Market

Public toilets closed after 'mindless' vandalism

by Lillian
written by Lillian

Public toilets in a popular seaside town have been closed after they were vandalised.

The toilets at Jubilee North on the seafront at Lowestoft were targeted on Wednesday night.

East Suffolk Council described the damage as "significant" and added: "The repairs may take some time and the toilets will remain closed until these repairs are complete."

They described it as a "mindless attack" and said the incident had been reported to police.

East Suffolk Council
The damage was described as "significant"

A spokeswoman from the council added: "We are currently assessing the damage and determining whether any repairs can be made before the First Light Festival [21-22 June], however, this is dependent on the availability of replacement items."

East Suffolk Council
The council has asked for any witnesses to get in touch
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Tech

Life-saving equipment stolen from fire station

by Jennifer
written by Jennifer

Life-saving equipment was stolen from a fire engine leaving its crew unavailable to attend incidents.

The break-in happened at Ferndown Fire Station on Ringwood Road, between 08:45 BST on Friday and 09:00 on Saturday, causing damage to the building and resulting in a reciprocating saw and Halligan tool – used by firefighters to force entry – being taken.

PC Georgia Hedditch, of Dorset Police, described it as a "senseless burglary" that "resulted in the fire service being deprived of a potentially life-saving asset".

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said it was "very saddened" by theft.

PC Hedditch said the force was "carrying out a number of inquiries" and urged any witnesses or those with dashcam, home CCTV or doorbell camera footage to come forwards.

Jason Moncrieff, area manager of Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "We are very saddened that this has happened at one of our fire stations.

"The impact was greater than the loss of two pieces of equipment, it meant the Ferndown crew were unavailable to attend incidents for much of Saturday, and we now have to use public money to buy replacement items.

"The offenders also damaged part of the fire station to get in, which has now been repaired, again at a cost to public funding."

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Market

Pet owners urged to be aware of travel checks

by Ella
written by Ella

People planning to take their pets to Northern Ireland are being urged to be aware of new rules set to come into effect.

From 4 June, routine checks on animal health certificates (AHC), which are issued by vets for each journey, will be carried out at ports in Belfast and Larne.

The Isle of Man government said the changes were part of the implementation of the Brexit deal, which sets trading rules between the UK and the country.

Minister for Environment, Food and Agriculture Clare Barber urged pet owners to "plan ahead to avoid disruption or distress" as the shift represented a "significant change for pet owners" .

"Please speak to your vet in good time, and check official guidance before you travel," she said.

The requirement for the certificate remains unchanged, but the inspections are set to be introduced to align the island with other jurisdictions.

The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, which operates ferry services to Belfast, is working with the Manx government to make people aware of the changes.

Pet owners travelling by ferry must report for the checks at a facility in Belfast upon arrival.

To travel from the Isle of Man to Northern Ireland pets must be microchipped and be vaccinated against rabies.

They are required to enter via a recognised point of entry, and dogs must be treated for tapeworm.

All pet owners must also be able to provide a valid AHC or EU Pet Passport.

Scheduled commercial flights from the Isle of Man do not currently allow pets, but those travelling by private aircraft must follow the same rules.

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Tech

Sudanese eating charcoal and leaves to survive, aid agency warns

by Shannon
written by Shannon

Sudanese people are eating leaves and charcoal to survive after fleeing an attack on a camp for displaced people near the city of el-Fasher, an aid agency has told the BBC.

"The stories we've been hearing are truly horrific," Noah Taylor, the Norwegian Refugee Council's head of operations, told the BBC's Newsday programme.

People are fleeing el-Fasher for Tawila, but are dying "on arrival," Mr Taylor added.

He said that some were "dying of thirst", whilst making the 40km (25 mile) journey from Zamzam camp in "blistering" temperatures.

"We've heard stories there are still bodies on the road between el-Fasher and Tawila.

"We spoke to a family who told us of a girl who had walked on foot by herself from el-Fasher, was repeatedly raped along the journey, and then died of her wounds when she arrived in Tawila."

El-Fasher is the last city in Sudan's western region of Darfur under the control of the army and its allies. Earlier this month, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) attacked the nearby Zamzam camp, forcing tens of thousands to flee their makeshift shelters.

Many Zamzam residents had been there for two decades, after escaping previous conflicts in Darfur.

The RSF has been battling the army for the past two years in a war that has killed an estimated 150,000 people and forced some 13 million from their homes.

Aid agencies say it is the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

However, funding problems have led to the UN reducing the food aid it delivers to areas of Sudan hit by famine, it says.

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Industry

Man charged with murder over 2015 crash

by Stella
written by Stella

He was remanded into custody and is due to appear at Birmingham Crown Court on Thursday.

