“A post-mortem will take place in due course”

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The circumstances surrounding the death of a man at a home in Co Antrim are being investigated.

Officers were in attendance at a residential property in the Ballymena area in the early hours of Thursday, April 2. In a statement to Belfast Live, a police spokesperson said a woman, aged in her 20s, was arrested at the property on a suspicion of drug-related offences.

The statement read: “Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the sudden death of a man at a residential property in Ballymena in the early hours of this morning, Thursday, 2^nd April.

“A post-mortem will take place in due course, however the death is not being treated as suspicious at this time.

“A woman, aged in her 20s, was arrested at the property on suspicion of a number of drug-related offences and remains in custody.”

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Bush, 48, has pleaded guilty to 67 offences spanning 12 years at his firm, Legacy Independent Funeral Directors.

Hull Crown Court heard that about 240 victim impact statements from affected people will be submitted before he is sentenced in July.

Funeral director Robert Bush leaves Hull Crown Court on Thursday (April 2) (Image: Scott Heppell/PA Wire)

Robert Bush (Image: Humberside Police)

These include families of the 31 bodies that were kept at his site for months after they should have been cremated, ashes found there that could not be identified, and about 150 people who were sold fraudulent funeral plans.

Speaking outside court after Bush pleaded guilty to all charges, campaigner Karen Dry, whose parents were both cremated at Legacy Independent Funeral Directors, said: “There is an enduring sense of deep betrayal, emotional stress, and damage caused by this individual, to many families right across this city.

“From the torment of not knowing whether we have the ashes of our loved ones, to families having the trauma of DNA profiling to establish the identity of their deceased loved ones and having the distress of a second funeral, not to mention the anguish and hardship caused by fraudulent, and now worthless, funeral plans.”

Senior investigating officer Detective Superintendent Alan Curtis, of Humberside Police, said: “The utter devastation and emotional harm Robert Bush has caused to hundreds of victims and families cannot be underestimated.

“Thirty-one families believed that their loved one had been cremated, when in fact they remained on site within the Legacy premises on Hessle Road. Most had been given ashes and had been advised that their loved ones’ cremation had taken place.

“Other families, who had chosen cremations through Legacy, were left waiting for ashes that have never been provided, or were deceived by Bush and given ashes that we now know were not their loved ones.

“The distress and devastation that this has caused for those families is simply unimaginable.

“People paid Bush for funeral plans, so in the future their families didn’t have to worry about costs and arrangements for their own funerals.

“He betrayed this trust, leaving some victims with the uncertainty around their own funeral arrangements and without the means to pay for them.

“The damage he has caused to families across our communities is quite possibly irreparable, with so many victims who have suffered and continue to do so.”

Victims of Robert Bush

Thirty people whose bodies were found at the funeral home:

• Norman Bridger
• Jonathan Butler
• Muriel Winning
• Raymond Dagnall
• Colin Wainman
• Maureen Graham
• Susan Gorbutt
• Shirley Wright
• Mark Hotham
• John Carlill
• Joyce Moulton
• Terence Buck
• David Burton
• Audrey Leach
• Danny Middleton
• Tony Munro
• Jessie Stockdale
• Peter Moody
• Jean Collinson
• Alan Gray
• Hilda Mary Rhodes
• Stephen Perrins
• Joan Stark
• Brian Johnson
• Graham Finn
• Terence White
• Susan Stone
• Herbert James Porter
• Peter Brown
• Julie Web

Four “foetus allegations” where Bush falsely told mothers the ashes he gave them were the remains of their unborn children:

• Jasmine Beverley
• Katie Woolston
• Stacey Foster
• Lucy James-Guest Ness

Fifty-seven victims of fraud over ashes:

• Michelle Drewry
• Shelly Chearman
• Richard Collins
• Brooke Atkinson
• Linda Hall
• Billie-Jo Chapman
• Petrina Featherstone
• Carl Osler
• Dianne Scandole
• Carol Brown
• David Greensides
• Norma Ellam
• Maxine Penrose
• Sharon Shimmells
• Claire Wilkinson
• Mark Anderson
• Kadie Laws
• Tracy Hudson
• Paul Whitehead
• Harry Welsh
• Tracey Hartley
• Jackie Delaney
• Jillian Townhill
• Christine Colville
• Kirstie Hobden
• Michelle Martin
• Donald Leslie Brigham
• Lee Clark
• Curtis Neylon
• Susan Brown
• Gillian Owst
• Sheila Robinson
• Brett Moses
• Richard Shaw
• Mandy Bailey
• Valerie Coates
• James Meikleham
• Yvonne Robinson
• Heather Welford
• Michael Endall
• Debra Lawson
• Joyce Rispin
• Peter Welburn
• Samantha Rosenquest
• Lisa Thompson-Frazer
• Sylvia Rawson
• Mark Hague
• Lynn Farmery
• Macey Urry
• Kirsty Young
• Tracey Brigham
• Bille-Jo Suffill
• Jill Hall
• Brendon Brown
• Rebecca Windas
• Sophie Tibbles-Carrott
• Rebecca Thompson

