The assault took place on a bus on February 11, 2026
A teenage girl was allegedly assaulted while travelling on a bus in Cambridge. The assault took place at around 2.40pm on February 11, when the victim boarded a bus in Puddicombe Way, Cambridge.
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The girl sat down on the bus, and a man who boarded at the same time as her. He then sat behind her and assaulted her. Cambridgeshire Police would like to speak to a man pictured on CCTV in connection with the incident.
A police spokesperson said: “Police have released CCTV images of a man they would like to speak to in connection with an assault on a teenage girl in Cambridge. At about 2.40pm on February 11, the victim boarded a bus in Puddicombe Way and sat down.
“A man, who boarded at the same time, sat behind her before assaulting her.” Anyone with information should call police on 101 or contact them online and quote reference 35/11620/26.
Ormskirk Medieval Festival is taking place at Coronation Park today and tomorrow running from 11am to 4pm each day.
The free event promises a vivid journey into West Lancashire’s past, set more than 1,000 years ago.
A spokesman for Visit Lancashire said:”Ormskirk Medieval Festival returns and Coronation Park will transform into a historical hamlet.”
“Watch the live battle re-enactments and learn some medieval domestic skills, including open-fire cooking and textile crafts.”
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“Experience the sights, smells, sounds and tastes of West Lancashire 900 years ago, as living history reenactors Historia Normannis take you on a journey back through time.”
Organised by West Lancashire Parks and Countryside Service in partnership with Historia Normannis, the festival will include live-action battle re-enactments, craft demonstrations, and trade stalls.
Visitors can explore the sounds, sights, and tastes of medieval life.
Historia Normannis, (Image: Henry Liswoski)
Modern family entertainment and food and drink stalls will also be on offer throughout the weekend.
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Historia Normannis is a Bolton- based 12th-century living history group transports audiences straight back into the heart of the medieval world.
More than 100 passengers and 13 crew members on board the Caribbean Princess, operated by Princess Cruises, have fallen ill in a norovirus outbreak
More than 100 individuals aboard a cruise liner have fallen ill during a norovirus outbreak.
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A total of 102 passengers and 13 crew members on the Caribbean Princess are displaying symptoms of the vomiting bug, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed. Those affected have been kept separate from other travellers.
The cruise liner, run by Princess Cruises, departed from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on April 28 and is expected to dock again on Monday. The ship is presently sailing off the northern coastline of the Dominican Republic and is set to call at Nassau, the Bahamian capital, on Sunday, according to CruiseMapper.
This outbreak of the extremely infectious yet seldom fatal norovirus follows a hantavirus outbreak on a different cruise vessel – a virus that spreads less easily but can be lethal.
“Princess Cruises can confirm that a limited number of individuals reported mild gastrointestinal illness during the April 28 Caribbean Princess voyage from Port Everglades,” Princess Cruises said in a statement on Friday, reports the Mirror.
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“We quickly disinfected every area of the ship and added extra sanitizing throughout the voyage.”
Before its next departure, the Caribbean Princess will undergo thorough cleaning and disinfection, Princess Cruises has stated. The company has not disclosed what might have triggered the outbreak.
According to the CDC, there are 3,116 passengers and 1,131 crew members currently aboard the vessel. Norovirus, commonly known as the winter vomiting bug, triggers vomiting and diarrhoea, according to the NHS. It transmits via close contact with those infected, contaminated surfaces, tainted food or water, and meals handled by virus carriers. Though deeply unpleasant, sufferers typically recover within approximately two days.
This latest outbreak emerges while over 140 passengers and crew remain aboard a cruise ship affected by hantavirus, currently sailing towards the Canary Islands.
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The MV Hondius, run by Oceanwide Expeditions, is anticipated to dock at the Spanish island of Tenerife early Sunday morning. At least three passengers have lost their lives, with several others contracting the infection.
Hantavirus typically spreads by breathing in particles tainted with rodent droppings and doesn’t easily pass between humans. The World Health Organization has confirmed the threat to the general public remains minimal.
Gordon Brown and Baroness Harman leave No10 after meeting with Keir Starmer
Sir Keir Starmer has brought former prime minister Gordon Brown back into government following a disastrous local election defeat.
The prime minister said on Saturday Mr Brown will serve as a special envoy on global finance, while ex-deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman has been appointed an adviser on women and girls.
Sir Keir is under mounting pressure after a string of Labour MPs called for his resignation, blaming him losing hundreds of councillors in England and a major humiliation in Wales.
Labour haemorrhaged support in former strongholds while Reform UK made huge gains and Plaid Cymru became the largest party in the Senedd election.
