Boxes of prosecco spilled across the carriageway from one of the lorries on Monday morning, leaving “significant debris” and “smashed glass throughout”, while the other lorry had its empty container dislodged, Thames Valley Police’s roads policing team said on social media.
All Creatures Great and Small’s Samuel West, who plays Siegfried Farnon, and Anna Madely, known as the much loved Mrs Hall, took a break from filming the latest series to plant a sapling grown from the iconic Sycamore Gap tree in Northumberland in Grassington – where the popular drama is filmed.
It was planted at the Yorkshire Dales National Park Visitor Centre and the planting is part of a UK‑wide legacy project that will see saplings grow in all 15 National Parks.
Sam West & Anna Madeley with the new sapling (Image: Yorkshire Dales National Park)
Following the felling of the much‑loved Sycamore Gap tree in 2023, the National Trust carefully propagated cuttings, which have now been distributed to every UK National Park. The plantings form part of a coordinated initiative led by National Parks UK in partnership with the National Trust.
Each sapling is a direct cutting from the original Sycamore Gap tree, ensuring its story continues to grow in landscapes cared for by National Park teams, communities, farmers and landowners. The new trees will act as living reminders of a much-loved national landmark.
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Mark Corner, Member Champion for Natural Environment at the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority said: “This new generation of trees reminds us that conservation is about our commitment to future generations. From one iconic tree to 15, its legacy will now grow in every National Park, and we are proud to play our part in this story of resilience and renewal here in the Yorkshire Dales.
Sam West & Anna Madeley planting the Sycamore Gap sapling (Image: Yorkshire Dales National Park)
“I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Sam and Anna for taking time out of their busy filming schedule to help us celebrate this landmark moment in the continuation of the Sycamore Gap tree’s legacy. Their involvement is especially fitting here in the Yorkshire Dales – home of ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ – a place long associated with compassion for animals, landscapes and rural communities. It’s a reminder of how deeply our stories, our places, and our care for nature are linked.
“The location at Grassington National Park Visitor Centre ensures visitors can watch the sapling grow in the heart of the National Park – a place where thousands begin their exploration of the Dales every year”.
Ronnie O’Sullivan’s exit earlier in the day was one of the biggest shocks of this year’s World Snooker Championship, but Judd Trump has followed the Rocket out
22:32, 27 Apr 2026Updated 22:36, 27 Apr 2026
No. 1 seed Judd Trump followed Ronnie O’Sullivan out of the World Snooker Championship. Earlier in the day, John Higgins came from behind to send the Rocket packing on a dramatic final leg decider.
Having trailed the seven-time World Champion by five frames at one point, Higgins put together a run of six frames in a row, before going on to edge him in a tense final frame. Not long after, Chinese youngster Wu Yize defeated four-time World Champion Mark Selby, who whacked his snooker cue against the table not long before Wu secured a 13-11 triumph – but the drama did not end there at the Crucible.
In the final evening session of the day, Iranian ace Hossein Vafaei enjoyed his finest day at the home of the World Snooker Championship by overcoming the No. 1 on a deciding frame. Despite scoring 208 points less than Trump, Vafaei was the one heading into the quarter-final.
The Cessna 208 Caravan lost communication while flying from Yei to Juba International Airport
Husna Anjum Senior Reporter and Tim Hanlon
22:13, 27 Apr 2026Updated 22:13, 27 Apr 2026
At least 14 people have lost their lives after an aircraft crashed and erupted into flames due to ‘poor weather conditions’.
The Cessna plane went down on the outskirts of South Sudan’s capital, killing all 13 passengers and the pilot, the civil aviation authority said.
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Preliminary reports indicate that the plane arriving from Yei town may have crashed due to weather conditions that affected visibility. The Mirror reports two Kenyans were killed with the rest of the victims of South Sudanese descent, according to the civil aviation authority.
The authority said a team was dispatched to the site about 12 miles outside Juba. The Cessna 208 Caravan, which was operated by CityLink Aviation, lost communication while flying from Yei to Juba International Airport.
Air traffic control is understood to have lost contact with the plane after 30 minutes into the journey which would have been a distance of around 80 miles. Videos of the crash site shared on social media showed remains of the aircraft in flames with the location shown appeared hilly and misty.
“All the bodies were charred beyond recognition,” reportedly said a member of a UN rescue team that was sent to the scene. Meanwhile, a US politician and a pilot were tragically killed in a fireball plane crash last weekend.
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Liz Conmy, a North Dakota state legislator, died after the plane went down in a suburban park shortly after take-off. The plane was seen plummeting down before exploding into flames.
Emergency services raced to the small park to find the wreckage engulfed in flames. It’s understood the plane had just left Crystal Airport on Saturday morning when it plunged down into a green space in Brooklyn Park, north of Minneapolis.
The North Dakota Democratic–Nonpartisan League Party, an affiliate of the national Democratic Party, confirmed Conmy’s death in a social media post, calling her a champion for public education, the environment, and transparency.
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“We are completely heartbroken and gutted by the loss of Representative Liz Conmy. Her death is a profound loss for our state,” the party said in a post on X.
