R) (S). 5.05 Renovation Nation (R) (S).

BBCRADIO 1

6.00 Robson Green’s Coastal Fishing The actor searches for scampi off the coast of Northumberland (R).

6.55 5News Update (S).

7.00 AYorkshire Farm Rob and Dave bring in a sheep scanner (S).

7.55 5News Update (S).

8.00 Springtime On The Farm Roband Dave Nicholson treat apoorly ewe about to give birth (S).

9.00 The Hotel Inspector Alex Polizzi helps Rachel, whose lodges site in Oxfordshire is haemorrhaging money (S).

10.00 Killer At The Crime Scene Abody buried in amakeshiftgrave in the garden of aSurrey home (R) (S).

11.05 Making ASerial Killer

Achurch-going family man who for years was meeting and killing gay men (R) (S).

12.05 Motorway Cops: Catching Britain’s Speeders (R) (S). 1.00 PlayOJO Live Casino Show (S). 3.00 Entertainment News On 5 (S). 3.05 Nightmare Tenants, Slum Landlords (R) (S) 3.50

Bargain-Loving Brits In The Sun (R) (S). 4.40 Great Artists (R) (S). 5.05 House Doctor (R) (S).

6.57am Newsbeat 7.00 Radio 1Breakfast With Greg James. 10.30 Newsbeat 10.32 Rickie, Melvin And Charlie. 12.45pm Newsbeat. 1.00 Vicky And Nat. 3.00 Radio 1’s RapAnthems 3.30 Newsbeat 3.32 Going Home With Vick,Katie AndJamie On Radio 1. 5.45 Newsbeat 6.00 Radio 1’s New Music Show With JackSaunders. 8.00 Radio 1’s Rave-Up With Arielle Free. 10.00 BBC Introducing Dance. 11.00 Radio 1’s Residency 1am Radio 1Dance Presents 2.00 Radio 1Happy 3.00 Radio 1’s Power Down Playlist With Sian Eleri 4.00 Radio 1Dance. 5.00 Radio 1Early Breakfast With Richie Driss.

BBC RADIO 2

7.00 Great Australian Railway

8.00 The Bermuda Triangle: Beneath The Waves Exploration of the mysterious region (S).

9.00 FILM: Sweet Charity (1969) Musical, starring Shirley MacLaine (S).

Supergirl (R)(S). 1.00 MacGyver (R) (S) 2.00 MacGyver (R) (S). 3.00 Hawaii Five-0 (R)(S).

4.00 S.W.A.T (R) (S). 5.00 The Simpsons (R) (S) 5.30 The Simpsons (R)(S)

Fortunes (S). 3.00 Veronica Mars (S). 4.00Dawson’s Creek (S). 5.00 Dress To Impress (S) 6.00 ClassicEmmerdale (S) 6.30 ClassicEmmerdale (S) 7.00 ClassicCoronation Street (S). 7.35Classic Coronation Street (S). 8.05Wild At Heart (S). 9.10 Wild At Heart (S). 10.15 The Royal (S). 11.20Heartbeat (S). 12.25 Heartbeat (S). 1.30

Classic Emmerdale (S). 2.35

Classic Coronation Street (S). 3.10 Classic Coronation Street (S). 3.45Agatha Christie’s Poirot (S). 5.55Heartbeat (S). 8.55 Food Unwrapped (S). 9.30

11.25 Parkinson Meets Shirley MacLaine (S).

11.50 Shirley MacLaine: Talking Pictures (S).

12.40 MinistryOfEvil: The Twisted Cult Of Tony Alamo (S). 1.25 MinistryOfEvil: The Twisted Cult Of Tony Alamo (S). 2.10 Tommy Cooper At The BBC (S). 2.40 Great Australian Railway Journeys (S). 3.40 Close

6.30am TheZoe Ball Breakfast Show 9.30 Vernon Kay. 12noon Jeremy Vine 2.00 Scott Mills. 4.00 Sara Cox 6.30 Sara Cox’s HalfWower 7.00 Jo Whiley’s ShinyHappyPlaylist. Jo plays her favourite album tracksand musical gems rarelyheard on Radio 2. 7.30 Jo Whiley.Music and chat. 9.00 The CountryShow With Bob Harris. Charles Esten plays songs from his debut album. 10.00 Trevor Nelson’s Magnificent 7. 10.30 Trevor Nelson’s RhythmNation. 12mdn’t OJ Borg. 3.00 Sounds Of The 90s With Fearne Cotton 4.00 Owain Wyn Evans.

BBC RADIO

3

6.30am Breakfast 9.30 Essential Classics. 1pm News. 1.02 Classical Live. 4.00 ComposerOfThe Week:Grieg 5.00 In Tune. 7.00 Classical Mixtape. A

BBC RADIO 4

6.00 The Office (US) The warehouse crew quits after winning the lotto jackpot (R) (S).

6.30 The Office (US) (R) (S).

7.00 The Simpsons Sideshow Bob is released from prison (R) (S).

7.30 The Simpsons Lisa babysits Bart(R) (S).

8.00 The Simpsons Alcohol is outlawed in Springfield (R) (S).

8.30 The Simpsons (R) (S).

9.00 RobBeckett’s Smart TV (S).

9.45 Ricky Gervais: Science The comedian’s standup show (R) (S).

6.00 Celebrity Catchphrase With Richard Ayoade, Katie McGlynn and Joe Swash (S).

7.00 Family Fortunes The Ecclestons go up against the Burns family (S).

8.00 Superstore Glenn plans aparty (S).

8.30 Superstore Jonah tries to build Sandra’s confidence (S).

9.00 Gordon, Gino & Fred: Viva Espana! Gordon Ramsay,Gino D’Acampo and Fred Sirieix head to Galicia (S).

10.00 Family Guy Peter loses interest in Lois (S).

10.30 Family Guy Brian gets ajob at The New Yorker (S).

11.15 An Idiot Abroad 3 Karl Pilkington goes touring again –this time accompanied by Warwick Davis (R) (S)

12.10Sex And The City (R) (S).

12.45 Sex And The City (R) (S).

1.20 Brit Cops: Law&Disorder (R) (S). 2.10 Road Wars (R) (S).

3.00 Hawaii Five-0 (R) (S). 4.00 S.W.A.T (R) (S). 5.00 Motorway Patrol (R) (S). 5.30 Motorway Patrol (R) (S).

Radio

11.00 Family Guy Lois tells Peter to bond with Stewie (S). 11.30 American Dad! (S). 11.55 American Dad! (S).

12.25 Superstore (S). 12.55 Superstore (S). 1.25 Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records (S). 1.50 Celebrity Karaoke Club (S). 2.40 Unwind With ITV (S). 5.30 Teleshopping

6.55 Heartbeat Anewcomer reveals amurky past (S).

6.55 Car S.O.S Fuzz Townshend and Tim Shaw restore aformer rally driver’s Mini Cooper (S).

7.55 Grand Designs: Living In The Country Favourite rural builds from the show (S).

8.00 Vera The detective must complete a murder victim’s research into an old criminal case (S).

9.00 Warplane Workshop The battle to keep historic warplanes in the air (S).

10.00 Blue Murder Janine tries to juggle family life with amurder investigation (S).

11.00 Blue Murder Richard goes undercover in a prison (S). 11.50 Wild At Heart (S).

12.40 Wild At Heart (S). 1.30 Upstairs, Downstairs (S). 2.25 Heartbeat (S). 3.15 Heartbeat (S). 4.10 The Royal (S). 5.00 Unwind With ITV (S). 5.30 Teleshopping

10.00 Car S.O.S Tim and Fuzz take on a1993 Toyota Supra Mk4 owned by aformer motorcycle racer (S).

11.00 24 Hours In A&E A 91-year-old is airlifted to hospital after acar crash (S).

12.00 Warplane Workshop (S). 1.05 Emergency Helicopter Medics (S). 2.05 24 Hours In A&E (S). 3.10 Food Unwrapped (S). 3.40 Close

Journeys Michael Portillo travels by rail from Canberra to Melbourne (S).

MICHAEL PORTILLO’S LONG WEEKENDS

Channel 5, 9pm

Michael Portillo doesn’t sit still for long. The 15th series of his Great British Railway Journeys only ended on BBC Twoa couple of weeks ago, and the third run of his Great Coastal Railway Journeys continues on BBCTwo tonight (6.30pm).

Nevertheless, the former Conservative MP is already off on his travels again. Over the next three Fridays, he will be taking viewers on along weekend to three of his favourite European cities –Madrid, Prague and Milan.

On each break, he searches out la dolce vita, discovering each city’s best restaurants, bars, food markets and hotels.

Friday’s Television

Editor’s Pick Daytime

The 70-year-old host also explores hidden neighbourhoods off the tourist trail and goes behind the scenes of major landmarks, including royal palaces, cathedrals, galleries and museums.

In each city,Michael meets up with locals who have a particular connection to the place. They introduce him to something they’re passionate about –the rich history, diverse architecture, food heritage, local crafts and customs.

Michael begins in one of his favourite European cities, and aplace that is close to his heart –the bustling Spanish capital, Madrid.

Ashort flight from the UK,‘El Foro’ is renowned as a city that never sleeps,and it’s one that Michael has visited regularly since he was aboy

Home to over three million people, the Spanish Parliament and two of the world’s most successful football teams, it welcomes nearly 10 million visitors every year

Michael’s weekend begins in the city centre on the busy Gran Via boulevard which connects the east end, home to Madrid’s famous Golden Triangle of art museums and El Retiro Park, with the western side, where the opulent Royal Palace sits.

Madrid is home to around 10,000 restaurants, and Michael heads for an early lunch at aplace he knows well in the Old Town.

Founded in 1725, Casa Botín is the world’s oldest restaurant and has awood-fired oven that hasn’t gone out in 300 years.

But, despite the eatery being abenchmark for traditional Spanish cuisine, there’s only one dish on their menu –roast suckling pig.

Forthe adventurous, there areplenty of surprises in Madrid. Michael visits hotel bars with ahistory of espionage, meets atraditional confectioner who makes aclassic Spanish nougat, and chats to abespoke tailor specialising in avery stylish cape.

Forthe culture vultures, Madrid doesn’t disappoint either, and the host goes behind-the-scenes of the opera house, El Teatro Real.

He visits one of the world’s greatest art collections, and finds time for the Royal Palace, one of Europe’s largest with almost 3,500 rooms, many of which are open to the public.

Michael also enjoys an Ecuadorian feast in the bohemian neighbourhood of Malasaña, and afantastic seafood lunch, grilled fresh over charcoal, in alittle-known suburb.

In between the hustle and bustle, Michael finds time to relax in the inner-city oasis that is El Retiro Park, once exclusive to the king and royal court.

Finally,hesqueezes in avisit to the flat where he stayed as aboy in the years after the Spanish Civil War, before his family upped sticks and left Spain to settle in England.

6.00 Breakfast (S). 9.30 Morning Live (S). 10.45 Big Little Crimes (S). 11.15 Homes Under The Hammer (R) (S). 12.15 Bargain Hunt (S). 1.00 BBC News At One; Weather (S). 1.30 BBC Regional News; Weather (S).

1.45 Hope Street (S). 2.30

Money ForNothing (R) (S). 3.00

Escape To The Country (R) (S).

3.45 The Bidding Room (R) (S).

4.30 Bridge Of Lies (R) (S). 5.15 Pointless (S).

6.15 Homes Under The Hammer (R) (S). 7.15 Money ForNothing (R) (S). 8.00 Sign Zone: Antiques Roadshow (R) (S). 9.00 BBC News (S). 1.00 Impossible (R) (S). 1.45 The Edge (R) (S). 2.30 The Edible Garden (R) (S). 3.00 Jay And Dom’s Home Fix (R) (S).

3.45 Home Is Where The ArtIs (R) (S). 4.15 Chris And Meg’s Wild Summer (R) (S). 4.45 Chris And Meg’s Wild Summer (R) (S).

5.15 Flog It! (R) (S).

6.00 Good Morning Britain (S). 9.00 Lorraine (S). 10.00 This Morning (S). 12.30 Loose Women (S). 1.30 ITV News; Weather (S). 1.55 ITV Regional News; Weather (S). 2.00 Riddiculous (R) (S). 3.00 Winning Combination (R) (S). 3.59 ITV Regional Weather (S). 4.00 Tipping Point (R) (S). 5.00 The Chase (R) (S).

6.00 BBC News At Six; Weather (S).

6.30 BBC Regional News; Weather (S).

6.00 Richard Osman’s House Of Games With Diarmuid Gavin (R) (S).

6.00 ITV Regional News; Weather (S).

6.30 ITV News; Weather (S).

7.00 The One Show Live magazine show,hosted by Alex Jones and Roman Kemp (S).

7.30 MasterChef The third quarter-final (S).

8.00 Beyond Paradise A woman is struck by an arrow straight through her shoulder (S).

7pm 9pm 11pm Late 6pm 8pm 10pm

9.00 Have IGot News ForYou Alexander Armstrong hosts the satirical current affairs quiz (S).

9.30 Avoidance (S).

10.00 BBC News At Ten (S).

10.30 BBC Regional News; Weather (S).

10.40 Dinosaur Comedy starring Ashley Storrie (R) (S).

11.05 Dinosaur (R) (S).

11.35 FILM: Magic Mike (2012) Comedy drama, starring Channing Tatum (S).

1.25 BBC News (S).

6.30 Great Coastal Railway Journeys (S).

7.00 Grand Tours Of Scotland’s Rivers Paul Murton explores the upper reaches of the River Tay(S).

7.30 Emmerdale Vinny is in abad way (S).

7.30BeechgroveGarden (S).

8.00 Gardeners’ World Adam Frost meets U2 musician Adam Clayton in his Dublin garden (S).

9.00 Disclosure: Dead Man Running The storyof the Inverness street trader who became an international fugitive (S).

10.00 QI With Sally Phillips, Josh Pugh, Aaron Simmonds and Alan Davies (R) (S).

10.30 Newsnight (S).

11.05 FILM: Dark Waters (2019) Drama, starring Mark Ruffalo (S).

1.05 Sign Zone: Martin Compston’s Norwegian Fling (R) (S). 1.35 Sign Zone: This Town (R) (S). 2.30 This Is BBC Two (S).

8.00 Coronation Street Max looks for proof linking Daniel to Lauren’s disappearance (S).

9.00 The Twelve The jurors are taken to Kate’s house to observe a demonstration (S).

10.05 ITV News At Ten; Weather (S).

10.35 ITV Regional News; Weather (S).

10.50 The Jonathan Ross Show (R) (S).

11.50 Sorry, IDidn’t Know With Charlene White, Shazia Mirza, Jessica Fostekew and Stephen KAmos (R) (S).

12.15 Shop On TV 3.00 The Twelve (R) (S). 4.00 Unwind With ITV (S). 5.05 Katie Piper’s Breakfast Show (R) (S).

Film Choices

DARK WATERS

(BBC Two, 11.05pm)

Lawyer Robert Bilott (Mark Ruffalo,pictured)works at Taft Stettinius& Hollister, whichrepresents some of America’smost powerful chemicals companies. He receives avisitfroma farmer,who has been persuaded to deliver acardboard boxofvideotapes to the Taft office, detailing the decimation of hiscow herd on land adjoiningaDuPont chemical plant. Inspired by aNew York Timesmagazine article, Dark Waters is aslow-burning thrillerabout adogged fightfor justice lasting more than 20 years.

MAGIC MIKE

(BBC One, 11.35pm)

Amale stripper who is the star attraction in a nightclub teaches atalented young dancer the tricks of the trade, while also introducing him to his hedonistic world. The veteran performer falls for his protege’s sister,but finds his wild lifestyle comes between them. Steven Soderbergh’s comedy drama, with Channing Tatum, Matthew McConaughey,Olivia Munn, Alex Pettyfer,James Martin Kelly,Cody Hornand Reid Carolin.

7.15 3rd Rock From The Sun

(R)(S) 7.40 3rd Rock From The Sun (R) (S). 8.05 Everybody

Loves Raymond (R)(S). 8.30

Everybody Loves Raymond

(R) (S) 9.00 EverybodyLoves

Raymond (R) (S). 9.30Frasier

(R) (S) 10.00 Frasier (R) (S).

10.30 Frasier (R) (S). 11.00

Work On The WildSide (R)(S)

12.00 Channel4News Summary (S). 12.05Kirstie And Phil’s Love It Or List It: Brilliant Builds (S)

12.35Formula 1: Chinese Grand PrixQualifyingHighlights (S).

1.05 FindIt, Fix It, FlogIt (R) (S). 2.10 Countdown (S). 3.00 A

Place In The Sun (R) (S) 4.00 A

New Life In The Sun (R)(S) 5.00

ChateauDIY (R) (S).

6.00 Four In ABed Payment Day finds Steve and Georgia unhappy with breakfast scores (S).

6.30 The Simpsons (R) (S).

7.00 Channel 4News (S).

7.30 Unreported World New series. The US-based students, divided by the conflict in Gaza (S).

8.00 Bill Bailey’s Australian Adventure The comedian makes a journey across Western Australia (R) (S).

9.00 Gogglebox The households’ opinions on recent television (S).

10.00 Late Night Lycett Chat show,hosted by Joe Lycett (S).

11.05 FILM: American Pie: The Wedding (2003) Comedy sequel, starring Jason Biggs (S).

12.55 FILM: Heatwave (Ernie Barbarash 2022) Thriller,starring

Kat Graham (S). 2.40 Ramsay’s

Hotel Hell (R) (S). 3.30 Come

Dine With Me (R) (S). 3.55 Come

Dine With Me (R) (S). 4.20 Come

Dine With Me (R) (S). 4.45 Come

Dine With Me (R) (S). 5.10 Come

Dine With Me (R) (S).

BBC RADIO 1

6.00 Milkshake! 9.15 Jeremy Vine (S). 11.15 Storm Huntley (S). 12.45 Friends (R) (S) 1.10

Friends (R) (S). 1.405News At Lunchtime (S). 1.45Home

AndAway (R) (S) 2.15 FILM: Scandal:MyDaughter’s Secret (Ken Friss 2021) Thriller, starring Karis Cameron(S). 4.00 BargainLoving Brits In The Sun (S). 5.00 5News At 5 (S).

Sport

6.00 Sky News Breakfast (R)

6.00 Motorhoming With Merton &Webster Paul Merton and his wife Suki Webster explore the UK (R) (S).

6.55 5News Update (S).

7.00 Wetherspoons vs Toby Carvery: Which Is Better (S).

7.55 5News Update (S).

8.00 Springtime On The Farm There are births all around at Cannon Hall Farm.Last in the series (S).

9.00 Michael Portillo’s Long Weekends New series. The presenter embarks on aseries of visits around the world (S).

10.30 Abba: How They Won Eurovision The story behind theSwedish band’s victoryinthe contest in 1974 (R) (S).

11.30 Abba: The Missing 40 Years The storyofwhat happened after the band split up 1982 (R) (S).

12.55 Entertainment News On 5 (S). 1.00 PlayOJO Live Casino Show (S). 3.00 Entertainment News On 5 (S). 3.10 The Mega Council Estate Next Door (R) (S). 4.10 Great Scientists (R) (S). 4.40 House Busters (R) (S). 5.05 House Doctor (R) (S). 5.30 Entertainment News On 5 (S).

6.33am Radio 1’s Best New Pop. 6.57 Newsbeat. 7.00 Radio 1Breakfast With Greg James. 10.00 Radio 1Anthems With Greg James. 10.30 Newsbeat 10.32 Radio 1Anthems. 11.02 Danny Beard. 12.45pm Newsbeat. 1.00 Matt AndMollie 3.00 Radio 1’s PartyAnthems. 4.00 The Official ChartOnRadio 1 With JackSaunders 5.45 Newsbeat. 6.00 Radio1’s DanceParty With Sarah Story. 8.00 Radio 1’s Future Dance With Charlie Tee. 10.00 Pete Tong. 12mdn’t Radio 1’s EssentialMix. 2.00 Radio 1DancePresents. 3.00 DannyHowardClubMix 4.00 Radio 1’s Chillout Anthems. 5.00 Radio 1Relax

BBC RADIO 2

7.00 TOTP: 1995 Bjork and Jack Dee introduce the biggest-selling songs of 1995 (S).

8.00 TOTP: 1986 Featuring Big Country, Falco and A-ha (S).

8.30 TOTP: 1981 (S).

9.00 PetShop Boys At The BBC Performances by the duo from the archives (S).

10.30 Imagine... PetShop Boys: Then And Now An intimate look inside the world and creations of PetShop Boys (S).

6.30 SkyNews Breakfast (R) 7.00 Breakfast With AnnaJones (R). 7.30 Breakfast With Anna Jones (R). 8.00 Stop, Search, Seize (R)(S). 9.00 NothingTo Declare (R) (S). 9.30 Nothing To Declare (R) (S). 10.00 Empire Builders (R). 11.00 Chasing The Rains (R) (S). 12.00 Supergirl (R) (S). 1.00MacGyver (R) (S). 2.00MacGyver (R)(S) 3.00 Hawaii Five-0 (R)(S).

4.00 S.W.A.T (R) (S). 5.00The Simpsons (R) (S). 5.30The Simpsons (R) (S).

6.00 The Office (US) Erin struggles to pull off the ultimate Halloween party (R) (S).

6.30 The Office (US) (R) (S).

7.00 The Simpsons Lisa helps build arecycling centre (R) (S).

7.30 The Simpsons Lisa becomes aprofessional go-kartracer (R) (S).

8.00 Rob&Romesh vs CountryMusic The comedians meet Shania Twain (R) (S).

9.00 FILM: The Girl On The Train (2016) Thriller, starring Emily Blunt (R).

6.00 CITV 9.00 World’s Funniest Videos (S). 9.30 Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records (S). 10.00 Veronica Mars (S). 11.00 Dawson’s Creek (S). 12.00 Secret Crush (S). 1.00 Dress To Impress (S). 2.00 Family Fortunes (S) 3.00 Veronica Mars (S) 4.00 Dawson’sCreek (S). 5.00 Dress To Impress (S).

6.00 Celebrity Catchphrase With Emily Atack, Brenda Edwards and Martin Kemp (S).

7.00 Family Fortunes: Gino’s Best Bits (S).

7.30 Superstore The son of Cloud 9’s founder pays asurprise visit (S).

8.00 Superstore The employees get their hands on worrying inside information (S).

8.30 Superstore (S).

9.00 FILM: Bridesmaids (2011) Comedy, starring Kristen Wiig (S).

6.00 Classic Emmerdale (S).

6.30 Classic Emmerdale (S). 7.00 Classic Coronation Street (S). 7.35Classic Coronation Street (S). 8.05 Wild At Heart (S). 9.10 Wild At Heart (S).

Classic Coronation Street (S). 3.45Agatha Christie’s Poirot (S). 5.55Heartbeat (S).

BBC RADIO 3

12.00 PetShop Boys: Live In Hyde Park (S). 1.05 PetShop Boys: Reel Stories (S). 1.55 TOTP: 1981 (S). 2.25 TOTP: 1986 (S). 2.55 TopOfThe Pops (S). 3.55 Close

6.30am TheZoe BallBreakfast Show 9.30 Vernon Kay. 12noon Jeremy Vine. 2.00 Scott Mills. 3.30 Scott Mills’ Wonder Years. 4.00 Sara Cox 7.00 Michelle Visage. Aselection of hitsfromacross the pop music genre 8.30 Michelle Visage’s Handbag Hits. Feelgood party classics. 9.00 The Good Groove With DJ Spoony.Joyful floor fillers, soulful houseand lyrical garage tunes. 11.00 The Rock Show With Johnnie Walker 12mdn’t Romesh Ranganathan: ForThe Love Of Hip-Hop. 1.00 The Folk Show With Mark Radcliffe. 2.00 Radio 2Unwinds With

BBC RADIO 4

11.10 Resident Alien Return of the sci-fi comedy drama, starring Alan Tudyk (R).

12.10 RobBeckett’s SmartTV (R) (S). 12.55 The Force: North East (R) (S). 1.55 Road Wars (R) (S). 3.00 Hawaii Five-0 (R) (S). 4.00 S.W.A.T (R) (S). 5.00 Motorway Patrol (R) (S). 5.30 Motorway Patrol (R) (S).

Radio

11.35 Family Guy Meg becomes Mayor West’s intern(S).

12.00 Family Guy (S). 12.30 American Dad! (S). 12.55 American Dad! (S). 1.25 Superstore (S). 1.50 Superstore (S). 2.15 Superstore (S). 2.40 Karaoke Club: Drag Edition (S).

3.30 Unwind With ITV (S). 5.30 Teleshopping

6.55 Heartbeat Sergeant Merton is suspended (S).

6.55 Car S.O.S Revisiting vehicles from the first four series (S).

7.55 Grand Designs: Living In Suburbia Favourite suburban builds from the historyofthe show (S).

8.00 Doc Martin Louisa faces off with love rival Carrie (S).

9.00 Shetland Part one of two. Ascientist is killed at the Fair Isle bird observatory(S).

10.20 Shetland Part two of two. The prime suspect lies critically ill in hospital (S).

11.35 Blue Murder Apopular vet is found murdered (S).

12.30 Blue Murder (S). 1.25 Wild At Heart (S). 2.20 Heartbeat (S). 3.15 Heartbeat (S). 4.10 The Royal (S). 5.00 Unwind With ITV (S). 5.30 Teleshopping

9.00 Astrid: Murder In Paris Afashion photographer is found dead, staked through the heart(S).

10.15 24 Hours In A&E Cameras follow a 26-year-old man’s treatment after he is hit by acar (S).