He was previously found guilty of attempted murder and sentenced in October 2016.

A man has been charged with murder in connection with a crash in Staffordshire ten years ago.

Mohammed Aziz was hit by a car in Shobnall Street, Burton-on-Trent, on 20 July 2015.

The then 50-year-old, who was from the town, suffered extensive injuries and died in December 2022, Staffordshire Police said.

Nadeem Akhtar, 46, of Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent, was charged with murder and appeared at the North Staffordshire Justice Centre on Wednesday.

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Global Trade

Radio 2 breakfast audience drops after Zoe Ball's exit

by Violet
written by Violet

The BBC Radio 2 breakfast show lost more than 360,000 listeners following Zoe Ball's exit, new audience figures show.

The presenter hosted her final breakfast programme in December after six years in the slot, and recently took up a new role fronting Saturday afternoons on the station.

After her departure, DJ Mark Goodier covered the show for most of January, until new host Scott Mills took over at the end of that month.

Radio 2 still comfortably has the most popular breakfast show in the UK, attracting an audience of 6.45 million between January and March, a 5% drop on the previous quarter, according to industry ratings body Rajar.

Ball had added more than 200,000 listeners during her final year on the programme.

After taking over the breakfast show, Mills was replaced on his former afternoon slot by Trevor Nelson, whose evening programme was taken over by DJ Spoony.

Vernon Kay attracted an audience of 6.73 million in the first three months of 2025, meaning his mid-morning show retained its crown as the most popular radio programme in the UK.

The show is down, however, on the audience of 8.2 million achieved by his predecessor Ken Bruce, who left in 2023.

Trevor Nelson (left) took over Mills' afternoon slot, while Vernon Kay hosts the station's popular mid-morning show

The station's weekly audience fell by about half a million compared with its previous total of 13.65 million in the final quarter of 2024, according to Rajar.

Radio 2 chief Helen Thomas said: "In a quarter which saw Radio 2 launch a new daytime schedule in late January, host some of the world's most loved musicians in the Piano Room throughout February, and celebrate country music in March, I'm thrilled that Radio 2 remains the UK's most popular radio station with 13.11m listeners each week."

Listening figures often drop after major schedule changes, and Ball herself lost nearly 800,000 listeners in 2019 after Chris Evans' departure.

The breakfast show regularly attracted more than nine million listeners during Evans' tenure. That figure has not been matched since, although radio audiences have become increasingly fragmented in recent years.

The BBC, and Radio 2 in particular, went through a tumultuous period around 2022, which saw several high-profile figures leave the station, either by choice or through schedule shake-ups.

Matt Deegan, host of the Media Club podcast and creative director of consultancy firm Folder Media, told BBC News: "In the grand scheme of things, a drop this small for such a big change shows the strength of the Radio 2 brand and Scott's appeal with listeners.

“However the challenge for him and his team is to take nothing for granted and keep working to deliver a show that existing and new listeners will like. There's never been more competition for that audience.”

Elsewhere, Heart's breakfast show, hosted by Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden, has seen its audience rise by 250,000 listeners.

It attracted a record audience of 4.3 million in the first quarter of the year, cementing its status as the most popular commercial breakfast show in the UK.

Meanwhile, Gok Wan's first three months co-hosting Magic Radio's breakfast show, alongside Harriet Scott, saw the programme marginally increase its audience to 862,000.

However, it is still significantly down on the 1.2 million listeners it had a year ago, when it was fronted by former Boyzone singer Ronan Keating.

Capital's breakfast show, hosted by Jordan North, was down by 140,000 listeners after a leap in listeners following his arrival last year.

And after a loss of more than a quarter of a million in 2024, Kiss Breakfast, hosted by Jordan Banjo and Perri Kiely, climbed by 80,000 in the latest quarter.

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Tech

Owner devastated after food truck set on fire

by Logan
written by Logan

A food truck destroyed in an arson attack was a labour of love that had taken its owner months to restore.

Emergency services responded to reports that Dutchie's Jerk Joint was on fire in Queens Square, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, at about 00:45 BST on 23 April.

The local community has raised about £5,000 to fund a replacement and support the family who ran the business.

Comorah Briscoe said: "We bought that truck as a major fixer-upper. It took me six months of hands and knees work with help from all my friends and family just to get it into condition."

Dutchie's Jerk Joint
It took six months to get the van into a condition where it could be used to sell food

Hertfordshire Police has asked anybody who was in the area or has CCTV footage from that night to contact them.

The van had been off the road since August but bookings had been made from next month, including weddings, birthdays and the Notting Hill Carnival.

