The TV judge told the farmers choir they were in with a chance of winning the whole competition after their performance on Saturday night

Simon Cowell has tipped Jeremy Clarkson’s Hawkstone Farmers Choir to win the Britain’s Got Talent final tonight after another stunning performance. The judges gave the choir a standing ovation as they performed an original song in a bid to win the show.

The 34-strong choir, which includes 10 Welsh farmers, sang their own song for the first time on the show in a moment which the judges called a “huge risk” but which Cowell said fully paid off.

“That was absolutely on the money,” he told the farmers on stage, many of whom were in tears. “This is the best act we’ve seen so far tonight, and I think with that you’ve got a chance of winning the entire competition.”

Amanda Holden said the harmonising was incredible and she told the group she had been overcome by emotion during their performance in Saturday night’s final. “I’m enormously proud of all of you,” she added.

Alisha Dixon agreed with Cowell and said she felt they were “in with a real shot” of winning and getting the opportunity to perform at the Royal Variety Show.

The farmers from Wales include pregnant Rosie Jones, a professional singer turned farmer’s wife living in Dolanog, Welshpool, and NFU Cymru group secretary Aled Owen Griffiths from Machynlleth, who was recently appointed chairman of the 2027 National Eisteddfod.

Also among the Welsh members of the choir are fourth-generation Llanelli farmer Eirion William Davies, Cambrian Mountains farmer Aled Wyn Davies, Meidrim farm manager Owain Fisher, Pendine farmer Joe Shewry, Hugh Thomas from Moylegrove, and Presteigne farmer Will Rogers.

The choir was put together by Clarkson who initially formed the group to help with an advertising campaign for his Cotswolds-based brewing firm.

The TV farmer has used his platform and Amazon Prime series Clarkson’s Farm to highlight mental health in farming and was on his feet applauding the choir from the audience.

Talking to Ant and Dec about the decision to sing an original song, one member of the group said: “When we first heard that song we were all in bits. I think the lyrics mean so much to the farmers, it is literally like coming home when we sing that song, it’s so precious to us.”

It was a gathering of support for what organisers said was North Yorkshire’s largest LGBT+ celebration involving up to 20,000 people against a backdrop of rainbows and colour that filled the historic streets.

The Pride parade set off from St Sampson’s Square at 12pm and followed a route through the city centre to Knavesmire where there is a festival taking place throughout the afternoon and into the early evening.

The parade route was met by waving crowds along Bishopthorpe Road as a festival got underway in Knavesmire (Image: Kevin Glenton)

The streets began to fill around 11am and the pavements were packed with bystanders cheering, taking photos and waving flags passed to them by those taking part.

A red sightseeing bus led the procession across Ouse Bridge, followed on foot by members of the community, and joined by the mayor of York and North Yorkshire David Skaith.

Parliament Street was decked out in rainbows ahead of the start of York Pride 2026 (Image: Kevin Glenton)

Francesco and Sam – who have been married for seven years – made it over in time for the start from Gilberdyke in East Yorkshire.

Sam said: “We’re really looking forward to it, it’s our first time.

“We’d like to give a shout out to the organisers of York Pride and the committee and to say that the protest element is very important at the same time.

“We just want to live our lives – love is love”

“We’re going to follow the route all the way to Knavesmire, we’re looking forward to seeing the drag acts.

“York Pride is a great chance for people to come and shine their light, or step into the light.”

Francesco said: “It’s especially important to be involved, in this political climate.”

Francesco and Sam from Gilberdyke, were at their first York Pride (Image: Kevin Glenton)

York Pride chair and managing director Greg Stephenson was in Parliament Street ahead of the 12pm start and said: “I’ve just come from the festival site and seeing it all come together, that’s where the magic happens.

“York is generally a very accepting city but there isn’t a lot of LGBT+ spaces, so having Pride as a focal point every year is so important.