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Critics turning on Sir Keir include Louise Haigh, his former transport secretary. Andrea Egan, the general secretary of Unison, Britain’s largest union and one of Labour’s biggest financial backers, warned that the party faced “oblivion” unless Sir Keir stepped down, while Sharon Graham, the boss of Unite the Union, said he faced a choice to “change or die”.
But deputy leader Lucy Powell stuck by the prime minister, saying Labour must “listen” and “change” approach but that her party “does not do hostile takeovers”.
Sir Keir Starmer said on Friday he is “hurt” but is “not going to walk away”.
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Welsh Greens ‘open’ to conversations with Plaid Cymru, party leader says
The Wales Green Party is “open to having conversations” with Plaid Cymru over the next Welsh government, the party leader has said.
In a statement, Anthony Slaughter said: “We welcome the defeat of Reform and congratulate Plaid Cymru on their result – this is a victory for everyone who wanted to keep Reform’s divisive, Trumpian politics out of Wales.
“We are a welcoming nation – and Wales needs to stay a place where everyone is treated with respect and dignity, and can thrive.
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“When it comes to the next government of Wales, we are open to having conversations, but no decisions have been made at this point.
“In any negotiations we will be looking to deliver on the Green objectives that people voted on in this election – including action to address the cost-of-living crisis, protecting our NHS, fixing the renting crisis and restoring our natural environment.”
Nicole Wootton-Cane9 May 2026 11:30
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Labour MP calls for ‘orderly transition of leadership’
Labour MP Tony Vaughan said there should be an “orderly transition of leadership” before next year’s local elections.
The Folkestone and Hythe MP said the party was “hamstrung” by Sir Keir Starmer’s association with Labour’s mistakes in office including winter fuel cuts, benefits reform, the prime minister’s comments on Gaza and appointment of Lord Mandelson.
He said: “We must give the public a Labour leader with a clear vision, conviction and the ability to inspire if we are to stand any chance of turning things around.
“So, I strongly believe that there must be an orderly transition of leadership well before the local elections next year. Otherwise, we are conceding defeat to (Nigel) Farage before we have even started.”
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Nicole Wootton-Cane9 May 2026 11:20
Labour won fewer than half of seats it was defending in local elections, analysis suggests
Based on full results from 129 of the 136 councils in England that held elections on Thursday, Labour won 47 per cent of the seats it was defending, while the Conservatives won 63 per cent of the seats they were defending, according to Press Association analysis.
These figures are a comparison with seats the parties held just before the elections took place.
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Using the same calculation, at last year’s local elections in England both Labour and the Tories won 33 per cent of the seats they were defending.
Reform UK has won 31 per cent of the seats in which it stood candidates this year, while the Greens have won 12 per cent.
Last year Reform won 42 per cent of the seats it contested and the Greens won 7 per cent.
Nicole Wootton-Cane9 May 2026 11:14
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Farage: Labour are doomed
Nigel Farage has said Labour are “doomed” as he reacted to the news of Gordon Brown being brought back into government.
Posting on X, the Reform UK leader wrote: “An unpopular Prime Minister who lost a general election is now seen by Starmer as being the saviour. Labour are doomed.”
Nicole Wootton-Cane9 May 2026 10:58
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SNP MSP Stephen Gethins urges parties to ‘listen to the voters’ on independence
Independence should be a priority for John Swinney’s newly-returned Scottish government, one of his MSPs has insisted.
Stephen Gethins pointed to the record 73 MSPs elected on Thursday who support independence – with the SNP winning 58 seats and the Greens taking 15.
The SNP will now go on to form the next government at Holyrood, despite its tally of MSPs being down from the 64 the party won in 2021.
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While Mr Gethins said that tackling the cost-of-living crisis would be a priority for Mr Swinney when he begins a new term as first minister, he also said independence should be another key focus.
Throughout the election campaign, Mr Swinney said repeatedly he was seeking to win an overall majority for the SNP so he could press the case again for another referendum on Scotland’s future as part of the UK.
First minister John Swinney with Stephen Gethins, Heather Anderson and Lloyd Melville (Getty)
Nicole Wootton-Cane9 May 2026 10:45
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Gordon Brown appointed as special envoy, No 10 says
Former prime minister Gordon Brown has been appointed as a special envoy on global finance.
Downing Street said Sir Keir Starmer has committed to boosting the country’s security and resilience and “in this role, Gordon Brown will advise on how global finance cooperation can help to achieve this”.
Nicole Wootton-Cane9 May 2026 10:28
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Gordon Brown seen at Downing Street amid reports he could return to government
Former Labour prime minister Gordon Brown has arrived at Downing Street amid reports he is being brought back into government.