11.15 24 Hours In A&E Cameras follow a 10-year-old who has severed his finger at school (S).

12.20 8Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown (S). 1.20 24 Hours In A&E (S). 2.25 24 Hours In A&E (S). 3.30 Food Unwrapped (S). 3.55 Close

ANT &DEC’SSATURDAY NIGHT TAKEAWAY

(ITV1, Saturday,7pm)

Saturday nights will never be quite the same again as after 20 series, Ant and Dec are delivering their last Takeaway.And when you consider that they even managed to make a couple of episodes during lockdown, that’s quite amomentous decision. So, naturally,they are going out in style with aspecial two-hour finale. Ahost of famous faces are joining in the fun, including Girls Aloud and aselection of celebrity ‘revengers’, including Simon Cowell, Alison Hammond, Rylan and Craig David, are getting their own back on the duo. Plus, Stephen Mulhern returns for the ultimate decider of Ant vDec, and Tony Hadley,SClub and Kaiser Chiefs take part in the singalong.

THE UPSHAWS

(Netflix, from Thu)

CHANGINGENDS

(ITV1, Tuesday, 8.30pm)

Regina YHicks and Wanda Sykes’s US comedy felt slightly old-fashioned when it launched as amulti-camera family sitcom in an era of edgy,single-cam comedy-dramas. It quickly proved, though, that therewas life in the old format yet and went down atreat with viewers. Now entering its fifth “part” (actually thesecond half of its third series, but who’s counting?), we can expect more of the same laughs and realness from Bennie Upshaw (Mike Epps) and his Black working-class Indianapolis family (wife Regina, played by Kim Fields, and four kids –Khali Spraggins, Journey Christine, Jermelle Simon and Diamond Lyons).

KATIE PIPER’S BREAKFAST SHOW

(ITV1, Sunday, 8.25am)

Yesterday morning, the model and Loose Women panellist was joined by comedic legend Jo Brand, TV presenter Anita Rani, entertainment guru Elle Osili-Wood and aerial dancer Molly Whitehouse as she returned with her weekend show.Today,Dr Idrees Mughal, aka Dr Idz, will be medical mythbusting. Plus fashion ‘redesigner’ Rosette Ale will be showing viewers how to revamp their old denim.

SPRINGTIME ON THE FARM

(C5, Monday,8pm)

Helen Skelton, JulesHudson, JB Gill and host farmers Rob and Dave Nicholson are back with another week-long run of the evergreen programme. Once again, Cannon Hall Farm in South Yorkshire is at the centre of theaction as more baby animals than ever before are set to be born, and not just agricultural ones too –the region’s zoos also have some new arrivals, including tigers and rhinos. But of course, it’s lambs that really grab the attention at this timeof year,with Helen and Jules getting hands on.

Alan Carr’s semi-autobiographical sitcom is finally making its way onto traditional TV following its successful debut on streaming service ITVX last summer; asecond series is expected to appear on the platform in the coming months. Carr plays himself in present-day scenes, with Oliver Savell as ayounger version of Alan; the story is inspired by his experiences of growing up in Northampton during the 1980s as the son of afourthdivision football manager.Although there are laughs by the bucketload as he navigates puberty,the show also tackles serious issues with asmile, such as the alarming lack of inclusivity

STACEY SOLOMON’S RENOVATION RESCUE

(C4, Wednesday, 9pm)

Stacey is in Devon to meet Jo and Darryl whose seaside dream home has turned out to anightmare –theyspent£127,000 on building work which was subsequently condemned by inspectors, forcing them to start again. Now,three years into the project, they have just £30,000 left to finally realise their vision, and Stacey is here to show them how to make their cash stretch further by doing some of the work themselves.

THE HOTEL INSPECTOR

(Channel 5, Thursday,9pm)

Alex Polizzi is on the Lincolnshire coast to help couple Mark and Liz who have recently taken on Sea Air Bed &Breakfast, aseven-bedroom 1930s former hotelin the seaside village of Chapel St Leonards, near Skegness. It’sthe height of summer,and just two months into their new venture, the pair have barely unpacked and are already low on resources. Alex encourages the couple to think fast to maximise profitover the summer months, while some clever packages and an uplift for the dire dining room gives the hotel a fighting chance of surviving the winter

MICHAEL PORTILLO’S LONG WEEKENDS

(C5, Friday9pm)

The 15th series of his Great British Railway Journeys only ended on BBCTwo acouple of weeks ago, and Michael Portillo is already off on his travels again. Over the next three Fridays, he will be taking viewers on long weekends to three of his favourite European cities. He begins in a place close to his heart –the vibrant and bustling Spanish capital, Madrid. After an early lunch at the world’s oldest restaurant, Michael visitshotelbars with ahistory of espionage, meetsatraditional confectioner,and chats to abespoke tailor who specialises in very stylish capes.

BigZuu

Big Zuumight be bestknown forhis rap career andworkasaTVchef but, in a newdocumentaryonBBC Two, he’s gettingintrospective abouthis faith with the journey of alifetime

The28-year-old,whose real nameisZuhair Hassan,was raised in west London by amum from Sierra Leone anddad from Lebanon,with Islam in hisheritage on both sides of thefamily.

That said, he didn’t growupfollowing the rulesofIslam to theletter, insteadblending the traditions of multiplecultures. While he might nothave been raisedpraying five timesaday, he’s always been devotedtohis faith, just in his ownway

Recently,hesays, hisrelationshipwithhis faithhas been “veryupand down”. So he decidedtoperformUmrah –apilgrimageto Mecca, theholiestcityin Islam –duringthe holymonthofRamadan, outofadesire to connect moredeeplywith hisfaith

Umrah is ashorterversion of theannual Hajj gathering,though,unlikethe Hajj,itisnot apillarofIslamand thereforenot obligatory forMuslims. However, it’s an opportunityfor Muslims to refreshtheir faith, prayfor their needsand connect with others

Thepilgrimageinvolvestwo keyrituals: Tawaf, circling theKaaba in theSacred Mosque,Masjidal-Haram,seven times, and Sa’i,the ritual of walking backand forth seven timesbetween thehillsofSafaand Marwah. To conclude thepilgrimage,pilgrims cutorshave theirhair, whichmarks theend of thesacred stateofIhram

In BigZuu Goes To Mecca, he shares his experienceeachstepofthe way, giving us an insightintohis relationshipwithIslam,showing what it’s like to perform Umrah,and discussing howthe pilgrimagehas affected hisfaith Aheadofthe documentaryairing on BBC Two, let’shearmorefromZuu himself about what he learned

HOWWOULD YOUDESCRIBEYOUR RELIGIOUSBACKGROUND?

My dadcomes from averyreligious background,whereas I’vebeenraisedwith my mum being more spiritual,moreintofaith than religion –soI’vekind of been raised with both spectrums.Mymum always raised me to be God-fearing,whereas my dadismorestricton what it means to be agoodMuslim.Theyboth really hadanimpactonwhere I’matnow –I think Ihavea little blend of both WHYDID YOUDECIDETOEMBARK ON THEPILGRIMAGEOFUMRAH ANDMAKEADOCUMENTARY?

Idecidedtodothe documentaryfor a

combinationofthings.It wasatatimeinmy life wheremyrelationshipwithmyfaith was very up anddown. So Ithinkexploring that was somethingIwanted to be abletodo.

Ihope what peopletakeawayfromthe documentaryisthat thereisnotrueform of what it is to be religious, it’s just aboutwho you areand what youcareabout.

From theoutside looking in,you wouldn’t think Iwas areligiousguy,but Iperformed one of themostreligiousthingsyou coulddoin Islam.You’renever toomanysteps awayfrom beingable to be goodwithin your faith,you just have to have that intention

WHAT WASYOUREXPERIENCEOF GOINGTOMECCA?

Idefinitely learned (that)being in front of theKaaba,the HouseofGod,inthe Grand Mosque,issomething youreally need to experience to understand thebeautyofIslam Walkingaroundthe Kaaba with my friends, thefeeling in my heartwas just pure,pure bliss.Words cannotdescribehow happyI felt at that time,Ifeltsopure. Ifeltsorelieved of everything. Ifeltsoconnected to so many differentpeopleand it wasjustsuchabeautiful moment.Whenyou pray in acongregation, when youpraywithalot of people,whenyou perform areligiousact with such abig group of people,that energy youfeelisreal.It was overwhelming, it just felt so good

HOWDID PERFORMING UMRAH CHALLENGE YOU, ANDWHATDID IT TEACHYOU?

Cuttingmyhairwas definitely thenumber onechallenge in my mind.What it taught me wasthat vanity is such areal thing, becauseI caredsomuchabout my Ihram (the spiritual clothingworn onpilgrimage) and cutting my hair.Those arethe twothings Ishouldcare aboutthe least

HOWHAS YOUR FAITHCHANGED SINCEYOURPILGRIMAGE?

There’sdefinitely been abig change in terms of my spirituality sincethe pilgrimage.Ithinkit mademebecome closer to God.

Sometimeswiththe parametersofreligion, youdon’t understand it untilyou go through it Ididn’tgrowupfollowing allthe rulesofIslam, Ididn’tfollowevery single strictregimen that youweresupposedtodo. So going through thesteps required to perform Umrah andthe disciplineitgave me,that is what Iloved the most aboutit.

BigZuu Goes To Meccawill aironSunday at 9pmonBBC Twoand iPlayer.

HelenSkelton

Top filmson TV this week

Oppenheimer (2023)

(Sky Cinema Premiere,Saturday,11.40am 8.00pm)

General Leslie Groves Jr (Matt Damon) spearheads the Manhattan Project to research and develop adevastating weapon capable of ending the Second World War. The military man appoints JRobert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) as scientificdirector despite his personal ties to Communist Party members. Oppenheimer’s biologist wife Kitty (Emily Blunt) joins other families in New Mexico to witness the dawn of anew age of self-destruction, culminating in the 1945 bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Christopher Nolan’s directorial brio sustains ambitious but dramatically necessary three-hour running time in this epic, which deservedly Best Picture at the recent Academy Awards. verve is matched by Murphy’s Oscar-winning portrayal of the son of German Jewish immigrants, who feels personally compelled to act. HHHHH

The Duchess (2008)

(BBC1, Sunday,11.35pm)

PODCASTS

Bookshelfie

Meticulous production design, resplendent costumes and voluminous, cascading wigs combined with the pomp and pageantry of mid18th century high society in all its glory,contribute to afeast for the senses. Keira Knightley stars as 17-year-old social butterflyGeorgiana Spencer, who is married to the considerably older Duke of Devonshire (Ralph Fiennes) with the sole purpose of producing an heir.But theDuke’s philandering ways and complete indifference to his young wife prompt Georgiana to search for happiness in the arms of another man, rising politician Charles Grey (Dominic Cooper), leading her down apath that can only end in misery for all concerned. HHH

Music: Newreleases

BACK TO BLACK: SONGS FROM THE ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE

Thesoundtrackfor theAmy Winehouse biopic,BackToBlack, will be released alongside the film.The tracklist makesfor an amazing compilation albumbut,as a soundtrack, featuressomeodd choicesand is occasionallywince-inducingly tacky. Each song on thealbum is incredible.They aresomeofthe best R&Bhas to offer. The album is filled with gut-wrenchingmelodies that shouldbeplayedfor anyone wanting to hear thebestofthe genre

Yetfor an album supposedly highlighting Winehouse and her influences,itoften chooses to ignore songs citedas inspiration by thesinger herself mentioned forthose aboutheartbreak.Aclear exampleisthe absenceofThe Shangri-LasRemember (Walking In TheSand) 6/10

Bend It Like Beckham (2002)

(Film4,Tuesday, 6.45pm)

Gurinder Chadha’s unabashedly feel-good comedy is ahugely entertaining mix of East Is East and Billy Elliot, about ayoung woman striving to realise her dreams on and off the soccer pitch. Eighteen-year-old Jess Bhamra (Parminder Nagra) is ahard-working English-Indian girl with one abiding passion: David Beckham. More than anything, she wants to join her idol on the football pitch, but her parents (Anupam Kher, Shaheen Khan) will never accept afootball player for adaughter.Nagra makes us fall in love with plucky Jess from the get-go, and there’s strong support from Keira Knightley,but Khan and Juliet Stevenson steal the movieasthe girls’ nononsense mothers.

The script scores countless belly laughs, laced with tears for the rousing finale. HHHH

MAGGIEROGERS –DON’T FORGET ME

Singer-songwriter Maggie Rogers trades in herheavier,electronic sound fora more stripped-backand relaxedthirdrelease

Thealbum wasproduced in an unconventional way, in that it waswritten across just five days in thewinter andthe songswerewritten in theorder they appear on thealbum

Unlikethe predecessor,there areno grinding guitars or pounding drumsthistime.

Rogers opts for amoreorganic approach andsucceedsinher goalofcreatingan albumthat suits a“Sunday afternoon”.

Theacousticguitartakes centrestage as theprimaryinstrument.The albumisfull of dreamysongs,withI StillDobreakingthe pattern as aslowpiano-ledsong, Never GoingHomegiving offcountryvibes and thetitular albumtrack andleadsingle Don’t Forget Me playing therecord outnicely 6/10

Eddie the Eagle (2016)

(BBC1, Wednesday,10.40pm)

Since he was aboy,Eddie (Taron Egerton) has driven his father Terry (Keith Allen) to distraction with aburning desire to compete in the Olympics. He discovers aloophole in the rulebook that would allow him to become Britain’s first representative at the Winter Olympics in the ski jump since 1929 Aidedand abetted by his mother Janette (Jo Hartley), Eddie heads to Germany to aski-jumping training centre run by hard-drinking former competitor,Bronson Peary (Hugh Jackman), who was booted off the US team. Loosely based on Eddie Edwards’ remarkable story of triumph against gravity,Eddie the Eagle is an unabashedly crowd-pleasing delight for all ages. Egerton, who went on to play another iconic bespectacled Brit, Elton John, in Rocketman, brings asweetness and steely resolve to his plucky fish out of water

HHHH

BODEGA –OUR BRAND COULD BE YR LIFE

American punkbandBodegatakelisteners on anostalgictourofthe rock genre in their fifthstudioalbum

Every othersongtackles adifferent styleof rock andpunk. Highlights include theOasisesquevocalsofthe opening track,Dedicated to theDedicated andsoftrockguitarriffs of Major Amberson Therange of rock sub-genrespresent on therecord showcases themusical talents of theband, particularly leadguitaristDan Ryan.Hehas provided almost everysong with acountermelodythat shinesthrough as amemorablerefrainwithoutovershadowing theprimarytune.

Vocalist Nikki Belfiglioisequally brilliant. Hervoice is both reminiscentofKateBush, due to theimpressiverange shecan access in onesong, anda punk versionofGwen Stefani. 8/10

To mark itsmillionth download,the weekly interviewpodcast Bookshelfie, brought to youbythe Women’s PrizeTrust, thecharity behindthe Women’s Prizes for Fiction andNon-Fiction,rebranded witha new look.Someofthe previous guestshave included Britishactress Gillian Anderson,BritishCanadian actressKim Cattrall, Baroness Doreen DelceitaLawrenceand businesswomanand philanthropist GinaMiller

Butin arecent episode,TVand BBCRadio 1presenter,author andjournalist Vick Hope interviewsAmerican novelist and academic, Kiley Reid,following herinstant bestseller, Come and GetIt. Reidisobsessedwith people andthe granular conflictand spokeabout howher latest novelisadirect conglomerateofthree books that she has read,takingared pentoher work, consumingbrand new piecesofwriting from her students and more.

Strike

When youthink of 1984 what comestomind?Is it GeorgeOrwell’siconicbook 1984?Maybe it’s Madonna performingLikeAVirgin?Is it Prince releasingPurple Rain? For filmmaker Jonny Owen,that year is onething,the miners’strike.

This waswhenclass and politicalfault lines were dividedinBritain.For oneyear,the National Union of Mineworkerswerelockedina bitter andviolentconflictwithMargaret Thatcher’s government that changedthe countryforever Now40years on,Owengoesonapersonal journey –hewas living in thesouth Walesvalleys as ateen when thestrikebegan –and triesto tell theprofoundstory of thehundredsand thousands of people whowereatthe heartof this industrialdisputeinhis newBBC Sounds podcast,Strike.

IT’SA DATE

APRIL 21: Made in Shropshire is holding an Artisan Fair at Dudmaston, nearBridgnorth. Made in Shropshireisanorganisationoflike mindedindependents from around ourbeautiful county.Members arecarefullyselectedby committee to ensurebotha high qualityand diverserange of stallholders. Marketsare fully curated,ensuringnoduplication,offeringvisitors theopportunity to commission, view or buy from regional makersand producers. Themarket will runfrom10.30amuntil 4.30pm.Thisevent is free,but normaladmission chargesapply for thevenue.See www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/ shropshire-staffordshire/dudmaston

APRIL 25: The RAF Museum at Cosford will be holding aworkshop discussing the history and legacy of the RAF in the Midlands.

Theday is opentoall,and hopes to support research for allbyall

As part of theday,attendees will hear from the MidlandsBursaryHoldersastheydiscuss the important research they have been doingoverthe last year into thestrongconnections between the Midlands, theRAF andwider aviation industry

Afterthe morningsession exploring thelocal andregional history research,there will be an opportunityfor visitors to help theRAF Museum to shareits storyin theMidlands

Attendancein-person is free butregistration is requiredasafreebuffetlunch will be provided. A full running orderwill be shared nearer theevent with guests. Formoreinformation, visitwww rafmuseum.org.uk/midlands or call themuseum on 01902376 200.

APRIL 27: Join Sara Bellis for afun and informal workshop of creative and mindful journalling at Shrewsbury Museum &Art Gallery

With afocus on museum objects, participants canslowdownand capture thoughts and sensationsthrough thesimple, meditative actof writing and drawing

Refreshmentsand materials aresupplied, andparticipantsare welcome to bring theirown journal or artsupplies. Thesession will runfrom 11.30amuntil 1pm. To book aplace,visit www shropshiremuseums.org.uk/event

Oscar-winningOppenheimer

KeiraKnightley andRalphFiennes

Thestars of Bend It Like Beckham

Enjoy beauty and culture in Stockholm

WHAT’S ON THE BUCKET LIST?

Scandanavia. NorthernEurope is ajoy –and it’s just aboutwarm enough to visit, now, as winter passes,the snows melt, and spring blooms

ANYWHERE,SPECIFICALLY?

Youcould spend alifetime travelling around, though Stockholm, theSwedish capital, is agreat place to start. Think magnificent waterways, islands,palaces andparks. Sweden’s capitalisa must for anyone interested in beautifulcities

ISN’T IT ALL MEATBALLS, SNOW AND FURNITURE STORES?

Thefactis, theSwedesare indeed mastersof design,and they certainlyknowhow to whip up atasty meatball or two. Butlook alittlecloser at Sweden’s capitalcity, and you’ll forget theclichés and find astunning coastal city made up of 14 islands,over50bridgesand moregreen spaces than almost anyother city in Europe.

Stockholmoffersquirkyarchitecture

ABBA.SURELYTHERE’S LOADS OF ABBA?

With an edgy musicscene, aslewoftrendy bars and moreunderground clubsthanin most European cities,Stockholmisalso acapitalof cool.You canget alittleDancing Queen, butit’s also gotsomeofthe best,contemporarymusic in theworld

ARE YOUSURE IT’S NOT TOO COLD?

FlytoStockholminthe summer months for balmy temperaturesand plentyofsunshine –theseare theperfect conditions for strolling along thecity’sharbourfront.Mid-Julytends to offerthe warmestweather.The festive period is alsohighly recommended, when thestreetsand buildings arebathedintwinkly Christmas lights.Ifyou want to experience aslightlyquieterStockholm, avoid themonths of June,Julyand August,when prices soarand thetourist numbers swell. April andMay arebothgoodmonths.

IS THERE MUCH TO DO?

Meander through thehistoric cobbledsquares and narrow streetsofGamla StanOld Town Cast your eyes on thebeautiful Stockholm archipelago. Feel themajestic heritage of Sweden by visiting themanycastles,fortresses andofcourse theRoyalPalace.

Alternatively,takea break in Gränna,famous forits peppermint polkagriscandy,prettywooden housesand polkadancing

Allaboardfor

FAMILY CRUISES

Sarah Marshall

The idea that cruising solely suitselderly travellers is a misconception.

Increasingly,ships arebeing built to attract youngercustomers,and all-inclusive prices can be an economical option for families on abudget. Here area fewlikely to please everyone in the clan

Best for… makingdreams come true

ADISNEY TRIP TO FRANCE: Eat, sleep and revel in childhood fantasies on one of Disney Cruise Line’s ships. Once onboard, kids aged between three and 12 can meet their favourite characters from the worlds of Marvel, Star Wars, Disney and Pixar,while having fun at deck parties, playing games and watching musicals.

From lateJulytoSeptember 2025, the DisneyFantasywill spend aseason in Europe doing three, fourand five-nightvoyages from Southampton.Enjoy afull-lengthretelling of Anna andElsa’sadventuresinFrozenand sing-along to favouritetunesfromAladdin,The Lion King andMaryPoppins

Goofy’sSports Deck featuresminiature golf, basketballand shuffleboard, andthere areeight poolsfor making asplash– includingone shaped likeMickeyMouse andatwisting watercoaster that extendsoverthe sideofthe boat.Expect explosive entertainment with the first fireworksat sea.

HOW: Athree-night cruise to Cherbourg, France costs from £3,102.90 for afamily of four.Departs August 22, 2025. Visit disneycruise.disney.go.com

Best for… island hopping

AGREEK ODYSSEY ON NORWEGIAN

GETAWAY: With acluster of stops all different in style but equally enchanting, the Greek Islands are best explored by boat. Children can be easily entertained with adifferent port every day.Step back several thousand years by delving into archaeological sites. Wander through narrow lanes with beaming white houses on Mykonos, and learn about Greek mythology

Between shorevisits,there’s plentyto enjoyonboard with an Aquaparkfeaturing five waterslides, videoarcade,and multi-level sports complexwith arope course andgames courts

Miljet in Croatia is so picturesque

Extend

HOW: A14-night holiday,including aB&B stay in Athens, aseven-night cruise on Norwegian Getaway and five nights’ half board in Thessaloniki and flights from Gatwick, costs from £2,299pp (based on afamily of two adults and two children under 11 sharing). Departs August 16. Visit cooptravel.co.uk

Best for… astress-free break

AN EXOTIC ADVENTURE WITH AMBASSADOR

CRUISE LINE: If taking young children on planes is aheadache, opt for ahassle-free no-flycruise. Departing from eight regional UK ports, including

Line aims to please all ages, with themed party nights, fancy dress competitions, crafting, a Taylor Swift tribute act, and Festival Deck Fest.

Departing from London Tilbury, flagship vessel Ambiencealsohosts twice-nightlyshows at twotier entertainment venueThe Palladiumwith choir classes andgameshows –makingitideal for a multi-generationalbreak.Upthe antebycovering offtwo continentsona12-nightIberianTreasures &North Africa voyage,stoppinginPortugal, Spain, Gibraltar, andMorocco

HOW: From £1,719 per adult based on two adults sharing an inside cabin, plus kids go for £99 each. Visit ambassadorcruiseline.com

Happyfamilies in historic andbeautifulMadeira

There’s aspontaneousand enthusiastic roundofapplauseasour planetouches down in Madeira, writes Victoria Pollitt.

We arecheering both thegentle landing and thestunning approachtothisairport–saidtobe so challengingtolandatthat pilots need special training

Stepping offthe plane,Icatch a firstglimpse of thecountless red-roofedhomesscattered over thehillswhich will become an abidingmemory from this trip

That andthe view from our hotel room,pina colada slipping down as easilyasthe wavesroll overthe rocksinthe Atlantic Ocean belowus.

I’ll be as bold as to saythismightbeone of the best hotelroomviewswe’ve ever had.

Butthenweare in Madeira–anisland where stunningscenery is around everycorner

Ourparticular corner of this Portugueseisland is thevillage of Canico de Baixo.

Andour hotelisthe RiuMadeira. Alarge,

FAMILY GETAWAY

all-inclusive resortwithtwo outdoor pools,an indoor pool, as much freshfood as youcan eat andasmanycocktails as youcan drink.

There’salsoatenniscourt, gamesroom, an area to playbowls andevening entertainment from singers,bands,magicians andaballroom dancing duowho call up ourdaughtertohelp demonstrateher StrictlyComeDancing skills.

Theapplausemakes herday.And it’s thestaff here,especially thoseinthe busy restaurant area,who deservea pat on theback.

It can’tbeeasytokeepguests from over 300 roomsfed andwatered buttheycomeround to topupyour wine glass with an efficientsmile

before it’s even half emptied. We’re almost as quicktoclear our plates of tastyfood.The main restaurant is buffet-style catering to every possible preference. There’salso amoreadult focussedKulinarium restaurantwithtable service. Andapoolsidebar andgrill

Ourroom is ajunior suitewith twolarge beds anda sofa bedfor thefour of us to choose from Having aseparatelounge area allows us to spread outas doesthe largedressingroomarea –all kept spotless by ourlovely maid

Oh andthat balconyI mentioned earlier overlookingthe sea. It is literally astone’s throw from theAtlantic Ocean.