“It’s important we keep going and more importantly, we keep it a free event, something we really want to do for the city and for our community.

“The parade will be amazing and there’s a Jane McDonald tribute act that I cannot wait to see when I get to Knavesmire.”

York Pride chair and managing director Greg Stephenson with mum Mandy at the Parliament Street start (Image: Kevin Glenton)

Mayor of York and North Yorkshire David Skaith said: “York Pride is always a fantastic celebration of the city and the community.

“It is a very welcoming, inclusive place to showcase Pride like this and to show off the city in this light.

“Too often we’re taught to divide and hate one another but actually, this is a celebration of that inclusivity, bringing people and communities together.”

These notorious women carved out fearsome reputations at the heart of Scotland’s criminal underworld

They ruled housing schemes, crime families and multimillion-pound rackets with fear, greed and ruthless control.

From heroin empires in Stirling to luxury escort operations in Edinburgh, Scotland has produced a roll call of notorious female criminals whose influence stretched far beyond the shadows they operated in.

Some presented themselves as respectable businesswomen or community figures. Others stood shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the country’s most feared gangsters.

These are the women who became known as Scotland’s criminal queens.

Big Mags: The heroin queen who ruled Raploch from her “throne”

Margaret “Big Mags” Haney cast a long shadow over Stirling’s troubled Raploch estate for decades.

Publicly, she attempted to reinvent herself as a community campaigner and anti-paedophile activist, appearing on daytime television and presenting herself as a fearless protector of local families.

Behind closed doors, however, police and locals said she was the ruthless matriarch of a heroin empire that spread misery across Stirling.

Full story: Matriarch Big Mags Haney who ruled Stirling’s heroin underworld

The scam matriarch who helped fleece pensioners out of £1.3m

Shameem Ali Mohammed became the figurehead of a Glasgow-based family fraud gang that conned vulnerable pensioners across the UK out of more than £1.3 million.

Operating from the south side of Glasgow and using a local newsagent as a front, the gang cold-called elderly victims pretending to be bank security staff investigating fraud on their accounts.

Victims were manipulated into transferring life savings directly into accounts controlled by the family.

Full story: Glasgow matriarch headed fraudster family that preyed on pensioners

Madam Moneybags: The brothel boss behind Scotland’s sex-for-sale empire

Margaret Paterson built one of Scotland’s biggest escort operations while hiding behind the polished image of a respectable businesswoman.

The Edinburgh-born brothel boss, who operated under the name “Trish”, ran AaBella Escorts alongside former partner Robert Munro.

What started as an escort agency evolved into a sprawling sex-for-sale empire covering Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen.

Full story: The downfall of brothel boss Madam Moneybags

The Jeweller: The gangster’s wife linked to Glasgow’s Ice Cream Wars

Advertisement

Margaret “The Jeweller” McGraw was far more than just the wife of notorious Glasgow crime boss Tam McGraw.

For decades, insiders claimed she was the brains behind much of the couple’s criminal fortune — a sharp, calculating operator who helped oversee the laundering of dirty money through pubs, taxi firms and front companies.

The couple rose through the ranks of Glasgow’s underworld during the violent Ice Cream Wars of the 1980s, when rival families used ice cream vans as fronts for drugs and stolen goods.

Full story: Margaret McGraw’s key role in the Ice Cream wars

Scotland’s last woman hanged: The horrifying “go-cart murder”

Susan Newell became one of the most infamous women in Scottish criminal history after the brutal murder of 13-year-old paperboy John Johnstone in 1923.

The Coatbridge mother invited the schoolboy into her home before violently attacking him. Evidence later revealed the teenager had been beaten so severely that parts of his skull were crushed and his windpipe burst.

In one of the most disturbing details of the case, Newell forced her young daughter Janet to help dispose of the body.