Officers responded to a report of a small airplane crash at 11:51am and found an aircraft that had crashed and caught fire in a park in the city of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, shortly after taking off, Brooklyn Park Police Inspector Matt Rabe said.
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Ronnie O’Sullivan faces calls to ban his preferred chalk (Picture: Getty Images)
Chalk controversy has descended upon the Crucible, as Neil Robertson calls for a ban on the brand used by Ronnie O’Sullivan.
It is an intensely nerdy snooker debate, but one that has changed the game in recent years since the rise to prominence of chalk brand Taom.
The Finnish company has become the preferred chalk brand of almost every player on the professional tour, but not the most famous.
O’Sullivan has remained loyal to Triangle, the more traditional chalk manufacturer, which used to be used by the majority of players.
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Most have moved over to Taom as it produces fewer kicks (unwanted poor contact between balls) and does not embed in the cloth as much as Triangle.
Looking at snooker matches now, there are far fewer chalk marks on the cloth, in fact they have been largely eradicated.
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O’Sullivan still uses it, though, as he did in defeat to John Higgins on Monday, but Roberson wants to see it banned from the sport.
O’Sullivan has stuck to his guns on his chalk (Picture: Getty Images)
‘I know he [O’Sullivan] is good friends with Damien Hirst, but it’s like he’s doing artwork with chalk all over the cloth.
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‘I don’t think he does it to put off anyone, he’s not that way inclined at all, but it’s not great. It’s hard enough to play Ronnie O’Sullivan, but he’s the only player, just about, on tour who uses that chalk. Hopefully they bring in a ban, but there’s only a couple of players who use it.’
Asked if he will genuinely raise a ban as a possibility, he said: ‘It’s something to bring up, because it can really ruin the game.
Neil Robertson insists players ‘hate’ dealing with Triangle chalk (Picture: Getty Images)
‘It’s not really fair for the players who aren’t using it. It can be used tactically if someone wanted to, which I don’t think should be allowed in the game.
‘Shaun [Murphy] and I were just having a littler chuckle about it, we would love to see it removed from the face of the Earth. Even snooker clubs are banning it! Why are we using it?’
The Wizard of Wishaw was not going as far as calling for a ban, but said it was an added challenge of facing the Rocket.
‘I’m just delighted I came to the party in the third session, because the first two sessions, how I was only 9-7 behind, I’ll never know,’ said Higgins after coming from behind to beat O’Sullivan.
‘Ronnie was by far the better player, his cue ball was amazing and that’s what sort of makes you just feel inferior sometimes, when his cue ball is so much better and I’m scrapping about.
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John Higgins felt hampered by his opponent’s chalk (Picture: Shutterstock)
‘But there are circumstances why that is because we all know he uses the other chalk and different things, so that’s what makes the table play a little bit bouncy and it’s all messy and different things, so it’s tough to play against, but you’ve just got to try and get it out of your mind.’
Asked if the chalk is an unfair advantage for the Rocket, Higgins said: ‘Listen, I know as players we speak about it. Why wouldn’t you take the advantage when you have got a better cue ball control than every other player?
‘So why wouldn’t you have that advantage? Because if you’re going in at a level playing field, everybody’s using the same chalk, no chalk marks, everything, it maybe gives players more chance of beating them.
‘Now, that’s what people do in every sport, they try to use the little advantage. I don’t know, you’d obviously have to ask Ronnie’s real feelings about that, about using old chalk. I think, yeah, who knows?’
“This has been a challenging and complex process, but after months of hard work, on the principles and parameters of a deal, I believe a new, improved offer can be made and terms can be put in place that addresses the ballpark issues discussed at Acas, that Unite members can agree in order to end the strike once and for all.
Outwood Grange Academies Trust (OGAT) is in the running for the Trust of the Year – 10 schools or more category at the Tes Schools Awards, which celebrates outstanding contributions to education.
Winners will be revealed at a ceremony in London on June 19, hosted by comedian Katherine Ryan.
Lee Wilson, CEO of OGAT, said: “I am incredibly proud that we have been named as a finalist in this year’s Tes Schools Awards.
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“This isn’t just an accolade for our family of schools as an organisation, but a celebration of our teachers, leaders, support staff and governors who work with such passion to transform lives.
“To be recognised alongside the very best in the UK is a wonderful validation of the inspiring work happening across all our academies.”
The Tes Schools Awards recognise excellence across both the state and independent education sectors throughout the UK.
The awards are free to enter and open to schools in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
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The awards include 23 categories covering all aspects of school life, from leadership and teaching to pupil outcomes and wellbeing.
Rod Williams, CEO of Tes, said: “This year’s shortlist showcases the exceptional standard of entries across the Tes Schools Awards, reflecting the breadth of impact being delivered in UK education.
“Each category highlights schools and individuals who are not only driving meaningful change within their own settings, but also setting a benchmark for the wider sector.
