Labour is projected to lose seats across Cambridgeshire in next week’s election

Labour may lose control of Cambridge City Council as the governing party is expected to face sweeping defeats in next week’s election, according to polling aggregator PollCheck. The party will be facing an attack from both the right and left with the rise of smaller parties like the Greens and Reform in recent polls.

This year’s local elections on Thursday, May 7, will see seats up for re-election in four Cambridgeshire councils. These are Cambridge City Council, South Cambridgeshire District Council, Huntingdonshire District Council, and Peterborough City Council.

You need to be registered in order to vote in the elections. The deadline to register for this year has already passed.

If registered, you should receive a polling card from your local council. You can check if you’re registered by visiting the government website and entering your postcode to check your local registration office (usually your council). This will give you the email address or phone number to call to check.

You will need photo ID to vote. Your polling card will tell you where your local polling station is. Polls will be open from 7am to 10pm to allow you to cast your vote.

In South Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire all seats will be up for election, with Labour expected to lose their remaining seats in Huntingdonshire after winning four in 2022. Reform, who won 10 seats in last year’s Cambridgeshire County Council election, are predicted to win nine in Huntingdonshire.

The Conservatives are also expected to also benefit, with the party gaining three seats if the forecast is correct. They are forecast to lose six seats in South Cambridgeshire however, to the benefit of the Liberal Democrats who are expected set to gain the same number. The Greens predicted to win two.

Neither council is expected to see a change in control with no party having an overall majority in Huntingdonshire and the Lib Dems still firmly in charge of South Cambridgeshire.

Cambridge City could see Labour lose power for the first time in more than a decade with the party predicted to lose seven seats. Labour has been in control of the council since 2014 but no party will have a majority of the seats following next Thursday’s election if the prediction is correct.

The Conservatives are predicted to gain one seat, the Lib Dems two, the Greens three, and independents one.

PollCheck warns that local elections “have lower and more variable turnout than generals, patchy candidacy, and wards dominated by local factors”. They said: “Seat-level projections are noisier than for Westminster.”

Their predictions take into account national polling data, past local election results, and demographic modelling rather than ward-level surveys. You can check their predictions for each ward by visiting the PollCheck website.

Arsenal are on the lookout for a new left winger in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Paris Saint-Germain star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has given Arsenal every reason to make him a top transfer priority this summer. Mikel Arteta‘s side are in the market for a new left winger, with Kvaratskhelia emerging as the best option available.

The 25-year-old lit up the Champions League semi-final stage for PSG on Tuesday evening, proving instrumental in his side’s thrilling 5-4 victory over Bayern Munich. It was a match that captivated football supporters throughout — with Kvaratskhelia among the night’s finest performers.

The winger netted twice as he steered PSG to a slender advantage ahead of next week’s second leg at the Allianz Arena.

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His opener saw him curl the ball into the bottom right corner to make it 1-1 after Harry Kane’s penalty. He then made it 4-2 in the second half, latching onto the ball and driving it past blasting it past Manuel Neuer.

Arsenal will have been keeping a close eye on proceedings ahead of their own semi-final first leg against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday evening. The victors of both ties will clash in the final on May 30 at the Puskas Arena.

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One criticism levelled at Arsenal under Arteta has been their cautious, defensive approach. The Gunners are renowned for their solidity but are not always the most fluid attacking outfit.

That stood in stark contrast to both PSG and Bayern on Tuesday. While the approach has helped Arsenal re-establish themselves as title contenders, greater balance may be required to reach the next level.

One way to achieve that is by making bold moves in the transfer market. Arsenal have been linked with Kvaratskhelia, who has established himself as one of the finest attacking talents in Europe.

The Gunners’ pursuit of another left-wing option should now have the Georgian international firmly at the top of their wishlist, off the back of his stunning display against Bayern.

While they could push hard for a deal, Arsenal may face resistance from both PSG and the player himself. The French giants reportedly shelled out £59 million plus add-ons to Napoli for the winger last January and would almost certainly demand considerably more than that figure should they consider selling.

Both the winger and his father have spoken openly about his contentment in the French capital, suggesting he has little desire to move on during the transfer window.