Full story: ‘Go-cart killer’ Susan Newell forced young daughter to help dispose of boy’s body

Get more Daily Record exclusives by signing up for free to Google’s preferred sources. Click HERE

A slip road has been closed

Emergency crews are at the scene of an incident on the M11 this lunchtime (May 30). An air ambulance has landed at the scene alongside police on the border of Cambridgeshire and Essex at the junction 9 slip road at Saffron Walden.

The incident is impacting traffic heading southbound on the M11. As a result of the incident, which was first reported at around 11am this morning, an entry slip road has been closed. There is queueing traffic on the southbound part of the road as a result.

National Highways says: “The M11 in Cambridgeshire is closed northbound near Great Chesterford between J9 and J9A due to a collision. Emergency services are on scene dealing. There are currently delays of 10 minutes on the approach.”

Cambridgeshire Constabulary and East of England Ambulance Service have been contacted in relation to this incident. Drivers should avoid the area where possible.

The Hollywood duo will front a new Disney+ documentary series following the Australian SailGP team, known as the BONDS Flying Roos, across a global racing season of the high-speed, global sailing competition.

Last year, Jackman and Reynolds purchased the team, which is led on the water by its chief executive and Olympic gold medallist Tom Slingsby.

The docuseries will take viewers behind the scenes of the sport and showcase catamarans racing at speeds of up to 100km/h on close-to-shore courses around the world.

In a joint statement, Jackman and Reynolds said: “This is our first collaboration since Deadpool & Wolverine and we once again anticipate action, comedy, heart but with a lot more water.

“And (fingers crossed) pirates. We hope there’s pirates in SailGP.”

Eric Schrier, president, direct-to-consumer international originals, strategic programming, and emerging media, said: “Following Ryan, Hugh and the SailGP’s BONDS Flying Roos Australian team’s journey gives us a remarkable inside view of this thrilling sport and what it takes to compete at the highest level.

“We couldn’t be more excited to bring this story to Disney+ audiences around the world.”

The yet-to-be-titled series will be produced by Maximum Effort and Eureka Productions, in partnership with SailGP and the BONDS Flying Roos.

It will stream on Disney+ internationally and on both Disney+ and Hulu in the US.

Rob McElhenney, co-owner of Wrexham AFC alongside Reynolds and star of Welcome to Wrexham, will also serve as an executive producer on the series.

Hugh Jackman on Ryan Reynolds

Hugh Jackman begged the Academy not to “validate” Ryan Reynolds, after learning the Deadpool actor had been shortlisted for the best original song Oscar.

The Australian actor and singer said having Reynolds receive a nomination in the category would “make the next year of my life insufferable”.

It comes after the song Good Afternoon from recent festive film Spirited, starring Reynolds, Will Ferrell and Octavia Spencer, was announced as part of the Academy shortlists last month.

According to Greater Manchester Police (GMP), the vehicle was found ablaze on Chorley New Road.

The fire was quickly extinguished and the vehicle has since been recovered.

Police confirmed that nobody was injured and no arrests were made in connection with the incident.

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) said: “Just after 10am this morning (Saturday, May 30), a fire engine from Horwich Fire Station was called to reports of a vehicle fire on Chorley New Road, Bolton.

“The crew arrived quickly at the scene. Firefighters used a hose reel jet to extinguish the fire.

“Firefighters were in attendance for around twenty minutes.”

The cause of the fire has not yet been disclosed.

Traffic was affected in the area while emergency services dealt with the incident and recovered the vehicle.

Prior to the game, Wigan legend Martin Offiah described the final as being an “unofficial World Club Challenge” given that Wigan and Hull KR are the past two winners of that competition – and the tie did plenty to earn that moniker.

It was a bruising battle in the heat and yet it was genuinely impressive that the first half brought 14 points in the conditions and with such high energy action on show.

Wigan had raised some eyebrows last week when, in a Super League fixture against the Robins which teed up Saturday’s final, boss Matt Peet had named a whopping 10 changes to his side ahead of their 62-4 thrashing.