Andthere areplentyofstonestothrowonthe rockybeach.

Theareaaround thehotel is afun place to explorewithcaves,asmallseawaterpool, exercise equipment and abusypromenade to enjoy.

Thelureofthe swimmingpool at our hotel is

theholidaywithstays on theGreek mainland at capitalcityAthensand Thessaloniki on theAegean coast.

Belfast, Bristol, Falmouth, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Dundee, Newcastle and London, Ambassador Cruise

TheNorwegian Getaway

Stockholmold town or GamlaStan

family bonding

Best for… naturaldiscoveries

AN EXPEDITION CRUISE TO PATAGONIA: Cruises can be educational as well as being entertaining, especially for older children. Next year,Natural History will be introduced into the GCSE curriculum –the perfect justification for a trip focussed on wildlife and the environment. The glaciers of Patagonia provide the ideal context for discussions about climate change, coupled with stories of great explorers in the era of European discoveries.

DepartingfromPunta Arenas in Chile,a fivenightsmall ship expedition cruise visits the dramatic landscapesofglaciers, mountains and wind-beatenforests in Tierra delFuego,rounding Cape Horn and ending up in Argentinian city Ushuaiaatthe endofthe earth.Sailthrough the

just as popularwith our children–indoorsifthe showers sweep in,oroutdoorswhenthe sun shines.

Fortunately thesun is outfor mostofour week in Madeirasowecan explore thenarrow,hilly roadsaroundthe island

We head east to thestunning clifftop walk of PontadeSão Lourenço

Drivenorth west through mountainsand tunnels to thenatural seawaterpools and aquarium in PortoMoniz

Andgosouth to CâmaradeLobos –a fishing villagemade famousbyWinston Churchill,who painted itsprettyharbour when he came in 1950

OnemustinMadeiraistoheaduphigh

We take thecable carfromthe centreofcapital Funchal to Monte.

It’s aspectacular ride andatthe topyou can enjoythe beautifulMontePalacegardens before riding backdownagain on thecable car.

Anotherway down is by toboggan on a traditional wickerbasketsleighalong steep streets, guidedbytwo people withnothingfor brakesbut thegrips on theirshoes.

If youlikeheights it’s worthstopping by at the

Children canalsoenjoy afamilycruise

Flexibility is the key to landing asummer holiday bargain price

Despite cost of living challenges,there’s a glimmerofhopefor those planning aEuropean holidaythissummer. By remaining flexible with both destination andtraveldates,there areopportunities to save moneyand makethe most of thetravelexperience.

FINDING CHEAPER HOLIDAYS

Expertsadvisethat flexibility in choosing your traveldestinationiskey to finding affordable flights and holidays.

RaphaelGiacardi, head of UK editorial at thetravel dealsplatform HolidayPirates, says:“If youwant to booka week in Greece,Spainor anymass-market destination,it’s goingtobehardto find cheap flights.”

He suggests that travellers shouldconsider destinations that areoften overlookedbyothers.

“For example, flightstoMallorca, including bags,would setafamilyofthree backbyabout £450.However,afamilycould flytoNice, in France,with BA for£316all in

“The French Rivieraiscertainlya bitcooler than theBalearicsatthat time of year,but it’s a beautifuldestination with lots to seeand do for families.”

HOW TO SEARCH FOR CHEAP FLIGHTS

Flightprices areforever changing and governed by “complexalgorithms”that cannot be fixedbyusing privatebrowsing and cleaningcookies

Giacardi says:“There’sanenduring myth that youshoulduse privatebrowsingorclear your cookiesbefore lookingfor flights,and that search volume impacts prices.There’s no truth in that.”

Strait of Magellan (named afterthe Portuguese explorerFerdinandMagellanwho ledthe first successful expedition to navigate thestraitin 1520), and take azodiacboat excursion to the Tucker Islets whereMagellanic penguinsnest from OctobertoMarch

HOW: A five-day voyage costs from £2,151pp, cruise only.Children aged between three and 12 years old receive a50per cent discount when sharing acabin with an adult. Visit swooppatagonia.com

Best for… newtocruise families

AGENTLE INTRODUCTION TO CROATIA: Ideal for families embarking on their first cruise, this voyage along Croatia’s Dalmatian coast balances

MadeiraSkywalk. Youcan walk across aglass walkwayona balcony580 metres above thesea attached to some of thehighest cliffs in Europe.

Afterabusyweekofhighs, it’s nearly time to leave Foralasttime,weawakenand pull curtains to enjoythe view andthe sou Atlantic from our bed.

Then it’s back to theairport,named afterthe island’s most famousexport.

Notits fortified wine butthe footbal CristianoRonaldo He wasbornhereand returnsregul andthisisone happy familywhich ma follow suit.

Gettingthere

Wherewestayed: TheRiu Madeirah in CanicodeBaixo,a four-starall incl Website:www.riu.com/en/hotel/port madeira/hotel-riu-madeira/

We received complimentary accommodation for someofour stay at theRiu Madeira, allviewsare our own.

time at sea with excursions on land. Start in UNESCO World Heritage city Split, dominated by the 1700-year-old ruins of Diocletian’s Palace –a labyrinth of walls and gates built by the Romans. Continue to Hvar,anisland claiming to be the sunniest spot in Europe, and on to Croatia’s greenest island Miljet, covered largely by a national park. Used as abackdrop for King’s Landing in Game Of Thrones, much of Dubrovnik’s old town –the next destination on the voyage –will be recognisable to fans of the show.Along with discovering historical sites, there’s plenty of time to swim and snorkel in warm water

HOW: From £1,195 per adult and £1,165 per child, including seven nights’ B&B accommodation, seven lunches and return flights from the UK.Visit familiesworldwide.co.uk

He recommendsthat tempted travellers shoulddecidetheir budgetfor specific destinations andthenset up pricealertson platforms suchas Kayakas early as possible, as flights aretypically releasednine to 12 months in advance.

HOW FARINADVANCE SHOULD YOU BOOK?

Oneofthe

Enjoyingthe

Bookingyour flight early is advisable howeverifyou are ible withyour flights pertsdorecommend booking your flightata tertime Giacardi says: rices will be fairly competitive if there’s ill alot of availability in themarket.”

Thetop advice is to establish a budget, find aholidaythat suits your preferences, andbook it

SHOULD YOUBOOKASPARTOFA PACKAGE?

“Sometimes, butnot always,” Giacardi says. “Again,itdependsonwhattype of traveller youare”–ascertain travel companies have committed stock, whichmay include operating airlinesorpre-purchasing hotelrooms.

In this case, everyvacant seat or unsold room incurs a financiallossfor them.Plus, last-minute discounts canbesubstantial as they strive to fill thesevacanciesand minimise losses.

“Generally speaking,peace of mind is the number-one benefitofbookingapackage Packages in theUKprovide full financial protection –ifsomething goes wrong, you’ll get your moneybackthrough theATOLscheme.

When bookingelementsseparately,if anything goes wrong, you’re at themercy of your travelinsurance,”hesays.

Butwhenexploring destinations that arenot so well served by themajor tour operators, booking flights and accommodation separately oftenprovestobecheaper.Therefore, opting for this approach mightbeyour best strategy for securing an affordableEuropean deal

Stop offfor thebeach in Cadizin Spain

Disney’sAladdin –AMusical Spectacular’ takesthe stageonthe Disney Fantasy

vi from ourbalco

swimming pools at thehotel

Theviewfromthe Madeira CableCar

Be dazzledbya riot of tulipcolour

Tulip seasonisinfull swing, with everythingfrom daintytypes to elegant lily-floweredvarieties andfrilly parrot show-offs on display.

So,put your sunglasses on and find some inspiration in thesegardens,where tulipsare the showstoppers

ARUNDEL CASTLE,WEST SUSSEX

Held everyApril, thecastle’stulip festival is reputedtobeone of thetop tulip displaysin Europe.Thisyear’s eventfeatures more than 100,000 tulipsofall shapes,colours and sizes andshowcases morethan120 differentnamed tulips. There’sanarray of captivatingvarieties, including‘FoxyFoxtrot’, ‘Purple Passionale’, ‘White Triumphator’,‘Angelique’, ‘Madame Lefeber’,‘Curley Sue’ and‘FlamingSpring Green’

KEUKENHOF,HOLLAND

Hometoa staggering sevenmillion springfloweringbulbs including tulipsand daffodils, over 79 acres, visitors canalsoadmire the accompanying artsculpturesand waterways. Theseason lastsuntil May12, afterwhich the bulbsare dugupenabling thecycle of autumn planting, spring flowering and summerharvesting to startanew.

NEWBYHALL &GARDENS, NEAR RIPON, NORTH YORKSHIRE

Thegardenteam at NewbyHall, famedfor itseye-catching172m-longdouble herbaceous border, hasplanted over 8,500 tulipsthisyear forextra flowerpower. Visitors canenjoy thelate spring blooms in Sylvia’s garden, therosegarden andthe whitegarden

Thelocationisoften used in film and screen productions

HAMPTON COURT PALACE TULIP FESTIVAL, EAST MOLESEY,SURREY

Theroyalpalace will burst into colourwith over 100,000 bulbsfor itsannualtulip festival (Apr 15-May6). Hampton CourtPalacehas a

giving theappearanceofaDutch flowerseller’s.

GLEBE HOUSE,ABERGAVENNY,GWENT

This one-and-a-half acre private gardeninthe beautifulUsk valley will openfor twodaysin April (Apr 27 and28) for theNational GardenScheme (NGS –pre-bookingessential) whichraises moneyfor caring andnursing charities. Visitors canadmire bordersburstingwith springcolour, includingvibranttulips,narcissiand camassias. Theorchard is alsodenselyunderplanted with asuccession of bulbs. (Other dates available by arrangement.)

BURNBYHALL GARDENS TULIP FESTIVAL, POCKLINGTON, YORK

Thepopularannualtulip festival (Apr 27-May 11)sees acascade of colours throughoutthese

historical gardens,with more than 18,000 tulips (130 varieties) formallydisplayedintubsand flower bedsacrossthe site.Other highlights includethe Upperand LowerLakes,home to more than 100typesofhardy waterlilyand home to thousands of carp,roach and rudd.

MORTON HALL GARDENS TULIP FESTIVAL, REDDITCH, WORCESTERSHIRE

From May4-6,visitors canbrowsemorethan 100tulip varietiesinpots, borders and threecut flower marquees,with theticketsales supporting costume-makingatthe RSC.Bloms Bulbs, winnerof70Chelsea Gold medals,supplythe bulbsand will be on site withexpertadviceon your favouritechoices.

BROUGHTON GRANGE,OXFORDSHIRE

Chelsea designerTom Stuart-Smith designed thecentrepiece largeterraced walled garden in this attractive Oxfordshiresetting,with the gardens blending into thecountrysideand beautiful displays of bulbsincluding tulips,

followedbygorgeousherbaceous planting which blooms later in summer. VisitonApril28for NGS.

ULTING WICK,MALDON,ESSEX

Listed black barns providethe backdropfor vibrant and exuberantplantingineight acresof garden. Tulipsand otherbulbs create flowing innovativespring planting,and thereare also herbaceous borders,apond,woodland and matureweeping willowstoperuse.Visit on April 28 for NGS.

DUNSBOROUGH PARK,RIPLEY,SURREY

This magnificent 100-acre estate,which dates back to thedissolution of themonasteries, comprisesaseriesofhistoricalgardensbrought to life through vistas andgardenarchitecture, laid outin the18th, 19th and20thcenturies.It featuresvibrant tulipsinspring,gardenrooms, lush herbaceous borders, standard wisteria, 70ft ginkgo hedge, potagerand a300-year-old mulberry tree.OpenApr 14 forNGS;alsoopen Apr19-21 and 25-27.

Enjoythe growinghighlife with abalcony garden

If youleadabusylife, have abalcony which youwant to transformwith veggiesand fruits butdon’t know wheretostart,Instagram and TikTok influencer PatrickVernuccio, aka@ TheFrenchieGardener, maybeable to help HalfFrench, half Italian and then living in Berlin,hebegan hisgardening journey five yearsago as acomplete novice,withjustone pot.

He bought afew packets of seedsand tried to growvegetablesonhis fifth- floor balcony, sharing hisresults on social media, whichhas ledtoa newcareerinspiring urbandwellerson howtomakeuse of theiroutdoor space

Nowheshares sometimesaving tips for thebusybalcony gardenerin hisnew book, Tomatoes&Basil On The5th Floor

Forbalconygardeners with limitedtime,hesuggests: PLAN BEFORE PLANTING This will save youanenormous amount oftime.

HOWTO GARDEN GUIDE

“Analyse your place.Ifyou’vejustmoved in, askyour neighbourstogiveyou an idea of how much sun you’ll getinyour place,”hesays.

“And invest in aquality pottingsoil.

“The priority is to invest in organicpotting soilmixed with compostand it will last many seasons.”

FOCUS ON SHORT-GROWTH CYCLE

PLANTS

“These grow in twotothree months andare easy to startfromseedsor om seedlingsthat youcan buyin gardencentres,suchas lettuce, radishes –whichare oneofthe easiesttostart offwithand youcan sowthemdirectlyintothe pots or raised bed.”

SPLIT SUPERMARKET HERBS

If youdon’t have time to sow, butwantfresh herbs to last, you couldsplit up your supermarket plantsand repotthem.

“Supermarket basillooksso freshbut afteraweekit’swilted andyou don’tthink youhave green fingers. Butifyou just divide theplant into five chunks of basiland repotthemindividually into pots youshould have lots of basil.”

MAKE WATERINGEASIER

Youcould invest in alittlewater pump, connected by drip hoseswhichhavetinyholes that drip waterintothe soiltowater your pots Somepumpsare fuelledbysolarenergy.

“I placebig bucketsofreused household wateroutside,place thepump in them and programme when thepumpwill distribute water accordingtomyplants’ watering needs.”

GO FOR DWARF TOMATOES

“Ifyou have onetinythingthat is notgoing

in theright direction,the plants will suffer

“However, if youwant to grow tomatoes, growsmallerones, dwarf matoes, whichare easier. Youwon’t nd up withaplant that is 2m high will be 40-50cmhigh and youdon’t ed ahuge spacefor them.You can en growthemonawindowsill or trail them.” He recommendsthe varieties ‘GourmandiseYellow’ and‘Tiny Tim’

It takeslesstimetotenddwarf tomatoes, he says.

GROW PERENNIALS IN POTS

“Phacelia is oneofmyfavouriteplantsand amongthe easiesttogrow. Justput 20seedsin apot or awindow planter anditgrows by itself, will reseed itself in thesamepot andwill regrow again. It’s great for bees andbiodiversity.”

Youcan alsogrowrhubarb in apot and it will come backevery year with virtuallyno maintenance, he suggests

n Tomatoes&Basil on the5th Floorby Patrick Vernuccioispublished by DK,£14.99.

long association with theelegant tulip,as former residentQueen Mary II wasakeen horticulturist andcollected exotic plants. Newthisyear, thousands of tulipswill spill from aVictorian horse cart in theheart of thepalacecourtyards,

Addsomepizzazz

Stylishkitchen

pieces arefunctional and beautifu

The kitchen is alwaysa conversationalpiece, especiallyifyou’re consideringaspringrefresh with afew keyitems to breathe newlifeintothe busiestroomin thehouse.

Moreover, stylish andeasyonthe eye, tip-top tableware,fab,functional furnishings andA-list appliances (depending on your budget) canalso be awin-winwithouthavingtopull outall the stopsand committoa kitchenremodel

Here’s what’s inspiring us to entertainand cook up astorm

1. Smeg KLF03Kettle, Emerald Green, £189.95, Smeg TSF012-Slice Toaster, Emerald Green, £189.95, John Lewis

It’s noteverydayyou splash outonaSmeg kettle and toaster, so youmay as well go for this neweye-catchinghue…and your friends will be green with envy.Top of theline andsupercarof appliances,these models blendretro chic with up-to-the-minutefeatures

2. CeramicLobster Plates,£3each, Dunelm Fishing around for theright tableware for abeach themed or coastaltablescape?Thesevibrant

lobsterplates will makeseafoodspaghettiand fresh, juicy prawns astandoutserve

3. Joseph Joseph Elevate SteelKnives Bamboo 5-PieceSet,£140, Joseph Joseph Toolsofthe trade make aworldofdifference when it comes to slicing,dicing andprepping Nottomentiona non-slip knife block to help keep your bladesrazor sharp

4. ProCookSoho Cookware Set, 5Piece Coral, £149,ProCook

Spring casseroleswill tastethat much more deliciouswhenyou reachfor thesegorgeous coralpink pans.Suitablefor mosthobsincluding induction,ovensafe (to 260C)with 10-year guarantee

5. CeramicFishVase,Blue, £15, Marks& Spencer

Fish-shapedvases areall therageand this one’s idealfor rainbow tulipstobrightenaworktopor window sill

6. Joseph Joseph Chop2Pot Plus Green FoldingChoppingBoard, Green,£13,Joseph Joseph

Makelightofcutting crudités andfresh veggies with this trendy green board–whichfoldsup when youfancy cooked overraw,meaning everythingslideseffortlessly into thepot

7. Lucie BarStools,Velvet, Magenta, £69each, Dunelm

With summerspritzes andcocktails on thecards nottomention bistro lunches, this statementbar stool in magnificent magentawith velvet padding andgiltdetailing channels boutiquehotel vibes.

8. BrabantiaNewicon PedalBin,Mellow Yellow,£95 (30Litre), Brabantia Therightwastebin canbeagamechanger, especially if you’re short on space,orlooking for themosthygienic, odour-proof waytomanage your refuse.Thisnew design in Mellow Yellow looks as freshas adaisywith anon-slip basefor busy households

9. Setof4Green PatternedTapas Plates,£16, Next

With thoughtsturning to tapasparties andeasy, fun, recipes, thesepatterned plates have Spanish sunshinewritten alloverthem.

10.ProCook Oslo Stoneware Jug,£29 (2.9L), Stoneware Mug, Set of 4–Teal, £27, Round Glass StorageJar,Set of 3Large,£29,restof items from aselection,ProCook Getting organisedisparamountwith seasonal fare comingintoplay, and findinganew home for rice,grains and pasta–not to mention stoneware mugstokeepyour cuppa hot and resistchipping

Sharrondefies thepain and stayssuper fit

Olympic silver medalist swimmer Sharron Davies maybe61, with nine knee surgeries underher belt,but she says she canstill “drop down anddo40press-ups”.

Davies,who wasselectedfor theMontreal Olympic Gamesatthe ageofjust11, retired in 1994 afterbreaking more than200 British recordsinthe pool,but fitness hascontinuedto be ahugepartofher life –especially as shegets older

“I’ve gota 25-year-old daughter, whoisan ex-internationaltrack and fieldathlete,and Ican still beat heroncoreexercise. Ican still beat my 17-year-old son, whoplays really goodrugby,on core stability and core exercise,” shesays.

Davies,who famously held theCommonwealth Gamesrecord for the400-metre individual medley eventfor 18 years, goestothe gym four timesaweek, cycles andwalks nowbut,“I’mnot an obsessed exerciser”,she says,“Iusedtodo sixhoursa day, Inow don’tdo sixhoursa week.”

With herhistory in competitive sport(she won asilveratthe 1980 OlympicsinMoscowand was Commonwealth champion twice),and hertimeon theoriginalseriesofGladiatorsas Amazon,and nowaspatronofDisabledSport Englandand SportsAid, exercising is simply part of whoshe is “It’salwaysbeenapartofmylife. Iwas an international at 11,so50yearsago now. It’s just whoIam. It’s almost automatic.”

Butkeeping active is especially important giventhe problems she’shad fora long time with herrightknee. She firstdamageditat12years old,getting herfootstuck in apotholeand tore herACL.Thankfully, being aswimmer (a nonweightbearing sport)itdidn’taffecther abilityto trainorcompete.

“Thenin1995Iwas doingGladiatorsand a

very lovely police woman, terribly apologetic,fell on my knee sideways andwhateverwas left of my ACLjustwent.”

Davies hadanACL reconstructionthat year andnine furtheroperations sincethen. “I have no cartilage left in that knee whatsoever, it’s just boneonbone,”saysDavies, whowas also diagnosed with gradefour osteoarthritisinher kneeabouta decade ago.

“The last [operation]was sevenyearsago,when areallybad piece of cartilage that wasleft flew off andwent into thejoint so Icouldn’t straightenmy legs.And that wasunbelievably painful.

“I used to sitatnight-time just rubbingmy kneewatchingthe telly. It almost gottothe point whereI wasdoing it subconsciously allthe time becauseitwould getswollen andachy, and I wouldjustlivewith[thepain]”. Evenwearing tight jeanswas painful.

Mobility

Then in September 2022, shehad atreatment called Arthrosamid –painreliefvia asingle injection for knee osteoarthritis. While it doesn’t cure thecondition,patientscan expect to seeimprovedmobility andpainreliefwithin afew weeks. “You literallygoin, it’s done in thelunchtime,you don’tneedany downtime,” says Davies,who is an ambassadorfor the jab.“Aboutaweek or 10 days afterwards,I’m thinking,‘I’mnot rubbingmyleg’. It hasgiven me unbelievable pain relief.” Andshe hasn’t needed atop-upyet

“All of asudden,you realisethat you’re being more mobile…Ihad to reel myself in,because all of asudden, Iwas pain free andI’m doingthree timesasmuch. So Ihad to [say to myself]calm down.”

Eventually,she says,she’llneedafull knee replacement.“My kneeisnot very attractive,” she laughs,myrightlooksnothinglikemyleftknee,

it’s twicethe size almost. If Iweretogoand see [a doctor]now they would look at my pictures andgo, howare youwalking?Theydon’t go,how areyou cycling? Howare yougoingtothe gym?” Davies puts it down to maintaining themuscles around thejoint through mobility and fitness.

It’s notthe onlypartofher body she’shas undergoneoperations on;overthe yearsshe’s hadbrokenribs, twobroken arms,ahernia op,abladderop, multiplebackand shoulder operations(proswimmersoften endupwith lowerbackissuesand over-rotated shoulders).

“OhmyGod [I’vehad]dozens. I’vehad sevenor eightbrokenbones.Ibroke my legnot that long ago, Igot knockedoff my bike andbrokemy femur really badly

“I canrebuildme, we just keep going!”she says,with alaugh. Buther body’sresilience is duetoall thework shedoesinthe gym.“When Ibroke my legIwas backonmyexercisebike within sixdays.”

Shedoesn’t swim nowthough.“Because for me,it’sabusman’s holiday. Idid 20 yearsof my life,six hours aday –it’squite enoughfor anybody really.Idoitonholidaybut, ultimately, it’s nice to do somethingelse.”Plus, “when you

have been aswimmer,the shoulders aren’t great, so Idon’t like to aggravate them toomuch.”

Keeping fit“is notaseasyat60as it was at 40.Itwasn’taseasyat40as it wasat20. Unfortunately,it’salinear line that’s goinginthe wrongdirection”. Butthere is alot that we cando to look afterourselves as we getolder

“The numberoftimes people saytome, ‘My metabolism sloweddown’.Well, it’s notthat your metabolism that sloweddown, you’ve lostmuscle mass andit’smusclemass that burns calories –ifyou don’thavemuscles,you won’tburnthe calories.”

Also,“It definitely makesmesadderifIdon’t exercise,itabsolutely does.” She’sonHRT for menopause symptoms, amultivitamin, vitamin Dand codliver oil, butwhenitcomes to her wellbeing, apositive mental attitudeiskey

“I’mareallybig believer that your cupishalf full,” shesays, and positivitycomes naturallyto her.

“Why would it not? I’manOlympian.”

Formore information on Arthrosamidvisit arthrosamid.com

SharronDaviesbeforethe 2002 Commonwealth Games

1. Whichactor playsSpecialAgent Scott Forresterinthe Sky Witness drama FBI:International?

2. Theo James and Kaya Scodelarioare amongthe stars of whichnew Netflix drama directed by GuyRitchie?

3. WhichLondonindie rock band recentlytopped the charts withtheirdebut album, Prelude to Ecstasy?

4. TomPayne andDeWandaWise areamong thestarsof whichnew horrorfilm about asinister stuffedbear?

5. ThoraHirdand Patsy Rowlands were among thestarsof which1980s TVsitcom aboutSalvation Army volunteers?

6. Whoplayed Lana Turner’s love interest, the firstoffourfilms in which he would do so,in1943 romantic drama film Somewhere I’ll Find You?

7. Whichalbum fromPaulMcCartney and Wings wasrecently rereleasedfor its50thanniversary?

8. Whichactor playsCommissionerSelwyn Pattersonin BBC1’s Death in Paradise?

9. What wasthe title ofAlmaCogan’sonlyNo.1hit single,in1955?

10.Whichactress isresumingher role as Chani in the newfilm sequel Dune: Part Two?

11.RyanThomas and ClaireSweeney have been among the celebrities takingpart in the 2024 seriesofwhichITV talentshow?

1. WHO...wrote the novels The Call Of The Wild and White Fang?

WHAT...was the name of theactress who received an Oscar nomination for Anna and the KingofSiam?

WHERE .does King Kong live beforebeing transported to the US?

WHEN .was the Battle of Midway?

2. WHO...wrote the Broadway stage play Harvey?

WHAT is the largest city in Switzerland?

WHERE .is the MareImbrium?

WHEN .did US musician BuddyHolly die?