Downing Street has yet to confirm what role he has been given, if any.
Nicole Wootton-Cane9 May 2026 10:18
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Cabinet minister blames winter fuel U-turn in part for bad results
A cabinet minister has blamed Labour’s winter fuel allowance U-turn for one of the reasons the party returned such poor results in local elections this week.
Speaking to Sky News, environment secretary Emma Reynolds said there was “no sugarcoating” Labour’s results.
“We’ve had bad results in England, Wales and Scotland, and I think the public are sending us a message and we need to listen and reflect on that, which is what we’re doing, that they are dissatisfied with the pace of change,” she said.
“I think there’s a real sense of impatience, which I totally get about the scale and the pace of change, and we’ve got to make sure that we step up a gear and start delivering that change for people’s lives.”
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When asked what mistakes Labour made leading into the elections, Ms Reynolds said: “I think the winter fuel allowance and the changes to that – which we since corrected – were the wrong thing to do.”
Nicole Wootton-Cane9 May 2026 10:15
Most Labour members think Starmer cannot turn party results around, poll finds
The majority of Labour party members do not believe Sir Keir Starmer can reverse the party’s poor showings in Thursday’s local elections, a new poll has found.
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Data from The Guardian shows 45 per cent of Labour members say the prime minister should step down.
The most popular choice to replace him was Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, who was chosen by 42 per cent of members.
The poll of more than 1,000 party members showed soaring dissatisfaction with Sir Keir’s leadership among members – in October just 28 per cent said the prime minister should resign if Labour suffered poor election results in May.
Nicole Wootton-Cane9 May 2026 10:07
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Comment: Britain doesn’t want Reform UK – it wants electoral reform
The local elections have shattered the two-party system – but not everyone who wants to punish Labour wants to vote for Nigel Farage. It’s time for a change, says Andrew Grice.
The popular market will fill the ground floor of Market Place Bolton Shopping Centre, with more than 20 independent stalls to browse.
Shoppers can expect a wide range of handmade, artisan and locally sourced products. Food lovers will find fresh pretzels, strudel and German baked treats, alongside brownies, cupcakes, cookies and cinnamon buns. There will also be plant pots and lucky dips for those looking for something a little different.
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The market is also set to showcase handmade jewellery and accessories, fashion pieces, handbags and artisan designs, as well as crystals, gifts and one‑of‑a‑kind finds. Beauty fans can explore skincare, Korean beauty and holistic products, while families can browse children’s books and educational gifts.
Organisers say the event is designed to offer a relaxed place to wander, treat yourself and support independent traders and makers from across the region.
The Bolton Artisan Street Fayre runs throughout the day and is free to attend, making it an easy stop for shoppers already in town — or a destination visit for anyone looking to discover something new.
Whether you’re after a tasty treat, a thoughtful gift or simply a browse, the market promises something for everyone.
Given its distinctive storyline, it comes as little surprise that the dark comedy proved a massive hit with reviewers. Spanning seven episodes, it follows the story of Dre, a young woman utterly obsessed with pop star Ni’Jah, whose fanbase is known as The Swarm.
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Dre’s devotion propels her down a murderous journey across the America. A synopsis teases: “The show is a deep dive into Dre’s life, her desire, her fandom, and how elusive Ni’Jah influences her life, which takes her down a dark road.”
Hollywood A-listers played pivotal roles in bringing the series to life. Singer Billie Eilish makes a brief cameo as Eva, an all-women cult leader who draws Dre into her group, reports OK!. Fellow pop star Chloe Bailey also appears in the show as Dre’s friend, Marissa.
British actor Damson Idris also features, as well as Michael Jackson’s daughter, Paris. The star-studded cast is headed by Dominque Fishback, whom viewers may recognise from the Oscar-winning drama Judas and the Black Messiah.
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Following its release, viewers headed to Rotten Tomatoes in their droves to share their verdicts. “This series was awesome! I loved the story, it’s undoubtedly one of the best Serial Killer series I’ve ever seen, with a very different style. Everyone was great, the protagonist is very good and I also thought Billie Eilish’s cameo was cool, she did a great job,” said one viewer.
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Another praised: “I ended up watching this all in one night, super intriguing and strange but in a good way. I took away a star only because the ending was another one of those ‘interpret it as you wish’ type of endings which always frustrate me.”
A third remarked: “Billie Eilish, Chloe Bailey and Damson Idris also stun in their supporting and guest roles. Aesthetically brilliant and visually stunning, Swarm weaves through its horror and gory elements deftly. Swarm hits all the right notes, with great cinematography, direction and score, and the risks it takes all pay off.”