Twelve charities that Bush stole from by failing to pass on donations collected at funerals

• Salvation Army
• MacMillan Cancer Support
• CHIEF
• Dogs Trust
• Dove House
• Help for Heroes
• Maister Lodge
• Oakwood Dog Rescue
• RNLI
• Sailors Children Society
• WISHH
• Hull Fishing Heritage Charity

‘When he spoke, you listened’

An architect of change, his achievements touched every corner of Greater Manchester. His wisdom, leadership and ability to bring people together inspired many. He was a man who got things done.

Eamonn Boylan OBE, one of the region’s most influential and powerful political figures, has died aged 66. He leaves behind wife Maria and two children.

In a career spanning more than four decades, he worked roles in local government in Greater Manchester, Sheffield and London. He dedicated his life to public service and left his mark wherever he went.

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“When he spoke, you listened,” one former colleague said. He made Greater Manchester an ‘effective, efficient machine’.

He was deputy chief executive in Manchester from 2001 to 2008 and served as Stockport’s top boss from 2010 for seven years, laying the foundations for the town’s future success.

Mr Boylan led the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) as chief executive from 2017 to 2024, with responsibility over Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS).

In 2019, he also took over Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), overseeing the return of buses under public control.

Mr Boylan steered the GMCA and TfGM through a period in which the government gave the organisations more responsibilities to make decisions and run services locally. He spearheaded the ‘trailblazer’ devolution deal, giving politicians and public officials in more influence over transport, education and housing.

He guided the GMCA through difficult times – from the Manchester Arena terrorist attack that led to big changes at GMFRS, to the Covid crisis and the appointment of a new chief constable of GMP after the force’s failings were exposed in 2020.

Mr Boylan stepped down from the GMCA in 2023, saying: “I am immensely proud of what we have created together in Greater Manchester, and I hope that we continue to grow and prosper and make this city-region the best place to get on, grow up and get old.”

A return to Stockport soon beckoned as interim chair of Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC). And in 2024 when Manchester needed an interim chief executive while a permanent replacement was found for Joanne Roney – there was only one name in contention. He also served as Homes England interim chief executive in 2025.

When he was needed, he stepped up. He was trusted. In the world of local government, where change is slow and difficult, Mr Boylan had a knack for getting things done.

Like the man he deputised for in Manchester, he was a fixer who talked big and delivered. Like the late, great Sir Howard Bernstein, Mr Boylan led with steely determination and dedication. His leadership inspired those around him.

Following Mr Boylan’s death, less than two years after Sir Howard, former colleagues sense the end of an era in drawing is near. His fingerprints are all over Greater Manchester’s finest achievements, But Mr Boylan wasn’t one to hog the limelight.

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“Eamonn was the public servant’s public servant and a giant of English devolution,” Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said.

“He led from the front but was rarely in the spotlight, taking every opportunity to lift up and empower those around him.”

“At the most crucial moment in Greater Manchester’s devolution journey, he took the foundations laid by past leaders and built it into an effective, efficient machine that continues to deliver.”

As tributes poured in, one word continued to appear in former colleague’s statements – ‘humour’. Mr Burnham spoke of his ‘great support, guidance, good humour and friendship’.

Tom Stannard, current Manchester chief executive said: “He has been a mentor, confidante and adviser to me and many colleagues – always a source of great wisdom, advice and humour in the face of challenges, generous with his time and attention, and someone with an unswerving commitment to improving the whole of Greater Manchester for the benefit of its residents.”

GMCA group chief executive Caroline Simpson said Mr Boylan was a ‘a friend and a mentor whose massive intellect, humility, humour and kindness shone through every day’.

‘Stockport is the place it is today because of him’

It was while working at Stockport MDC that Mr Boylan planted the seeds of much of the town’s staggering transformation, which has seen it win national accolades as a place to live and work.

A massive £1bn of investment has flooded into the borough, creating a new transport interchange, apartments and business hub. The changes are not stopping anytime soon, with the regeneration area recently expanding to cover the entirety of Stockport town centre.

Councillor Mark Hunter, a former Stockport council leader, said of Mr Boylan: “He was a public service man through and through and helped shape the vision for the town centre transformation.