3. WHO...presented the television game showFamily Fortunes from 1987-2002?

WHAT...was the first Epsom Derbywinner for jockeyPat Eddery?

WHERE .werethe 1987 IAAF World Championships held?

WHEN .was the Emancipation Run from London to Brighton first held?

Sudoku

1

12.Which synthpop band’s hits ofthe 1980sincluded Smalltown Boyand HitThatPerfect Beat?

13.In which1954film did RockHudsoncausethe deathofa doctor, and trytomakeamends to hiswidowplayedbyJane Wyman?

14. Which actorplays super-soldier MasterChiefPetty Officer John-117inthe ParamountPlusdrama Halo?

15.Which US singer hada UK TopTen hit with the single Bitchin1997?

16. Whichnew comedy horror film from Zelda Williams stars Kathryn Newton as a teenagerwho is inlovewitha zombie played by Cole Sprouse?

17. Whichactorplayed travellingstationery salesman Sid Abbott in the 1970sTVsitcom Bless ThisHouse?

18. What is the title of the latest album from Liverpoolfolk singer Jamie Webster?

19. Who directed the 1972 comedyanthology film EverythingYou AlwaysWanted to KnowAboutSex*(*But Were Afraid to Ask)?

20. JohnSimmand Nikki Amuka-Birdare settostarinwhichupcoming ITV drama written by Chris Lang?

FOUR Ws Brain Training No.1

4. WHO...recorded thealbums Harvest Moon and Harvest?

WHAT...is the novel by Charles Dickens that features the character Pip?

WHERE...is the Cresta Runtoboggan course?

WHEN ..was former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn born?

5. WHO...directed the film Mrs Henderson Presents?

WHAT wasthe 1987 film thatearned RobinWilliams aBest Actorina

Leading Role Oscar nomination?

WHERE...on your person might you wear aheitiki?

WHEN .didRMS Lusitania sink?

6. WHO...portrayedBrian Jones in the2005 film Stoned?

WHAT...was the first name of Ripley,ofRipley’sBelieve It or Not!?

WHERE...does aharelive?

WHEN ..was the cellist and conductor MstislavRostropovichborn?

Cross out one of the two letters in each divided square to reveal a completed crossword grid.

Giant Crossword

Wordwise

1

1. The Iranian oilindustry was nationalised

2. Labour Minister Aneurin Bevan resigned from the government

3. IvorNovello andErnestBevin died

4. King Leopold IIIofthe Belgians abdicated

2

1. Manchester United beat Benfica4-1 in thefinal of theEuropeanCup

2. Bobby Kennedy wasassassinated

3. A2-tier postalsystem began in the UK

4. Classic horror film Night Of The Living Dead wasreleased

3

1. Olivier’s filmversionofHamlet won BestPictureOscar

2. VyacheslavMolotovstepped down as Soviet Minister of Foreign Affairs

3. US actress MerylStreep wasborn

4. Boxer JoeLouis announcedhis retirement

4

1. John McEnroe became Wimbledon singles champion forthe firsttime

2. Reggae legend Bob Marley died 3. BridesheadRevisited wasshown on television

4. Peter Sutcliffeadmitted he wasthe Yorkshire Ripper

5

1. Andres Segovia and Jacqueline du Predied 2. PrincessAnne wascreatedPrincess Royal 3. Fijiwas declared arepublic 4. GermanMathias Rustlandeda plane in Moscow’sRed Square

6

1. Tony Jacklinbecamethe firstBritish golfer to winthe US Openfor nearly 50 years

2. Bertrand Russell andJanis Joplin died

3. The NewEnglishBiblewentonsale 4. TheUKage of majoritywas reduced from 21 to 18

1 WEALD ARiver barrier

country

an axe

2 TRAGACANTH

tragedy

gum

trading

3 REVERE AVenerate

4 PHLOGISTON

mica

bundle

hypotheticalsubstance

5 LAPIS AWorked gold

stone

of acoat

6 IMPOST

tax

on

Impossipuzzles

1. Jenson took adeep breath. “I’ll guess your age,Dad,”hesaid. “Think of anumber.”

“Not me,and you knowitanyway,” Brian replied. “But I’ve got something to makeyou think. If you add the twofigures of your Aunt Ethel’sage,and then multiply their sum by twice their difference,you’ll get what her age will be in twoyears’ time.” That wasatough one,but what wasAunt Ethel’sage?

2. “Hey,Dad,”said Maisie.“Tenyearsago you werethree times as old as Iwas.” Her father nodded. “That’sright, but what’sso funny about it?” “But nowyou’re only twice as old as me,” Maisie replied. Howold is she?

3. “I left my watchatthat new repair place today,” said Dylan. “What’sthe time?” Mikael glanced at his watchand thought amoment. “You can figureitout yourself,” he replied. “The minute hand is right on a minute mark, exactly 13 minutes ahead of the hour hand.” Well?

4. “A 6-figurenumber,eh?” said Achraf,glancing at the boy’s working.“What’sso special about it?”

“Look,”Moreplied. “If you shift the second half and put it in front of the first, it’stwo morethan three times the original number.” As simple as that! But what wasthe number?

Kakuro

Fill in the whitesquares with the numbers 1to9.Eachhorizontal blockofsquares must add up to the number to its left,and each vertical blockmust add up to the number above. No number may be used morethan once in any one block.

5. Amy checkedthe chocolates in the box. “Mila, you’re the oldest,”she said. “So here’sone for you, and nowyou can picka thirdofthe rest.”

It didn’t takethe girl long to choose,and then her mother continued. “I didn’t forget you, Zak. Here’sanice one for you, and you can takeathirdofwhat’sleft. That will leave six for Dan when he gets home.”

Howmany did Mila get?

6. Josh pickedupthe photo.“Your twoteenage boys, eh? Fine looking kids,”hecommented. “Howold arethey?”

“A teaser for you,”Jorgreplied. “There’salso Rosa, our youngest child. The sum of their three ages is one less than three times the age of the second child, and Rosa is twoyears younger than half the age of the eldest.”

What werethe three ages?

Brain Training No.2

Each numberfrom1to9represents adifferent letter.Solve the clues and insert the lettersin the appropriate squares to discover aword which usesall 9letters.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

THE CLUES 24391 gives agame 5436781 gives asecond game 64186477 gives athirdgame

1. Torvill is to Dean as Rodnina is to ? BOBRIN, BUKIN, KARPONOSSOV, MINENKOV, ZAITZEV

2. PèreDavid is to DeerasGrevy is to ? ANTELOPE, BISON,CARIBOU, GIRAFFE, ZEBRA

3. Puttee is to Lower Leg as Brassardisto? HEAD, NECK, THIGH, TORSO,UPPER ARM

Wordsearch

Blackadder characters

Which of thefourshapes below is an exact mirror image of theshape on the right?

Your time: Your time: Your time:

Scottish kings

Numbercrunch

3 Mindbender 2 XistoY 3 9-er 1 Mirror Image

Ally,Brian, Cheryl, and David receive their results for their drama exam.The average of Ally and Brian’smarks is fifty; Brian and Cheryl’smarks, seventy-five; and Cheryl and David’smarks, seventy.WithAlly getting two thirds of Brian’smark, and thepass mark being fifty-five per cent, whofailed?

Your time:

Who am I?

3 Split Decision

Cross out one of thetwo letters in each divided square to reveal a completed crossword grid.

Your time:

1. Asinger, Iwas born in Virginiain1971. My real firstname is Melissa. My hit singles have includedGet Ur FreakOnand PassThatDutch.Iperformed at the 2015 SuperBowlhalftime showwith KatyPerry

2. Awriter,I wasborninSurreyin1908. My real name wasDenis Pratt. Iappeared in thefilms Philadelphia andToWong Foo Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar, andbecame agay icononpublication of my 1968 memoirThe Naked Civil Servant

3. An actress, Iwas born in Lincolnshirein1929. Iplayed my first filmroleinMobyDickin1956. My otherfilmsinclude Curious George andTea With Mussolini,and Iamthe widowofLaurence Olivier

4. Amodel, Iwas born in Illinois in 1966. Ihosted MTV’s House Of Styleinthe 1980s and90s. Ihaveatrademark mole above my lip and IusedtobemarriedtoRichard Gere.

5. An actor, Iwas born in Croatia in 1972.I live in LosAngeles,and in 2002 Ivoiced theevil Smilodon SotoinIce Age. However,I am best known for playingDrLukaKovac in theUSTVdrama ER

6. Afilm director,I wasbornonthe Isle ofWightin1954. In the 1980sI worked as ascript editor for theTVseries Grange Hill. Idirected the filmsThe English Patient,ColdMountain andThe TalentedMrRipley

Word Spiral

Starting from 1, fillinthe grid in aclockwise direction with four-letter words. The last letter of eachwordbecomes the first letter of the next word.Ifyou have correctly filled in the grid thereshould be aseven-letter keyword reading across from 8.

Doing word

Red meat

Worry

Tightly stretched

Group of footballers

Murder andmayhem stalks theLakeDistrict

thedarknessofsocialmedia

The potentialdangers of socialmedia areexplored in best-sellingauthorMark Edwards’ latest psychological thriller, TheDarkest Water.

TheWolverhampton-based writerdelvesinto theimpactofparasocial relationships in the book,which is setinthe Lake District.

“Parasocial relationships arewhere somebody hasarelationshipwithsomebodythey’ve only seen online.It might be somebodyfamouslikea popstaroranactor oritcould be somebodywho is makingfunny videos on TikTok

“There arelotsofpeople whoare social media famous. Themessage ofthe bookisthat you don’t have to be famoustoattract dangerous people online,” explains Mark,whose previous novels includeKeepHer Secret,FollowYou Home, Here To Stay,The HouseGuest and The Hollows.

“Asanauthor Iget lots of messages from people whoreadmybooks. Ninety-nine percent of them aresaneand lovely buta fewget alittle closetothe line andyou have to be carefulabout howyou interact withthem.

Thereare twostrands to TheDarkestWater which is published on Tuesday. It is setin the fictional villageofElderbridgewithMark explaining: “I wanted it to be setinasmallplace whereeverybody knowseverybody elsebut they don’t know everybody else’ssecrets.”

The firststrandofthe story follows theinvestigationofthe murderofaman whose bodyis found on abeach

“He’sfound burieduptohis neck in sand. Nobody knows who isand it turns outheisarecluse wholives off-grid in thewoods,” says Mark Theideafor this part of the storyline came from avisittoa beachwith hischildren.

“I washavingalovelyday and this dark imageofsomeone buried up to theirneck just came me –my imagination just conjuresupthese macabreand disturbing images. Iput theminbooksas my wayofdealing

with them,” explains Mark.Investigating the murderisacharacterthat fans of Mark’s novels will alreadybefamiliar with –DIImogenEvans ShefeaturedinThe LuckyOneswhich was released in 2017 andset in Shropshire

“I like to alwaysset my booksindifferent places andIneededthisone to be setbythe coastfor the firstmurder. It wouldn’t have worked in aland-locked unty like Shropshire so Imoved Imogen Evanstothe Lake District,” explainsMark.But anyone who hasn’t read theLucky Ones can still enjoyhis latestoffering

BrainTraining

9-er 9-letter word:PASTURING.Saint, Pig,Puritan. XistoY 1. Stephen, 2. James Horner,3.Wiseman.

“It’simportant to getacross that youdon’t have to have read The LuckyOnestoreadthisbook

“Itworksperfectly well as a stand-alonebook,” says Mark “DIEvans hasthe job of finding outwho theman wasand who wanted to murderhim and why,” he adds.

Theother strandofthe book followsachefnamed Calvin whohas openedabakeryin the

village. “He’sgot no customersand he’s about to go bust untilhis wife persuades him to promote thebakeryonsocial media.

“One of hisvideosgoesviraland he starts to getalot of customers. He’s very scepticalabout socialmedia –hedoesn’t even have aFacebook account–but he goesalong with it

“He’sclueless about social mediaand he thinkshehas to reply to allthe messages he receives includingmessagesfromthiswoman namedMel.His wife warns him aboutreplying to allofher messages buthejustthinks he’s being polite.Thenshe turnsupand mayornot be a stalker,” explainsMark

As with allofhis books, readers canexpects lots of twists andturnsalong theway

“Itall connectsupwith adarksecret Calvinhas fromwhenhewas ateenager,”explainsMark Followingthe publication of TheDarkestWater, he will be appearing at TheHeath Bookshop Literature and Music Festival,which takesplace in and around KingsHeath,Birmingham from April18-21

Mark will be takingpartina crimewriters’ panel, whichrunsfrom10am-12pm on April20 at AllSaintsCentre, alongsidefellowauthors Jo Callaghan, Rachel McLean andBarbara Copperthwaite.

Moreinformationabout thefestival canbe found at theheathbookshop.co.uk

“It’snicetogoand supportthese local events Hopefully, it will be asuccess andthe firstof many,” says Mark

It’s abusytime for theauthoras he is also giving aspiring writersthe chance to pickhis brain by running an online course forWriting West Midlands

“I’m running acourse called EverythingBut TheBookwhich tellspeopleall thestuff they need to knowasanauthor apart from writingthe book itself,” he explains.

Topicswill include findinganagent,selfpublishing, marketing,dealing with rejections and bad reviews andstaying motivated

To book aplace on the five-weekcourse,see www.writingwestmidlands.org

n TheDarkestWater,published by Thomas& Mercer,isavailable from Amazon from Tuesday.

Copiescan alsobefound in Waterstonesin Wolverhampton Seemarkedwardsauthor.com

TheHousehold by Stacey Hallsispublished in hardbackbyManilla Press, priced £16.99 (ebook£12.99).

In acastofwomen,plucked from povertyand livesofcrime arebrought together under oneroof, theresidents,toldtokeeptheir past livesasecret, areoffered asecond chance– butwhenthe realityoflifein the isolated cottagesetsin, notall aresosure it’s what they want.Thistime, Theauthor focuses herattentions on UraniaCottage –a schemeset up in 1846 by author Charles Dickensand millionaire Angela BurdettCoutts to offerrefugeto‘fallen’ women. Thepast is broughttolifebyHalls as she expertly weaves together theindividual storiesofall thewomen involved

TheLastMurderAtThe End Of TheWorld by Stuart Turton is published by RavenBooks,priced £20(ebook£14).

On apeacefulGreek island, untouchedbyanapocalypsecausingfog,threescientists anda huddleofvillagersupholdwhat’s left of humanity.But ashocking murder triggers anail-biting countdowntosavethis havenfromobliteration.Emory is tasked withunmasking thekiller, battlingtounlock motivesintimetorevealthe culprit. Turton’s ability to buildanalluringworldofdetailed ideasisastounding. You’ll feel thewarm breeze as you’re sweptalong by thepacey plot to ashowstopping conclusion.

When IFeelBrave by Britta Teckentrupispublished by Prestel, priced£12.99

This an inspiring read is brilliantly illustratedwith rhyming throughouttohelp youngreaders digest the words. Bravebeginswith ayoung girlexperiencing feelingsoffear andselfdoubt–she walks throughaforestand meetsa bear that initiallyseems scary. Mostofusexperience worryand distressingthoughts when we’re growing up, buthow does onedeal with them in ahealthyway?Brave acknowledges thereal strugglesomechildrenmay feel andgentlyurges them to face theirdarkest troubles.Whenthe child doesthiswith courage,thingsbegin to look brighter, making theworldseema much kinderplace to live in Abeautifulreadfor anyyoungsterthat is fearfuloranxious.

Impossipuzzles: 1. Ethel is 62 years old, 2. Maisie is 20, 3. The time is 16:36, 4. The number was249749, 5. Mila got 6chocolates,6.Rosa aged 7, the boys aged 13 and18.

BrainTraining

9-er 9-letter word:SCRAMBLED.Cards, Marbles, Baseball. XistoY 1. Zaitsev,2.Zebra,3.Upper Arm.

Wolverhampton-based Mark Edwards

Mark Edwards’ latestnovel explores

‘Weare abit pickywhatwetake on butwhen we do come together it is generally very special’

on stage, though he says it didnot come naturallytohim:“Although theoriginalintention wastogoto dramaschool, it hasnever actually felt naturaltobeonstage forme, butright from thestart Ihavealways been awareofwinning over thecrowd by beinga showman, if you like.

“Perhaps it’s becauseIdidn’t getintodrama school andthe fact

Iwasn’ttrained to be on thestage that hasalwaysmademetry and workthatbit harder.All Iknowis Icome aliveata gig.”

These days,the Neds original membersare nearly allparents and have ‘other’jobswhich paythe bills, meaningtheycan pickand choose theirgigs. As Penney says,typically waxing lyrical, they ‘keepthemselves rare.’

Thefather-of-two said:“We are in our50s now, nottobelabelled grumpy oldmen because we areall farfromthat, butweall have full time jobs,responsibilities,things likethatsoweare abit picky what we take on because we have to be butwhenwedocome togetheritis generallyveryspecial.”

Theresultoftheir sporadic appearances is amassive response whenever they do play.Lasttimeat StourbridgeTownHallfanscame from allover theworld to seethe twogigsatthe 1,200capacityvenue andwhentheysupported TheLevellers at TheHalls in Wolverhamptonin December last year theresponse was‘incredible’saidPenney. He said:“That wasspecialbe-

causewehaveknown thoseguysfor yearsand playedat theirBeautiful Days festival buttoplaywiththem at what wastheir gigwas absolutely electric andalso attracted the young fans,nodoubtbrought there by theirparents, butitwas anice mixofpeople.

“The same at StourbridgeTown Hall last time –itwas an incredibleatmosphere. Againpeoplecame from allover,manyfromAmerica, to seeusand it is agreat venue –just bigenoughreally, so we are lookingforward to it next month andtickets areselling fast.”

Back to that word, whirlwind, anditwas certainlythatinthe early 1990sfromthe releaseoftheir first album, GodFodder, whichmade number four in theUKand sent the Neds on arollercoaster of touring, festivalsincluding Glastonburyand mediaappearances

They toured Europe threetimes, Japantwice,Australia andthe USA alongwithappearances on Topof thePopsand other showsworldwide

Penney agrees they were “heady days indeed.”

“Itwas non-stop goingfromcity to city,but therewas littletimefor thetourism.Itwas sleep, getup, breakfast, promotional events, gig, eat, sleeponthe busand ontoanothercity.

“Itwas very regimented.Wewere signed to abig labelinSonyand enjoyedtheir backingand allthat came with it

“Wewerenever shyofdrinking andwehad greattimebut we were also permanentlytired from allthe travelling,gigsand appearances–butwhatatime!”

Penney attributes theband’ssuccess,withthe follow-upalbum Are YouNormaland atotal of five top 40 singles,tothe informal meetings anddrinkingsessionstheyhad in Stourbridgewithlike-minded contemporariesand thoseearly gigs in theupstairsroomofthe Mitre.

Nearly 30 yearslater,heand the band want to tryand ‘wakethe town up’withthe one dayfestival andopenthe doorstothe realisation that live musicisstill in vogue anditispossibletobecreativeand successfulrightonyourdoorstep.

He said:“Thereare still some greatvenuesinStourbridge includingthe Mitre,DukeWilliam and Claptrapwhich is in itself a specificlive musicvenue.There is alot of creativity outthere and we aimtohighlightand encourage that throughout theday anditwill culminateinthe giginthe evening whichweare verymuchlooking forward tooaspeoplestill seem to love seeing theNeds.”

l To book ticketsfor Ned’sAtomic Dustbin, go online to www.boroughhalls.co.uk, call thebox office on 01384812 812orvisit Record Culture in Market Street,Stourbridge

Recruitmentissues remain aproblem forcountry’s

Businesses in Walesare continuing to face challenges regardingrecruitment, theongoingskillsshortageand labour costs, accordingto Chambers WalesSouth East,South West andMid’s latest Quarterly EconomicSurvey. In thesurveyfor Q1 of 2024, 46 percentofbusinessesinWales reported that they hadattempted to recruitstaff,predominantly for full-timeand permanentroles In addition 69 percentofthose whoattempted to recruitexperienced difficultiesin findingsuitable staff, a5 percentincrease compared to thepreviousquarter, with businesses citing findingcandidateswiththe correctskill sets

andqualificationsas barriers to recruitmentand meetingsalary expectations as achallenge forretention.

Salaries andother labour costs were also stated as akey business pressure,with75per cent of businesses inWales feelingunder pressure to raise theirpricesbecause of thesecosts

This is also reflected in thena-

businesses

tional picture with theBritish Chambers of Commerce reporting that 68 percentofUK businesses citedlabour andstaffing costsas theirmaincostpressure.

Paul Butterworth, CEO of Chambers WalesSouth East,South West andMid,said: “The results area timely reminder of theongoingchallenges businesses in Wales face.”

We areoften askedin these uncertainand worrying timeshow canRABIhelp farmingpeople?

Thereare many different ways to offersupport –the RoyalAgriculturalBenevolent Institutionbelievesthatevery member of thefarming community mattersand should never have to face adversityontheir own.

We aregratefultoall those whoraise awarenessofthe charity, andby raisingfunds such as the£800onthe Quiz nightat Hadnall, asuccessfulMeetthe Farmer held locallywill enable £675 to be used to providesupport forShropshirepeople.

Therewill always be peopleand familieswho through no faultoftheir ownget into difficultybecause of illness, disability,accident, age, redundancy, bereavement, family breakdown.

Challenges faced in thelast sixmonthsofextreme weather, with cropsunabletobesown last autumn,and lookingunlikelythisSpring, with water logged fields

Findingdrier fields forsheep andnew born lambs, anda number with ever decliningfoddercropstofeed cattle,iscausingmanyproblems.

Acalltothe free 24/7 confidentialhelplineon0800188 4444 to talk throughconcerns canhelp.

RABI canoffer financial, practicaland emotionalsupport whichwill be suitable forthe individual situation.

Shropshire committee is grateful to allwho support thefundraising events organisedthroughoutthe year,and look forwardtoaninteresting eveningwithBill Harriman, specialist from BBC’sAntique Roadshow on April19at DorringtonVillageHall.

TheNFU Chairman’s Lunch will be at Minsterley on Sunday, May5.There arebeautifulOpenGardensonJune2 at Tern Hilland June 9atEaton Mascott.

Forfurther informationon allevents, contactKateJones 07876 492839oremail kate jones@rabi.org.uk

Afterabreak we areholding the Walesand Border Golf Day againat picturesque landscapes of Mile EndGolfClub, Oswestry on Friday,June28, aday filled with funand friendship

It will continue to supportthe work of RABI whoreceivedthis letter:“We cannever thankyou enough forthe empathyshown to us as we explainedthe dreadfulsadness followingthe loss of pedigree cows,due to TB.Itwas thereliefoftalking to someone whounderstood.”

RABI

CHRISTINE DOWNES

Jonn Penney in Record Culture, Stourbridge

BROWN

Deaths

ALEXANDER

Dorothy (Dot) Of Stirchley Village.

Passed away peacefully at Lake View Residential Care Home on April 7, 2024 aged 98 years.

Wife of the late Bob, Mom to Brian and Kevin, Grandmother and Great-Grandmother

She will be sadly missed by all her Family and Friends.

Funeral Service 10.30am

Tuesday, April 30 at Telford Crematorium.

Family flowers only by request but if desired donations to Hope House Children’s Hospice would be appreciated.

All inquiries please to

ASHTON

Jessie (Togher)

Passed away peacefully at the Princess Royal Hospital on April 4, 2024, aged 82 years.

Loving MotherofDebbie, Stephen and Paul.

Funeral Service to be held at Emstrey Crematorium on Friday,April 26 at 9am.

No flowers,donationsif desired to Alzheimer’s UK.

All inquiries please to

AUSTIN

Alma Of Priorslee, formerly of Oakengates.

Passed away at The Princess Royal Hospital on March 27, 2024, aged 94 years.

Abeloved Mother to Shirley, aloving Nan to Steven and Ross, aGreat-Nan to Poppy and Jack and acherished Mother-in-law to Michael.

AFunera lS er vice to take place at Telford CrematoriumonWednesday, May 1, 2024 at 10.30am.

Family flowers only please.

Donations if desired to the Midland Air Ambulancefor which purpose acollection boxwillbeprovided at the Crematorium.

All inquiries to

AUSTIN

Sheila nee Hodges

Of Aston Munslow,passed away peacefullyonApril 4, 2024, aged 95 years.

Beloved Wife of the late Eddie Austin, much loved Motherof Christine and Susan,Grandmother of Lyndsey,Russell and Joseph, Great-Grandmother of Lloyd and Rupert.

Private Cremation.

ACelebration of Sheila’s life to be held at Munslow Church on Friday,April 26 at 2pm.

No black to be worn.

Fa mily flowers only, donationswill be divided between Munslow Church and HopeHouse Children’s Hospice.

BOWEN

David John

October 20, 1944March 18, 2024.

Formerly of Condover

All inquiries to

PERIS RICE CARMARTHEN

Funeral Director

Tel01267 243787.

BROWN

Glyn

Of Welshpool, formerly of Pool Quay

Loving Partner of Josie and a respected Brother

Passed away while in hospital the Funeral Service will take place at St John’s Church, Pool QuayonTuesday,April 16, 2024 at 11.30am.

Asplash of colourwouldbe appreciated.

All donations will support The Bri ti sh Hea rt Foundation.

All inquiries to

Of Albr ighton, passe d awaypeacefully at The Old RectoryCare Home on April 6, 2024, aged 78 years.

