The motorway is closed in both directions between the A56 at Edenfield and Junction 1 of the M66 at Walmersley.

Traffic is queueing in both directions leading up to the incident.

All emergency services are understood to be on the scene, including the North West Air Ambulance.

LIVE: All lanes stopped on M66 after ‘serious crash’ and flooding

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said a man is receiving medical attention after a van crashed into the central reservation.

The extent of his injuries is currently unknown.

A GMP spokesperson said: “Officers have been called to a collision whereby a van has crashed into the central reservation.

“A man is injured and is receiving medical attention. The extent of his injuries is currently unknown at this time.

“The carriageways have been closed in both directions to allow emergency services to arrive.

“The North West Ambulance Service and the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service are at the scene.”

Diversions for drivers not yet on the M66 heading south are in place. They should leave the A56 southbound at the A56/A676 roundabout at Edenfield and take the second exit onto the A56 heading south; turn right onto Wood Lane, Whalley Road junction to remain on the A56 and follow for approximately two miles; then continue to the M66 J1 and turn left to rejoin the M66.

National Highways has not yet given any diversion instructions for those heading north.

Kian Meredith’s barrister said her client wants to qualify as a barber so he is in a ‘better position’ when he returns to the community

A man who relapsed into cocaine and crack use “for no particular reason” tried – and failed – to outrun police, a court has heard.

Kian Meredith was out of prison on licence following a previous conviction for being part of a Class A drug supply conspiracy known as the Jack line when his return to dealing was uncovered following a foot chase.

The 22-year-old’s barrister told Swansea Crown Court her client was keen to tackle his addiction issues and wanted to train as a barber so he is in a “better position” when he returns to the community.

Alexandra Wilson, prosecuting, told the court that on March 23 this year police on patrol in Prince of Wales Road in Swansea saw a group of known drug users on the street and observed what they thought was a drug deal being carried out.

She said as the officers approached the group it dispersed with members making off in different directions.

Meredith ran up the street towards Dyfatty junction and was chased by officers who found him a short time later hiding behind two parked cars.

On the ground near him were wraps of cocaine.

The court heard Meredith was arrested and searched and officers recovered a phone and £115 in cash.

He subsequently answered “no comment ” to all questions asked in interview.

A download of the defendant’s phone showed messages related to the supply of cocaine and crack over the previous three months along with a so-called “tick list” of monies owed by people. For the latest court stories sign up to our crime newsletter.

Kian – also known as Kieran – Meredith, of Caradog Place, Townhill, Swansea, had previously pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and to the simple possession of cocaine when he appeared in the dock for sentencing.

He has two previous convictions for three offences – being concerned in the supply of cannabis from 2021 and conspiracy to supply heroin and conspiracy to supply cocaine from 2023.

The 2023 conviction relates to Meredith’s role in the Jack line drugs network which was supplying significant quantities of both cocaine and heroin to users around Swansea.

He was sentenced to three years detention in a young offenders institution for those matters and was out of custody on licence when caught dealing near the Palace Theatre.

Emily Bennett, for Meredith, said the defendant’s lack of maturity was reflected in his decision to try to run away from officers when approached on the street.

She said they were her instructions that “for no particular reason” the defendant had relapsed into cocaine and crack use in January this year which led to a “spiral” of addiction, debt, and then dealing.

The barrister said the defendant wanted to use the inevitable custodial sentence he was facing as constructively as possible and was keen to tackle his addiction issues and to train as a barber “so he is in a better position when he comes out of prison”.

Judge Catherine Richards said she accepted Meredith’s life had been blighted by drugs but said of the age of just 22 he had been caught dealing in drugs on three occasions and said the recent matter was aggravated by the fact he had been on licence at the time.

With a one-third discount for his guilty pleas Meredith was sentenced to three years and eight months in prison.

He will serve 40% of the sentence in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community.

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Grand National Festival winner Laafi has been disqualified and jockey Patrick O’Brien has been banned for breaking rules around the use of a whip.

The six-year-old horse was a 20-1 winner of the Debenhams Handicap Hurdle at Aintree last Friday.