This means Arsenal could face a tough battle should they decide to pursue their interest. However, if there is any indication of a change of heart from either Kvaratskhelia or PSG, the Gunners should ensure they are first in line.

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

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Fans excited to stream the series say it looks like The Punisher meets Cross

Some fans reckon the forthcoming crime drama bears a striking resemblance to a live-action Grand Theft Auto.

A release date has been announced for a highly anticipated series from the creators of several hit shows. The team behind the upcoming production includes talent that has previously worked on Netflix’s Ozark and High Potential.

It has now been confirmed that the title M.I.A. will begin streaming in the UK from May 7, exclusively on Paramount+.

The service is accessible either through a standalone subscription via its own dedicated app, or as an add-on through the Prime Video platform.

M.I.A. is created and written by Bill Dubuque, one of the co-creators of the gritty and widely acclaimed Netflix crime thriller Ozark. That series concluded with an impressive overall rating of 86% on review site Rotten Tomatoes, meaning expectations are understandably high for this new venture, reports the Mirror.

According to its synopsis, the nine-part series centres on a young woman, Etta Tiger Jonze, who is restless in the Florida Keys. But when her family’s drug-running business shatters in tragedy, Etta embarks on a dangerous journey through Miami’s neon-lit underbelly that will define who she is and what she’s ultimately capable of.

Shannon Gisela leads the cast as Etta, alongside Cary Elwes, who portrayed Mayor Larry in Stranger Things, as well as Fear The Walking Dead star Danay Garcia. The ensemble is further bolstered by Grand Army’s Brittany Adebumola, Godfather of Harlem’s Dylan Jackson, Alberto Guerra from Griselda, and Narcos’ Maurice Compte.

The cast also features Gerardo Celasco, who has appeared in The Waterfront, and Marta Milans from White Lines. Karen Campbell, who has also penned episodes of Dexter and Outlander, serves as showrunner.

It has additionally been confirmed that Alethea Jones is credited as executive producer and director for the first two episodes, having previously helmed three episodes of High Potential. Gwyneth Horder-Payton, Mairzee Almas, Ben Semanoff, and John Dahl are the remaining directors for the rest of the season.

Viewers have already been voicing their excitement for the series since the trailer dropped recently. Some remarked that the Miami setting and appearance of the female-led cast reminded them of what has been revealed about the highly anticipated title Grand Theft Auto VI, which is expected to launch later that year.

The eagerly awaited game is set in Vice City, which is modelled on Miami and is expected to include a playable female character.

One person shared on social media: “We got live action Lucia from GTA 6 before GTA 6. Can’t wait.” Others drew comparisons to similar programmes, with one person commenting: “So it’s like The Punisher meets Cross.”

M.I.A. is streaming on Paramount+ from May 7.

The planning application details the relocation of the shelter on Bolton Road due to required roadworks.

The project includes moving one shelter equipped with an internally illuminated double-sided paper advertisement unit.

The shelter, located on a section of public highway, and the relocation has been requested by TfGM.

The new shelter will be designed using steel, aluminium, and toughened glass and will have an advertised space measuring 1065mm x 1895mm.

The proposed design of the bus shelter (Image: JCDecaux via planning documents)

The advertisement will be illuminated internally with a light level of 600 cd/m², and will remain static.

It will also project over a public highway.

The applicant is Stephen Herraghty, operating out of JCDecaux UK’s base on Great West Road in Brentford.

Consent for the repositioned bus shelter has been initially requested for a period from April 20, 2026, to April 20, 2031.

No prior consultation has been sought by JCDecaux UK with neighbours or the local community regarding the proposal.

If the planning authority needs to conduct a site visit, the applicant himself, Stephen Herraghty, is noted down as the point of contact.

No prior advice or assistance from the local authority has been sought concerning this application.

The planning application’s reference number is A/26/100476/ADV, should the public need to inquire specifically about it.

Residents and the local community can view the official proposal and plans on the authority’s website.

Actor Jonathan Howard has discussed what the future could look like for Carl Webster if he survives the upcoming murder

Coronation Street star Jonathan Howard has discussed what the future could look like for Carl Webster if he survives the upcoming murder.