Beloved Wife of the late Gordon, much loved Mom of Philip, Mom-in-law to Angie andloving Nanna to Sophie and Jack.

Funeral Ser vice at St MaryMagdaleneChurch, Albrighton on Tuesday, April 30, 2024 at 11.30am followed by aprivate Family Committal at Bushbur y Crematorium.

Family flowers only by request but if desired donations for LupusU.K. would be appreciated.

All inquiries to

BRYAN

Mervyn

Of Wellington.

Passed away on March28, 2024 at the Royal ShrewsburyHospital aged 77 years.

Much loved Dad and Fatherin-law to Keland Andy,loving Grandad and kindFriend to many more.

Funeral Service to be held at Telford Crematorium on Thursday,April 25 at 11.30am.

Donations in memor y of Mervyn welcomed to any charities relatedto Christian Aid, Health, Environmentalism or model trains.

All inquiries to

BUFTON

Estyn George Edward Of Presteigne.

Passed away peacefully at Hereford Hospital followinga short Illness on March 26, 2024, aged 88 years.

Father of Martin and the late Lyndon and Brother to the late Fred, Dansy and Hilda.

He will be sadly missed by all his Family and Friends.

Funeral Service will take place at St Andrew’s Church Presteigne on Saturday,April 27, 2024 at 1.00pm, followed by RefreshmentsatPresteigne Football Club.

Family flowers only

Donations, if desiredto, East Radnor Day Centre.

Forfurther information please contact

A.W. HUGHES &SON Independent Family Funeral Directors

Kington: 01544 370217

Presteigne: 01544 267778

CORBETT

Peter

Passed away peacefully at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital on March 19, 2024, aged 90 years, surrounded by his Family

Beloved Husband of Ann, lovingFather of Julie and Suella, amuch loved Gra ndfat her and Great-Grandfather

APrivate FuneralService will be taking place but any donations in Peter’s memory are to go to The British Heart Foundation.

All inquiries please to

CREWE

Edith Eleanor

Formerly of Willow Crescent, Ellesmere.

Passed away peacefully at the Wrexham Maelor Hospital on April 1, 2024, aged 95 years.

Much loved Wife of the late Reg.

Dear Mother to Neville, Trevor,Neil, Terryand Jean.

Adored Nan and Great-Nan.

FuneralSer vice at St Simon &StJude’s Church, Cockshutt on Friday,April 19, 2024 at 11am followedby Interment in the Churchyard.

Floraltributeswouldbe welcome and any kind donati ons in mem or y of Edith will support Oswe str yC at Re scu e. Please use the donation box provided at the Service.

Inquiries to

DAVIES

Curigwen Ann Formerly of The Meadows, Churchstoke.

Passed away peacefullyatSt Nicholas House, Churchstoke on April 5, 2024, aged 82 years.

Wife of the lateGlyn, Mother of Louise and Mark. much lovedGrandma to Catrin and Richard.

Curigwen will be sadly missed by all her Family and Friends.

Funeral Service at St Nicholas Church, Churchstoke on April 25, 2024 at 11am.

Flowers or donationsif desired to St Nicholas Church, Churchstoke and St Nicholas House Ltd Client Account.

All inquiries to WJ MORRIS &SON

DAVIES Frank Of Admaston, Telford.

Leftfor Heaven April 7, 2024, aged 89 years.

Deeply loved and treasured by his Family

Fu neral Ser vice 1pm Tuesday,April30, at St .P ete r’ sC hur c h, Wrockwardine, followed by Inter ment in Wrockwardine Cemetery.

No flowersbyrequest, donations if desired for Open Doors would be appreciated.

All inquiries to

DAVIES

Ian

(Higgy) Of Shifnal, passed away peacefully at The Princess Royal Hospital on March 29, 2024, aged 78 years.

MuchlovedHusband of Sue, loving Dadto Louise and Luke, Father-in-law to Dave, muchloved Grandad of Aaron, Courtney,Charlie and Will.

Funeral Ser vice at St Andrew’s Church, Shifnal on Tuesday,April 30 at 3.00pm followed by Interment in Shifnal Cemetery.

Family flowers only by requestbut if desired donations which will be divided between Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth and Midlands Air Ambulance would be appreciated.

All inquiries to

DAVIES

John

Sadly passed away on April1, 2024, aged 73 years.

Aloving Dad to Thomas and Charlotte and Grandpa to Oliver,and adear Friend who will be missedbyall.

ACelebration of Life will take place at Stafford Crematorium on TixhallRoad on Monday, April 22, 2024 at 3.30pm.

Flowers welcome, donations if desiredto the Motor Neurone Disease Association or Operation Smile.

All inquiries to

NEWPORT&DISTRICT

Funeral Directors

01952 820667.

DAVIES

Margaret ElizabethMarjorie (Marj)

Of Ludlow

Peacefully in Alexandra

House Residential Homeon Sunday,April 7, 2024,aged 94 years.

Much loved Mother, Grandmother and Great-Grandmother Marj will be greatly missed by all her Family and Friends.

Fu neral Ser vice will takeplace at Hereford CrematoriumonWednesday, April 24, at 12.15pm.

Family flowers only please kind donations in Marj’s memorywill be shared between Macmillan Cancer Support and Dementia UK.

All inquiries please to

ELLAMS

Melvin John (Ex Coal Miner)

Of Ashbourne Close, Dawley

Passed away peacefully at the Princess Royal Hospital on March 26, 2024, aged 73 years.

Amuch lovedDad and Grandad he will be sadly missed by all his Family and Friends.

FuneralService 1.30pm, Monday, April 29 at St. Leonards Church, Malinslee followed by Interment in Red Lake Cemetery.

Family flowers only by request, donations if desired for the British Heart Fo undation would be appreciated.

All inquiries to

EVANS

Gladys

Of Re abrook Av enue , Shrewsbury.

Passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her Family on March 31, 2024, aged 94 years.

Beloved Wife of the late Alan. Much loved Mum of Stephen, Christine and Val, Mother-in-law of Sandra, Kevin and Russell and a loving Nan and Great-Nan.

She will be sadly missed by her Family and Friends.

Funeral Service to be held at St Giles Church,Wenlock Ro ad, Shrewsbu ry on Monday,April29, 2024 at 11am, followed by Burialat Emstrey Cemetery.

Family flowers only please, but donations if desired to Dementia UK.

All inquiries please to

EVANSON

Dorothy May (Dot)

nee Cotton Of Wem.

Passed away on April 3, 2024, aged 78 years.

Dear Wife to the late Mike, much loved Mum to Melanie and Katie, Mother-in-law of Mike and Steve.

Loving Nan of Jack, Alice, Oliver,James andAlex and dearGreat-Nan of Amber and Ted.

Funeral Service will be held at St Mary’s Church Edstaston on Thursday,April 18, 2024 at 1.00pm followed by the Interment in the Churchyard.

Donations if desired will support the Lingen Davies Cancer Appeal.

These can be made via a donation boxprovidedat the Service or onlineat e.j.edgerton.co.uk

Inquiries please to

Pauline

nee Chadd Of Six Ashes.

GREENWAY

Kenneth James

Kenpassed away at home in Buxton on March 30, 2024, aged 74 years.

Kenwas amuch loved Son,Brother and loving Brother-in-law and Uncle. He will be sadly missed by all his Family and Friends.

Funeral Servicetotake place at Macclesfield Crematorium on Wednesday,April 24, 2024 at 2pm.

Please wear attire that you are comfortable in.

Donations if so desired will supportBritish Heart Foundation.

Thesecan be made at the Ser vice or onlinewww perci valfuneral s.co.u k/ donations.

All inquiries to:

R.W.PERCIVAL

Belfield House, Heath Street, Buxton, SK17 6LT

Tel: 01298 23056

Deana Michelle

Of Bridgnorth,formerlyof Broseley passed awayather home on March 18, 2024, aged 55 years.

Beloved Mum to Brandon and amuch loved Daughter to Sandra, Sister to Sean, Sister-in-law and Auntie who willbesadly missed by all her Family and Friends.

Funeral Service 4.30pm Friday,April 19, 2024 at Telford Crematorium.

Family flowers only by request but if desired donations for TheStroke Assoc iation would be appreciated, via acollection after the Service.

Inquiries to

HOTCHKISS

George Edward

(Proprietor of Hotchkiss Bros)

Sadly passed away on Wednesday,March 27, 2024, aged 95 years.

Aloving Husband to Joan, Dad, Grampy and dear Friend to many

HURREN

David Arthur

Former Area Manager of The NFU Wem.

Passed away peacefully in the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital on March 30, 2024, aged 85 years.

Much loved Dad to Esta, dear Father-in-law to Steven and Grandad to Ryan, Zachand Summer

Funeral Service to take place on Thursday,April 25 at Emstrey Crematorium at 12.30pm.

Family flowers only please, donations if desired for Macmillan Cancer Support, for which pur pose a collection boxwill be provided at the Crematorium.

All inquiries please to

HUTCHINS

LEWIS

John Alan

(Teller of terrible jokes).

Of Langt ree Drive, Shrewsbury.

Passed away at Isle Court NursingHomeonMarch19, 2024, aged 86 years.

Devoted Husband of the late Janet, abeloved Uncle and Friend to many

He will be sadly missed.

Funeral Service at Emstrey Crematorium,Shrewsbury on Friday,May 10, 2024 at 2pm.

Family flowers only please.

Donations if wished for the Severn Hospice, Bicton which can alsobemade online using the following link john-a-lewis.muchloved com

Allinquiries to

Passed away peacefully on April 2, 2024.

Aged 91 years.

Beloved Wife of the late Gerald.

Al ovi ng Mot her , Grandmother and Great-Grandmother

Funeral Service at St. Peter and St Pauls’ Church, Wem on Wednesday,April 17, 2024 at 3.30pm. Followed by Committal at Emstrey Crematorium,Shrewsbury at 5pm.

If people could wear a touch of purple to the Funeral Service it would be appreciated by the Family Donations, if desired will support the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity,these can be made via adonation boxprovided at the Service or online at e.j.edgerton. co.uk

All inquiries to

MANN

HIGGINS

Glenis Margaret Of Shrawardine.

Passed awaypeacefully on March 26, 2024, aged 85 years.

Loving Sister and Auntie.

Pauline will be sadly missed by Family and Friends.

Funeral Servicetotake place at Emstrey Crematorium, ShrewsburyonFriday,April 19, 2024 at 11.30am.

GOUGH

Joyce

nee Middleton Of Shrewsbury.

Passed awaypeacefully on March 26, 2024, aged 92 years.

Lo ving MumtoKevin, Mother-in-law to Margaret, much loved Grannie to Gillian and Alan and Great-Grannie to Gracie, George, Ben and Emily

Joyce will be sadlymissed by all her loving Family and Friends.

Funeral Servicetotake place at Emstrey Crematorium, ShrewsburyonWednesday, April 24 at 10.45am.

Family flowers only please, donations if desiredtoThe Midlands Air Ambulance. All inquiries to FURNESS

Passed awayatThe Ferns Residential Home on March 28, 2024, aged 93 years.

Beloved Wife of the late Fred.

Much loved Mum to Pa t, Davi d, Barb ara , Graham, Mark and Paul, Mother-in-law to Graham, Pat, Debbie and Justine.

Tr easu red Nan and Great-Nanto5Grandchildren and 2Great-Grandchildren.

Sister to Mick and Len and Sister-in-law to Irene and Pat.

Glenis willbesadly missed by all herloving Family and Friends.

Funeral Service to take place at St Marythe Virgin Church, Shrawardine on Friday,May 3, 2024 at 12noon.

Followed by Interment.

Family flowers only please.

Dona tions if desir ed will be shared between Shrawardine Church and Parkinson’s UK.

All inquiries please to

ACelebration of Life will take place at Telford Crematorium on Tuesday,April 23, 12.30pm.

Family flowers only,donations if desired for Telford Hospice.

All inquiries to

NEWPORT&DISTRICT

Funeral Directors

01952 820667.

HUGHES

Roy Pryce Of Bishops Castle.

Passed away peacefully at home on March 27, 2024, aged 75 years.

Much loved Dad of Richard and Emma, beloved Grandad RoytoMarley and Stevie and a much loved Brother

Roywill be sadly missed by all his Family and Friends.

Funeral Service at St John the BaptistChurch, Bishops Castle on Friday,April 26, 2024 at 11am.

Family flowers only please, donationsifdesired to Midlands Air Ambulance and British Heart Foundation.

All inquiries to

WJ MORRIS &SON

Funeral Directors

Maglona (Lona) Of Dawley,Telford.

Passed away peacefully on March 26, 2024, aged 92 years.

Wife of the late Arthur,much lovedMum of Philand Les, Dave and Deb, Jan and Al.

Loving Nan of Lisa and Jack, Pete and Sarah, Steph and Dom, David and Hannah. Treasured Nainie of Poppy, Harley and Logan.

Service of Thanksgiving 2.30pm, Monday,April 22, 2024 at Dawley Baptist Church.

No black to be worn.

Family flowers only by request but donations if desired which will be dividedbetweenDawley Ba pti st Ch urch an d Alzheimer’sSociety would be appreciated.

All inquiries to

LIMBREY

Eileen Frances

Amuchloved Wife, Mother of four and Grandmother of seven. Died peacefully at Royal ShrewsburyHospital on March 26, 2024.

The FuneralService will take place at Our Lady &St. Oswald’s Roman Catholic Church, Upper Brook Street, Oswestry on Tuesday,April 23, at 2pmfollowedby Cremation at Pentrebychan Crematorium, Wrexham.

Family flowers only

Donations if desired to Our Lady &St. Oswald’s Roman CatholicChurchand Lingen Davies Cancer Fund.

All Inquiries to

Lilian Joyce (Joyce)

Of Wellington.

Passed away peacefully at her home on March 29, 2024, aged 98 years.

She will be sadly missed by all those who knewher

Fu ner al Ser vice 2pm , Wednesday,April 24 at Emstrey Crematorium, Shrewsbury.

Flowers welcome or if desired donationswill be dividedbetween theSevern Hospice and Hope House Children’s Hospice.

All inquiries please to

MILLICHAP

Edward John

Passed away peacefullyin his sleep at home in Church Stretton on March 28, 2024, aged 78 years.

Loving Husband to Daphne and much loved Dad to Peter and Sarah.

Funeral Service to be held on Wednesday,April 24, 2024 at 3.30pm at Shrewsbury Crematorium.

Family flowers only please, donations if desired will go to Cancer Research. Asplash of colour to be worn would be appreciated by Family

All inquiries to

HORTON

MOULE

John Edward

Passed away peacefully on March 21, 2024, aged 63 years, of Moreton Say,Market Drayton

Dear Husband of Jackie and loving Dad of Martin. He will be sadly missed by all his Family and Friends

FuneralService 1.30pm on Tuesday,April 23, 2024 at Telford Crematorium.

Family flowers only but donationsifsodesired for The Wildlife Trust for which purpose acollection boxwillbeprovided at the Crematorium.

All inquiries please to

O’BRIEN

David

Of Wellington, passed away peacefully at The Princess Royal Hospital on March 27, 2024, aged 74 years

Loving Husband of Diane, Dad of Amanda, Mel, Nick and Joel and agrumpy Grandad.

He will be sadly missed.

FuneralService 4.30pm, Tuesday,April 23, 2024 at Telford Crematorium.

Family flowers only but if desired donations to The PrioryResidents Comforts Fund would be appreciated.

All inquiries to

PARKER

Joan Mai

formerly Wauchope Of Ryelands, Shrewsbury

Passed away peacefully at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital on March 28, 2024, aged 89 years.

Lovin gWife to the late Gordon, treasured Mothe r, Gran dmo the r, Great-Grandmother and Sister

Joanwill be sadly missed by all herloving Family and Friends.

Funeral Service to be held at Emstrey Crematorium on Friday,April 26, 2024 at 12.30pm.

Family flowers only please but donations if desired to Asthma &Lung UK.

All inquiries please to

PICKSTOCK

James (Jim)

Of Meifod

Passed away suddenly but peacefully on April 4, 2024. Aged 79 years.

Loving Husband of the late Judy

Muchloved Father of Abi and Nathan, Father-in-law of Ellyw,and Grandad of Grace and Robert and dear Brother and Uncle.

Funeral Service at Meifod Church, on Tuesday,April 23 at 2.00pm. Followedby Interment in the Churchyard.

Family flowers only please.

Donations if desired will be gratefully received and shared between local charities.

Inquiries to

PULLINGER

Brian

Of Dawley

Passed away peacefully at Morris Care Centre on March 27, 2024 aged 84 years.

Muchloved Dad,Grandad and Great-Grandad.

He will be sadly missed by all of his Family and Friends.

Funeral Service 10.30am Wednesday,April 24 at Telford Crematorium.

Family flowers only by request but if desired donations to the Hilbrae Rescue Kennels would be appreciated.

All inquiries please

SIDOLI

Pearl

Formerly of Kingsland, Shrewsbury.

On March 4, 2024. Aged 95 years.

Beloved Mother of Francis, Peter,Carlo and Marisa.

Ser vice at Shrewsbur y Cathedral, Town Walls on Wednesday,April 17, 2024 at 1.15pmfollowed by a private Burial at Shrewsbury General Cemetery.

Family flowers only please.

Donations, if wished, would be gratefully received for Hope House Children’s Hospices,forwhichpurposea collection boxwill be made available at the Cathedral.

All inquiries please to

CLIVE PUGH

Funeral Directors 95, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, SY2 6BD

Tel: 01743 244644

SILCOCK

James (known as Peter) Of Telford, formerly of Liverpool.

Passed away peacefully at the Princess Royal Hospital on March 28, 2024.

Aged 90 years.

Reunited with his Wife Marie.

Aloving Dad to Peter, Carolann and Sheena, a beloved Grandfather to Graeme, Robyn and David and aGreat-Grandfather (GG) to Sophia.

AFunera lS er vice to take place at Telford CrematoriumonWednesday, April 24, at 12.30pm.

Family flowers only please Donations if desired to Guide Dogs for the blind for which pur pose a collection will be provided at the Crematorium.

Inquiries please to

TELLIS

June Shirley

Of Ludlow, Shropshireand then MontgomeryHouse, Shrewsbury.

Passed away peacefully on March 5, 2024, aged 87 years.

Beloved Wife of the late Ivan, Mother to Rodger and Claire.

Grandmother to Charlie, Miriam, Luke,Raymond and Millicent andGreatGrandmother to Jacob, Sophie and Wren.

All inquiries please to

TURNER

Sheila

On April 6, 2024, passed away peacefully,aged 88 years and of St. Martins.

Beloved Wife of the late George, dearly loved Mum of Tracy andSusan, dear Mother-in-law of Paul, devoted Nan to Lindsay and Paul and amuchloved Great-Grandmother and much loved by all her Family and Friends.

Funeral Service at St. Martins Parish Church on Wednesday, April 24, at 11am followed by Interment in Dudleston Churchyard.

Family flowers only please, donations if desired to the Alzheimer’s Society

All inquiries please to

EDMUND ROWLANDS AND SON

Funeral Directors, Chirk.

01691 772462

WATSON

Graham Of Shrewsbury.

Beloved HusbandofChris and aTrueand Sincere Friend to many passed away at home.

The Funeral arrangements will be announced once they are finalised.

All inquiries please

WHISTON Enid Of Baschurch.

Passed away at the Royal ShrewsburyHospital on April 6, 2024, aged 92.

Amuch lovedMother, Grandmother and Great-Grandmother

Funeral Service at Emstrey Crematorium,Shrewsbury on Monday,April 22, 2024 at 4.15pm.

Family flowers only please, donationsifwished for the Severn Hospice.

All inquiries please to

WHITE

Jean Elizabeth

Passed away afterashort illness in Hereford County Hospital on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, aged 88 years.

She will be sadly missed by all her Familyand many Friends.

Private Cremation.

Donations if desired to Strettons Mayfair Trust

All inquiries to

BEVAN

Ronald Thomas

Patand Family would sincerely like to thankFamily, Friends and MilitaryComrades for their kindness andsupport received at the sad loss of Ron.

Thanks also for the letters and cards.

Also thankyou to everyone for their attendance at the Funeral and for the wonderful donations amounting to £1,000 for the Severn Hospice.

Special thanks to Andrew Trelawny for everythinghe has done for us.

Thanks to Alan Painterof Frank Painter and Sons.

TARR

Graham

Pauline, Craig, Paul and Family would like to thank most sincerely all Friends and Neighbours for their wonderful support, kindness and lovely messagesof sympathy received on the sad loss of Graham.

Thank you to everyone who attended the Funeral and for thegenerous donations received, which amounted to £858, to be divided between the ITU andthe HDU Unit at The Princess Royal Hospital, Telford.

Thank you to Gerald Owen for amost upliftingService, Just Jackiefor the lovely flowers, the Ugly Duckling, Long Lanefor thewonderful food and specialthanks to the CJ WilliamsFuneral Service, to Louise for all her empathy, kindnessand attentionto detail.

BROTHWOOD Veronica (Von)

nee Bayliss Twoyears today

Istill miss you terriblyand wish you were back here with me.

WIGLEY

John Bryan

Rachel, Christine, Edward, John and Families wish to express their sincere thanks to everyone for their kind messages of sympathy received and for the attendance of so many who attended Bryan’s Funeral at Whittington Parish Church andfor all your generous donations.

Our specialthanks go to all the staff at Meadowbrook Care Home.

Love Mervyn and Steven EVERTON Margaret

Iknow my Wife who was dear to my heart, suddenly one day it was torn apart. She gave me love and changed my life and Iwill never forget all the love you gave me.

Your loving Husband Kenand all the Family XX

Decision puts ‘profits before childsafety’,claim

Campaignershavelabelled Meta’s decision to lowerthe minimum age limittouse WhatsApp in theEU andthe UK from 16 to 13 as “tone deaf”, saying it puts profitbefore childsafety.

Thesocialmedia giantsaidthe change in Europe would“ensurea consistent minimumage requirement forWhatsAppglobally”,but it comesatatimewhenmanyare raising concerns aboutthe negative impact smartphonescan have on young people,withcalls to ban either socialmedia or access to smartphonesfor under-16s.

Here is acloserlookatthe issue.

WHAT HASCHANGEDON WHATSAPP?

As part of awider update to its termsofservicesand privacypolicies, to bringthe platformin line with newEUonline safety laws,the messagingplatformsaiditwas loweringits minimumage requirement in Europe from 16 to 13

TheMeta-ownedservice said this will make it “consistent” with theminimum agerequirementin hadinplace elsewherearoundthe world

WHAT HASBEEN THERESPONSE?

Campaign groupSmartphone Free Childhood urgedthe platform to reverse thechange, saying it was acynical attempttogainmoreusersinEurope.

Daisy Greenwell, thegroup’s co-founder,saidWhatsAppwas putting“shareholder profits first” andcalledthe decision “tonedeaf” given the“increasinglyloudalarm bellsbeing rung by scientists, doctors, teachers, childsafetyexperts, parentsand mentalhealthexperts alike” around socialmedia and closedmessaging apps

WHAT HAVE EXPERTSAND OTHERS SAID?

Anumberofrecentstudies have

shownparents have concerns over socialmedia andsmartphoneuse Arecentpollfromcharity Parentkind foundthatmorethanfourin five parentssaidtheyfeltsmartphones were “harmful”tochildren andyoung people,and 58 percent of parentsbelieve theGovernment should introduce aban on smartphones forunder-16s

Several otherstudies have suggested young people arebeing exposedtoarange of harmfulcontent online,while teachers andyoung peoplethemselveshavereported incidents of cyber-bullying

In February,the Department for Education(DfE) publishedguidance,which is non-statutory, which instructed headteachersonhow to banthe useofphonesinschools, not only during lessons, butduring breakand lunchperiods as well

IS WHATSAPP AN OUTLIER BY SETTING ITS MINIMUM AGETO13?

No.Mostother socialmedia and

messaging platforms, including Facebook,Messenger,Instagram, Snapchat,TikTok, andX–formerly Twitter –list13astheir minimum agerequirementintheir termsof serviceorcommunity guidelines.

SO WHYHAS THEWHATSAPP CHANGE SPARKEDSUCHA REACTION NOW?

TheWhatsAppchangehas come at atimeofheighteneddebateabout agerestrictionsfor young people usingphones andsocialmedia.

Esther Ghey,the mother of murderedteenager Brianna, is campaigning foranage limitfor smartphoneusage andstrictercontrols on access to socialmedia apps

Daniel Kebede,the head of the National EducationUnion (NEU), thelargesteducation unionin the UK,has also called on theGovernment to hold an inquiryinto“dangerous”content whichyoung people areabletoaccess on theirsmartphones.

Andthere have been reportsthat theGovernmentisconsidering bringing forwardproposals to ban thesaleofmobilephonestounder-16s.

WHAT ABOUTEXISTING ONLINE SAFETY LAWS?

TheOnlineSafetyAct passed into lawlastyear, andonline safety regulatorOfcom is alreadyworkingoncodes of practice to help it enforcethe rules. Buttheywillnot begintotakeeffectuntil next year

It requires socialmedia companies to curb thespreadofillegal contentontheir platformsand protectchildrenfromseeingpotentially harmfulmaterial, with large finesamong thepotential penalties forthose whobreachthe newrules

However,Ms Ghey hassaidshe believes it does notgofar enough

ShetoldBBC Radio4’s Today programmebackinFebruarythat “the internet andsocialmedia is so vast,Ithink it will be so hard to police”.