“He was there at the very beginning, he was one of the architects of the whole thing. He played a key role, there is no doubt about that, both in Stockport and across the wider Greater Manchester region.”

Councillor David Meller, former leader of the opposition at Stockport council, said Mr Boylan’s ‘fingerprints are all over the borough’.

He added: “He was plain-talking, really pleasant and focused on wanting to get stuff done. He wanted to cut through the blockers and find ways to get things done, bringing people together.

“He just had that gravitas and expertise in what he had done. He was a person who when he spoke, you would listen.”

Mark Roberts, current leader of Stockport council, said: “Stockport is the place it is today because of the strong foundations Eamonn helped to build. His leadership gave our borough confidence, and his legacy can be seen in our town’s physical investment and ambition that carries through to today and the future.

“Eamonn dedicated his life to public service and was held in high regard not just for his professionalism, but for the way he worked with people across the council and across political lines with a focus on always doing the right thing for local communities.”

Mr Boylan was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to local government in 2023. It marked the pinnacle of an extraordinary career.

GMCA group chief executive Ms Simpson said: “His dedication and his determination to get things done will leave a lasting legacy here. He will remain an indelible part of the fabric of our city region’s growth and success.”

“Grenfell is not a throwaway line. It is a national tragedy that demands respect. If these are the voices Reform is putting forward, then this is what the party stands for, and voters should take note”

Reform UK’s Simon Dudley’s comments about Grenfell are as shocking as they are revealing.

To dismiss a disaster that claimed 72 lives with “everyone dies in the end” is not just callous, it is utterly devoid of humanity. Nigel Farage was right to sack him.

But this cannot be waved away as a one-off mistake. It raises serious questions about Reform UK – the tone it sets, the judgment it shows and, crucially, the kind of people it chooses to represent it.

Take Councillor Lynn Dean, suspended by the party this week, after it was alleged that racist posts were made on an X account belonging to her. Time and again, figures linked to Reform have displayed a willingness to provoke, to trivialise serious issues, show a startling lack of empathy, or worse.

That is not bad luck. It is a pattern. Grenfell is not a throwaway line. It is a national tragedy that demands respect, care and accountability. If these are the voices Reform is putting forward, then this is what the party stands for, and voters should take note.

‘This devastating breach of trust can never happen again’

It is a betrayal almost beyond words. Families trusted Robert Bush at their most vulnerable and he repaid that trust with deception and cruelty.

Preventing burials, handing over the ashes of strangers and stealing charitable donations is not just criminal, it is profoundly cruel. Funeral directors are meant to offer dignity in death and comfort in grief.

Instead, this case has caused unimaginable distress to families who deserved far better. The scale and duration of these offences only deepen the horror.

Justice must now follow. As this case moves to sentencing, the priority must be accountability and ensuring such a devastating breach of trust can never happen again.

‘A very happy Easter to you’

Even in these uncertain times, Easter reminds us of hope, renewal and togetherness. As the world feels in turmoil, may this time bring moments of peace, laughter and love.

However you spend it, with family, friends or quiet reflection, we wish you a happy and restful Easter.

The Netflix star has explained why her TV partner attended the reunion solo

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An Age of Attraction star has gone public with her new relationship after notably skipping the cast reunion. The Netflix dating programme brought together 40 singles aged between 22 and 60, for a chance at finding love without knowing their partner’s age.

Among the hopeful contestants was Pfeifer Hill, 23, who sparked a connection with Derrick Fleming, 43. Despite their 20-year age gap, the pair formed a strong bond and left the show hand-in-hand. However, fans were left puzzled when Derrick attended the reunion alone, confirming that their relationship had broken down away from the cameras.

Pfeifer has now revealed exactly why she turned down her invitation to the reunion. Sharing a video on Instagram, she explained: “I never want to speak on a podcast that doesn’t feel like an authentic choice or one that I’m not enthusiastic about,” reports the Mirror.

READ MORE: Netflix Age of Attraction cast’s real jobs revealedREAD MORE: XO Kitty fans ask ‘what’s going on’ after huge break up twist

“I want the first time that I speak out about the show to be on a platform that aligns with me and is one of my choosing. I want to tell my story on my own terms.” Unlike other Netflix dating shows, the Age of Attraction reunion aired on hosts Nick Viall and Natalie Joy’s podcast, The Viall Files.

Pfeifer has suggested she would have preferred an alternative platform to discuss her experience. The graphic designer added: “This is not shade to the hosts of the podcast, anybody who went on the reunion or anybody who listens.”