As fans of the ITV soap already know, Carl is among the possible victims of a murder set to rock the cobbles, with the victim, which could also be Theo Silverton, Jodie Ramsey, Megan Walsh or Maggie Driscoll, set to be revealed following a week of dramatic episodes.

Following his first-ever appearance in Weatherfield last year, the character hasn’t made his life, or the lives of his loved ones, very easy. But none more so than Debbie, after he recently discovered that the fabulous hotel owner isn’t his half-sister, like he has spent his whole life believing, but his biological mother.

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The truth came out as Debbie took the blame for him following a horror multi-vehicle crash in January that caused the death of Weatherfield vicar, Billy Mayhew, during which a drunk Carl coldly pulled her from the passenger side into the driver’s seat to make it seem like she was behind the wheel.

After thinking Debbie, who was diagnosed with dementia last year, was taking the blame because she had forgotten what had happened, Carl didn’t take the news of his parentage very well and took pleasure in seeing Debbie take the wrap for the crash, before she was sentenced to time behind bars.

Eventually, with her health suffering, Debbie was freed following a successful appeal, and while she was led to believe that Carl wanted to make amends and work on a relationship, he soon showed his true colours and has repeatedly tried to get money out of her since.

However, in scenes aired during last week’s Corrie, the hotel owner was seen sending her son on his way for the last time, having given him some cash to leave Weatherfield once and for all. But Debbie’s goodbye could end up being permanent because, as Corrie fans also know, Carl is among the five possible victims of a murder which is set to rock the cobbles this week, after a flashforward episode back in February confirmed who could be killed, and that it’s Betsy Swain who finds the dead body.

Speaking about Carl’s motives, Jonathan told the Manchester Evening News and other press: “With Carl, everything that drives him is he feels like he’s owed something. Before he found out Debbie was his mum, he felt like he had this family in England that never visited him and he’d been neglected, so he’s always had a chip on his shoulder.

” Now he’s got the news Debbie’s his mum, and then to be attacked by Ronnie, he uses that to his advantage. Wherever he is in life, he’s going to try to take advantage of the situation. He knows his mum loves him unconditionally, and he’s going to take advantage of that because he doesn’t quite know how to accept that love at the moment.”

When it was suggested that it was quite a sad place for the character to be in, the soap star replied: “It’s very sad. I feel for him. Obviously, I play him, so I feel something for him.” He added: “I’ve got to have empathy and compassion and find the humanity in him. Especially if I’m being paid to play this guy, I’ve got to find the empathy and compassion there.

“If I’d grown up my whole life not really knowing who my family was and feeling like I was left on the side, how would that impact me? How would I react? I’ve got to play what’s on the page, but I’ve got to try and find the humanity in that and the reason behind it.

Asked whether Carl does have love for his mother, and has a heart when it comes to their situation, the actor shared: “Absolutely he’s got feelings for his mum, yes. Does he know how to express them? No. I don’t really think so. Does he know how to love? I don’t really think so. I think it’s sex and what can I get from life, from this situation? [Carl’s] a bit of a chancer like that.“

But if Carl were to survive this week’s murder, Jonathan admits he’d quite like to see more dodgy antics from his character. “I’m really intrigued to see, if he survives, if he’s going to have a redemptive arc because I’ve had a wonderful, fun time for the 12 months I’ve been here, you know, being a mosquito and annoying the hell out of people, doing the dodgy dealings, the hit and runs, the car stealing, the teenage robberies, the blackmailing – I’ve really enjoyed all that.

“If Carl survives, how far are we going to push the envelope? And I love playing the mosquito and I really hope he continues to have some of that in him if he survives. But, yeah, I try and find moments of kindness in him and moments of wanting to be loved.”

Birds sing the most around an hour before dawn, when the air is at its stillest. Theoretically, this enables sounds to travel further, making song up to 20 times more effective than if sung at midday.

With International Dawn Chorus day approaching, it’s time to take a moment to soak in the spring birdsong and notice the individual harmonies blending together.

International Dawn Chorus Day brings casual bird appreciators, ornithological experts and dedicated twitchers together in a celebration of birdsong. In our series, experts give their insights on nature’s chorus.