“The second pointisas well,that comments andfreespeech– and don’tget me wrong, Iamall forfree speech– butsomeofthe comments I have seen on socialmedia posts and some of thearticlesthatI’vedone, they arejusthateful comments,” shesaid.

“The Online Safety Bill is not goingtoprotect children andyoung people from seeing that kind of horriblecontent because Idon’t think that will be deemed as harmful.”

ButPrime Minister RishiSunak has backed thelegislation,telling the BBCthatthe Actwould give the regulatorpowerstoensuresocial mediacompanies areprotecting children from harmfulmaterial.

He said:“They shouldn’t be seeingit, particularly things likeselfharm,and if they don’tcomplywith theguidelinesthatthe regulator puts down they will be in forvery significant fines, because likeany parent we want ourkidstobegrowingupsafely,out playingin fields or online.”

Campaigntoend ‘tonedeaf’ lowerage limitonWhatsApp

Social mediagiant Meta hasbeenurged to reverse theloweringof theminimum agetouse WhatsApp.

Thechange, whichreduces the agelimit from 16 to 13,has come into forceinthe UK andEU.

Campaign groupSmartphone Free Childhood said themove by Meta,which also owns Facebook andInstagram,was “tonedeaf”

Co-founder Daisy Greenwellsaid: “WhatsAppisputting shareholder profits firstand children’s safety second “Reducingtheir ageofuse from 16 to 13 yearsold is completely tone deaf andignores theincreasingly loud alarmbells beingrungby scientists, doctors, teachers, child

ROBFREEMAN PressAssociation

safety experts, parentsand mental health expertsalike.”

Sheadded: “Amongparents, WhatsApp is seen as thesafestsocialmedia app, ‘because it’s just messaging,right?’.

“And in that wayitworks likea gatewaydrugfor therestofthe socialmedia apps.Ifyou’remessaging yourfriends on WhatsApp,why not messagethemonSnapchat?

“WhatsAppisfar from risk-free. It’s oftenthe firstplatformwhere children areexposedtoextreme content, bullying is rife andit’sthe messaging appofchoicefor sexual predators duetoits end-to-end encryption.”

ConservativeMPVicky Ford, amember of theeducation select committee,saidMeta’sdecision to reduce theage recommendation withoutconsultingparents was “highlyirresponsible”

PrimeMinisterRishi Sunaksaid theOnlineSafetyAct wouldgive theregulator powers to ensure socialmedia companiesare protecting children from harmfulmaterial.

Guidelines

He said:“They shouldn’tbeseeingit, particularly things likeselfharm,and if they don’tcomply with theguidelinesthatthe regulator puts down therewill be in forvery significant fines, because like any parent we want ourkidstobegrowingupsafely,out playingin fields or

Teenager denies terrorismcharge

An 18-year-oldman haspleaded not guilty to disseminating terrorist publications.

Alex Edwards, formerly known as Alex Hutton, enteredhis plea at Winchester CrownCourt

Theteenager, of Morriston in Swansea, previously pleadedguilty to assaultoccasioning actual bodily harm againstawoman on May20 2023.Healsopreviouslyadmitted having abladedarticle in apublic placeinNovemberand breaching a criminal behaviourorder imposed on September 92021.

Theterrorism offence, alleged to have takenplaceonadatebetween September 24 to November162023, is understood to relate to an extreme right-wing homemade video. Judge ChristopherParkerKC adjournedthe case untilthe trial on theterrorism offenceand an offenceofattemptingtocause grievousbodilyharmwithintent, which is settostart on July 2.

Blastdeath total reachesseven

DiversinnorthernItaly have recoveredthe last twobodiesof workers killed by an explosion that collapsedand flooded several levelsofanunderground hydroelectricplant

It brings thetotal number confirmed dead to seven.

Tuesday’sexplosion at the Enel GreenPower plant, in northernBologna province,occurred at adepth of some 40 metres(130feet) belowwater level.

Four otherwounded workers arecurrently in hospital,two of them ‘serious’, officials said

Theblast at theBargi plant happened during worktoincrease theplant’s efficiency,the companysaidinastatement

A fire brokeout when aturbine exploded on theeighth floor below thesurface, floodingthe floorbelow.The cause is still unknown.

Driver ‘couldn’t see’ crashvictim

online.” WhatsApp said thechange wasbringingthe agelimitinline with themajorityofcountries and protectionswerein place.

Meta this week unveiled arange of newsafetyfeatures designed to protectusers,inparticularyoung people,from“sextortion”and intimate imageabuse

It confirmed it will begintesting a filter in Direct Messages (DMs)on Instagram, called Nudity Protection,which will be on by defaultfor thoseagedunder 18 andwill automaticallyblurimages sent to users whichare detectedas containing nudity

When receivingnudeimages, users will also seea messageurgingthemnot to feel pressure to respond, andanoptiontoblock the sender andreportthe chat

Adriver killed apensionerinasupermarket carparkasshe couldn’t seeher duetosteamed-upwindows MayMustey, 45,hit Gwendoline Owen,75, in theWaitrosecar park in Monmouth, southWales,atabout 4.15pm on December 31 2022

JohnRyan, prosecuting,toldCardiff CrownCourt Mustey’s Toyota Yariswindows were steamedupbut dueto“impatience”she drove with herheadstuck outofthe driver side window.Asshe left thecar park she struck MrsOwen, whodiedhours laterin hospital from head injuries

Mustey,ofMaypole,Monmouth, previously admitted causingdeath by dangerousdriving.OwenWilliams, defending,saidshe hadwrittena“heartfeltand genuineletter of apology” to MrsOwen’sfamily. Mustey wassentenced to 20 months, suspended for18months, banned from drivingfor five years, must complete200 hoursofunpaid workand pay£1,200incosts

Campaigners areopposed to thechangeinage limittouse theapp

PUZZLES

PUT YOUR BRAIN POWER TO THE TEST WITHTHESE CONUNDRUMS

QUIZ CHALLENGE

PRIZE CROSSWORDCHALLENGE

1. Of which Canadian province is Halifax the capital?

2. Since World WarII, which London building has been the venue for the Proms?

3. Which novel by Truman Capote features the character Holly Golightly?

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

6. With which sport is Wayne Gretzky associated?

7. Of which mineral is amethyst a variety?

Every week we give a£20 prizefor thecryptic and£10 prizefor thequick crosswordtothe sendersofthe first all-correct entries openedatnoonon Thursday.These prizeswill be given as aOne4all giftcardwhichcan be spent in anumber of high streetstoresnationwide.The solutionsand names of the winnerswillbepublished nextSaturday. Mark yourenvelopewitheither‘cryptic’ or ‘quick’and addressthemtoPromotions Department, MNAMedia,8th Floor, ManderHouse,ManderCentre, Wolverhampton, WV13NH. Or emaila scanof your completedcrosswordtopromotions@mnamedia.co.uk

8. For which film did Frank Sinatra win an Oscar?

9. Which sport is named after the seat of the Duke of Beaufort?

4. Which company famous for shoes and handbags was founded in Florence in 1921?

THEVOUCHER WINNERS FOR LAST SATURDAY ARE:

10. By what name arethe followers of Sun Myung Moon’sUnification Church usually known?

£20VOUCHER: ROYMAPP, TELFORD

5. How many horns does the Indian rhinoceros have?

£10VOUCHER: MRS BCLIFTON,WALSALL

WORDWISE

The wordmay sound familiar,but do you know what it means?

ABCDEF GHIJKLM NOPQRST UVWXY Z

Each number in the codewordgrid represents adifferent letter of the alphabet. Youhave two letters in the control grid to start you off. Enter them in the appropriate squares in the main grid, then use your knowledge of words to work out which letters should go in the missing squares.

As you get the letters, fill in other squares with the same number in the main grid and control grid. Check offthe alphabetical list of letters as you identify them.

NINER

The numbers from 1to9represent different letters. Solve the clues and insert the letters in the appropriate squares to find the answer

gives aformer tennis player;

gives aformer tennis player;

gives tennis shots.

SPIRAL

JACENT

A South American tree

B Recumbent

C Near

(4,3,6) 12345

SUDOKU

Each row, column and 3x3 box must contain numbers 1to9

JUST SO

Which well-known saying or expression can be found below?

WORDSEARCH Ed Sheeran

4. Bill is anobleman, we hear (7)

8. Pages he put in series (6)

9. It’sgear unusually wornby the bishop (7)

10. Check the examination paper again and make a comment (6)

11. Among the battered articles the shopkeeper returned (6)

12. It’ssweet when the marksman gets it (8)

18. I’d returned to rigidly defined area (8)

20. The girl bather in distress... (6)

21. ...she upsets Charles endlessly (6)

22. Organise asite for firing, by the sound of it (7)

23. It’srarely found in the tester’scar certificate (6)

Keywordclue: Atype of cheese

24. Drinks for the hunting party (7)

1. Attribute to teacher of Jewish law (7)

2. Sailor’sknot? (3,4)

3. Keeps asupply for shops (6)

5. Gossips could be a shocking threat in the Civil Service (8)

6. He’sostracised and not in the act (6)

7. Gave patient attention (6)

13. Jeopardise the conclusion with loss of temper (8)

14. Reactionary who won’t depart easily? (7)

15. Describing any flower deliberately sought after (7)

16. Look for this kind of light (6)

17. What awaiter uses in the vessel gets mislaid (6)

19. Old-fashioned way to keep the rain out of yonder church (6)

WORDSQUARE QUICK CROSSWORD

How many words of four letters or morecan you make from this Word Square? Each wordmust use the central letter,and each letter may be used only once. At least one wordusing all nine letters can be found. Proper nouns and plurals arenot allowed, however verb forms ending in ‘s’ arepermitted.

Good; 25 Very Good;

Excellent.

LAST SATURDAY’S SOLUTIONS

QUICK CROSSWORD

ACROSS DOWN

FOOD

Eggs-actly what is needed to beat thosemorning hangovers

ANDY

We’veheard them allbefore –“liquor before beer andyou’reinthe clear”, “beerbeforewineand you’ll be fine” – but what hangover remedies actually work?

Whilst no one encourages drinkingtoexcess, there’sno need to scramble when themorning-after misery hits.Yourhangover remedy is waitingfor you in yourfridge Research findsthateggscan help fightthe symptoms of ahangover

Firstly, eggs containthe mighty cysteine,anamino acid that alleviates nausea, headaches, andeven stress andanxiety by breaking down acetaldehyde,one of theworst by-productsofalcohol metabolism

Nutritionist CatMacDonald says:“Hangover eating habitsvary from wantingtodevoureverything in sighttofeeling nauseousatthe thoughtofwater.Choosingsomethinglight that givesyou an energy boost, andmight justspeed up recovery, is always asensibleoption.

“Ofcourse,eggsare the ‘go-to’ if you have overindulged.Aswell as beingpackedwithvitaminsand minerals, theiramino acid cysteine helpstooffsetthe noxiouseffects of acetaldehyde,anasty byproductofalcoholmetabolism andthe substance that’s making yourhead pound andstomach churn.”

BritishLion eggs hasthree recipestoadd to yourrecovery routine to crackthe hangover code

BREAKFASTPIZZA WITH EGGS

Ingredients: Serves one

1tsp oliveoil

1small garlicclove,crushed

100g baby spinachleaves

Apinch of salt

Ground blackpepper

1slice leftover pizza

1large BritishLionegg 25gcheddar cheese, grated Afew blackolivesorhalved

cherry tomatoes (optional)

Apinch of driedoreganoor mixedherbs

Method: Preheatoven to gasmark 6/200°C/180°C fan. Drizzle1 tspof oilinanoven proofdish, addthe garlic,spinach andseasoning and stir well to mixand coat theleaves. Bake forthree minutes untilthe leaves have wilted

Remove thedishfromthe oven andtakeout thespinach leaves

Layyourslice of leftover pizzain thedishand topwiththe spinach leaves.Makeahollowand crackin theBritish Lion egg. Scatter over thecheese, olives,tomatoes, (if using) andherbsand season with blackpepper.

Bake for12-15 minutes or until theBritish Lion eggisset to your liking. Servehot

TOMDALEY’S HUEVOSRANCHEROS

Ingredients:

4mediumBritish Lioneggs 1tbspolive oil

1mediumonion, finely sliced 1x400gtin blackbeans, drained andrinsed

1green chilli,deseeded and finely chopped

200g cherry tomatoes,

quartered juice of 1/2lime 1/4garlicclove,crushed 1/2tbspolive oil

Corn tortillas 1/2avocado,sliced 40gfeta, crumbled

Small handfulofcoriander, roughly chopped Method: Heat half of theolive oil in alarge frying panover medium-high heat

Addthe onion andcookfor five to seven minutes,until starting to soften. Addthe blackbeans andcook forafurther threeminutes,then addthe chilli.Cookfor twomore minutes,thenroughly mash with a potato masher or afork. Make four indentsinthe bean mash andcrack an eggintoeach one.Seasonwithsaltand pepper Reduce theheattomediumand cook for five to sevenminutes,cov-

Afeast full of familyfun at food festival

Theaward-winningShrewsbury Food Festival will be returningto thetown’sQuarryparkonJune29 and30.

eringthe pantowards theend,if needed,tohelpthe eggs cook

Meanwhile, make thetomato salsa. Combinethe tomatoes,lime juice, garlic andremaining oliveoil in abowland season to taste.

Heat thecorntortillas according to thepackinstructions. Once the eggs arecooked, spoonover most of thetomatosalsa,add theavocado slices to thepan,crumble over the feta andsprinkleover thecoriander. Enjoystraight away with the corn tortillas.

SWEETPOTATOROSTI WITH SALMON ANDEGGS

Ingredients: Serves four 1large sweetpotato(400g)

1tsp salt

5tbspplain flour, sifted

5large BritishLioneggs

3tsp vegetable oil

2.5cmfresh root ginger,grated 2clovesgarlic

1/2red chilli,deseeded and chopped

200g spinach

100g smoked salmon slices

Method: Peel andcoarsely grate thesweet potatoes,tip into afew sheets of kitchenpaper andsqueeze outany excess moisture. Tipintoa bowl,add the flour, salt,plentyof ground blackpepperand oneofthe eggs.Mix well

Heat 1tsp of oilinafryingpan, when hotadd heaped dessertspoonfuls of thepotatomixture into the pan. Spread each untilitisabout 1cmthick and9cm across. Cook over amediumheatfor threeminutes on each side or untilgolden and crisp. Transfer to aplate andkeep warm.Repeattomake12rosti in total.

Addanother teaspoonofoil to thepan,add theginger, garlic and chilli andstirfor 10 secondsbefore adding thespinach leaves.Stiruntil theleaveshavewilted. Keep warm

Fill alarge deep panwithwater andasplashofvinegar andbring to arapid boil.Whenthe waterboils, crackone eggatatimeontoasaucerthen, tipintothe water so that it sinkstothe base of thepan forming ateardropshape.Repeatwiththe othereggs.

Reduce theheattoasimmer and cook theeggsfor threeto five minutes,depending how you likeyour eggs

Divide therosti betweenwarm plates,top with thespinach,folds of salmon and finallyapoached egg on each

It hasbeennamed theFestival of theYearat theWestMidlands TourismAwards2024for thefoodie,familyfun it provides,where the region’s best producersand chefs will serveup fine food anddrink

Thechefline-up forthe Talks andDemos Stageand MonksChef School will be ledbyFestivalHead Chef,Chris Burt.Hewill be joined by Marc WilkinsonfromFraiche, CarlaErnst andBen Hall from The Walrus,StuartCollins from Docket Restaurant,and JamesSherwin from Wild Shropshire, to name but afew.The Kids CookerySchoolis also back by populardemand.

TheorganisersatShropshire Festivalspride themselves on only acceptingquality food anddrink

producersand making sure there’s awidechoice of products

Youcan pickupaward-winning handmade farmhousecheesefrom Bexton Cheese,cooldownwithlocallymadetreatsfromthe ShropshireIce CreamCompany,enjoy healthybrowniesand blondies from Skinny SlabsorPortuguesetarts from TheSunrise Patisserie, and forthe firsttimeyou will be able to pickupabottleofShrewsburyGin

In total, therewillbearound200 independentstallsofferingquality food anddrink,and homeware and garden itemsinthe Cornovii DevelopmentsHome andGardensArea.

The festival is allabout supportinglocal,and that extendstothe Live MusicStage with aselection of topbands from theMidlands.

Acts includeTwo BlankPages,Ego Friendly,Dirty Rockin Scoundrels, andGroove Dynamite.

Thefamilyentertainmentbandstandwillshowcasesome of Get Your WigleOn’sstars, alongwith theLudlow ConcertBand. Shrewsbury MorrisDancers will be performingonthe Saturday.Asalways therewill be an entire fieldoffree kids’activitiesinthe Adcote School Kids Area

TheReconomy FieldtoForkarea will continue to educatevisitorson thefood andfarming sectors.

n Foradvance tickets, visitwww shrewsburyfoodfestival.co.uk

Breakfast pizzafor that hangover

Potato rosti with apoached egg

Colourful huevos rancheroswith friedeggsare packedwith goodness

RICHARDSON andy.richardson@mnamedia.co.uk

Chef Chris Burt at thefestival

Pattiescan be served with a friedegg for an easy

meal

“These area greatsupperdish andcan be madeinbatches and keptchilled inthe refrigerator foruptofourdays, or frozen for threemonths,”sayscookbook writer KatieCaldesi

SPICYROOTPATTIES

Ingredients: For12patties Forthe patties:

450gtrimmed andpeeled root vegetables

100g trimmedleek, cleaned and finely chopped 2eggs

250g halloumi cheese, coarsely grated 60gchickpea flour 15gchives, parsleyor coriander, finely chopped 2tsp ground cumin

2tsp chilli flakes or finely chopped freshhot chilli

Optional additions: 4friedeggs

Handfulofcoriander or parsley

Method: Line abakingtray with baking paper. Coarsely gratethe rootvegetables in afood processororby hand.Put them into abowland pour over enough boiling water to cover.Leave to standfor two minutes,stirringacouple of times. Pour thevegetablesinto acolanderand leave to drainfor afew minutes

Drop thesqueezedvegetables into alarge mixing bowl.Heat theoven to 220°C/200°Cfan (425°F), GasMark7

Nowadd theleek, eggs,halloumi, flour, herbsand spices andcombine.Dividethe mixture into 12 ballsand gentlysqueeze them into burger shapes with yourhands,squeezingout anyfurther moisture. Layeachone on theprepared baking trayand flattenslightly, then bake in theoven for20–25 minutes untilgolden brownand just firm to thetouch

Servewithafried eggontop if you like, scatteredwithcorianderorparsley,ifusing

Workingout what youshould eattocombat type 2diabetes

PRUDENCEWADE PressAssociation

When KatieCaldesi’s husband, Giancarlo, was firstdiagnosed with type 2diabetesoveradecade ago, thecouple“didn’t take it seriously”.

Caldesiand herhusband arerestaurateurs, sofood is amassive part of theirdaily life–and they initially didn’t consider making anymajor changestoGiancarlo’s diet

“Wedidn’ttakeitseriously, we justthought,‘Oh well,lotsofpeoplehavethat’.It’sjustone of those things,” Caldesi, 60,says.

Giancarlo, now 72,was told to cutbackonhis sugar, so he stopped taking it in hiscoffee, “Butthere wasn’t much [more] information availableatthattime,”Caldesi says

Butthenhegot “muchworse”, sheremembers. “Hewas told he wasglutenintolerant, he hadall sortsofaches andpains, he hadterriblegout, terrible arthritis.”

This spurredhim to give up gluten– no mean feat fora pasta-loving Italian–which Caldesisays“probablysaved hislife”

From there, thecouplewenton ajourney to discover thelow-carb diet.In2015, Giancarlo’stype2 diabeteshad been turned into pre-diabetes, andby2017he wasinremission

Caldesidoesn’t have type 2diabetes, butshe says she’sbenefited from alow-carblifestyle.“Youhave more energy,” shesays.

“Manyyears agoasa secretaryI usedtohaveahigh-carb lunch, and Iusedtohavea slumpafter lunch at my typewriter andthink that wasnormal. Butit’snot normalto have adip mid-afternoon.”

Sheadds: “Ifyou keepyoursugar levels stable,you don’t getthe tiredness andyou don’tget theextreme hunger.I hadtoeat as soonasIgot outofbed,because Ithought I’mgoingtofaint if Idon’t eat. Andnow Igowithout breakfastmostmornings.”

Buckinghamshire-basedCaldesi haswritten her18thcookbook,dedicated to craftingalow-carbeating plan.It’sadvisabletosee adoctor

if youhaveany queriesaroundtype 2diabetesoryourpersonalhealth, butthese areCaldesi’s tips foranyone whowants to trya low-carb diet

KNOW THATSTARCHISSUGAR

This is the firstpoint Caldesi wantseveryone to know:“Starch breaks down to sugar, andIstill thinkmostpeopledon’t realise that.”

Shesuggests that when Giancarlo firstgaveupsugar,itdidn’tmake much of adifferencebecause he was still eating alot ofstarchy foods.

“That’sthe messageheneededto have from thestart,because Idon’t thinkwereallyunderstood that starch breaks down to sugar, andso giving up sugarisone part of carbohydrate–but theother part of the carbohydrate is thestarch.

“Clearly giving up sugardidn’t help hisdiabetes, because it got worse.Itwasn’tuntil we gave up thestarch element that he started to notonlyloseweightveryquickly, but theinflammation went down, hisarthritis went,his gout went Andwhenhegot checkedfor his HBA1C[atestofyourblood sugar levels]itcamedowntopre-diabetes levels, andtheneventually came down to normallevels.”

USE ALTERNATIVES

When Giancarlo firsthad to give up gluten,Caldesi says she“started experimenting” with hisfavourite recipes, findingalow-carboption.

“I remember giving himhis favourite ragu recipe,which is his father’s, sort of likeabolognese –a meatyTuscanragu,”she recalls.

“I remember giving himthaton

ribbonsofwhite cabbage, that really looked liketagliatelle”–and he lovedit.

That’s herfavourite hack fora low-carb diet:“Usingnon-starchy vegetables as an alternative to [thingslike] pastahas been a game-changer forus. Youcan do so many things with courgettes and leeksand mushrooms– really deliciousalternativestopasta,and you have thesamepasta sauce.”

Butyou don’thavetocut outpasta entirely

Caldesisays: “Pasta isn’tall bad. In smallportions, it’s notthe endof theworld.But Imix,say,25grams of pastawithcourgette ribbons–that’s really nice,because then you feel you’vehad abit of pastaand you’vegot thebiteofpasta.”

DON’TMAKETHINGS RESTRICTIVE

Insteadofcutting outall the things you love,Caldesi emphasises theimportanceofreplacingless healthyfood with somethingdelicious–thatmightbeslightlybetter foryou

Sheparticularlyrealisedthis when slowly shiftingher children onto alow-carbdiet.

“I took crisps away andIput cheese andalmondsout instead,” shesays. “The boys never said, ‘Where arethe crisps?’ They never seemed to miss them.”

DON’TWORRY IF YOUFALLOFF THE WAGON

Goingall-inonthe low-carb diet canbedaunting, so Caldesidoesn’t want youtostress if you don’tstick to things 100per cent of thetime. Alot of thetime, people might fall offthe wagonand then give up entirely,because they thinkthey’ve “ruineditnow”, Caldesiexplains “Butactually, it doesn’tmatter. Giancarloand Iwillindulge on holiday,” shesays, butthenresumethe diet when they’rehome “Ifyou’veoverindulged,don’t blameyourself. Ihopeyou really enjoyed it –and then getbackon track again.”

n TheDiabetesWeight-Loss Plan by KatieCaldesi is publishedby Kyle Books, priced £22. PhotographybyMajaSmend. Availablenow

Kate andGiancarloCaldesi,who switched dietsafter hisdiagnosis

Katiehas served up anumberofnew lowcarbmenus,which include lots of fruitand vegand low fatingredientsinher newweight-loss book

Spicy root pattiescan be frozen

Brownies provideatasty treatpackedfull of fibre

CHOCOLATE,DATEAND WALNUT

BROWNIES

Ingredients: Makes18brownies

125g walnuts,macadamia nuts or pecans,halved 60gpitteddates, roughly choppedor100gerythritol

3tbsphot water(if usingdates)

125g dark chocolate(at least 75%cocoa solids)

75gsaltedorunsaltedbutter Pinchofsalt(if usingunsalted butter)

100g ground almonds

2eggs, beaten

½tsp baking powder

2tsp vanillaextract

Method: Heat theoven to

220°C/200°Cfan (425°F), Gas Mark 7. Whilethe oven is warming, putthe nuts on abakingtray linedwithbaking paperand lightly browninthe oven forsix to eight minutes;dowatch carefullyas they burn easily.Use thepaper to shootthe nuts onto aplate to cool Return thepaper to thetin.Turn theoven offand closethe door to retain theheat, as you’lluse it againlater

Line a20-centimetre square cake tinorsimilar-sized ovenproof dish with baking paper. Soak the dates, if using, in thehot water for acoupleofminutes.Use aforkto mash them to apurée

Roughlychopthe nuts; each nut should be cutintoaroundfourpieces.Reheatthe oven to 220°C/200°C fan(425°F), GasMark7 Placethe chocolateand butter in asmall heatproofbowland melt to-

gether in themicrowave foracoupleofminutes.Ifyou don’thavea microwave, melt thechocolate and butter in aglass or metalbowlover apan of simmeringwater,ensuringthe bowl does nottouch the water

Addthe date puréeorerythritol andstirthrough.Ifyourbutter does notcontain salt,add apinch now. Addthe remainingingredients, includingthe choppedroasted nuts, andstirthrough to combine.Spoon themixture into the prepared tinand bakefor about 15 minutes until firm to thetouch Remove from theoven andleave to cool in thetin for10minutes or so Usethe papertoremove the brownies from thetin,thencut into 18 squares. Serveat room temperatureontheir ownorwith Greekyoghurt or whippedcream andadashofvanillaextract

Warmingseafood stew sure to impressyourdinnerguests

PRUDENCEWADE PressAssociation

“Seafood is excellenton alow-carbdietasitis high in proteinfor satietyand lowincarbs,” says cookbookwriter KatieCaldesi.