“The Tes Schools Awards are designed to recognise and elevate this work, celebrating those making a measurable difference to pupils, staff and communities across the UK – and with a record number of nominations received this year, it clearly reinforces the strength and impact being delivered across the UK education sector.”
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The judging panel, made up of experienced school leaders and education specialists, selected finalists.
This year’s awards scheme is supported by Amazon Web Services, which is sponsoring the Best Use of Technology category.
Two new categories have been introduced for 2026: Teacher Development of the Year and Pupil Enrichment School of the Year, highlighting the growing emphasis on professional development and enriching the broader student experience.
Mr Wilson said the nomination was a testament to the trust’s collective efforts.
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He said: “This isn’t just an accolade for our family of schools as an organisation, but a celebration of our teachers, leaders, support staff and governors who work with such passion to transform lives.”
The awards will take place at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane.
The posts feature a disclaimer that describes each video as an “illustrative AI scene”. In the original posts however, this was only mentioned at the end of the caption, which in many cases was only visible if users clicked “see more”. It is therefore possible some voters may have watched these videos without seeing any warning that they are not real.
The image submitted was used to promote Swift’s Disney+ docuseries The End Of An Era, and was described in the court filing as: “Taylor Swift holding a pink guitar, with a black strap and wearing a multi-colored iridescent bodysuit with silver boots. She is standing on a pink stage in front of a multi-coloured microphone with purple lights in the background.”
Bernard Mbusu, Isaac Kinoti Kobia, Evans Muthengi Mutaki and Kelvin Mwangi Njoroge previously appeared in court over the murder of Dunfermline businessman Campbell Scott.
Four suspects in the brutal murder of a Scots businessman, whose decomposing body was found in a sack of pineapples in Kenya, are set to go on trial accused of the violent robbery of another man.
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Campbell Scott, from Dunfermline in Fife, was discovered dead with his hands bound in the Makongo forest 60 miles from Nairobi, Kenya, after he went missing from his hotel last February.
The suspects, Bernard Mbusu, Isaac Kinoti Kobia, Evans Muthengi Mutaki and Kelvin Mwangi Njoroge were apprehended at Ideal Apartments, Ukunda in the west African country. They appeared in court earlier this month over the 58-year-old’s murder.
The men have now pled not guilty in a separate case where they are accused of attacking an American man on April 11 at an apartment block in Mombasa. They allegedly stole cash worth around £4,000 as well as a laptop, mobile phone and jewellery worth about £1,100, reports the BBC.
The four men could be released on bail of £5,700 and are due to return to court on May 27. The charges are not linked to the separate investigation into the murder of Campbell Scott.
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Police have not commented on the status of the investigation into Scott’s death, and whether the four men remain suspects in the case.
Mr Scott was a senior director at the credit scoring firm FICO and had travelled to Nairobi for a conference prior to his disappearance. He went missing after failing to meet with colleagues to deliver a presentation at the JW Marriott Hotel in the city’s Westlands area.
Mr Scott was known to have visited the Havana nightclub the previous evening. He had been taken to a property in the Pipeline area. His body was later discovered in a pineapple sack with his hands bound.
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Kenyan police asked Interpol to help track Mr Scott’s mobile phone and debit and credit card transactions. Previously, a spokesperson for the National Police Service of Kenya described the death as a “heinous, heinous crime” and said it is an “intricate and complex” investigation being led by the country’s homicide unit.
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Following the grim discovery of Mr Scott’s body, his workplace Fico said the company was “devastated by this tragic news”. They added: “We mourn his passing and will miss his humour and kindness.”
Mr Scott’s partner, Simon Farrar, previously paid tribute to him. He said: “Campbell really was once in a lifetime and touched many people in many ways. People said everyone should have a Campbell in their life. His generosity was there for everyone. No matter what situation you were in, he was the first to offer help.
“If you needed money he would give you his last penny. He was the absolute love of my life and we made memories I’ll cherish forever. A friend once said ‘where there’s a Campbell, there’s a Simon’. Now there’s just me and the memories. He’s left a huge hole in everyone’s lives that can never be filled.”
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The Treasury Whitby is set to open in June at 4 Baxtergate in the restored former Grade II-listed HSBC building, promising a new premium hospitality experience to the town.
The initial recruitment drive has seen 25 roles created across a range of positions, from front-of-house and bar staff to supervisors and operational roles.
However, the team is still actively recruiting, with a number of vacancies currently open ahead of launch.
Further job creation is also planned in the coming months, as The Treasury prepares to introduce its full food offering, which will significantly expand the team.
The Treasury Whitby will initially open for drinks only, allowing for exceptional service from day one, before it expands into offering food later in the year.
As a family-led business, The Treasury Whitby says it is committed to investing in people as much as the building itself.
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Mark Appleton, General Manager of The Treasury Whitby, said: “We’re incredibly proud to have already created 25 jobs ahead of opening, and it’s been fantastic to see such strong interest from the local community.
“This is just the beginning, as we introduce our full food offering, we’ll be creating even more opportunities. We’re building a team that shares our passion for hospitality, and we’re excited to welcome more people to be part of The Treasury’s journey.”
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