The dawn chorus is beautiful anywhere, but your local birdsong may sound rather different to nearby areas. Even in the same neighbourhood, birds of the same species don’t always sound exactly alike. I was recently teaching undergraduates about bird song, and they recorded blue tits singing around campus. The students found plenty of differences between individual birds. Some blue tits sang their classic song, which sounds a bit like they are saying “he-llo, I’m a little blue tit”. Some sang a more elaborate “he-llo, I’m a little blue tit, blue tit”, and some only bothered with “he-llo”.

Alongside individual differences, birds have regional differences in song. For example, the birdsong that sounds a bit like “my toe bleeds Be-tty”, commonly sung by the woodpigeon is, in some parts of the UK, “my toe bleeds Ju-li-a”, with an extra syllable to the final section of the song. These sorts of regional dialects have been reported in several British bird species including blackbirds and great tits.

However, one of the most interesting accents comes from farmland bird the yellowhammer, who typically sings birdsong that sounds like “a little bit of bread and no cheese please”. In the UK, the yellowhammer largely has two distinct dialects, differing in the final “cheese please” part of the song. In the east of England, “cheese” has a lower pitch than “please”, and this is reversed in south and west England.

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Why do birds sing?

The yellowhammer was introduced to New Zealand from the UK in the 1860s and 70s. But, unlike the UK, the New Zealand yellowhammers have around seven dialects, despite originating from the south of England. These five extra dialects have also been detected in birds across Europe, indicating that the New Zealand birds still sing the 19th century British dialects that have since disappeared in the UK. This is likely due to the large decline in the number of yellowhammers in the UK which caused some populations to go extinct. An ongoing project allows you to view a map of yellowhammer dialects or help with citizen science research on their song.

Most birds only sing one dialect, learned from parents or neighbours, resulting in a geographical mosaic of regional accents. Dialects often overlap but can dominate certain areas, essentially producing geordie, brummie, cockney and scouse birds.

Although some bird species have an innate ability to sing the song of their species (the cuckoo, for example), species with more elaborate song must learn to sing. Young birds inherit a template which they add to from listening to songs around them.

For example, chaffinches that have been hand-reared in isolation produce simple songs, whereas wild chaffinches learn complexities from their parents or immediate neighbours in their first weeks of life. Finer details of their song are acquired the following breeding season when they come into contact with neighbouring territory owners. Interestingly, corn buntings, a farmland bird, sing the same song as their nearest neighbour rather than their parents, seeming to learn most after dispersing from their nest.

Birds are also adapting to humans. In urban areas, wildlife is subjected to human-made noise such as cars and machinery. Consequently, urban birds now sing at a higher pitch than rural birds as higher-pitched songs carry better over low-pitch urban noise. And it’s not just the pitch of the song that has been altered.

Great tits sing shorter and faster songs in cities compared to forests, and blackbirds sing louder in urban areas. However, even when cities are quiet, like in the early hours, urban birds maintain these song features, which suggests that sounds echo off large buildings and don’t travel as far in urban areas.

Birds are singing earlier in response to traffic noise, with city blackbirds starting their dawn chorus up to five hours earlier than rural birds. The effect of artificial light also leads to an earlier start of dawn singing, with song thrushes starting ten minutes earlier, and robins and great tits 20 minutes earlier than in areas without street lighting. And, artificial light causes blackbirds to sing around an hour earlier than those exposed to natural light.

Scientists still have much to learn about the differences in birdsong within a species. When you hear birdsong, it’s easy to assume that it’s a male. And it is more usually males that sing. Females choose males with the best song so that his high quality genes will be inherited by her offspring. But female birds have been massively under-represented in archives and scientific studies. A 2016 analysis found that for 3,500 out of 4,814 species we don’t even have enough data to know whether or not the females of the species sing. As researchers take a closer look at female birdsong, we may learn of even more differences.

Next time you listen to a bird singing, see if you can hear the nuances in the dialect, or spot the difference between urban and rural birds.

Greater Manchester Police said officers were called to Chorley New Road at around 7:40am after concerns were raised about a possible firearm in the area.

A spokesperson for the force said: “Officers responded to Chorley New Road, Bolton at around 7.40am following reports of a potential firearm sighting in the area.

“Our officers have carried out extensive enquiries and have deemed there to be no viable threat and no wider risk to the public.”