However, the British Horseracing Authority’s (BHA) whip review committee concluded that O’Brien had used his whip 11 times after jumping the second-to-last hurdle – four times more than the permitted number.

As none of the uses of the whip were for safety purposes, Laafi was disqualified and O’Brien has been handed a 28-day suspension.

The panel’s report read: ‘Patrick O’Brien, the rider of the winner, LAAFI (FR), was found to have used his whip four times above the permitted level of seven from jumping the second last hurdle.

‘Taking into account that none of the uses were clearly and unequivocally for safety purposes, LAAFI (FR) was disqualified under Rule (L)47.11. As this was a Class 2 race restricted to conditional and amateur riders only, the penalty in respect of being above permitted level was doubled.’

Melon, who finished runner-up behind Laafi, has now been declared the winning horse of the race which was restricted to conditional jockeys and amateur riders.

The ruling from the BHA does not have an impact on bets placed on the race as all wagers were settled according to the official result on the day.

Laafi is the first winning horse to be disqualified from a race due to whip-related offences since last June.

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

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Scarlett Moffatt rose to fame on Gogglebox alongside her family, including her younger sister Ava-Grace — but what is she up to now?

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Scarlett Moffatt rose to prominence on Gogglebox alongside her family, including sister Ava-Grace — but what has she been up to since?

The much-loved TV personality joined the Channel 4 programme back in 2014 with her mum Betty and dad Mark. Scarlett’s sister Ava-Grace also made a brief appearance on the show, stepping in front of the cameras for the first time at just seven years old.

In 2016, however, Scarlett departed and went on to compete in — and ultimately triumph in — that year’s I’m A Celebrity series. Since then, Scarlett has kept herself firmly in the spotlight and is set to return to screens for the 2026 series of I’m A Celebrity South Africa.

Following Scarlett’s Gogglebox departure, in 2017 she revealed her family had been axed from the programme, leaving the much-adored clan “gutted”.

Alongside a photo of Scarlett and her parents at the National Television Awards, she wrote: “We are going to miss doing #gogglebox so so much but can’t wait to watch the new series (good luck my fellow Goggleboxers you will smash it love the Moffatts).”, reports the Mirror.

One fan in the comments section said they were “gutted” over the Moffatts’ exit. Scarlett responded at the time: “We are gutted too, thought my Mam and dad (and little Ava) would still be able to do it but we will still be watching.”

But what became of Scarlett’s younger sister Ava-Grace? Scarlett — who is 15 years older than Ava-Grace — treated fans to an update on her sibling’s 18th birthday in 2024.

Taking to her Instagram, Scarlett disclosed that Ava-Grace’s path in life has taken an entirely different direction from her own. The TV personality shared a series of photographs of Ava-Grace spanning from her early years as a baby right through to the present day.

Scarlett wrote about her younger sibling, who looked considerably more grown-up compared to her appearances on Gogglebox: “My little sister is 18!! Ava despite our 15 year age gap I could only have dreamed for how close we are.

“Watching you grow up into the amazingly kind, intelligent, beautiful, bloody hilarious lady has been a blessing.

“Always stay unapologetically yourself, keep wearing your quirky earrings like the ones that are little goldfishes in a bag or fried eggs and go and smash studying archaeology at university. P.s buzzing you can now come to brunches with me.”

Gogglebox airs every Friday at 9pm on Channel 4.

“10 years ago we never envisaged opening a bakery”

A popular Co Down bakery is expanding into Belfast.

Round House Bakery opened in Hillsborough back in 2022 by couple, Hannah and Shane Donaldson, who started their baking journey delivering loaves of bread to households up and down the country.

After selling out their speciality cradled loaves at markets and fairs across NI, their bricks-and-mortar store in the Co Down village has become a foodie hot spot over the past four years.

READ MORE: Co Down couple opening new bakery after starting off at home with a small ovenREAD MORE: Viral Belfast pizza shop Flout! announces opening date for city centre location

Last month, Round House Bakery announced it would be opening a second bakery in Belfast City Centre. The new location is preparing to open in the Cathedral Quarter in the original Neighbourhood Cafe unit in the Cathedral Buildings.

