Pilot Matthew Bird, 21, and passenger Oliver Dawes, 24, died after the two-seater Cessna FRA150L aircraft crashed in a field near Thorganby, south of York, on Sunday, July 28, 2024.

In a report published by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) on April 30, 2026, a spokesperson confirmed that the crash took place after Mr Bird was unable to recover the plane whilst practising aerobatic flying – despite being a ‘particularly competent pilot’.

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They added that the aircraft “entered a fully developed spin to the left but, when recovery actions were commenced, the control column was not pushed far enough forward to un-stall the wing”.

The report states that the aircraft, containing Mr Bird and Mr Dawes, departed from Breighton Airfield at around 8.15am on the morning of the incident – informing radar control that they intended to perform aerobatic manoeuvres between 3,000 and 6,000ft.

Video footage inside the cockpit showed Mr Bird successfully performing manoeuvres, before attempting the final spin to the left where, despite his best efforts, he was unable to regain control of the aircraft.

A mayday call was made to air traffic control, but the aircraft remained in a spin until it struck the ground nose-down – fatally injuring the pilot and passenger.

The recording showed that the engine was running throughout the flight, including during the landing, and that the pilots were not wearing parachutes – something that meant impact was ‘unlikely to have been survivable’.

Further investigation found that Mr Bird was described by his instructors as a “particularly competent pilot with an enthusiastic and conscientious attitude to flying”, adding that he had plans to begin further training at Sherburn on the day after the accident.

Despite this, he was still relatively inexperienced in aerobatic flight and spinning with analysis suggesting that, whilst he had been quick to recover the aircraft in training, he appeared surprised and startled when the aircraft did not recover quickly from the spin.

As a result, he did not realise that the control column remained “aft of neutral” – meaning it had become uncontrollable by a human pilot – and he was unable to recover the plane as it descended.

A spokesperson for AAIB said: “The pilot was known to be sensible and conscientious and there was nothing to suggest that this was not the case in this flight. However, this accident and the CAA ‘loss of control’ video highlight how unexpectedly challenging multiple turn spins can be.”

They added that, following this accident, the Civil Aviation Authority intended to promote to flying schools its safety sense leaflet and video about spin awareness and the use of parachutes.

It is also considering expanding its syllabus to include psychological, behaviour and attitude aspects.

In a statement made at the time, Mr Dawes’ family said: “Yesterday, we lost a dearly loved son, cousin, nephew and friend. Oliver will continue to live on in our hearts and memories as the kind, generous, hardworking and fun man he had become.

“We will miss him every day for the rest of our lives, we are heartbroken.”

Mr Bird’s family said: “We have lost our son, a brother, grandson, nephew, cousin and friend.  Matthew meant so much to so many. We are utterly heartbroken but he will live on in our hearts as we cherish the incredibly special memories he’s left us with.”

When Millie Bright announced her retirement on Wednesday, her mum gave her a letter.

But as Bright continues to wrestle with the emotions of her big announcement, she says she has been unable to read it all.

The 32-year-old retired from England duty last year and has now left Chelsea after 314 appearances, eight Women’s Super League titles, six FA Cups and four League Cups.

A Euros winner in 2022, she has returned home to her family’s farm in Sheffield and is celebrating her dad’s 60th birthday – the sort of event she would have previously missed while juggling playing and training.

Surrounded by her family and beloved horses, Bright says she is “at peace” with the decision to retire after what she describes as the most challenging two years of her life.

“Both physically and mentally, I have been ready to say goodbye,” Bright tells BBC Sport.

“The mental side of things for me, personally… life’s been very difficult, and the amount of abuse I have dealt with has been too much to handle.

“I think over the past year I have lost myself as a person, and it has taken me a long time to rebuild myself.”

Bright withdrew from England’s Euros squad in 2025, as she felt she was unable to give 100% mentally and physically, and says that announcement led to her receiving a significant amount of abuse.

“It was difficult because I was trying to do the right thing for me and the team. I didn’t expect the abuse,” she says.

“I expected people to be like: ‘Why are you making this decision?’ I can tolerate that, but to question my integrity, my passion and dedication as a player… I can’t ever accept that.

“We are still humans, we have a life outside of football and I think that is forgotten 99% of the time.”

A stabbing has taken place at Foss High School in Tacoma, Washington state, on Thursday, April 30, with at least six people said to have been hurt

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A number of people have been injured following a stabbing at an American high school, according to reports.