St Thomas of Canterbury Primary School and Devonshire Road Primary School were both reportedly placed into lockdown as a precaution while officers carried out enquiries.

The lockdowns have since been lifted, and police have confirmed there is no ongoing risk to the public.

Enquiries into the incident have been completed.

Middlethorpe Hall in York will be offering spa treatments between 10am and 12.30pm on Thursday mornings during May at St Leonard’s Hospice’s Wellbeing Hub for residents, out-patients, carers and people who have been recently bereaved.

Middlethorpe Hall Hotel teams up with St Leonard’s Hospice – pictured, the spa cottage at Middlethorpe Hall in York. (Image: Submitted)

Middlethorpe Spa therapists will offer the complimentary treatments during the drop-in sessions which provide a safe, relaxed environment for advice, peer support and access to local groups, free of charge.

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Middlethorpe Hall’s kitchen will also prepare homemade biscuits for these sessions.

Throughout May, the hotel will also donate up to £15 when selected GAIA Skincare treatments are booked at its spa which is popular among hotel guests and York residents alike. The Spa Membership Club is designed for locals, allowing daily access to facilities including a large indoor pool, steam room, spa bath, sauna, gym and club room.

Margaret Webster, complementary therapy lead at St Leonard’s Hospice, said: “We’re incredibly grateful that Middlethorpe Hall will be supporting us in this way.

“Complementary therapies are so important for people’s wellbeing, providing many benefits, including relief from emotional stress and anxiety, improved mood restful sleep and, depending on the treatment, reduced muscle aches and pains.

“The therapists’ weekly visits to our Wellbeing Drop-in during May will be a welcome treat for our attendees, supporting our wider complementary therapy programme at the hospice for patients and carers.

“We can only do what we do at St Leonard’s thanks to the generous support of our community and local businesses like Middlethorpe Hall. Thank you for helping us be there when people need us most.”

The head of Queensberry Promotions, which represents 37-year-old Fury, said the ‘Gypsy King’ will earn a career-high payday against Joshua, surpassing the reported £80m he earned against Oleksandr Usyk in 2024.

But Warren said Fury does not want too much time out of the ring and may fight before facing Joshua in “late October” at the earliest.

Fury returned from a 15-month lay-off with a points win over Arslanbek Makhmudov in London on 11 April.

“Tyson wants to keep busy. That’s the mentality he has. When he’s in the gym, he goes to the gym for his mental wellbeing, as well as physically,” Warren said.

“He needs focus, a date when he’s going to fight, and at the moment we don’t have that date.”

Warren said he expects the loser of a Fury-Joshua bout to retire, or both may hang up the gloves after the one-fight deal.

“Tyson has made it very plain he’d like to fight [undisputed champion Oleksandr] Usyk again, so maybe that could be an option,” Warren said.

Warren did not rule out the Fury-Joshua bout being held in Saudi Arabia, which is funding the fight, but he wants it to take place at Wembley Stadium.

“That’s where everybody would like to see the fight,” Warren said.

“It’s the national stadium – that is where it belongs. We’ve had some great nights there in the past and that makes a lot of sense.”

That’s the food for thought a PETA supporter dished out today in Whitby – recently named the fish and chips capital of the UK – along with ‘freshly caught Siamese & chips’ at the bargain price of £6.

The provocative display, Peta says, challenged people’s speciesism – the misguided belief that some species are superior to others and more deserving of respect and kindness – and highlighted that cats and fish are the same in all the ways that matter.

PETA Senior Campaigns Manager Kate Werner said: “Fish and other marine animals feel pain and terror just as cats and dogs do. PETA urges any Whitby locals horrified by the thought of tucking into a Siamese to extend that compassion to all animals and please, go vegan.”

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Peta says fish share knowledge, have long memories, and maintain cultural traditions. Yet they’re impaled, crushed, suffocated, or cut open and gutted by the billion – often while they’re completely conscious.

‘Kitten and Chips’ on offer in Whitby (Image: Pic supplied)

In addition, 38 million tonnes of other aquatic animals are unintentionally caught each year as the fishing industry seeks to meet consumer demand. Every person who goes vegan saves the lives of nearly 200 animals each year, the group added.

PETA’s free vegan starter kit can help anyone thinking of making the switch.