National News

Three fathers who lost their daughters to suicide have completed a 300-mile walk to raise funds and awareness. Andy Airey, Mike Palmer and Tim Owen walked between their homes in Cumbria, Greater Manchester and Norfolk. Celebrities including Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig donated, with the fathers raising more than £500,000 for suicide prevention charity Papyrus. The trio, who took …

Cumbria; Three Dads Walking: Trio complete 300-mile walk Read More »

The coastguard and RNLI went to the aid of six fishermen after their boat broke down on Thursday evening. The boat started drifting after losing power about 60 miles (97km) off Sumburgh in Shetland. Sumburgh Coastguard helicopter and Aith RNLI lifeboat along with nearby boats went to the aid of the crew. The HM Coastguard …

Scotland; Fishing crew rescued off Shetland after breakdown Read More »

A seven-pupil school facing closure has been given hope it may yet survive. Despite worries about the impact on the Welsh language, Ysgol Abersoch is due to shut in December. But concerns about the closure have been raised by some Gwynedd councillors, who referred to proposed new housing and employment opportunities in the village. Some members …

Wales; Abersoch school gets glimmer of hope it may survive Read More »

A 10-year-old Country Antrim schoolboy has spent the past year helping to care for more than 40 birds of prey. Josh Carmichael helps feed, weigh and fly several birds with his dad John from the Northern Ireland School of Falconry. One of Josh’s favourite pastimes is going out with his dad to fly Harris hawks …

Northern Ireland ; Meet the schoolboy with a passion for birds of prey Read More »

A man has been arrested on suspicion of a terrorism offence in connection with the Manchester Arena attack. Twenty-two people were killed when Salman Abedi detonated a bomb at the end of a concert on 22 May 2017. A 24-year-old man, from Manchester, is being held on suspicion of engaging in the preparation of acts …

Manchester Arena attack: Man arrested on suspicion of terror offence Read More »

A wedding ring lost in the sea at a beach in the Western Isles has been found and returned to its relieved owner. Daryll Leslie’s wife Carey hand-crafted the gold band for their marriage on 28 September 2019. Last month, Mr Leslie joined friends on a trip to the Isle of Lewis and the ring …

Scotland; Couple’s joy as lost wedding ring found on Isle of Lewis beach Read More »

Covid lockdown restrictions should not be brought back to help NHS Wales deal with winter pressures, a former health boss has said. Dr Roland Salmon, former director of communicable diseases for Public Health Wales, said he believed such rules were only “at best marginally” beneficial. He said efforts should be redoubled to vaccinate those most …

Covid: Lockdowns will not help Welsh NHS – ex-health boss Read More »

Northern Ireland is “facing into the most difficult winter ever experienced”, Robin Swann has warned. The health minister said there were “unscheduled pressures” facing the health and social care system. Earlier, Naomi Long said she feared relaxing rules on face coverings in nightclubs may cause a “significant” rise in the transmission of Covid-19. The justice …

Covid-19: NI facing most difficult winter ever, says Swann Read More »

The Queen spent Wednesday night in hospital for preliminary medical checks and is now back at Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace has said. The 95-year-old monarch returned from the private hospital in central London at lunchtime on Thursday and is “in good spirits”, the palace added. The Queen had cancelled a visit to Northern Ireland on …

The Queen back at Windsor after hospital stay Read More »

Mountain rescuers went to the aid of three hillwalkers on the Cairngorms’ Lairig Ghru on Wednesday night. Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team (CMRT) said the group had become “challenged by their long day and deteriorating wintry weather”. Temperatures fell below freezing and fading light and snow hampered the walkers’ navigation through the pass. The 19-mile (30km) Lairig …

Night rescue of walkers on snow-dusted Cairngorms Read More »