Yet there was further surprising team news to come as French, who had been set to miss four months of the season with a hamstring tear in March, came back into the matchday squad and was named on the bench.

Likewise, Hull KR named Leyland on their bench, as his pair of tries while on a short-term loan with St Helens saw him help clinch a comeback win over Wigan in their Super League derby on Good Friday.

That defeat and subsequent reaction, inspired Peet’s side to a 32-0 victory over Saints in the final to set up their place in Saturday’s final, with Peet also saying that St Helens had “lost their identity” following Leyland’s part in their Easter win.

Yet if there were any lingering fears that Wigan would falter and slip to what would have been an embarrassing defeat in light of last week’s line-up, they were put to rest early on.

Wigan were at their very best for virtually the entire 80 minutes, but it was their second-half showing that inspired their win – with the 13-minute period where Nsemba and Keighran’s double came being the turning point.

Hull KR were undone in that spell by three moments of genius, the first being Farrimond’s pinpoint kick to Nsemba, Smith’s perfectly weighted kick to Keighran and Keighran’s run to evade the Robins defence to score.

French’s try on his return may steal the headlines, yet this was a rounded team performance the like of which draws parallels with their wonderful 2025 season.

In addition to the brilliance, the game ended on a sour note for Wigan, as Walters saw red with Nsemba also involved in the reckless move on Leyland with the game virtually at its conclusion.

It’s 90 years this week since Ireland’s national airline first took to the skies, choosing Bristol as its destination. It was welcomed locally as the start of luxurious international travel, though from this distance it just looks crude, dangerous and uncomfortable. Eugene Byrne says you’ll never get him up in one of those things.

People’s recollections of the first ever international flight from Ireland, and the first ever international flight to arrive at Bristol’s airport, include a couple of stories which might be true, or which might be mis-remembered from later flights. Who knows? Memories can be deceptive, as we all know.

So in one story, one of the passengers felt queasy, then worse. There were no air-sickness bags in 1936, so he had to use his bowler hat …

At the time, the only cargo recorded as being carried on the flight were some copies of the Irish Times, but in 1966 at a banquet to mark the 30th anniversary at Bristol’s Grand Hotel, the former airport manager recalled that it also carried a pair of greyhounds.

“They ripped a hole in their cage,” recalled Leonard Williams.

“And then they chewed through the fabric of the aircraft. The plane came in with their two heads sticking through the side of the fuselage!”

Both tales might be true, but we can’t be sure. Media coverage of the event at the time was quite muted. Perhaps no-one really grasped how it was an historic moment. Not just Bristol’s first international flight, but also the first outing for Aer Lingus, Ireland’s national airline.

British headlines that day – May 27 1936 – were dominated by the Queen Mary setting off from Southampton on her maiden voyage. The immense Cunard liner’s stop-start construction had been hamstrung by money problems, but now she was finally ready, carrying British pride onto the high seas.

By contrast, the arrival of a little aeroplane with five passengers – Queen Mary carried 2,000 – in a provincial British airport barely merited a mention. It was only worth a couple of paragraphs and a picture in the local press.

Besides, compared to the sheer size and glamour of a Cunard liner, the maiden flight of Aer Lingus’s only plane was a literal wing-and-a-prayer affair.

Aer Lingus nowadays has a fleet of over 80 aircraft, 4,000 employees, and a turnover in excess of 2.5 billion Euros. In 1936 it had one plane, 12 staff and its starting capital had been advanced by an English company while it awaited Irish government funding.

The company HQ was a hut at Baldonnel Aerodrome, near Dublin. The airfield was also used to pasture sheep which had to be moved out of the way on the few occasions a plane was taking off or landing.

At 9am on May 27 1936, there was a small gathering to see the first flight off. The aeroplane, a de Havilland Dragon, was blessed by the local priest, Father O’Riordan, and there were speeches from Seán Lemass, Ireland’s Minister for Industry and Seán Ó hUadhaigh, the chairman of the new company.