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While a fourth enthusiastic viewer added: “Heart-breaking, funny, disturbing and poignant. Totally Unique and at the same time watchable, is a rare find.”
The Hungarian Vizsla suffered horrific injuries after three other dogs attacked it last September
A man has been charged after a dog was ‘ripped apart’ and killed last year. Archie, a Hungarian Vizsla, was out for a walk with his owner Przemek Bednarczyk in Marholm, near Peterborough, on September 12 last year.
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While on the walk, Archie was brutally attacked by three other dogs. While Archie put up a fight, he died a few days after the attack.
Archie’s owners Przemek, and his partner Juta Ambrakaityte paid tribute to their pet a the time, describing him as a “gentle soul”. Eight months after the attack, Cambridgeshire Police has charged a 52-year-old man in connection with the incident.
A police spokesperson said: “Aivarias Girulis, 52, of HM Prison, County Road, Maidstone, has been charged with being the owner/person in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury. He will appear at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on May 29.”
Why spotlight on Liverpool’s dressing room culture is a sign of a changing club
Liverpool set the standards last season. The Premier League table provides some proof those standards have slipped on the pitch; so, too, the total of 18 defeats in all competitions. Yet the attention has been diverted to the standards off the pitch.
Mohamed Salah said he felt the bond in the dressing room is changing; he spoke of his concerns about the mentality in the dressing room. A man whose chiselled physique is testament to his work ethic said players need to get in early to go the gym, which in turn will encourage others to.
For Arne Slot, the culture is not a problem; nor does he think it will be next season when Andy Robertson and Salah, two of the stalwarts of Jurgen Klopp’s great side, depart. Slot argued that there are enough cultural architects already in his side to weather the loss of two influential figures.
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If the accusation was flying around that Liverpool were afforded too many days off, they have had fewer this year than in their title-winning campaign under Slot, or their final year under Klopp. One interpretation of their slide this year is that the culture Klopp and his senior players imbued is being dissipated and diluted with time. Slot does not concur.
Read Richard Jolly’s full analysis of the Liverpool situation
Luke Baker9 May 2026 11:10
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Chelsea’s remarkable collapse
Things have been going very, very badly for Chelsea recently. They were right in the hunt for Champions League football but have now lost six straight Premier League games to drop to ninth.
Only Joao Pedro’s spectacular late consolation in the 3-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest last time out stopped them from going goalless for the entirety of that six-game streak…
They are now in serious danger of missing out on European football entirely, trailing seventh-placed Brentford by three points (the exact number of English teams in Europe next season is yet to be determined.
They do still have the FA Cup final against Man City later this month as another potential route to Europe as well.
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(Getty)
Luke Baker9 May 2026 10:58
Liverpool close to Champions League football
Liverpool can take a big step towards Champions League football this lunchtime and maybe even seal it later today.
The Premier League top five will all qualify for competition due to England’s co-efficient and victory for Liverpool would put them nine points clear of Bournemouth in sixth, who only have three games left.
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The first of those comes this afternoon away to Fulham, so any dropped points for Andoni Iraola’s side if the Reds have won earlier, would seal the deal for Arne Slot’s side.
Even if not mathematically secure today, Liverpool’s goal difference is nine better than Bournemouth currently, so victory would all but take them there.
Liverpool can all but secure Champions League qualification with victory (Getty)
Luke Baker9 May 2026 10:51
How to watch Liverpool vs Chelsea
Liverpool take on Chelsea this lunchtime with kick-off at Anfield at 12:30pm BST.
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It will be shown live in the UK on TNT Sports 1 and HBO Max.
Luke Baker9 May 2026 10:28
Early Chelsea team news – Colwill and James should be available
Chelsea should have Levi Colwill and Reece James available, with interim boss Calum McFarlane saying in his pre-match press conference: “We’ve got a few lads returning, so Levi’s trained another full week again, Reece as well, so it’s looking promising,”
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However, Robert Sanchez is out due to a head injury and Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho are doubts due to knocks.
Possible Chelsea XI: Jorgenson; James, Fofana, Colwill, Cucurella; Lavia, Caicedo; Palmer, Enzo, Pedro; Delap
Reece James should be available for Chelsea (Getty)
Luke Baker9 May 2026 10:25
Early Liverpool team news – Reds face Isak decision
Alexander Isak and goalkeeper and Giorgi Mamardashvili could return after missing the defeat at Manchester United, leaving Arne Slot with a decision as to whether to start with the injury-prone Swedish striker or bring him off the bench.