Dutchie's Jerk Joint
The arson attack happened during the early hours of 23 April

Mr Briscoe said he was reluctant to ask for help to fund a replacement.

"I didn't think I'd get anything. I didn't even want to do it because I think it's embarrassing asking," he said.

"The reaction has been overwhelming with how many people want us to be back on the road."

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Tech

Major factory blaze leads to power cut at 380 homes

by Harper
written by Harper

Firefighters tackling a major blaze at a factory in Birmingham are expected to be at the scene all night, it has been confirmed.

About 75 crew members have been tackling the fire, which led to a power cut affecting nearly 400 homes.

Fifteen fire engines were sent to the single-storey industrial premises on Warwick Road, Sparkhill, at about 07:15 BST.

West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) said the blaze had also spread to three separate businesses nearby, although no casualties had been reported.

It has confirmed the fire also affected an electrical substation, which had been isolated remotely by the National Grid, leaving 380 homes without power.

In the latest update, a WMFS spokesperson said there had been a crew changeover at 18:00 and the fire was still being treated as "significant", having affected up to 75% of the factory.

People living nearby had been urged to avoid the area and close all windows and doors.

National Grid said it had hoped power would be restored to all homes by 18:30.

About 75 firefighters have been tackling the blaze in Sparkhill, Birmingham

Warwick Road has been closed in both directions between the junctions with the B4146 Tyseley Hill Road and B4146 Wharfadale Road, according to travel monitoring system Inrix.

A West Midlands Police spokesperson said officers were supporting the fire service with the road closures.

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Market

Floral spectacular as castle celebrates 50 years

by Louis
written by Louis

Twenty volunteers and staff from 10 National Trust properties across Devon have teamed up with the British Academy of Floral Art for a celebration with flowers.

Together they have created floral installations for Castle Drogo in Devon to mark the 50th anniversary of the National Trust at the historic attraction.

The site is hosting the "spectacular" event in collaboration with the academy from 2-8 May, organisers said.

Visitors can admire more than 18 floral designs which the academy says will enhance the castle's grand interiors.

British Academy of Floral Art
National Trust staff and volunteers have been working with the academy

Tina Parkes, director of the academy, told BBC News: "We've taken each of the rooms and designed floral arrangements to enhance the colour scheme, furniture, and style of the room.

"We've also had a look at some of the floral arrangements that they would have used in the 1920s and 1930s, so we'll include some of those as well."

She said it had been "lovely to have the privilege of going and looking at the house and going around all the different rooms".

National Trust
The National Trust is marking 50 years with Castle Drogo

The trust and the academy "seem like a really nice fit", she said.

"I'm going to be taking two of my students with me.

"It's a great opportunity for them as well, not just to practice their flower arranging skills but also their teaching and working with other people skills.

"The National Trust is an amazing group of people who work so hard, and it's really nice to work with them.

"We're hoping that this event might lead to many more interesting ventures."

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Industry

Mum prised dog's jaw off son's leg during attack

by Owen
written by Owen

The mother of two toddlers attacked by the family dog told the BBC she was "so thankful" to neighbours who helped to save them.

The boys, aged two and three, are being treated for puncture wounds and lacerations to their arms and legs in hospital and having surgery to close and stitch their wounds.

The animal, a six-month-old American bulldog named Oakley, had reportedly never shown any signs of aggression until it attacked at about 16:00 BST on Thursday in the back garden of their home on Johnson Avenue, Prescot.

The boys' mother, who did not wish to be named, said they were expected to make a "full recovery" and have been their "normal cheeky selves" in hospital.

The BBC understands the children were playing in the garden when Oakley grabbed the older boy without warning.

As the adults in the house prised his jaws open to release the three-year-old, it turned and grabbed the younger boy before it was pulled away.

'We're not coping'

A neighbour managed to keep the dog from grabbing the boy's face and neck, before the children were moved safely inside.

Witnesses said the dog had been with the family since it was about eight or nine weeks old.

The mother thanked the neighbour who intervened, adding were it not for her "I might not have a son".

She said her older child had been asking about Oakley, who had been handed over to police to be put down.

"We're not coping," she said.

"Not only are we dealing with the two kids, we're also grieving for the family dog."

However, she said the children seemed to be dealing with the attack well.

"They're still the same kids, they're still their same cheeky, attitude-y little selves," she said.

"The way they are in themselves, you wouldn't know anything had happened, but of course it has."

Cn Insp Phil Thompson, from Merseyside Police, called the attack a "shocking incident".

"We are in the very early stages of investigating this incident and the dog has been seized at the home, he said.

"Enquiries are ongoing to establish the breed of the dog and identify the owner."

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