Thedishalsofeaturesnduja, “a spicy, spreadable salami that hasawarmheatand just makes everything it touchesalittlemore interesting,”she adds

“Usedherefor an instanthit of garlic,chilli andumami,itisabrilliantbackgroundfor the fish withoutoverwhelming them.Versionsof nduja canalter,sodotaste yours to seeifitisveryspicyorsalty,and adjust theamountyou useaccordingly.You canalwaysadd more lateror addsmoked paprikatotaste

“Serve on itsown in bowlsorwith cauli-rice andlow-carbbread on the side formopping up thesauce.If buying frozencalamari, do read the labelcarefully; thecookedvariety simply needswarming in thesauce rather than aslow-cook.”

SEAFOODAND NDUJASTEW

Ingredients: Serves eight 4tbspextra-virgin oliveoil 80–100gnduja

4garlic cloves, lightlycrushed 2onions, finely sliced 500g fresh,orfrozen and defrosted, rawcalamari(squid), cleaned andcut into 1cmrings 200mldry whitewine 3×400gcansItalianplum tomatoes, chopped

Seafoodand

1tbsptomato purée

250g clamsormusselsora mixture

1–2tsp smoked paprika

500g monkfish,cod or coleyor other firm fish,cut into bitesizedpieces

250g rawprawns, headsleft intact, shells andblackveins removed

Smallhandfulofparsley,leaves andstems roughlychopped

Salt andpepper

Method: Heat theolive oiland 80 gramsofthe ndujaina frying pan (withalid)over amediumheatfor afew minutes, bashingthe nduja

with awooden spoontobreak it up.Add thegarlicand onions, then continue to cook foraround10minutes,stirringtopreventitburning, untilthe onionissoft.

Addthe calamari to thepan and letitcookuntil thewater is released from thecalamari, about 10 minutes

When thecalamarihas a‘bouncy’ appearance,add thewineand allow this to evaporatefor five minutes. Addthe tomatoes andthe puréeand bringthe stew to abubblingheat. Then lowerthe heat andsimmer for at leastone-and-a-halfhours, partially covered,oruntil thecalamari is soft

Keep theclams or musselsinthe fridge untilyou areready to use them. Generallytheyare purged andcleaned when you buy them but to be sure,put them into abowlof cold water andstirthemthrough Leavethemfor 20–30minutes in

Newpizza range withspicytwist

Pizzaloverscan preparetoset taste buds on fire as Papa Johns brings twoofBritain’s favourite cuisines together with itslimited-edition Indian Spicerange,including twonew pizzas;TandooriSpiceand Bombay Spiceand three flavour-packed sides.

In an effort to settle debates in living rooms acrossthe UK of whethertoorder acurry or pizza as amidweek or weekendtreat,the pizzadeliverychain hasdeveloped theIndianSpicerange as theultimate takeaway combination.Because, whychooseone when youcan have both?

Settospiceupthe Papa Johns menu,the all-newTandooriSpice pizzaismadewitha currybaseand topped with tandoori chicken, onions, greenpeppers, redchillies and amintyoghurt drizzle. Those lookingfor ameat-free option canenjoy TheBombaySpicepizza,complete with Tandoori potato tots, onion, greenpeppers,red chillies anda mint yoghurtdrizzle to cool things down.

TheIndianinspiredrange doesn’tstopthere,asthe pizzadeliverychain introducesthree new sides; Tandoori ChickenWings, Tandoori Potato Tots andTandoori ChickenPoppers–a Tandoori take on itsmuch-loved side dishes

Lookingtospiceupyourregular pizzaorder?PapaJohns hasalso addedTandooriChicken,Tandoori Tots, Mina Raitaand CurryBaseto the‘create yourown’menu.

n Visitwww.papajohns.co.uk

Sticky chicken optionsadded

Thai restaurant Giggling Squid, hasgiven into fandemandand will be launchingtwo newvariations on theirOGStickyChicken dish,withthe all-newLoaded StickyChicken andavegan StickyNoChicken dish

Availableexclusively on Deliveroo,guestscan trythe all-new sticky chickenspecial dishes

acoolplace (the fridge if yourkitchen isn’tcool),stirringa fewtimes to encouragethemtorelease any grit.Pickover them,discarding any that remain open once tapped.Pull anyfuzzy beards offthe mussels. Discardany shellfish with broken shells.Drain anduse straight away

Tastethe stew andadd more ndujaorsmokedpaprika forspice or salt andpepper. Thestewcan be cooled andkeptfor one to twodays at this point, if it makesentertainingeasier. Reheat untilbubbling before continuing

Just before serving, drop the monkfish, prawns andmussels,if using,intothe hotstewwiththe lidonand continue to cook for around 10 minutes, or untilthe fish is cooked through, theprawnsare pink andthe clamsormussels have opened (discardany that haven’t).

Servestraightawaywiththe parsleyscattered over

Sweet, salty, crispy and, of course,sticky, theoriginal StickyChicken (£15.50) dish hasbeena firm favourite on Giggling Squid’smenufor eight years. Made with aspecial sweetsauce featuringgarlicand soya sauceand topped with sesameand spring onions, it is the perfectaccompanimenttoany Thai dish

Complementingthe originaldishwill be Loaded Sticky Chicken(£16.25), whichcomes jam-packed full of flavourwith theaddedbonus of pepper,green beans, carrot andmangetout to addsome extra crunch

There’salso anew vegan option,StickyNoChicken (£16.25),aplant-basedalternative made from soyprotein and coveredinthe same decadent sauce, alongsidepepper, carrot andmangetout

Giggling SquidCulinaryDirector,AgneloPereira said:“We can’twaitfor Thai food fans to enjoyitintheir homesvia Deliveroo.”

Chocolatebrownies

Impress your friends with a wholehostof

tastycocktails

WorldCocktailDay takesplace on May13soimpress your friendswitharange of delicious andunusualcocktails

SpiceDrops canadd an authentic, intense tasteand aroma to cocktails. Aspokesman said:“They arethe perfectway to easily add flavourtolarge volumesofdrinks; make up a rangeofcocktails in bulk, make flavouredice cubesorevena bespokecocktailsyrup foryour ownsignature tipple

“Anon-packguide explains how many dropsequatetoa teaspoonfor each herb or spice.”

Find SpiceDrops®online at Ocadoand Amazon,ordirect from www.holylama.co.uk

In themeantime, trythese:

TOMATO MOJITO

Ingredients:

2to3grape tomatoes

1drop of MintSpice Drops®

Juiceof½lime

Juiceof½lemon

pinchofsalt

2tbsps.agave syrup

60ml tequila

Sparklingwater

2grape tomatoes andasprig of mint forgarnish

Method: Muddle together the tomatoes,lemon andlimejuices,and salt.Pourinthe agave syrup, SpiceDrops®and tequila.Add iceand shakevigorously.Pourintoanice-filled short glass. Topwithsparkling water. Garnishwithmintleavesand grapetomatoesonatoothpick.

SUMMERSTRAWBERRYFIZZ

Ingredients:

50ml vodka

50ml simplesyrup

2dropsLemon SpiceDrops

1drop MintSpice Drops

2strawberries

Soda water

Method: Muddle thestrawberries andspicedrops.Pourover thevodka andsyrup.Add ice then topupwithsodawater

Supermodel swapscatwalk forkitchen in newcookbook

PRUDENCEWADE

Coming from thesouth of Brazil,supermodel Gisele Bundchenknows athingortwo about steak.

Shecalls it “partofthe culture”, in hernew cookbook,Nourish.“My fathergrilled steakonastick–churrasco– pretty much everySunday. We alllovedit,”she says

Bundchen,43, admits eating steak“less frequently”thanwhen shewas growingup–nowadays, it’s atreat,particularlywhenserved with chimichurriand sauteed greens on theside.

Bundchen,who hasbeenmodelling sincethe late Nineties,walking the runway forthe likes of AlexanderMcQueen,Valentino andVictoria’sSecret andhas writtenher firstevercookbook

Nourishisa collection of Bundchen’s favourite recipes, alongwith storiesfromher lifeand career

Thethrough-lineisall about health –how thesupermodeldiscovered that food canbethe key to physical andmentalhealth, a lesson shetries to impart on her twochildrenwithex-husband, formerAmericanfootballquarterback

TomBrady

Herrecipe forgrilled ribeye steak canbemadeeitheronanoutdoor

BBQorinside–bringinga bit of Brazil to wherever youare

GISELE BUNDCHEN’SGRILLED RIBEYE WITH CHIMICHURRI ANDSAUTEED GREENS

Ingredients: Serves 4-6

Forthe ribeye:

1large (2 to 2½ pounds)bone-in

ribeye steak(1½ inches thick),at room temperature

1½tspcoarsesalt, or more as needed

Avocadooil

2tbspunsaltedbutter

Forthe chimichurri (makes aboutone cup):

2to3garlic cloves, roughly chopped

2tbspred wine vinegar ¼tsp fine seasalt

1cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley(or coriander)

¾cup extra-virgin oliveoil

½tsp driedoregano

¼tsp smoked paprika

Grated zest of 1lemon (optional)

Forthe sauteedleafy greens: 2tbspavocado oilorghee 2garliccloves, minced or finely grated

1pound freshspinachorSwiss

chard, toughstems removed andleaveschopped

Fine sea salt

Method: Setthe steakinabaking dish andpat drywithpaper towels Sprinkle salt allover andmassage it into themeatwithyour fingers. (Thisisthe secret to a flavourful andjuicy steak!)Allow themeatto marinate foratleast 30 minutes (orifyou have time,put it in a covered glass container in therefrigeratorovernight).When readytocook, remove thesteakfromthe fridge andlet it come to roomtemperature.

Setalarge castiron skillet over medium-high heat and preheatfor five to 10 minutes.Add about

threetablespoons of oiltogenerouslycoatthe bottom,thenadd the steak. Cook,using tongstorotate (not flip)the steakperiodicallysoit browns evenly on thebottom, developingabrown crust, forfourtosix minutes

Then flip andrepeatonthe other side.Add twotablespoons of unsalted butter to thepan,along with twosmashed garlic cloves andafew thymeorrosemarysprigs, if you like.

Tiltthe pantowards you so that thebutterpools in one part of the pan, then use aspoon to collectit andpourover thetop ofthe steak to basteit.

Continue cookingthisway, flipping,rotating, andbasting untilthe steakiswellbrowned allover, anotherthree to sixminutes,dependingonhow you likeit. To check, make asmall cutwitha paring knifeintothe thickest part of the steak. Letrestfor 10 minutes,then sliceagainst thegrain

Make thechimichurri.Inablender,combinethe garlic,vinegar,and salt andblendwell. Addthe parsley andpulse untilevenlychopped.Add theolive oil, oregano, paprika, and lemonzest, if using, andpulse until just combined

Allowtorestatroomtemperature foratleast 15 minutes before using. Refrigerate, covered, in an airtightglass containerfor up to threedays.

Make theleafy greens.Place a Dutchoven or wide skillet overmedium heat andwhenhot,add the oil. Addthe garlic andcookuntil just golden andfragrant, stirring constantly,about oneminute.

Toss thegreensuntil wilted Tastefor seasoning, then transfer to aserving plateand serve. If stored in an airtightglass container in therefrigerator, thegreenswill keep forabout threedays.

Servethe steak warm,withjuices spoonedover thesteak andthe chimichurri on theside.

n NourishbyGisele Bundchen,ispublished by Clarkson Potter,priced £30.

Gisele Bundchensayssteak wasverypartofher childhood meals

Gisele Bundchen’stastyand healthygrilled ribeye steak recipe with sauteed greensisone of acollection of recipesinher newbook Nourish

TomatoMojito

LawnMowing&General GardeningWork Powys&Shropshire. M:07807605722. www.kingsofshrubbery.co.uk

Trent Driveways

CARS-VANS-MOT FAILURES

MARCH 21 -APRIL 20

You’realwayshappiestwhenyoucanincludeageneroussprinkling ofvarietyinyourplans.Whetheritismakingthemostofanychance to expand your knowledge or experienceordeveloping newskills, what’s important is that youare devoting your time to enjoyable activities.

Followthoseinstinctswhichseemtobeleadingyouinamoresolo direction.Makeexcusesandpulloutofsocialarrangementsalready made.Astrongneedforpeaceandquietdoesnotmeanyouaren’t making good useofyourtime.Considerable progress in private a�airswillbemadebeforethedayisthrough.

BoroughofTelford&Wrekin

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Youwon’tbewastingagoodopportunitytoclearouttheclutter.Nowthat yourscheduleisstartingtocalmdown,itistimetotidyrooms,stockup onsuppliesanddeclutter.Thereareseveralitemsyounolongerusethat youmightsellorgiveaway.Youcouldbesurprisedbytheswiftresponse yougetfromasmallpostonasocialnetworkingsite.

If your boss or asenior colleague asksyou to learn newskills or invitesyoutotakeatrainingcourse,askforsometimetothinkabout it.Thismaywelladdtoyourexperiencebutitwillalsoaddtoyour responsibilities.�ewareofbitingo�morethanyoucanchew.

Apausewillgiveyouachancetocatchupwithyourselfandreassess situationsthathaven’tbeengoingaswellasexpected.Itmightfeel asifyouhavehitabrickwallbutonceyou’vehadagoodthinkabout it,you will seeaway out.You arejust resetting your course and readjustingyourdirection,that’sall.

Itmaybenecessarytomakeaslightchangeinroutineinorderto �twork and home commitments moreneatly intoyour schedule Currentlyworkresponsibilitiesclashwithfamilyarrangementsand no-oneseemsveryhappy,leastofall,you.

MAY22-JUNE 21 JULY24-AUGUST 23 SEPTEMBER 24 -OCTOBER 23

Youhavebeen determined to makearelationship work but the crackshavestartedtoshow. Youhavedi�erent visions and ideals andyouknownowthatyoucan’tturnthisintosomethingitisn’t.You havereachedthepointwhenitistimetogoyourseparateways.

Ignoreanyoneinyoursocialcirclewhoexcitedlysharestalesofthe super bargains and fool-proof investment ideas theyare coming across.Theirbeliefsandpromisesofmakingbigpro�tswillbebased onnothingbutwishfulthinking

NOVEMBER 23 -DECEMBER 21

Youmay have to juggle current commitments to take up an opportunitytoincreaseyour skills or knowledge.Learning more aboutasubjectyou’vealwaysbeeninterestedinwillliftyourspirits. Thisisalsoanidealchancetoaddtoyourquali�cations.

It doesn’t matter if other people criticiseyou fortrying to make thingsbetter,youneedtodowhatyoucantobringimprovements intoyourlife. Whether it is ahome related project like �xing the plumbingorelectricity,oraworkrelatedmatter,onceyoutakethe �rststep,thingswillmoveseamlesslyforyou.

JANUARY21-FEBRUARY

Aneedforsomelight-heartedentertainmentwillbeattheheartof decisionsyoumakenow.Someone youalwaysenjoybeingwithis equallyaskeentospreadtheirwingsandtrynewthings.Theonly thing youneed to keep an eyeonishow much is being spent in havingfuntogether

It doesn’t matter if you’retold that moneyyou invest nowwill be paidbackinyour�rstpaypackage,becautiousabouttakingupan attractiveo�er.Nolegitimatecompanywill ask formoneyupfront Talktoafriendorrelativeandaskthemwhattheythink.Thismight triggerasenseofcaution.

Sistersare aiming to get in on thetitle-winningact

Twoyoung kickboxingsisters from Telford went gunningfor title glorytoday.

LilimaeMarson, 16,was contestingthe under-57kg European ISKA Britishtitle againstIrish fighterKadyShaw, whileyounger sister Molli Marson, 15,faced arematchagainst Kyriea Williamsfor theIFKABritish titleinthe minor 58kg category at theCannock Leisure Centre

Thesisters,fromWoodside, Telford,havebeenkickboxing since theage of six, andhavetrained at theBai Lang Kickboxing Academy foryears

Professional kickboxer LeeWhitfieldcoachesbothLilimaeand Molli at BaiLang, andtheir mumDeborah Barker revealed that he has been ahugeinspiration

“We’re either at school or the gym. That’s ourlifeand there’sno time foranythingelse,”Barkerexplained.

“Lee hashad amassive influence because sincethey’ve joined hisgym,hehas actively fought,so they’vegonetohis shows, which

hasmadeamassive difference

“It’sput morepassion into them wantingtodoit. To step in aringin frontofthousands of people,which they do, makesthemwantafuture in it.And Leehas shownthemthat you can fight, you canhavea career andthiscan be yourlife.”

Molli clinched threegoldmedals at theICO WorldCombatSports

MartialArtsChampionships at Hull in 2023, whileLillimaefought through injury to take home silver.

Andanew sponsorfromvehicleservicing repair companyJM Hughes Ltdhas provided them with more opportunitiestoprogressin thesport

“The girlshavejustbeensponsoredbytwo parents. Molliecoaches

theirchildrenand they approached us in thegym becausetheysee how hard they workand said they wanted to sponsorthem,”addedBarker.

“It’senabled them to do more training andprovidedthemwith more opportunities. “They’re going down to Northamptontotrain with aprofessional kickboxer,who has justretired.”

Allroads lead to Sinclair forpopulardoubles event

It’s oneofthe longestrunning open bowlscompetitionsinShropshire andhad afull house fieldwithin days of beingpublicised.

Andthat’swhy TelfordclubSinclairare guaranteed awinningday tomorrow when the2024Candlin Doublesgoesahead on theirgreen in Ketley

Nowbeing runinaone-day for-

matfor 32 pairs, the action in the hunt for£660 in prizemoneyand a £260 firstprize starts at 10am with organiserStuartChurch planning to getthe finalstages forthe last eightonat 6pm. On thesingles front, anumberof PremierLeaguebowlers head into theBlack Countrytomorrowfor the finals of theWestBromOpen.

Five-timeMeole Open winner Callum Wraightisthe 11/4 favourite aheadofa firstround tie againstWillClarkeand also in the hunt arehis Castlefields team-mate TomPalmer, SirJohnBayleyduo Alex Jonesand Paul Evans, plus Clay Flattley,Chris Ward,Gordon Hawkinsand Cody EverettfromSt Georges.

n Entriesfor theKGJ Insurance County Cupand Shropshire Cup must be registered by Monday on theSCGBA website Woore, Sinclair,PrinceofWales Hoteland Shifnalwerethe nonPremier League clubswho hadgot their namesintothe hatfor the12-a-side County Cupwellinadvance of the deadline date

Cricket legend BrianLaraisreturningtoWarwickshiretomark theanniversary of hisworld-record innings

TheWestIndiesherowill be at Edgbaston on June 5for aspecial dinner marking30years sincethe Bearshistorictreblewinningseasonand hisown famous 501not out. He will be joined by team-mates includingskipper Dermot Reeve, Andy Moles, Neil Smith, Gladstone Smalland TimMunton

Lara,regardedasone of the finestbatters of all-time, scored more than 2,000 runs thatyearfor the Bearsand recorded thehighest first-classscore when he hitanunbeaten 501against Durham in the County Championship.

Thedinner,hosted by former Bear CharlesDagnall,takes place thenight before thethree decade anniversary of hisfeat.

Formoreinformation on the event, includingticketing,visit edgbaston.com

Lara booked for anniversary date Lewiswilldebut Down Under

LewisHamiltonwill make his Ferraridebut in Australiaafter FormulaOne’s bosses announced next season’s record-equalling 24-round calendar Hamilton, 39,isset to realise achildhood dreamwhenhe swapsMercedesfor Ferrariin 2025,withthe seven-timeworld champion’sopening race to take placeinMelbourneonMarch 16

It will mark the firsttime since2019thatthe F1 season haskickedoff at Albert Park afterthe followingyear’sscheduled opener wascancelled at the last minuteamidthe outbreakof coronavirus.

The2025campaignisdue to endinAbu DhabionDecember 7, with theBritishGrand Prix –starting the firstofits new10year contract extensionatSilverstone–onJuly6

Lilimae andMolli Marson andaiming for titlesuccess backedbynew sponsorsAlison andJamesHughes

McGinn warns Villatheymust stay switched on

SkipperJohnMcGinn warned Villa cannot afford to keepswitching offafter alategoalgaveLillelife in theirEuropaConferenceLeague quarter-final.

Unai Emery’s menlookedincontrolofthe tiewhenMcGinn struck 11 minutes into thesecondhalfto putthem2-0 up,after OllieWatkins hadearlier opened thescoring with his25thgoalofthe season

ButLille defender Bafode Diakite took advantageofslack marking to head home an 84th-minutecornerand ensure thetie is verymuch aliveheading into next week’s second leginFrance.

Villahavemadeanunfortunate habitofallowingopponents back into matches, having conceded threetimes in nine minutes after being2-0 up in last weekend’s3-3 draw with Brentford.

McGinn said:“Themanager wasveryfrustratedabout what happened at theweekend,letting Brentfordback into thegame.

“They’rea verygood side butwe allowedthembackin andthat’sjust not acceptable when you’rechasing

what we’rechasing.We’ve gotalot of improvingtodo.”

Goalkeeper EmiMartinez was Villa’sman-of-the-match, making one-on-onesaves threetimes in the firsthalf.

McGinn continued: “The stadium felt quite flat at theend.It’s importanttorecognise it’s avictory againstaverygood team. Lille played really well andIthink they showed us how toughit’sgoing to be next week.But we’reinthe quarter-finals andwhile we’d have preferredittobe2-0,awin’s awin.”

Villafaceanother quickturnaround as they traveltoArsenal tomorrow,while Lille have been grantedthe weekendoff by the French League,inorder to give them thebestchanceofprogressing in Europe

Emerybelievesthathas made thechallenge facing Villaharder. Thebosswrote in Thursday’s programme:“They decidedasacountrytohelpthe localteams with a weekendofrestafter ourmatch, in aclever andprotective decision

“For me it won’t ever be an excuse,whatever happens, butitisalways good to thinkand learn from a neighbour’s good decision.”

PREMIERLEAGUE: ARSENAL VVILLA KICK-OFF:TOMORROW, 4.30PM

Emeryplays down return as Arteta singshis praises

MATT MAHER

matt.maher@mnamedia.co.uk

Unai Emeryclaimshis

Arsenalexperiencewill be no help tomorrow as Villalooktogivetheir topfourpushfresh momentum by shaking up thePremier League title race.

Emeryreturns to theGunnersfor the firsttimeasaPremier League bossto find hisold club sitting top of thestandings as theseasonenters its finalweeks

TheSpaniard, whomarkedhis 1,000th matchinmanagementwith Thursday’s 2-1EuropaConference League winover Lille, spent78of them in charge at theEmirates yet typically,isdeterminednot to make himself thecentre of thestory

“Not really.Ithink it is adifferentcontext,different circumstances,” he replied, when askedifhis time managing theGunners would be of anyadvantage inthis fixture.

“It’snot really somethingmore than playingagainst them,withthe difficulty we aregoing to face and respecting them.”

On thesurface,perhaps thisis justanother match. Yetanyone whosaw theway Emerycelebrated afterVilla’s 1-0win in December’s reverse fixturewill know this is a clashwhich meansmorethanthe 52-year-oldwillever publiclyadmit.

Nownearly18monthsintohis second PremierLeaguereign,he hasalready emphatically proved thosewho doubted hisability to succeed in Englishfootballwrong

Still,for allVilla’simpressive advances,thistriptothe Emirates arrivesata pointtheir season is experiencing thekindofwobbleto conjureunwelcome echoes, both of theclubs last seriouschallenge for Champions League football and Emery’sonlyfull season at thehelm of Arsenal, when they lost four of thelastseven matchestomissout on atop four finish

Adisappointingweekfor English clubsinEurope, in whichVillawere theonlywinners, left thePremier League’s chancesofsecuringanextra spot in next season’s Champions League in thebalance

Throwinarun of just onewin in five league matchesand it is easy to understand whysupportersare becoming increasinglynervous.

Emery, whohas keptVillain

contention forthe top-four finish despiteaseriesofinjuries, wasat painstopoint outthismatch will be playedin averydifferent contextto that of December,which came less than 72 hoursafter histeamhad beaten championsManchesterCity.

Villawillbewithout midfielder DouglasLuizthrough suspension andEmery said:“Somethingis similarbecause there’salot of playersagain playing, fighting in those teams.

“Butdifferent because we’re playingatthe Emirates,we’re playingaswellin adifferent context.

“Now they are fighting forthe PremierLeaguetrophyand are fighting behind them trying to keep our fifthposition we have nowand fighting with Tottenham.