She continued: “I made a different choice because for me, that choice for me upholds what I believe in, which is authenticity to myself. Derrick and I ended on good terms, I have no bad blood with anybody in the cast, so I kind of just wanted to leave it that way honestly #protectyourpeace.”

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The reality star went on to disclose that she has found a new partner, who whisked her away on a surprise birthday trip around the time the reunion was being filmed. “I am in a relationship, my partner is my best friend,” she said.

“Even though our relationship is relatively new, it is one of the biggest joys in my whole life. For my birthday, my boyfriend surprised me with tickets to Japan.

“Even if I had wanted to attend [the reunion] in the first place, I would have had to reschedule our trip. I always want my boyfriend to know that our relationship is my priority,” she explained. While Pfeifer didn’t find her perfect match on the dating show, she appears perfectly happy with her new romance.

Fans will be delighted to hear that a fresh batch of singletons will be taking part in the experiment for Age of Attraction Season 2, which will see married couple Nick and Natalie return to the helm as hosts.

Age of Attraction is streaming now on Netflix

A mother and daughter from Bolton have been banned from keeping equines after leaving an emaciated pony for dead on a freezing Bolton field.

The pair also received suspended prison sentences after admitting to neglecting a pony that had to be put down.

Chloe Hudson, 27, and Shantel Tansley, 46, of Ainsworth Lane, were prosecuted by the RSPCA and sentenced at Wigan Magistrates’ Court on March 20.

The offence related to the neglect of a bay pony named Jewell, one of five equines kept by the pair in a field at Higher Pasture Barn on Broadhead Road in Bolton.

Jewell had to be put down (Image: RSPCA)

A concerned neighbour who kept horses on adjacent land contacted the RSPCA on January 7, 2024, after becoming alarmed by the ponies’ condition.

In a statement, the neighbour described two of the ponies as “skin and bone,” and said Jewell “looked ready to drop.”

The neighbour noticed she was suffering from diarrhoea and was uninterested in eating after she had offered to put hay out for the defendant’s equines during a period of snowfall a week later.

When she was looking after her own horses a couple of days later she saw that Jewell had collapsed in the neighbouring field.

A vet attended the scene and determined that the only humane option was to put Jewell to sleep.

Jewell at Higher Pasture Barn in Broadhead Road, Bolton, (Image: RSPCA)

“I ran down to the field and saw that the pony was laid on her side and not moving. She was breathing but she didn’t get up. The temperature was around minus six, it was freezing cold,” said the vet, who tried unsuccessfully to contact Hudson.

“The pony had profuse diarrhoea around her back end and on her tail and that had frozen to the ground. I was shocked by her condition.”

RSPCA inspector Jennie Ronksley said none of the equines kept in the field had natural or man-made shelter and the field was open to the elements with witnesses describing 80 mph gusts of gusts.

The vet, who attended at the field, stated the pony was dying and he put her to sleep. When he rolled her body over the extent of emaciation became clear as her pelvic bone was protruding and femur was visible through wasted thigh muscle.

“It was clear that this pony did not get into this condition overnight and with more timely intervention and treatment (for a possible parasite infection) there would have been a different outcome. Her owners were negligent in failing to move her to a more sheltered and warmer environment and failing to seek veterinary help,” concluded the vet.

In mitigation, the court heard that both defendants were “very regretful” and had now rehomed all the other equines they owned. Hudson was pregnant at the time of the offence and suffered from mental health issues, while Tansley has received treatment for cancer.

As well as the disqualification, Hudson was sentenced to a 20-week prison sentence, which was suspended for 24 months. Tansley received a 16-week prison sentence which was also suspended for 24 months.

In the race to conserve our oceans, Chile has emerged as a frontrunner after its president signed a decree to create one of the world’s largest marine reserves. 

Following a campaign led by ecologists and coastal communities, President Gabriel Boric signed off plans to protect 337,000 sq km of ocean around the Juan Fernández archipelago. The region teems with species, including whales, seabirds and the Juan Fernández fur seal (pictured), once thought to be extinct.

Once implemented, the protected area will link up two other marine reserves, covering a combined total of 899,268 sq km, which is roughly the size of Nigeria. 

“For generations, our community has lived in harmony with the sea, relying on it for food, livelihoods, and identity,” said Julio Chamorro Solís, president of the Organización Comunitaria Funcional Mar de Juan Fernández. “By expanding our marine protections, we ensure that future generations will inherit healthy oceans, thriving fisheries, and the cultural traditions that bind us to our home.” 

The designation means that Chile will soon have more than 50% of its waters under protection, far exceeding the 30% by 2030 target agreed by 190 nations in 2022. 