It joins Flout! Pizza as some of the first tennants announced for the restored space which was destroyed after a fire in Ocotber 2022.

Although no opened date has been confirmed, Hannah and Shane took to social media to share the exciting news.

An Instagram post reads: “Round House 2.0 coming soon to Belfast!

“10 years ago we never envisaged opening a bakery. Just the two of us, fascinated by food, drink & hospitality, wildly passionate about bread and what it could be. That passion hasn’t wavered. This December will mark 4 years of our little shop in Hillsborough.“Almost everything we make is pure sourdough from large-format miche to bakery-style pizza. We bake direct or ambient. We don’t cold proof our bread dough.“The bakery is a busy place and we’re so thankful to serve our wonderful community. There’s no set opening date for Belfast yet but will keep you posted Can’t wait to share with you all our exciting plans for Cathedral Quarter!”

They are currently looking to expand their “top-tier team” and are looking for bakers, front of house staff and drivers to join the Round House team.

Find out more about Round House and its expansion here

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our What’s On newsletter.

Since the deadly Hamas-led attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023, which triggered the Gaza war, UN agencies and Israeli rights groups have reported an increase in claims of abuse of Palestinian prisoners and detainees, including routine beatings, sexual violence, starvation and severe medical negligence. Dozens of Palestinians are reported to have died in detention as a result.

Reform has been hit by scandal in Wales, with one candidate standing down last month after a photo emerged of him appearing to do a Nazi salute

One of Nigel Farage’s Reform candidates peddled a Covid conspiracy theory – and even branded the late Queen a “fraud” who should be overthrown.

Farage once opened up about being “slightly depressed” at Queen Elizabeth II’s death, praising her as “the most respected person in the world”. But in stark contrast, Reform’s local elections candidate Emma Clatworthy laid into her, alleging “she’s not our Queen” – citing her German descent. Clatworthy, standing in south Wales, referenced a “cult” leader who apparently claimed the Queen swore to “trade off” her subjects.

She also falsely claimed people cannot catch a virus and to advance her argument referenced the Rothchilds – a Jewish banking family often used in anti-semitic comments. Reform has been hit by scandal in Wales, with one candidate standing down last month after a photo emerged of him appearing to do a Nazi salute.

In Telegram posts uncovered by Hope Not Hate (HNH), Clatworthy, 43, wrote: “The government are actors, there [sic] only to distract us, give us a false sense of security and false sense of control over our lives thinking that they are there for us.

“We don’t need a government so large they’re like blood sucking ticks, taking all our money and doing nothing for us only for the corporations. They need to go, the whole system needs to be taken down and rebuilt, by us the people. The Monarch needs to go she’s not our Queen never has been she’s a fraud, they’re all German decent [sic]”.

In the February 2021 post, she referenced Mark Christopher, the leader of a “cult” who was later jailed over a kidnap bid. He and three others in the “anti-establishment cult” were found guilty at Chelmsford Crown Court in 2024 over the incident the year before in which they stormed a court and tried to kidnap a coroner. Clatworthy wrote: “… if you look at the clips Mark K Christopher (Federal Post Master Judge, London) does he shows us how we’ve been duped by our own language and he breaks the Queens speach [sic] down and shows you how she’s not swearing to represent us the people, she’s swearing to trade off us….” She added: “We need to learn the correct processes to over throw the monarch…”

In another comment on the same day during the Covid pandemic, she wrote: “The problem we have is people have been brainwashed and programmed since they started school… people are even rushing to get a vaccine that can kill them just to go back to the ‘norm’.” Her comments were made in a Telegram group called “LAWFUL/LEGAL Q&A” which carries a picture showing the words: “The Great RE-OPENING”.

In a message on another Telegram group, Clatworthy wrote in August 2021: “You can’t catch a virus its the biggest lie big pharma ever spun. A virus is dead cells excreted at the end of your immune system doing what it’s designed to do. It’s not alive that’s why they can’t give you antibiotics or anything for the flu. Flu shots don’t prevent flu they give you the flu. ..this has been happening over and over and over again, it’s all big pharma lies and business.”