“It’sdifferent as well because some players,ofcourse,being injuredare not goingtoplayonSunday.

“Werespect them andofcourse play thematch thinking thereisan opportunitytoget something, some points or even thinking we canbeat them

“The threepointsare as important forusasitisfor them.Weare

very excited andmotivated inthe PremierLeague, nowweare fightingwithTottenham forfourthposition

“Itisa goodmatch forbothteams andIthink theatmosphereisgoing to be verygreat.”

Arun of 10 wins in 11 league matcheshas takenArsenal to the PremierLeaguesummit though they lead Liverpoolongoaldifference alone, with Manchester City a furtherpoint back

TheirbossMikel Arteta usedyesterday’s pre-matchpress conference to heap praise on Emery.

He said of hisfellowBasque: “Unai’shad such abig impact at the clubinterms of performances and consistency. It is unbelievablewhat he is doinginEuropeancompetition andI’m impressed.

“He’sunbelievableand he’s done it in so many differentcountries andhe’sbeenincrediblysuccessful.

“He’sclose to my home town and Ihavehugeadmirationfor himand Iwishhim thebestafter Sunday.

“Theyare areallygoodside, so we know thedangerand we know ourstrengths as well,and we’lltry to do what we have to do to win.”

SUBS: Lenglet, Cash, Tielemans, Moreno,Kesler-Hayden,Duran,Rogers, Kellyman,Olsen

ARSENAL(4-3-3): Raya,White,Saliba, Gabriel,Zinchenko, Odegaard, Jorginho, Rice,Saka, Havertz, Jesus.

PREDICTION HOMEWIN

Villamanager UnaiEmery enjoyedhis side’s December successathometohis former club Arsenal

Digne

Watkins Martinez Zaniolo Torres

Iroegbunam Konsa Diaby Carlos McGinn Bailey

John McGinn celebrateshis goal

Settle in andget setfor athrilling race forglory

“I went with Liverpoollastweek,”said SkySportspunditRoy Keane. “AmIallowed to change my mind?I think ManCitywillwin all theirremaining games!”

This perhapssumsupthe nature of thetitle race

From week to week it seemsa newfavourite emerges.And –to use some equine racing parlance on GrandNationalday –asa genuine three-horse contestwecould be in forthe most exciting Premier League title finish in many ayear. Everything is restingonahandfulof fixtures as thegruelling league season hasturnedintoa sprint finish

Liverpool’s2-2 draw away at Manchester United last Sunday allowedArsenaltoget anoseinfront, with theirown 3-0win at Brighton &Hove Albion taking them topon goal difference

Manchester City look as relentless as ever,and that 4-2win over CrystalPalacelastSaturdaylunchtime meanstheysit just oneplace andone pointback. Allthree clubs have sevengames to go

With ahome tieagainst Luton Town this afternoon, Pepe Guardiola’ssidecan laydownanearly marker before Liverpool entertain Palace andArsenal host AstonVilla tomorrow City’s run-in looksthe more straightforward.Tottenham Hotspur andWestHam United liein wait from thetop eightbut otherwise it is an appealingset of games.

View from thetouchline with SkySportsSoccerSaturday’s JOHNNYPHILLIPS

With clashesagainst mid-table sideslikeWolves, Brightonand Fulham on thehorizon andatrip to relegation-threatenedNottinghamForest, thelikeliest issuewill be fatigue

City stillhaveChampions’ League andFACup fixtures ahead so resourceswill be stretched. The side performedadmirably against Real Madrid in midweek,withthe absencesofKyleWalkerand Kevin De Bruyne weakeningthe team.

Forall threesides, fourth-placed Spursare probably themostdifficult test they have left to face That is especially true of City, with theNorth Londoners a recent bogeys diola.

With theg TottenhamH dium,AngeP menare well causingplent lems

Liverpoolw stunned by At ta on Thursd nightand th three-goal de citahead of thesecond leg meansit is unlikely they have

morethanone game left in Europe

TheRedsmanaged 28 shots againstUnitedatOld Trafford on Sundaybut owingtoadefensive slip andamoment of brilliance from Kobbie Mainoo they could only draw thegame, with theresult seeing them slip back down to second place.

Arun of four away gamesina row, starting in Bergamo, followed by tripstoFulham andderby rivals Everton, before ending in east London againstDavid Moyes’ Hammers will be adecisive period for Jurgen Klopp’stitle challengeinhis finalseasonatAnfield.

Fixtures against Spursand Villa will al nt huge testsfor eprogressedimncelastseason’s ge ebbedawayin weeksand Mikel seem to be manames well and asoliditythey cked last time ound,withtheir defenceplay-

Gary O’Neil’s Wolves side havetoface allthree title contenders

Everton’slatest breach points to anotherlengthy appeal process

Everton’stwo-point deductionfor breachingthe permittedProfit andSustainability thresholds forthe assessmentperiodending2022/23 wasannounced this week,but it is likelytoleadtoanotherlonglengthy appeal process whichdamages theintegrity of thePremier League competition on thepitch

ThePremier League Commission gave credit to themajority of theissuesraisedbythe club, includingthe conceptofdouble punishment,the significant mitigatingcircumstances facing the club duetothe warin Ukraine, andthe high level of co-operation andearly admissionofthe breach

In January2024, Evertonwere charged by thePremier League forbreaching thepermitted Profit andSustainability thresholds forthe assessmentperiodending 2022/23–inadditiontothe points deductiontheyhad alreadyreceived earlierinthe season

Thematterwas referred to a PremierLeagueCommission, whichhas announced Everton

ingtoconsistentlyhighstandards everyweek.

TheGunnersstill have an interestinEuropeafter that exciting firstleg againstBayern Munich in midweek.But unquestionably the most eye-catchingPremier League game left forthemisatriptoface north London rivals Tottenham.

Last season’s 2-0win forArteta’s side wastheir only victoryintheir last nine PremierLeaguevisitsto N17.

So will Spursbethe kingmakers? Quitepossibly, butmorelocally Wolves fans will also be wondering abouttheir club’s role in thetitle race

Like Spurs, Gary O’Neil’s side play allthe threechallengers and despiterecentresults suggesting that form is tailing off, thereturn of acouple of keyinjured players wouldmakeWolvesa dangerous prospect once more.

With Arsenaland Liverpool separatedbygoaldifferencealone there areechoesofthe incredible denouement to the1988/89 season when thepairmet in athrilling titledeciderin thelastgameofthe season on aFridaynight,a week afterthe FA Cup finalhad been wonbyLiverpool.

MichaelThomas’s last-minute goal hasgonedowninfolkloreand –despiteSergioAguero’saddedtime goal in City’s winoverQPR at the endofthe 2011/12title race –that Anfieldmoment remainsthe most dramatic finish ever to aseason.

ButwithManchesterCityjust apoint adrift,the fightatthe top appearsall that bit tougherin the 2023/24edition

will receiveanimmediate twopointdeduction

Whilethe Club’s position has been that no furthersanctionwas appropriate,the Club is pleased to seethatthe Commission has given credit to themajorityofthe issues raised by theClub,includingthe conceptofdoublepunishment,the significant mitigating circumstances facing theclubdue to thewar in Ukraine, andthe high level of co-operation andearly admissionofthe Club’s breach Evertoninsisttheyare working collaboratively with theLeague on allmatters relating to PSR butare concernedbythe inconsistency of differentcommissions in respectofpointsdeductions applied.

TheMerseysidersreceivedsubmissions from theFan Advisory Boardand otherfan groups duringthe process.

They have indicatedtheywill appealthe decision,which will surely drag on beyond theend of thecurrent campaign

Perhapsmorethananything else,thisbringsintothe limelight theunsatisfactorynatureofthe situationinterms of thetimeline involved

Everton manager Sean Dycheis facing yetmoreuncertainty

KevinDeBruyne andJackGrealish helped Manchester City take care of business at CrystalPalace

Agents getanice little earner from Villa’swheelingand dealing

Villahad the PremierLeague’ssixth largestspend on agents’feesfor the period coveringthe last twotransfer windows, new figuresreveal.

Their£21.2millionoutlaywas larger than both Newcastleand Tottenham, though some waybehindChelseawho topped thetable with ahuge£75m spend.

Wolves hadthe 11th largestspend with £13.3m,thoughitwas more than doubletheir figure from theprevious year of £6.1m.

The figurestakeintoaccountthe 12-month period betweenFebruary1, 2023 andthisyearand areofparticularinterestfor Villa, whomustcomply with Uefa’s FinancialFairPlaycost controls followinglastseason’squalification forthe EuropaConference League

Clubscompeting in Europe arerestricted to spending 90 percentof theirrevenue on wages,transfers and agentfees Villabroke theirclubtransferrecord last summer with the£43msigning of Moussa DiabyfromBayer Leverkusen,

whilePau Torres arrivedfromVillarreal for£31m.

MidfielderYouri Tielemansalso arrivedonafreetransfer, whileClement Lenglet andNicoloZaniolo joined on loan from Barcelonaand Galatasaray respectively.Villa’stotal spendon agents’fees markedanincreaseof morethan£5.5m on thepreviousyear.

Agents canalso be paid forcontract negotiations andthe sale of players andthatisthe chiefreasonfor theincrease at Wolves,who saw17players depart last summer forcombined fees of more than£140m.Thatincluded thesaleofRuben NevestoAl-Hilalfor £47m,while MatheusNunes movedto Manchester City on deadline day in a deal worth £53m.

Shrewsbury Town hadthe fourth lowest spendonagents’ fees in League Twowithjust£79,173,adecreaseof around £4,000 on thepreviousyear.

Wrexham, promotedbacktothe EFL, sawtheir outlay more than doublefrom£163,737to£347,027, making themthe biggest spendersinLeague Two.

Whotakes on whoin thebattlefor survival

Shrewsbury Town are stillinthe middle of a relegation battle.

TheLeagueOne survival race is goingtogodowntothe wire andTownhavefourgames to ensuretheystayup.

Town have atough run-in They take on Wycombewho have lost one of theirlastsix, before making the trip to Bolton andCharltonnextweek. The finalchancetheywillhavetoget points is at theCroud Meadow on thelastday of theseason.

Carlisle arerelegated and Fleetwood couldsoonfollowsuit, so whoelseisinthe race andwho have they gottoplay?

Cheltenham

WE’REPAYING

7PLACES

Abit of rivalryhas formed betweenShrewsburyand the Robins sinceTownraidedthem in thesummer taking theirdirector of football MickyMoore, andtheir assistantcoach Marcus Bignot

DarrellClarkehas done so well to keep Cheltenham in it afteran abysmalstart to theseasonbut adefeatagainst Carlisle on Tuesdaywas ahammerblow forthem.

At onestage they were in great form butlosingtheir last three hasnot helped.Theywelcome BristolRovers, asidewho have notscoredintheir last eight League Onegames

They then have aclash against Burton –which couldbehugein thecontext of theseason–arelegation six-pointer.

They then take on Peterborough,Lincoln andStevenage, all sideswithsomuchtoplayfor in theracefor promotion

Port Vale

Darren Moore’ssidehavea similarrun-intoShrewsbury.

Town were looking to completethe doubleoverWycombe today

They welcome Wycombeand have to make thetriptoBoltonbefore theend of theseason. However, they will seegames againstExeter andahugeclash against Cambridge on the finalday of the campaign as gamestheycan win.

Burton

Aplaceabove Vale areBurton –but purely on goal difference On paper, theirremaining gamesare arguably theeasiest They have atriptoStevenage whichistough,but they then have gamesagainst Cheltenham, Readingand Fleetwoodwhich couldbehuge. Theirissue is their currentform. They have not won

sinceFebruary17and have lost eightoftheir last 10 –confidence must rock bottom

Cambridge

Arguably in thesameposition as Town whereby onewin would be enoughtosee them move clear of danger

They have five games. Most of whichare tough. Charlton, Derbyand Wycombeare allset to visit, buttheir away games aremorewinnablewithtrips to BristolRoversand of course Port Vale andthe finalday.Two wins in theirlastthree hasjust about given them some breathing space

Shropshire star Clarke is amongthe runs

Ex-ShropshirebatterJoe Clarke playedthe star role forNottinghamshireagainst hisformer club Worcestershireonday one of theirCountyChampionship Division Oneclash at Trent Bridge

AfterNew Zealandseamer Nathan Smithhad reduced Notts to 34-2,Clarkeand Ben Slater shared an increasingly rampantthird-wicketstand of 133, includinganonslaught of 41 from the firstsix oversafter lunchthatseizedthe afternoon initiative BenSlater, however,fellfor 70 before Clarke,one of threehome players appearingagainst his oldclub, advanced to 105until caught behind 25 minutes after teabut Worcestershirecould

notquite regain thebalance by aclose with Nottinghamshireat 305for six.

Smithreturnedthree for62 overallwhile fellow overseas signing, BarbadianJason Holder,0-28off 15 overs, provedtight if wicketless.Pleasinglyitwas 20-yearold Josh Baker’sleftarmspinthat finallyremoved Clarke, whohad sosavaged him earlier.

JoeLeach,who hassignedto play forShrewsburyinthe Birmingham League,and Adam Finchalso pickedup awicket each At Edgbaston, Warwickshire’s openingbatters RobYates and Alex Davies putDurhamtothe swordonaday to forget forthe bowlers.

Having won thetossand opted to bowl,the visitors saw the hostspileupadaunting490-1 on dayone of theCountyChampionship Division Oneclash AndYates andDaviesled the waywithastunningopening standof343,the second-highest championshipopening standfor theBears

Yatesproduced astylish inningswhich included 25 fours and five sixes, beforedeparting for191

ButDavieswas stillthere unbeaten on 226atstumps, an inningsthatincluded24 foursand threesixes.Will Rhodes, who will play Birmingham League cricket forWorfieldagain this summer,joinedinthe funwith an unbeaten 60

THEQUIZ

1

Whichclub ended Arsenal 100per cent recordin thePremier Leaguethis year?

2Which county signedformer West Indies captainJason Holderfor the first five County Championship games?

3Who, pictured right, scored ahattrickinChelsea’s 4-3victory over Manchester United?

4Former Wales rugbystar LouisReesZammitjoined whichNFL team?

5Whichclubsacked head coachIan Foster afterjustthree months in the job?

Route39are specialistsinthe pubquizmarketsupplying weekly generalknowledge quizzes to hundredsofpubsthroughoutthe UK

8Which universitywon both themen’s andwomen’srace inthisyear’sBoat Race?

9Whomissedthe decisive penaltyinWales’defeatto Poland in theirEuro2024play off final?

10

Whobecame the first trainerto cordacentury fwinsatthe Cheltenham Festival?

6Whichrugby leagueteam ended WiganWarriors’ run of 15 consecutiveSuperleague victories?

7Whichclub beat Chelsea in extratimeinthe Women’s LeagueCup final?

11Who managed Chesterfield to theNational Leaguetitle?

12

Whowon the openingevent of the2024PDC Women’s Series?

13Whichthirdtierclub reachedthe semi-finals of theGermanCup?

14Who, picturedinset, broke theBritish 100m backstrokerecord to qualify forthe ParisOlympics?

15

Whoscoredbothof Belgium’s goals in their 2-2drawwith England?

16With101 caps,which Englandscrum half announced hisretirement from internationalrugby union?

17Whobecame Tottenham Hotspur’s fifth-highest goalscorerintheir victoryover LutonTown?

18

Whichfranchise scored 277-3-the highesttotal in Indian PremierLeaguehistory?

19

Whichclubwere relegated from the Championship afterlosingto Plymouth Argyle?

20

ANSWERS

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Playersmustwantto be part of O’Neil’s wolf pack

Gary O’Neil says he only wantsplayers whoare desperatetoplayfor Wolvesas he prepares to make decisionsonthe club’s loaned outstars.

FabioSilva,Goncalo Guedes and Daniel Podence areamong anumberofplayers wholeftthe club temporarily to getminutes elsewhere.

Variousreports have suggested that many of them mayleave Wolves permanentlyinthe coming months andwithWolvesneedingto generate some funds, theycould offermuch-needed cash.

ButO’Neilsayshewill address each loan playerindividuallytodeterminetheir future

O’Neil wasasked specifically about Silva’sfuture, butinstead answered it with ageneral pointabout thefutureofloanedout players.

He said:“Everyone that’s away from here on loan,their situation will be looked at individually

“Butthe firstthing formeis that they need to want to play for Wolves

“I’m notgoing to be sittingthere trying to convince people to play for this football club.It’sa fantastic football club andIwantpeoplewho want to play here

“That’swhatwehaveatthismoment.Everyoneinour groupwants

to play here.Discussionswill be had with theguysthatcome back

“One of themainreasons we’ve hadsuccess we’vehad is the culture andtogetherness.

“Iftheywanttobepart of that, come back andwe’ll have alook.

Anyone that doesn’twill obviously be movedon.”

Oneplayer whowillbewith Wolves next season is Sasa Kalajdzic, whoisrecovering from aserious knee injury

The26-year-old signed for

TALKINGPOINT

WITH STEVEBULL

Wolves need to focusonwhatthey cancontroland notpoorofficiating.

Of course they’refrustrated, buttheyhavetoput it behind them quickly.

It will be alongslogfor thenext seven games, butthere’s lots of players that still need to prove themselves to stay at theclubnext year

There’salot of youngsters knocking on thedoorwantingto play,sotheycan nowshowwhat they cando.

Fora neutralitwas agood game againstWestHam because it was exciting,but forusitwas akickin theteeth

Twomistakescostusthe game because we were cruising at 1-0up afteragood firsthalf.

They madechanges andcameat us in thesecondhalfand caused us afew problems

Butweshouldhavedealt with it.Idon’t know whotoblame,but no-one should ever scoreagoal from acorner.

That wasone mistake, andthe otherwas notgetting ridofthe ball in thebox,which causedthe

It’s likeyou can’ttalkto thereferees or theFA

£15.4million in thesummer of 2022,beforesuffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury less than 45 minutes into hisdebut Alengthy spellonthe sidelines sawhim return to action at thebeginningofthisseasonand limited minutes then sawhim he depart on loan forGermanclubEintracht Frankfurt.

Butasecondserious injury,this time to theother knee,means he hashad anothersurgery andwill be sidelineduntil around January 2025

“I’vespokentoSasaand hisrehabhas gone well so far, no hiccups at all,”O’Neilsaid.

“There’s obviouslyalongway to go andhe’sletting it heal whiletryingtomakesurehemaintains some strength

“I know he’llbedesperate toget back as quicklyas possible, butitis asignificant injury andthere’s no rush

“We’re trying to make sure that he comesbackinthe best shape possible andIknowhe’sgetting fantasticsupport from themedical team

“I’m keen to seehim back training. Seeing theimpacthecould have on afew games, although he wasn’t fitatthe start, Iwas looking forwardtoseeinghim come back fitter andstronger next season

“It’sdisappointing forusand him that he suffered theinjury, butI’m sure he’llbouncebackand come back stronger.”

penalty. It’s oneofthose things We dealtwithit, gotbackontop andthenit’sabsolutely unbelievable to have theequaliserdisallowed.

It’s hard to hide yourfrustration andGaryO’Neil, thestaff, theplayers andthe chairman should be able to voicetheir opinions

It’s likeyou can’ttalktothe refereesorthe FA.Iwishthey’dlisten. Sometimesfrustration boils over,you can’talwayskeepitin, andyou’d rather leaveitonthe pitchthantakeithome with you

Allofthe punditsweresticking up forWolvesand said it should have been agoal, butGaryO’Neil andhis side need to pickthemselves up andgoagain against Nottingham Forest.

We have afew good fixtures coming up nowwhere we canput afew more points on theboard.

We need to finish theseason strong andsee what happens. Don’tlet it fizzle out, don’ttake yourfootoff thegas

Give thefanssomething to cheerabout in the finalseven games.

StrikerFabioSilva hasbeen on loan northofthe border with Rangers

LIAM KEEN liam.keen@mnamedia.co.uk

Neto hope–but Chiwomeisout forthe season

Gary O’Neil is ‘optimistic’ that PedroNetowillplayina Wolves shirt againthisseason–while young strikerLeonChiwome hassuffered aseason-ending injury.

Neto last played on March 9 when he suffered hissecondserious hamstringinjuryofthe campaign, whichwas feared mayend hisseasonearly

ButO’Neilsaysthe 24-year-old is back on thegrass andcould be availablefor the finalfew gamesof theseason.

“I am optimistic that we’llsee himbeforethe end,”the head coach said

“I don’tknowhow much.He’s come back in goodspirits andhe’s outonthe grass. We’llsee how the injury progresses andhow he ticks offeachpartofhis rehab.

“ButIknowhe’sverykeento make an appearance,orthree,before theend of theseason.

“We’ll seehow it goes as we get closertothen.”

Meanwhile, 18-year-oldChiwome hasinjured hisankle in training andwill notfeature in the finalseven games, having recently made his firstsenior appearancesand starts

“He’spickedupanasty ankleinjury in training in acollision with oneofthe players,”O’Neilsaid.

“Leon won’tbeavailable forthe rest of theseason, unfortunately for himand us

“It’sarealtough onefor himand we’reabsolutelygutted forhim, with theway it happened

“Wejustneed to help himnow with hisrehab andget himback as fitpossibleand back around the groupfor pre-season.”

–See Page 74

–See Page 77

TigerWoods enduredamarathon dayasthe 88th MastersresumedatAugusta National. Woods wasone of 27 players unabletocompletetheir firstrounds on Thursdayfollowing alengthy weatherdelay,the 15-time major winnercovering 13 holesinone underpar.Yesterday sawhim return to card a firstroundone overtotal of 73.After ashort breakWoods wasbackout to continuehis questtomakea record 24th consecutivecut at Augusta.

DROP-OFF COST TOMHIS PLACE

Buckshaveset ahigh standard Emerytomake late call onduo

VillabossUnaiEmery will make alatedecision on ClementLengletand MattyCash’sinvolvement at Arsenaltomorrow. Thepairhavebothreturned to grouptrainingatBodymoor Heath, though Emerywill wait untilaftertoday’s finalsession before deciding whethertoincludetheminhis squad

Right-back Cash hasnot featuredsince sufferingahamstring injury whileplaying for Poland during last month’s internationalbreak,whilecentre-back Lenglethas been unavailable forthe last twomatches with aniggle.

“Lenglet andCashare trainingtoday with thegroup but wewill seehow they feel before making adecision,” said Emery.

Villaenter theweekend sitting fifthin thePremier League, behind Tottenhamongoaldifferenceinthe race foraguaranteed Champions League place.

KevinWilkin is hoping hisAFC TelfordUnitedsidecan buildon one of theirbestperformancesof theseason.

TheBucks defeated play-off rivals Leamington 1-0atNew Bucks Head last weekend, securing atop five finish in theprocess

Andahead of today’striptoLong EatonUnited, Wilkin is hoping to keep thosehigh standards.

TERN VALLEY CARS

Paul HurstrevealedTom Bloxham’sformhas ledtohis absencefromthe Shrewsbury starting XI –but says that is understandable fora young player.

When Hurst firsttookover as Shrews head coachBloxham appeared to be acertain starter– butinrecentweeks theTownacademyproducthas foundhimself coming on as asubstitute.

Andthe Town bossexplained hisreasons forthat.

“Formrealistically,in truth,”hesaid. “It wasalittlebit tactical last weekendtoa degree,but in themain, therehas been abit of adrop-off

“I don’tthink Iambeing unkind saying that.Ithink that is what hashappened. I wouldalso back that up by saying thereis an elementofthatbeing understandableasa young player.

“I thinkhehas playedahellofalot of gamesthisseasonand mostofthe gameshe hasstarted he hascompleted.”

Bloxhammade24leagueappearances for Morecambe on aloanspell earlierinthe campaignbeforebeing recalledinJanuary

Sincereturning to Shrewsbury he hasmade 12 starts scoringtwo goalsand afterbeing a

substitutefor thelasttwo gamesHurst wants himtorediscover hisbestform.

“I want himbacktohis best,” he added.“Whetherthatmeans taking himout whetherthatisalittlementalbreak forhim whetheritisalittlephysicaloritisdriving himtoperform better in trainingsothat when theopportunitycomesalong he cando better

“AsI have said,Ithink Tomhas done very well forus. To thepoint where, Iknowthe system wasdifferent,but just thinking,the decision wasmadetolet himout.Itdoesn’t quitemakesense to me,but again, notprivy to allthatthought processbehindit, andhe hascome back anddonereallywell. He has come back andchipped in with acoupleofreally importantgoals forus.

“Justbecause he is 6’,4 or whatever he is,he is stilla veryyoung player. Does that mean he cangoout thereand do what he wants? No of course not. Butjustbeacceptingand understanding of whereheisin termsofhis career andhis development

“Wewill certainlytry andpushhim as he hasgot some attributes,thatyou couldsee himgoing higher andifwecan help do that then that benefits everyone.”

“I thinkitwould be up there(as one of Telford’sbestperformances),”headmitted.“When you look at what both teams hadatstake, theway we’vemanaged thegame andnot conceded many chances, I’d sayitwas asolid performance.

“Itwas pleasing allthingsconsidered.Ithink theonlything missing wasusscoring anothergoalortwo.

“I’d sayall of theother boxes were ticked,and Ithink thesolidityand understandingofhow to winthese gamesissomethingwe’ve progressed in andwillhopefully continue to progress in.”