The plane, named ‘Iolar’ (Irish for eagle) would look impossibly frail to modern eyes, a biplane of wood and canvas which you could easily imagine a pair of greyhounds effortlessly vandalising.

Its passengers were airline director, W. H. Morton, plus Mr and Mrs T. Fitzherbert, Mrs Seán Ó hUadhaigh (the Aer Lingus Chairman’s wife) and Mr T. J. O’Driscoll of the Irish chamber of Commerce. Mr and Mrs Fitzherbert were the only fare-paying passengers – Mrs Fitzherbert had been given the tickets by her father over dinner the previous evening – the others all being associated with the airline. The sixth seat was empty, or maybe it was for the greyhounds or the Irish newspapers.

The aircraft, piloted by Eric Armstrong took to the sky, understanding it would be a grey and overcast day over Bristol. Armstrong’s was a highly skilled and demanding job, and he was doing it all on his own – no navigator or flight engineer. The only concession to in-flight maintenance was a biscuit tin containing a few spare parts stowed under the pilot’s seat.

There was no air traffic control, no satellite guidance, and the radio could transmit but not receive.

On a later flight, one of the passengers, an experienced sea captain, thanked Armstrong when they landed in Bristol. He found the experience of going up into the clouds, then seeing no land until the plane reached Bristol astonishing.

He had sailed the world, he said, but how the pilot had smoothly brought his plane to Bristol was something he would never understand.

Meanwhile, at Whitchurch just a few of the airport staff and a handful of local dignitaries awaited Iolar’s arrival. She was due to arrive at 11am, but at that point there was no sign of her.

Then, the distant sound of engines … which continued for half an hour because the airfield was shrouded in fog. The plane circled until finally, 50 minutes late, Captain Armstrong thought it was safe to land.

The plane taxied up and her engines spluttered to a halt. While we might consider the flight hair-raising, the small article in the Western Daily Press noting the new Bristol-Dublin service called it “luxury travel”.

There was no big reception, no Lord Mayor. But the pilot and passengers were welcomed by members of Bristol City Council’s Airport Committee (the Council owned and managed the airport), Alderman A.A. Senington and Cllr R.F. Lyne before being taken by car to Temple Meads to go on to London by train.

Bristol was a natural first destination for Éire’s new state airline, given its location and the historic links, and the service would connect with rail services to and from London. In the coming months this worked well – for those who could afford the £4 single ticket or £7 return.

But not that day. Interviewed at the 30th anniversary celebrations in 1966 Mrs Sheelah Martin – wife of the late Mr Fitzherbert and now re-married – recalled that they missed the connection to London.

“It was ironic that we got there later than if we had followed the original plan to go the whole way by boat-train.”

But the service was up and running, and mostly problem-free. There was one occasion on which a strong wind helped blow Iolar to Bristol in record time. But she would be flying against that same wind on the way back and would likely run out of fuel, so was delayed.

Just a few months later Aer Lingus invested in a new, more modern aircraft, a de Havilland Dragon Rapide which would stop at Bristol before continuing on to London’s Croydon Airport. Its first flight to Bristol carried the Lord Mayor of Dublin, and this time the Lord Mayor of Bristol did turn up to greet the arrival.

The service would turn out to be a great success by the standards of the time. It was punctual (weather permitting) and in its first 12 months carried 892 passengers and nearly four tons of cargo and mail.

Everything stopped though for the Second World War. The resulting disruptions and money problems meant that it was 1951 before a direct Aer Lingus link between Bristol and Dublin was resumed.

The brave little Iolar, meanwhile, was sold to an English company in 1938 and tragically was shot down near the Scilly Isles by enemy aircraft in 1941.

Aer Lingus bought an identical machine in 1967 and it was restored by volunteers over several years in the 1980s to look just like the original.

It’s still in flying condition and has appeared at several air shows and flying displays.