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Alisson Becker and Mohamed Salah remain out but Florian Wirtz, who missed training with illness on Wednesday, is expected to be available.
PossibleLiverpool XI: Mamardashvili; Jones, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Frimpong, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Isak
Alexander Isak has endured a difficult start to life at Liverpool (Reuters)
Luke Baker9 May 2026 10:21
Liverpool vs Chelsea
Welcome to The Independent’s coverage of Liverpool v Chelsea.
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Victory for the Reds would all but lock up Champions League qualification for another year, while crisis-hit Chelsea are desperately searching for a win from anywhere to stop their inexorable slide down the table and try to find some semblance of form ahead of the FA Cup final
John Swinney’s party took 58 seats, falling short of the 65 needed to win an overall majority, but are by far the largest party in Scottish parliament after Labour and Reform UK both emerged with just 17 seats.
Hours after the result was announced, Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform: “Congratulations to John Swinney on winning his Re-Election for First Minister of Scotland. He is a good man, who worked very hard, along with the King and Queen of the United Kingdom, with respect to Tariff relief for Great Scottish Whiskey – and deserves this Big Electoral Victory!”
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The post backs up Mr Swinney’s claim that he worked to deliver the removal of US tariffs on Scottish whiskey, which was announced shortly after the King’s state visit.
The SNP leader was forced to release a thank you text he received from Mr Trump after he was initially mocked on social media for the claim.
The US president praised the SNP leader as a ‘good man’ who ‘deserves this big electoral victory’ (AP)
The US president’s social media post could perhaps be seen as a swipe at the prime minister, who has suffered from worsening relations with Mr Trump in recent months.
The pair continue to be at odds with each other over the president’s approach to war in the Middle East, with Mr Trump calling Sir Keir “no Winston Churchill” earlier this year.
Sir Keir has faced calls to resign after the disastrous set of elections in Scotland, Wales and local councils across England.
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But the prime minister has insisted he “will not walk away” and has vowed to fight on as Labour leader, despite being blamed for losing hundreds of councillors in England and a major humiliation in Wales.
First Minister and SNP leader John Swinney with party supporters, at the election count for the 2026 Holyrood elections (PA)
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar admitted his party was “hurting” after the result in Scotland.
Asked if he blamed Sir Keir Starmer for the results on Friday, Mr Sarwar said: “Throughout this election campaign, I have tried to make this election about Scotland, I’m not going to change that today.
“Is there a national wave, though, that we tried to overcome and failed to do so? Yes.”
Labour haemorrhaged support in former strongholds while Reform UK made stunning gains and Plaid Cymru became the largest party in a Senedd election that left outgoing First Minister Eluned Morgan without a seat.
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The results have reignited rumblings of a leadership contest, with some backbench MPs openly calling on Sir Keir to set out a timetable for his departure and others urging an immediate change in direction.
Richard Burgon, leader of the Socialist Campaign Group of left-wing Labour MPs, demanded Sir Keir set out a timetable for his departure.
Sir Keir Starmer has said he will not walk away (Getty)
“It is clear that Keir has fought his last election as Labour leader and, deep down, he will know it,” he said.
But Sir Keir has defiantly vowed to stand firm as prime minister, with some ministers also insisting there will be no attempt to push him out.
Speaking as the results came in on Friday, Sir Keir vowed: “I’m not going to walk away and plunge the country into chaos.”
Buses will replace all Northern services from Sheffield to York across the weekend, due to planned engineering work between Sheffield, Bolton-Upon-Dearne and Wakefield Westgate.
It comes as Network Rail carries out essential work to renew switches and crossings in the area.
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A spokesperson for National Rail said that the work would ensure it could deliver “more reliable” journeys for passenger and freight trains in the years ahead.
CrossCountry trains will continue to operate between the two cities as normal.
Speaking about this, a representative from National Rail said: “This planned engineering work will close some lines on Saturday (May 9) and Sunday (May 10).
“If you are planning to travel between Sheffield and York on Northern services, you can complete your journey on rail replacement buses.
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“CrossCountry and Northern services between Sheffield and Leeds will have their timetables re-timed.
“If you’re travelling on a rail replacement bus, you can use the rail replacement services page on the National Rail website for advice with your journey.”
A GMFRS spokesperson said: “Two fire engines and a turntable ladder from Bolton Central Community Fire Station attended, along with the Enhanced Rescue Unit from Ashton-under-Lyne.
“Crews used the turntable ladder to safely rescue the person from the roof and bring them back down to ground level.”
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Firefighters were seen outside McDonald’s on Knowsley Street as they worked to bring the situation under control.
They remained at the scene for around 45 minutes before rescuing the person and bringing them back down.
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