At least six people are said to have been hurt in the incident at Foss High School in Tacoma, Washington state, on Thursday, 30 April.

Police have confirmed that one suspect has been taken into custody.

Tacoma Police have said that those injured include four students and one security guard, according to KVUE. The sixth injured individual is believed to be the suspect.

The Tacoma Fire Department has confirmed that all those injured have been taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.

ABC News reported that the four students were in critical condition and are now stable. The security officer and suspect sustained minor injuries.

The stabbing was reported shortly before 1.40pm local time.

Foss High School was previously the scene of a shooting in January 2007, which claimed the life of one student. Pupils were evacuated from the building following that incident.

The Moon’s monthly orbit around Earth is slightly elliptical rather than circular, which means its distance from us varies and so not all full Moons are the same.

When this year’s Flower Moon becomes full it will be close to its maximum distance from Earth – a point known as apogee.

That means this year’s Flower Moon will appear slightly smaller than usual because it is at the farthest point from Earth in its orbit – roughly 406,000km (252,000 miles) away.

The difference between apogee and perigee is approximately 43,000km (26,000 miles) – sounds huge, but to the naked eye the change is barely noticeable except in photographs.

The overall effect is that a micromoon appears slightly smaller in the sky and may be a touch less bright than average.

On their impressive European run, Palace have shown they are not just about individuals, but a team stepping up when it matters.

Japan midfielder Kamada had not scored since October 2024 before his composed finish on Thursday restored Palace’s lead just as Shakhtar looked to be taking control following their equaliser at 1-1.

Palace fans were in great spirits before the match in Krakow, and there’s a feeling that all connected with the club are pulling in the same direction.

There could be an air of sadness for the remainder of the campaign with boss Glasner, who led Palace to a fairytale FA Cup victory last season, just two games away from European glory before he departs this summer.

But spirits instead seem high as the club work together to achieve the goal of winning more silverware.

“It’s an amazing group of people, of men, of characters,” said Glasner, who won the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022.

“There is such a big spirit and great togetherness and we always believe in ourselves.

“There is no button we can press to switch it on. It is something we have created over months and years – that we know we can always come back and score a goal.”

The Race Across the World contestant broke down in tears during the latest episode

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BBC Race Across The World contestant Kush was moved to tears while discussing his father’s death.

The 19-year-old competitor and best mate Jo, 19, from Liverpool are the youngest participants attempting the challenge of racing against rivals across more than 12,000km from Sicily to Mongolia.

Hoping to claim the £20,000 prize, the duo embarked on another stage of their adventure during tonight’s (April 30) episode, marking the midpoint of the competition.

Together with their fellow competitors, they tackled the longest stretch of the race, journeying through Kazakhstan, the world’s largest landlocked nation, before entering Uzbekistan.

Midway through their travels, they chose to visit a local gym to practise some judo, as Kush trains in Muay Thai back home, reports the Liverpool Echo.

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The experience, however, triggered memories of his late father, who tragically took his own life during lockdown.

Speaking to camera, he began: “Coming to this gym, it means a lot to me. It’s more than just throwing and hitting fighting. There’s a lot of meaning behind it.”

In an honest moment, he revealed: “I think back to memories with my dad. I found it sick to do what your dad does. Being in the gym, I wonder what he’s thinking. He would be standing on the side with a particular sort of smirk on his face, watching me do judo throws.”

Clearly emotional, Kush remembered: “I remember the day he passed. It was locked down and it was a real big shock. He had really poor mental health and he took his own life. You never forget that shock factor.

“I still think about him all the time. Being on this journey has brought back little moments and I wish I could sort of show who I am now because when you’re 14, I didn’t know who I was and I was still a child.

“I made a lot of mistakes when I was younger and I feel like, if I could sort of show him what I’ve learn’t…” The 19 year old was unable to complete his sentence as he became overwhelmed with emotion.

Viewers at home were deeply affected by the poignant scene, taking to social media to express their feelings. One viewer posted: “Poor Kush. He’s a lovely lad, they both are. #RaceAcrossTheWorld.”

Another commented: “Kush opening up on the loss of his father at just 1 year old-oh man #RaceAcrossTheWorld.” A third shared: “kush is breaking my heart omg #raceacrosstheworld.”