One user questioned her, saying: “So all the Virologists, Scientists, Doctor’s and medical experts are all WRONG. !!! REALLY!!!??” To which Clatworthy replied: “Yes, not all of them, most of them are telling the truth go and look it up. Dr Sam Bailey is a great source of info. They’ve written books on it also. Virologists didn’t exist initially it was a combined organisation, changed by Rothschilds, Rockefeller when they took over med school and sciences. Go and look it up before you did it, have we not learned any lessons yet. It’s germ theory vs terrain theory”.

This is an apparent reference to Samantha Bailey, who it later emerged had her medical registration cancelled in New Zealand and was ordered to pay over $148,000 [£64,000] after posting Covid misinformation. The NHS website says: “COVID-19 spreads very easily through close contact with people who have the virus.”

HNH’s Director of Research Joe Mulhall said: “Emma Clatworthy has a history of voicing dangerous conspiracy theories online. The fact Reform UK has selected Clatworthy as a Senedd candidate is disappointing but not surprising.”

On Facebook, Clatworthy says she has trained in “integrative health and functional medicine”. In a post this week she explained: “I am now developing my work in clinical practice and community health education, focused on prevention, resilience, and helping people understand their health before they reach crisis point.” Late last month, she posted: “Today, I’m proud to announce that I have been selected as a Senedd Candidate for Bridgend and the Vale of Glamorgan”.

Clatworthy told the Mirror: “The comments you reference are from several years ago, during a period where I was exploring a wide range of ideas and discussions online. Like many people, I was trying to make sense of complex issues at the time. I made a conscious decision to step away from those spaces. As a candidate, my priority is to serve people fairly, thoughtfully, and with a focus on real-world outcomes that improve lives.”

Reform declined to comment.

He broke into his ex-partner’s home and used black paint to write obscene words and abusive messages on the walls

A man targeted a home, a church, and a charity shop in a series of burglaries across Cambridge. John Brady, 57, broke into the home of his former partner in Mortlock Avenue on April 11 last year.

During the break‑in, he used black paint to write obscene words and abusive messages on the walls. Brady, who also lives in Mortlock Avenue, went on to target Wesley Methodist Church on December 23, stealing a purse containing £30 and Christmas food.

He continued his crime spree in February, committing three further burglaries at St Andrew’s College, Each charity shop on Milton Road, and Cutting Edge Podiatry on Barnwell Road. During the offences, he stole items including an iPad, £75 from a purse, and a cashbox.

Brady was identified following enquiries and from CCTV images. He was sentenced to two years and three months in prison at Peterborough Crown Court on Monday (April 13) after pleading guilty to five counts of burglary.

Detective Constable Henry Marshall, who investigated, said: “Brady carried out a series of opportunist burglaries which caused distress to individuals and harm to community organisations. I hope this sentence provides reassurance to residents and businesses that we will pursue offenders and bring them before the courts.”

ITV crews were spotted outside of Le Mans Crescent, Bolton, to film scenes for Coronation Street inside the old court Building.

Le Mans Crescent (Image: Dan Dougherty)

This is the second day in a row the film crew have been spotted filming Coronation Street in Le Mans Crescent, often used as a shooting location for court scenes.

In July 2021 and 2022, the trial following the murder of Seb Franklin was shot in the old Bolton Magistrates Court on Le Mans Crescent.

And earlier this month, crews were in town to film scenes for upcoming ITV courtroom Drama Saviour, which stars Anjli Mohindra (The Suspect, Bodyguard), Shaun Parkes (Human Traffic, The Suspect), and Aiden Gillen, who played Littlefinger in Game of Thrones.

Le Mans Crescent (Image: Dan Dougherty)

Fans were alerted to the presence of the Coronation Street crew yesterday when they saw a Newton and Ridley truck drive into the area, this being the name of the show’s fictional brewery.

Although it is currently unknown which scenes were being filmed, there are several possibilities based on recent storylines.

It may have something to do with the upcoming wedding between Carla Connor (Alison King) and Lisa Swain (Vicky Myers), as a flash-forward episode in February revealed there will be a murder on the big day.