Image: Flavien Saboureau

​Reports that the Government is considering restricting Freedom of Information (FOI) requests have sparked concerns about implications for accountability and transparency of local decision-making.

​The Financial Times (FT) reported that the Government is considering introducing restrictions on FOI requests by reducing the cost ceiling for processing Freedom of Information requests as the number of annual submissions has increased.

​Currently, the cost threshold for complying with a request is set at £450 for public bodies and £600 for central government, but this could be reduced.

​Cllr Michelle Donohue-Moncrieff, an Independent on North Yorkshire Council, said: “Materials obtained through Freedom of Information requests are very important for the public and those who represent them.

​“As a councillor, I regularly use websites such as whatdotheyknow.com to see what information has been disclosed by public bodies. This helps me hold the council to account.

​“Some public bodies already exploit clauses in the current legislation to avoid being open and transparent.

“The proposed changes to FOI legislation will make public bodies less accountable.”

​The Freedom of Information Act provides public access to information held by public authorities by obliging public authorities to publish certain information about their activities, and by entitling members of the public to request information from public authorities.

​More than 10 million people have made an FOI request since the law came into force in 2005, according to Warren Seddon, director of FOI and transparency at the Information Commissioner’s Office.

​Responding to the reports, Dawn Alford, Chief Executive of the Society of Editors, said: “The Freedom of Information Act is a vital mechanism for ensuring accountability and transparency in government, and any attempt to restrict the scope of the legislation would be damaging to democracy.

​“The Prime Minister has spoken of his desire to restore trust and integrity in UK politics and the importance of openness and transparency. Restricting the scope of freedom of information requests – a vital tool for both the media and the public to hold government to account – would run counter to these objectives. We urge officials to urgently rethink such plans.”

​Labour councillor and former journalist, John Ritchie, said: “ I share the concerns expressed by leaders in the newspaper industry.

​“As a member of North Yorkshire Council, I fully appreciate that researching complicated and involved FOI requests can be costly and time consuming for local government employees, but this must be balanced against the damage this proposed reduction in costs would cause, foremost a lack of transparency and openness at a time when politicians of all hues need to rebuild public trust.”

​Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), Alison Hume, the MP for Scarborough and Whitby, said it “would be concerning if people are having to pay more to get less”.

​Calls for “clarity” have also been made by the News Media Association (NMA), which represents the UK’s national and regional news businesses, citing the FT’s reporting.

​NMA chief executive Owen Meredith said: “It is not routine or trivial requests that would be excluded.

“It is the most sensitive and significant ones – those involving complex decision-making, high-value contracts, safeguarding, multi-agency correspondence, and procurement.”

​In March, the Government announced its Local Media Strategy with up to £12 million in funding to help local news publishers invest in digital technology and support community radio stations.

​The strategy states that “there is more that local authorities and other local public services can do in partnership with local media […], including through increased openness in providing local journalists with access to information”.

On the hunt for the best pizza oven to give to a foodie, or to get ahead for this summer’s al fresco dining? These days you can take your pick from hundreds of wood-fired, gas-fired and even electric pizza ovens. Wood-fired ovens deliver the classic smoky flavour preferred by traditionalists. Gas ovens are smaller, easier to use and offer better temperature control. Electric pizza ovens can cook more evenly.

Ooni leads the way, but Sage, Gozney and La Hacienda are also strong brands. At the top end sits Stefano Ferrara, whose domed, hand-bricked ovens appear in pizzerias worldwide, with prices starting at £6,000. For home cooks, you can achieve near-authentic results with a £300 model from Ninja.

We’ve tested all of these, among others, and you can read our reviews below, followed by answers to some frequently asked questions. But if you’re in a rush, here’s a quick look at our top five:

The best pizza ovens: At a glance

How to choose the best pizza oven

Matt Williams, Co-Founder of the The Oxford Charcoal Company, says the two things to factor is are size and fuel-type. Barbecue-top and portable pizza ovens which can run on gas or electricity are the best option for most homes, because they can be stored away more easily. If you want the best results, however, you do need a wood-fired oven.

“Being able to recreate that incredible wood-fired flavour and texture in your own garden is the ideal,” Williams says and for that, you’d probably need a wood-fired oven hot enough to cook a pizza in 60 seconds – which Italians will tell you is the best cooking time for a standout crust.”

Small wood-fired ovens are available, such as the Roccbox (reviewed below), but most are fairly large. All of the ovens in our guide will enable you to create a freshly-made pizza far superior to anything you’ll buy in a supermarket.

How we test pizza ovens