Someone else posted: “Damn! Kush lost 2 dads at such a young age. I’m sure they’re proud of him #RaceAcrossTheWorld.” While another remarked: “Such a heartbreaking leg for Kush and Joe – what humble lads they are #RaceAcrossTheWorld.”

Race Across the World is available to stream on BBC iPlayer

He said that such a unit would provide specialist inpatient mental health care, allowing mothers to stay with their babies while receiving treatment, and such an approach is recognised as best practice.

Northern Ireland’s first dedicated mother and baby unit should be open no later than 2029, the health minister has said.

Mike Nesbitt said it had been a personal priority to address the “unacceptable” lack of such a unit in Northern Ireland, making it the only part of the UK without one.

He said that such a unit would provide specialist inpatient mental health care, allowing mothers to stay with their babies while receiving treatment, and such an approach is recognised as best practice.

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“It supports recovery, protects infant wellbeing, and strengthens the earliest bonds between mother and child, bonds which are critical for lifelong health and development,” he said.

He added that, after asking officials to assess all options for potential sites, that a permanent mother and baby unit would be established at a site at Belfast City Hospital.

He said a scoping exercise had “confirmed” that alternative locations or construction approaches would not deliver “a

materially shorter timeline or better value for money”.

He said in some cases they would involve “additional costs, staffing pressures and increased clinical risk”.

“Most importantly, they would not offer the same level of safety and assurance for mothers and babies,” he said on Thursday.

“Unfortunately, no agreement was possible with clinicians on a temporary/interim solution. However, I have secured a significant shortening of the timeframe for construction, by at least two years, meaning the unit should open no later than 2028/29.

“The outline business case for the facility has been approved at trust board level and submitted to the Strategic Planning and Performance Group.

“Departmental Health Estates has confirmed that preparatory work is complete and as the commissioner’s letter of support has been issued, a design team can be appointed immediately and the project can proceed to the next stage of delivery.

“This represents a significant step forward from commitment to delivery.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

A humanities teacher who was arrested after sending sexual messages to a 13-year-old girl has been banned from teaching “indefinitely”.

Liam Walker, 31, a teacher at Sir William Stanier School in Crewe, Cheshire, from 2023 to 2024, used Snapchat and another online chatroom where he used usernames including “HungTeacherMeet” and “Fit Teacher” to speak to the child.

Walker, who was in correspondence online with the child for a week, asked her “intrusive questions about her sexual history and made other sexualised remarks”, according to allegations upheld by a Teaching Regulation Agency panel.

According to the evidence, the girl, identified in the documents as “Child A”, informed Walker, “during their first online interaction” on 7 August that she was 13.

Despite this, Walker continued to engage in online correspondence with her until 15 August.

“In many of the messages sent by Mr Walker to Child A he asked Child A intrusive questions about her sexual history and made other sexualised remarks,” the panel heard.

These included comments such as: “you never know what creeps are out there trying to get into your pants”, “are you a virgin?”, “you’re defo gonna get someone in trouble haha hope you don’t send nudes”, “are you looking for sex?”, and “I’m always a little worried to talk dirty to a teen as it’s illegal haha”.

On 4 September 2024, Walker was arrested for engaging in sexual communications with a child, and five days later he was dismissed from his role with immediate effect.

The panel noted that Walker’s behaviour “took place in the summer holidays outside of the education setting”, but said he “had failed in his duty of care to children by exposing Child A to the risk of being groomed” and of failing to promote her safety and welfare.

The panel also said Walker “appeared to be testing the boundaries with Child A”. They said “this conduct was exacerbated by his use of the usernames ‘HungTeacherMeet’ and ‘FitTeacher’ which were both capable of having sexual connotations”.

They said his actions amounted to “serious departure from the personal and professional conduct elements of the Teachers’ Standards”, as well as “sexual misconduct … involving actions that were sexually motivated or of a sexual nature and/or that use or exploit the trust, knowledge or influence derived from the individual’s professional position”.

The panel said the public interest considerations, the protracted nature of the communication with Child A and the intrusive and explicit nature of the conversation with her was a “significant factor” in recommending a prohibition order be imposed with immediate effect.

Assessing the panel’s recommendations, Stuart Blomfield, acting on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education, said: “The findings of misconduct are serious,” adding that “the panel has found all of the allegations proven and found that those proven facts amount to unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute.”

He added: “In my view, it is necessary to impose a prohibition order in order to maintain public confidence in the profession.”